I recently had one of the greatest weekends of my life so far. It was a terrific mini-vacation to make up for my recent random depression and stress surplus.
My mother bought tickets for a Fall Out Boy and Panic! At The Disco concert in Atlanta, GA this past summer for my younger sister’s birthday. The concert was set at the end of September, and somehow my sister found the patience for that to be her birthday gift. The universe works in strange and mysterious ways.
Anyway, my mother called me last Thursday night and asked if I wanted to go to the concert with my sister. My mother is an English teacher, and oddly enough, hates grading papers. So, God love her, Mum suggested that she take us there, wait and grade papers in the car, then take us back to stay at a hotel and come back home Sunday afternoon. How, as a huge fan of both bands since early teenagerdom, could I refuse?
The Golden Ticket
So I didn’t.
It actually turned into a family trip with my dad holding down the fort in our hotel room.
We left home Saturday morning, around 9 am, and headed toward Atlanta. We arrived to our hotel around 3 pm and rested for a few hours before the concert.
The time had finally come. The concert was a 20-minute drive from our hotel, but that just gave us more time to collect the exciting butterflies in out tummies.
Panic’s opening banner
It was a rather high-quality, beautiful venue. It was amphitheater-shaped with seating arrangements in the back and a region of people standing in front of the stage, as protocol demands. The opening band was surprisingly decent as well, so this only heightened my sister’s and my anticipation for a wonderful evening of terrific music we both enjoy.
We would not be disappointed in the very slightest.
Panic! beginning to ensue
I would post videos but won’t because the sound on my phone was not high quality (of course), I couldn’t stand still (another given), so photos will have to be a suitable substitute.
I also need to mention an odd association that I enjoy. I only enjoy the combined smell of alcohol, body odor, and cigarettes when I go to a concert. This smell is so unique in my repertoire of smells that it somehow ranks on up with favorites such as blueberry muffin candles and strawberries & cream shampoo. Psychology is such an interesting little thing, isn’t it?
I would have actually enjoyed a solely Panic! At The Disco concert more, but I do love Fall Out Boy as well. They are both such widely popular bands and do great concerts, but I understand their great friendship and wanting to promote music, be it a short set or not.
After much screaming/trying to sing along to just about every Panic! song, their set came to a close, the excitement in the air only building in anticipation for the final event: Fall Out Boy.
FOB coming alive
Fall Out Boy has been one of my favorite bands since I was about 12. I know more than a few of their songs. My sister runs everything she loves into the ground (don’t notice my Sherlock obsession at this point), so she knew all the new songs they played since she got their new album a few months ago.
It was a terrific experience for my sister’s first real concert, and I’m happy to be the one who witnessed it. We also saw many, many individuals with Doctor Who and other mutually-enjoyed band shirts among the crowd. I made the comment to my sister that these are our people when they leave their homes.
FOB saying goodnight
After FOB had their stupendous finale, my sister and I walked back to our car to tell our mum how terrific of a night we had. It truly was a wonderful thing for my sister and I to have bonded over, and I shall never forget it.
*all photos were taken by me, all the band logos belong to their rightful owners
Ashlynn's Passions 