Bored In College English...
A/N - Ok, so I had a reflective essay to write in Composition & Rhetoric and I decided to write about my experience at Warped Tour this past summer. Tell me what you think if anyone reads this k?
Have you ever wanted something so badly that you thought that you might cry if you didn’t get what you wanted? That was me this past July. I had been waiting for over three years to go to Warped Tour and I actually had tickets this year. Only thing is, three days before the day of the concert I was in Albuquerque, New Mexico crying my eyes out thinking that I wouldn’t make it in time. Now you have to understand, for me this concert was the end all be all concert. It is like Woodstock only not. It happens every year in the summertime and usually has upwards of 70 bands playing every day on about 6-10 stages simultaneously. The definition of Warped Tour on Wikipedia is “…a touring music and extreme sports festival.” It is the longest running tour ever, which really tells you something. Many people go every year and I was one of those lucky ones that was going this year. All I had to do was actually get there and have a good time.
My father felt sorry that I wouldn’t be able to go, and told me that he’d meet me in Atlanta the day of the concert, all I had to do was get my mom to leave New Mexico soon. My mom to agree to leave on Sunday. The concert was that coming Tuesday, so we were really pushed for time. The day of the concert we were in Little Rock, Arkansas. Not even my mom was hopeful of getting there on time, but we got there four…hours late, but it was an all day event so that really wasn’t a problem. This day would be the best day of my life, no matter what.
My father and I rode around looking for a parking spot and ended up paying twenty dollars to park in a daycare parking lot. We made our way towards the outdoor venue, me with a Cheshire cat grin and my dad with a sour look on his face. To say that he did not want to be there would have been an under statement. I felt so happy that my dad would do this for me that I was beyond eternally grateful. Especially after him telling me not even three months beforehand that he would never take me to another concert ever again. I was a very happy person that day.
After acquiring the day’s full schedule, we made our way through the venue in search of a good band to see. My father, being the sensible guy that he is (Ha…..not), did not like a single band that was playing, so I had my work cut out for me. We ambled around, looking at all the merchandise that was being sold by the various bands that were playing that day, and I bought a few t-shirts all the while waiting for the bands to start playing. My father and I quickly walked to the first stage and waited for the bands to begin.
I saw several bands that day, but only two were really worth mentioning. My favorite all time band is Escape The Fate. I was so stoked that I would be able to see them play live. After their set was done I quickly ran behind the stage and attempted to get the attention of their bassist Max Green. He gladly took pictures and signed autographs for all of his fans including me. He went on his way and I headed to another stage to see a band called Chiodos. I got to the very front of the barrier (it was really hard, believe me) and screamed along to every song. I did not get to meet anyone from that band, but I did touch the singers foot! Eventually the shows wound down to a halt and it was time to go home. I was more than exhausted and was just about ready to pass out. It was a day that I would cherish and never forget.
In the end, everything turned out exactly how I imagined it would. I got the thing that I had wanted most for the past three years, with the added bonus of many cherished memories. My father and I got to spend some quality time that day and on the road home which was exactly what we needed. Given the chance to repeat that day, I would over and over again. That day was perfect and I will always remember it as long as I live.