So show me, I'll show you

I used to not understand the hype of concerts; I listened to a variety of music, but there were few artists that I enjoyed the entire discography of, and without that factor, I was hesitant to consider myself a fan.


My first concert experience was a result of an invite to fill the spot of a last minute cancellation. I had never heard of the band beforehand, and listened to a few songs in the days leading up to the performance. Even without knowing the majority of the songs, I left with a post-concert high, and the next few concerts I went to followed the same vein - I did not know the artist well, listened to a few songs before the concert, and ended up having a great time.




After a few years of these concerts, I thought about who I would really enjoy seeing - Coldplay. The artist of my favourite song, and the one artist who I could say I did not dislike a single song in their entire discography - I was set, and when A Head Full of Dreams was announced as possibly their last album and tour, I had to go (twice).

Enter BTS.

Sometime in the beginning of this year, I turned from a casual listener to a huge fan overnight, and when their world tour was announced with their first-ever concert in Canada, I knew I had to go. Nothing could have prepared me for the absolute craziness that is ticketing wars, and unfortunately I did not snag any tickets in the original sale. While reluctant to pay inflated prices, I eventually found tickets that worked in the parameters of both my concert buddy and my own.





I think my excitement was on another level than previous; I love Coldplay, but the type of fandom is quite different. I often get asked why I am a fan, and what makes them so special. Having been on the other side, I can understand why people are confused. When YouTube comments were inundated with comments from A.R.M.Y. on videos unrelated to BTS, I had searched them up before and page 1 of Google Search results alone cannot explain why people are so infatuated with this group. Every individual experience is different, but what was originally a venture to learn the names of each member during a sleepless night led to a place to seek comfort during difficult times.

There are too many facets to explore what makes someone become a fan, and also a plethora of articles attempting to explain the phenomena. My concert buddy was especially shocked to notice how diverse the crowd at the concert was, and it felt like we were walking into a different world when we arrived in a Hamilton transformed by fellow fans.





I feel oddly empty right now. I had anticipated this feeling months before the concert; the excitement of the impending concert, and the overwhelming 2.5 hours have left me feeling a little hollow. Time is the only answer, and for everything that led up to this point, I am thankful.




Title: September 22nd, 2018