I think it’s time I share all the gigs I’ve been to so far in my life. Including the ones that may not be heavy metal so be prepared, and I’ll give you a basic summary. Some of them may include special memories that I’ve mentioned before but I’m going to mention them anyway regardless of what people think.
1. July 2010: First ever concert
Okay, please don’t shoot me for this cause I know this blog is mainly heavy metal when it comes to my music taste. But my very first concert was Taylor Swift at the ACC in Toronto. I was still in to pop before metal at that time and she was just one of those artists I liked the most. I went with my girlfriends to see her, we were very far back from the stage but she was beautiful as soon as we saw her on the screen. It was a great night and I sang to just about all the songs except the ones I didn’t know. I was lucky enough to see her while she was still a country girl. I still am a fan of her today but not as much anymore because I don’t like the fact that she’s moving away from her country sound and trying to be more pop-like. I also miss the time she had curly hair. Now it’s straight, but in my opinion it looked better when it was curly. Red, wasn’t my cup of tea when I heard it. Her previous albums were better.
2. September 20th 2012: First metal concert
A few weeks after I had started my first year of college, I went with my friend to see Nightwish at Toronto Sound Academy, a much smaller venue. I had heard a few songs by Nightwish at that time but my friend was crazy about them! We landed pretty decent spots near the stage and when they came on I went along with it cause I still didn’t know the band that well. They started with the song “Storytime” and I didn’t know it that well but my friend was singing it nonstop. He goes on and on about how Marco Hietala smiled at him during that song. But it doesn’t bother me that he talks about it all the time, especially now that I know how it feels cause something like that has now happened to me as well. I only sang along to “Amaranth” cause it was the only song that I knew, but that’s better than no song at all. After seeing Nightwish live I became a bigger fan of them and started buying their CDs, I have all of them now and look forward to a new one with Floor Jansen in the band and maybe I’ll catch them again next time they roll into Toronto.
3. July 26th 2013: First rock concert
Some say, you haven’t been to a rock concert until you’ve been to a KISS concert. I got into KISS through another band called Lordi which was always talking about KISS being their influence. KISS is the most influential band I know and if I love Lordi why not check out KISS. Now look at me, I’m a huge KISS fan. It happened when I just suddenly saw my friend talk about how he wanted to see KISS in July. I wasn’t a fan at that time but just for the hell of it since I was considering checking out the band, I asked him if I could tag along. So I did and while at it I started buying their music and nothing disappointed me so far. Come July, I was already a fan and that was the first concert I was super excited for. I still remember happily skipping towards my seat and shaking inside when the curtain dropped and KISS came onto the stage. A KISS concert never disappoints me.
4. April 17th 2014: First ritual with Ghost
Ghost was another band that I got to see live several months after becoming a fan. It all began on Christmas 2013 when I fell in love with their music. I remember waiting all week on the last week of January to buy the tickets and then bought them the day they went on sale. I worked hard through the first semester of my program cause I knew Ghost would be waiting for me at the end. Eyes on the prize eh? Yeah. Then come April 17th, I glammed up for the ritual and it was the most dark satanic experience I ever had. This is only the second metal concert/general admission one that I’ve been to but it went even better than last time. I was super close to the stage (close enough to score this amazing shot above!) and close enough to catch the band’s attention. I was happy when I shouted out to Papa that I love him, and then he looked at me. Then I melted when I blew a kiss at him and he caught it the second time he looked at me. Yes, this was the first concert where one of my idols saw me. It takes a lot of luck to make that happen whether they saw you the way it happened to me, you met them after the show, you scored a guitar pick or Papa reached down and you touched his hand. No matter what happens at a Ghost concert, it’s your special experience and no one should be allowed to tell you not to talk about it or tell you what you did is not something special.
5. August 12th 2014: KISS & Def Leppard, twice in a lifetime with KISS
My most recent concert and another concert that happened at the end of a semester. Once again during the second semester of my program I once again had my eyes on the prize for something waiting at the end: Being introduced to Def Leppard and spending twice in a lifetime rock & rolling all night then partying everyday with KISS. I had heard a few songs by Def Leppard and predicted I would turn into a fan of them after this concert: and I did. I never thought I would get a chance to see KISS again, I thought they would be done soon but it appears they still got some tours left in them! I went to this show dressed up as the Goddess of Thunder. (My Gene Simmons costume, as last year I only did his makeup) and everywhere I went in the venue, people were asking for photos with me, cheering me on and giving me compliments. I loved the attention. Wear a costume and everyone loves your spirit. Why, there was even a time I talked with fans and when I told them I loved all eras of KISS and that Gene would always be my favourite no matter what they said I was a true fan. Makes me happy. I was singing and screaming all night long and I vow to be closer to the stage next year. I really mean it this time.
Those are all my concerts so far, I am hoping to go to more in the future. Concerts are one of the best ways for me to escape the stresses in the world. To also close this entry off, I just want to make a quick note that some of the things in this entry I have mentioned before here and other social media sites I used. Some people have got fed up with it, but that’s their problem. If you have a problem with me mentioning those things again, don’t even think about sending me complaint messages about them because they will be ignored and I will block you if you continue to do it. All of the things that happened at these concerts are my experience and will always be in my memories. There’s no need to compare that what you did you think is better. I go nuts at concerts because whatever the band/artist is that I’m seeing I end up waiting 3 months or more for the event and if it’s a band I really love, I go crazy. Kapeesh? Hope everyone understands this, cause I have as much right to act whatever way I please and talk about whatever I want when it comes to concerts be it being said for the first time or fifth time.
-Emily
Monsterlady's Diary 