Two Turtles in a Pond (Tony Perry)

Chapter 4: Hold On, Have Faith

After even more waiting, the support act A Day To Remember ran onto the stage. Thankfully, we got to the barrier in the centre; we certainly deserved it - several long hours of queuing! Although I had been a fan of the band for quite a while now, it never occurred to me how much Alex - the drummer - looked like a monkey! I am not purposely trying to be mean but he appeared to have most of the mannerisms, I believe in evolution. - none of this religion crap! As Jeremy McKinnon ran from left to right of the stage, I noticed a small, bald man stood at the side and drinking coffee while watching the band. Fucking hell, it was Adam Elmakias, the music photographer - I love him so much! He was the one who inspired to the shoot bands, not professionally of course. Basically, I was just a kid who took a camera to a concert but would love to do that as a living. Also, I briefly touched Jeremy as well as catching Josh's guitar pick.

Best support act I have ever seen as if I could, I would have gone to see them in the future - they put on a crazy show!

Concerts are such amazing places. You're standing there waiting for your favourite band. They were scheduled to go on at 9; its 9:03. You know it's going to happen but it still catches you by surprise. The lights go down and a deep bass note, one so deep you feel it in your chest, rumbles from the speakers. Then it happens; everyone rushes forward, pushing the air out of your lungs. Then all that matters is that band and knowing that everyone is just trying to get a little closer to a band they love just as much as you do.

Everything is perfect.

Jaime, Tony and Mike run on stage and assume their positions while us fans all scream and some of us - me - cry; moments before Vic runs on and starts to sing Bulls In The Bronx. Tears streaming down my face, I screamed the lyrics to every song. My heroes, my lifesavers, my life, was only a few metres away from me. They are the only reason I have held on until now. I screamed, cried, sang my heart out, danced - emotions raced - meanwhile, Olivia danced and sang a little. A few times she attempted to speak to me but I ignored her, pretending I never heard her. I'm sorry but Pierce The Veil were playing in front of me. Although I was extremely emotional throughout the whole set, Hold On 'Till May was worst. I'm not meaning bad, I was just a wreak more so than the rest! What made me cry the most though was during that verse was when Vic sang 'You're just wasted thinking about the past again, Darlin' you'll be okay', Jaime created the 'okay' sign with his hand and mouthed 'I promise' into my direction. I swear to God, we made eye contact at that point. I could be mistaken, Tony ended up not smiling at me.

It was inevitable, the concert would end but I really wished it didn't. When you are at a concert, the world stops for you and everyone else there. You forget all your problems, your sorrows, your pain and the weight is lifted off you. When it ends and the lights come back on, it feels like you were thrown back into the heart of the troubles - you are trying your very hardest to swim but you are drowning. 

However, concerts are better than any drug you could ever take.

It is the most amazing experience ever and you get so much energy from the band and the audience. Nothing in the world is as good as live music - in my opinion!

Perfection.

Honestly, I could die happy now, finally able to cross off my only wish on my bucket list. The best way I could spend my final night!

As Olivia and I walked out of the venue into the crisp air, she declared that she was going to go out and 'hang' with some male person she had just met, obviously completely forgetting she has a boyfriend back home. Like I have said before, I am not calling her anything she is not but this was not the first time she has done this and almost certainly isn't going to be the last! I suppose that's the way Olivia is. Honestly, I am not too fussed that I am alone; before it emotionally hurt me when she first started to do that, but now, I am used to it.

Not wanting to go home just yet, I wandered around to the back of the venue where some other fans had found themselves waiting for the bands to emerge to get onto their tour buses. I found a quieter spot further away from the mayhem and had a seat on the floor, after all, I hadn't sat down for hours and my legs were beyond hurting.

There, I was remising what has just happened. The best concert of my live. How I have spent my final day. It was paradise...