In the eighth grade I developed an undying love for music. I had always had a diverse music taste and appreciated music greatly. Eighth grade, however, was different. I had fallen into a black hole of music and most specifically alternative music. Now, the eighth grade was not when I attended my first concert. My first concert was the summer before seventh grade. I had gone to see Beyonce and Jay-Z. Despite being a huge fan of those artists and thoroughly enjoying my time that evening, it was not nearly as impactful as when I went to go see Pierce The Veil, a post-hardcore band, the summer of eighth grade. This concert is what I consider the one that started it all. Since then, I have been to 38 concerts and a total of 41 concerts all within the span of five years. 

The Pierce The Veil concert was on an incredibly hot day in June; June 10th, 2016 to be exact. As my friend Scarlette, sister, and I hopped onto the CTA orange line to head for the city the sun spilled into the train cart and illuminated the skyline. It was roughly noon and the doors to the show didn’t open until 5:30 but I was determined to secure a good spot. I may have overcompensated a bit but it was my first ever general admission show. To my surprise, when we arrived to the House Of Blues, there were already roughly 50 fans waiting in line in the beaming sun. Despite sweating profusely and looking like lobsters from some intense sunburn, we all bonded as we waited for five hours. We sang songs, ate snacks, played uno, and simply learned more about one another. The wait to enter the venue alone was memorable and provided a sense of unity I had never felt before at a concert. When the doors finally opened, everyone stampeded into the venue in an effort to secure a good spot for the show. Unfortunately, we were on the balcony and not the floor which presented many issues. Not only were we seeing all the bands from above but VIP members sat right in front of us, obstructing the view for at least half of the show. These unfortunate events however, did not stop me from having the time of my life. The moment Pierce The Veil took the stage my soul might’ve left my body. The feelings I was experiencing are unmatched to this day. 

The lights dimmed then went out completely. The beginning riff of “Dive In” the first track on their newest album filled the venue. Shortly after, the thumping of the bass drum shook the floorboards. For a moment I wasn’t sure if I was genuinely excited or if it was simply the bass I felt in my chest. Finally, as the first verse of the song began, the lights turned on and glowed red and white revealing the four band members on stage. I stood there, on the balcony, finding a window where I could see just enough of the stage to be absolutely captivated. I couldn’t help but feel like I was in a dream. In that moment I was so overwhelmed with happiness that nothing felt real. It truly was too good to be true.

The rest of the concert consisted of me screaming every single lyrics at the top of my lungs like a complete manic. In all honesty, however, I didn’t regret it one bit because it honestly seemed as if every single person in that room was singing right along with me. There were times in which the crowd was louder than the band itself. Much like earlier that day in line, the sense of unity became apparent once again. All of the songs I sang dozens of times in the comfort of my own room were now being sung by the band members themselves. I was no longer alone in my room. I was surrounded by hundreds of people who loved this band and music just as much as I did. 

As they completed their set of the night, the final song began with hard hitting drums and guitar. Strobe lights flashed on and off until eventually the room glowed red and gold as the chorus began leading to the release of confetti from the confetti machines. Thousands of pieces on confetti filled the venue and fell in slow motion only adding to the dream like feeling. I reached out to catch a single confetti and honestly, shed a tear. I can’t pinpoint what it was that made me do such a thing, it just… happened. At that time in my life I longed for a sense of belonging. I longed for genuine happiness and purpose. I truly do feel like I found those things at that concert even if it was for a short amount of time. It truly was the start of it all.