Recently, I was super privileged to attend the Panic! at the Disco and Weezer concert at BB&T Pavilion in Camden, NJ. I was lucky enough to grab a lawn seat before the price jumped up, and got to go with one of my best friends, Bailey.
Bailey is a frequent flyer in the concert world, while I am more of a newcomer. This was my first real concert since I was about 7, when my family and I would go to the American Idol tour concerts every year.
After stopping at Wawa and eating a pre-concert dinner, she, her mom, her mom's friend, one of our other friends Emily, and I were on our way to the show.
So, from this show I found my top five favorite moments of the night, not just in the actual music but in the whole experience.
5. Running into friends you weren't planning on seeing.
I went into the concert knowing some people who would be there, but there were also people there I knew who I didn't think were there. And, some of them I ended up sitting super close to on the lawn. I saw my friend Andrew (above) who I went on a spring break trip for Habitat to Humanity with, my friend David who I have known since I was 2, and a kid from my middle school I haven't seen in four years, plus a bunch of other various people I just graduated with.
Running into people was super fun as we were bonding over the music, and just connecting through screaming the same songs at the top of our lungs outside together.
4. The song that everyone knows and screams at the top of their lungs whether or not they like the artist.
For Panic!, this song was "I Write Sins Not Tragedies," which is so popular that even my parents know it -- when they don't even know who Panic! is.
You could feel the energy as the whole entire lawn sang the song at the top of their lungs while dancing and flailing and just letting the music move them.
You could tell everyone was singing, whether they came for Weezer, Panic!, or just came along with friends.
3. When a song from your childhood plays.
"Beverly Hills -- That's where I want to be! Living in Beverly Hills...Beverly Hills -- Rolling like a celebrity! Living in Beverly Hills..."
I was born in 1997, so when "Beverly Hills" came out and started blasting on the radio I was about 8, so I can remember singing this extremely catchy song. This is a song I think I will be singing as old as I get because the catchy, repetitive lyrics have been forever ingrained in my brain.
So, as I forgot that this tune was by Weezer when I was caught up in jamming out, I was thrilled and just started singing my heart out, as my 8-year-old self came out singing.
2. Plopping down onto the grass with my best friend.
I don't know who else I would rather go to one of my first concerts with than Bailey. One of my best friends, my co-worker, and a concertgoer expert, Bailey is one of the sweetest people I know.
Jamming out with her, singing our hearts out, and dancing like a weirdo is one of my favorite memories so far for the summer, and I know these photos will be in my dorm room college next year, and that the memory will be on my mind when I miss home.
When we plopped down on the grass we were ecstatic, energetic, and so excited for the night to come. And, it was a wonderful night.
1. When a song speaks to you.
I've always been pretty self-conscious and worrisome of what other people think. But with college about to start, and a new beginning here I want to be more confident. And so, Weezer's "Pork and Beans" spoke to me as I flailed around and just danced.
"I'm'a do the things that I wanna do, I ain't got a thing to prove to you."
