My Thoughts and Reviews
I have discovered a new love for concerts. Before college I had only been to a few, not really having the means to afford the tickets or get myself to the location of the concert. However, after going to college and being closer to Washington D.C. the opportunities for live shows have increased dramatically. I have also found a great group of friends that have been able to go with me as well. I’ve gone to quite a few concerts this past year, but here are some of my most recent ones!
September 20, 2025 — The Wishbone Pajama Show with Conan Gray
This was such a fun show. I used to listen to Conan a lot in middle school. “Greek God” from Sunset Season was my favorite song on that EP and it would often be put on repeat in my ears.
The dress code for this show was either pajamas, sailor regalia, or both! The set for this show was so interesting as it changed for each act. There were four in total, not including the encore. They were titled as “a wishbone never breaks even”, “i got the short end of the stick”, “i took the long way to realization”, and “i wished for love, and i found it”.
Each act had a specific collection of songs and a unique set. Some of the sets included a wheat field, a boat, and a bed! Conan even picked a fan from the crowd to break a wishbone and pick a song if it ruled in their favor. His outfits were also amazing. He took the time to change them for each set!
I was able to get his tour shirt to remember the concert by! I loved this show and I want to go see him again!
September 27, 2025 — An Evening with Darren Criss
An Evening With Darren Criss was an ARTS by George benefit. These events happen each year to help support College of Visual and Performing Arts scholarships as well as other student ensembles at George Mason University.
I knew a little bit about Darren Criss before going to see him. One of his most famous roles is Blaine Anderson from Glee. However, I knew him from a very niche musical called A Very Potter Musical, as well as his brief appearance in the “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” music video by Katy Perry. He has also starred in Broadway shows as well.
I love a live concert, and I was thrilled to be attending. Most of the songs I was able to recognize from multiple pockets of media, but there were a few I did not know, including a few of his own original songs. My favorite moment, though, was when he sang the opening song in A Very Potter Musical. I had hoped that he would and he did not disappoint the crowd.
September 28, 2025 — ACT: TOMORROW with TOMORROW X TOGETHER
I wrote about going to see ATEEZ this past summer in Baltimore, and they did not disappoint. Their show actually increased my interest in K-Pop, which is why I got tickets to go to this show.
I saw TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) at Capitol One Arena in Washington D.C.. I knew a few of their songs as they had been introduced to me sporadically and gradually, but listening to the setlist really helped me discover how much of their music I enjoyed.
The vibe of the concert was so energetic! Everyone I interacted with before the show was just super sweet. I went with the same friend I went to ATEEZ with. We did not get there nearly as early as we did for that concert, but we did have a couple hours to kill. We spent that time getting merch and freebies, talking with other fans, and taking loads of pictures to remember the night by.
The show itself was amazing. All of the solo stages were fantastic, helping me solidify my bias (Huening Kai). We even got Cat & Dog as an encore song, which is the first TXT song I had ever heard and fell in love with. I love playing that song now just to confuse people.
Our show did get cut short because of the noise regulations in D.C.. They had a few more encore songs planned but the venue made them stop. Despite that, I really had an amazing time and would be down to go see them again!
September 29, 2025 — P1ustage H : MOST WANTED with P1Harmony
I hardly have words for this show. It was so much fun! I went with the same friend again! She really wanted to see TXT, and I really wanted to see P1Harmony, so we did intensive training to ensure I would know everything about her group and she would know everything about mine.
This show was on the George Mason University campus at Eagle Bank Arena. It was so close we walked there, which was much less stressful compared to drivng. The line was already beginning to wrap around the venue when we arrived. The merch line was pretty horrendous, but we managed to sneak to the furthest line which had practically no one in it, which was nice.
The line did still take a while, and because the venue let us in kind of late, we did miss the opener, AMPERS&ONE. I didn’t know this group, but it would have been nice to see them. I bought a tour t-shirt, a pack of photocards, and a Jongseob (my bias) picket! My friend got the same thing as me, except she got a Theo picket. We were set for the show.
Our seats were pretty nice, getting a decent view of the stage. From where we were sitting I could make out their faces without the use of the big screens. Everyone around us was super sweet, and they were cheering just as loud as we were.
P1Harmony was just super energetic, and you could tell they truly loved what they were doing. They were always smiling and messing around with one another. One of the members, Keeho, even mentioned that he liked George Mason, which felt dystopian to hear him say.
My friend and I are going to try our best to get send-off next year because all of the videos and interactions look like so much fun. This was one of the best concerts I have been to this year.
October 5, 2025 — The Clancy Tour: Breach with Twenty One Pilots
The last time I had seen Twenty One Pilots was the summer before my freshman year of high school in 2019—6 years ago. That feels wild to write out. I didn’t really know what to expect from this show because it had been so long since I had seen them, but I left feeling quite nostalgic.
I loved Twenty One Pilots in middle school and I never went a day without listening to them. As I got older and discovered new artists I pushed their music to the back burner. I would listen to them occasionally, more as a throwback, and never really picked their music back up.
When they announced they were coming to Jiffy Lube in Bristow, VA, I knew I had to go. It was so much fun, and it was exactly how I imagined it to be. Energetic, almost a little sad, but a great show overall.
There were quite a few merch stands surrounding the arena, so there was hardly any wait. I got a black and red tour shirt! I debated on getting a tote bag, as I love tote bags, but I don’t listen to them as much as I used to and decided against it.
They had a great mix of old and new songs, which truly felt full circle. It’s still so odd for me to think about Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun being married and having children. Sometimes I get wrapped up in the music and forget that artists have their own separate lives outside of being musicians.
If Twenty One Pilots were to go on tour again, I would go. As I have mentioned in one of my past articles, going back to the old things you used to love is important and healing.
October 23, 2025 — A Matter of Time with Laufey
This was the show I was most excited to see this month. I was able to see A Night At the Symphony with Laufey this summer and it was absolutely beautiful. Her newest album, A Matter of Time, was a masterpiece and I could not wait to see her perform the songs live.
Laufey’s A Matter of Time: A Modern Jazz Standard
The show was at Capitol One Arena in Washington D.C., where I saw TXT. Upon arrival, the lines were the first thing that could be noticed. They filled the street, which was blocked off, and they even wrapped around surrounding buildings. Everyone in line had the most creative and fun outfits on, all trying to win that “Best Dressed” crown! Even the line to the merch table was long, but it moved relatively quickly. I got a tour t-shirt and a Peanuts x Laufey totebag!
Suki Waterhouse was the opener. I only knew a couple of her songs, but I liked her set and her energy. Her band was very talented and so was she!
When the show finally started, I was on the edge of my seat. It was unreal seeing Laufey for the first time, but seeing her again was just as magical, if not even more. I had seen bits and pieces of her tour on social media, so I wasn’t completely in the dark, but it was better in person. Her set for the show was absolutely gorgeous and her outfits perfectly reflected her and her music.
Similarly to Conan Gray, she too had acts that split up certain songs in her show. There were about five in total with an encore at the end. One of her acts was a jazz set where many of her songs were formatted into that familiar swing, jazz style.
The girl who won “Best Dressed” was someone who I actually saw waiting in line and I had wished to myself that I hoped she would win! She had a breathtaking dress made out of sheet music that Laufey herself wrote! I was amazed with the creativity and quite happy that she won.
Laufey also shared with the crowd that D.C. was like a home to her, as she used to live there a couple times—once when she was really little, and then a few times on her own when she was older. She recalled song writing in D.C. for her earliest album.
Laufey did not leave any room for disappointment. Her live voice was just as silky, smooth as her recorded one. I cannot wait until I can see her again.
October 25, 2025 — Twilight: In Concert
This was my most recent concert. I saw an advertisement for this all the way back in the spring and I immediately signed up for presale. The tickets were a birthday gift from my dad. My mom and I were able to attend together and it was so much fun.
Though there are many plot holes and the movie can seem kind of silly during certain scenes, Twilight (2008) is one of my favorite movies of all time. I always watch it in the fall, specifically when it is raining. My mom fell in love with the books first and watched the movies as they came out. She then got me into them, and I have never looked back.
I have always wanted to go to a movie where there was a live band, but I never had the chance until now. This was being performed at the National Theater in Washington D.C.. There was even merchandise being sold here, which I did not expect. I got a t-shirt and a totebag—both very much on brand for me!
They had some snacks and drinks the audience members could purchase to eat while enjoying the show. Cheering, booing, and even quoting the movie was encouraged, which made the experience so much better. People are so creative with their comments.
Each of the musicians were so talented and truly captured the Forks feel. Even the singer they had performed the songs with lyrics did an absolutely incredible job. We gave him cheers at every chance we got. All of the candles on stage really set the scene and made the vibe of the performance so much better. I would love to go to something like this again.
So, what is next?
I am still on a roll with attending live performances. I will be seeing KATSEYE perform at the Anthem in Washington D.C. in November! In February 2026 I will be seeing TWICE at Capitol One Arena! I am also seeing The Last Dinner Party at the Anthem in April 2026! I am going to try to get tickets to see 5 Seconds of Summer in June or August. My hope is that the ticket prices won’t be too expensive!
Just this past year I have really loved going to concerts. Now that I am in college and have such close access to D.C. and other major venues, I have found that I can go do so much more. Yes, some of these shows had expensive tickets, but the experiences, not only with the artists, but the people I go with have been unforgettable.