When people describe concerts, they imagine the loud music, crowdedness, fans screaming, people pushing each other to get closer to the artist and dreadful heat. Some say concerts are a lifestyle and people absolutely love the environment because it makes them feel alive (#raveislife). But not this girl. I enjoy being cold and try to avoid the heat by all means. Large crowds make me feel claustrophobic and I get anxious.
From the title, you may be wondering how in the world did I lose my concert virginity if I don’t like the concert environment? Well, on September 27, 2019, I attended an upcoming indie-R&B singer-songwriter Pink Sweat$ concert at San Diego’s Music Box. On a side note, if you are an R&B addict, Pink Sweat$ is the man for you. His voice is sweet as honey and lyrics are smooth like freshly shaved legs. Pink Sweat$ puts his own twist on R&B and challenges modern masculinity R&B. By the way, he actually wears pink and pink sweats. Hence, Pink Sweat$.
But I digress. Doors opened at 7:30 p.m. Being the early bird I am, my friend and I arrived at 6:30 p.m. We were early. Approximately fifteen people had lined up so far but as time progressed, more people began to show up. As we were waiting for the doors to open up, I was filled with mixed emotions; I felt happy, excited and nervous. Happy and excited that I finally was attending my first concert, but nervous that I would not enjoy it.
Doors opened on the dot. Gradually, the line got shorter and I was minutes away from losing my concert virginity. Thump, thump. My heart was beating 100 miles per hour as I slowly approached the entryway. Beep beep. Tickets were being scanned one by one. Then it was our turn to go into the venue. The venue was intimate, not too big or small, unlike your typical large stadium concert. Towards the back of the venue, the screen projected the artist’s name, Pink Sweat$, in pretty and pink!
Photo by Author
Lights began to dim and I suddenly heard through the speakers, “San Diego, how y’all doing tonight?”. I was flabbergasted. I could not believe that it was truly happening. Pink Sweat$ is right in front of me! I screamed on top of my lungs. He first performed his hit song Honesty (the first song I discovered from him, too). My nervousness disappeared the moment I heard the music. Being six feet away from contact, it was surreal to see him in person and hear his song live along with an actual band. It honestly was mind blowing. His live, honey voice sounded better than in the records―bringing a sweet treat to my ears.
In between songs, his adorable teddy-bear personality shined through his jokes and interactions with the audience. Pink Sweat$ performed all his songs and I couldn’t stop screaming and vibing throughout the concert. At one point, he performed an unreleased song and it felt special to hear a song that other fans did not know. It was like a secret gift for those who attended the concert. When the concert ended, I craved more but felt satisfying at the same time, like a full Thanksgiving meal.
As a quiet, chill person the concert exceeded my expectations. People were so nice and polite. The vibes and chill environment from the Pink Sweat$ concert was exactly what I needed to break my concert virginity. Being one of many concerts, I will forever cherish this special moment. Maybe one day I will be in that crowd, but baby steps.
Shout out to my best friends who got Pink Sweat$ tickets for my birthday and first concert!