Concert Chronicles

Laura at the Tomorrow X Together concert at the USB Arena in 2023. Photo by Laura Riggle

Right now, I have a really good playlist. When my playlist is good, it makes life good. The experience of walking to class, riding the subway, driving in the car, and hanging out with friends can be completely changed based off what music I’ve got to put on the table. When my playlist is good, I love to immerse myself in it, listen to it repeatedly, and play it for as many people as I can so that they can feel what I’m feeling. And what I really want is to hear songs like these played live.

Hearing a song at a concert venue, an arena, or a stadium strikes a chord in my brain, it vamps up what I already loved about a song and adds a memory to it. Or if you are unfamiliar with an artist, it can feel like you are digging up new treasure. Discovering something that you didn’t know you liked can be one of the best feelings in the world.

Every concert I’ve been blessed to see has been a unique experience. Not only have I gotten a new story to tell, but connections that I’ve shared between friends. It’s not just about the music, however. Being able to see artists feel the music in their bodies and connect with their bandmates and the audience is truly a sight to see. Here are some of my most memorable concert experiences and the stories behind them:

One Direction on their tour, “On the Road Again” at Gillette Stadium in 2015. Photo by The Boston Globe

One Direction

When I was twelve, this felt like a dream come true. I was invited to go with some of my closest friends to see a band that I was obsessed with. I dressed up by wearing my jellybean snapback hat and my One Direction T-shirt that I had ripped off for $50.

Each of my friends had a favorite band member, mine was Niall, and we watched the One Direction movie, “This is Us”, on the way there and on the way back. Harry, Niall, Louis, and Liam looked like ants from where we were sitting, but it didn’t matter. I remember shouting, “Don’t Forget Where You Belong” at the Gillette Stadium with tens of thousands of people, and most importantly, with my friends by my side.

Melaine Martinez at her tour “K-12” at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston in 2019. Photo by Kelly Peña

Melanie Martinez

Melanie Martinez was one of those artists for me that brought my disconnected friends together. At the time, most of my childhood friends went to a different high school, and having reasons to connect was incredibly important to me, after already having so much FOMO that I was missing out on their high school experiences. Having this artist that my two best friends and I bonded over gave me something to look forward to.

We hopped on the C&J Bus to South Station in Boston and waited in line for our VIP tickets that we saved up for. Melanie Martinez’s K-12 concert had so much theatrics and painted a picture of her album with the backup dancers and intricate set design. It ended up being one of the greatest nights with my two best friends.

Tomorrow X Together performing at the Hulu Theater in their “Act: Lovesick” tour in 2022. Photo by YouTube Channel Sarahrules4444.

Tomorrow x Together

After the battle I had between myself and Ticketmaster to get these tickets, I was surprised that I was able to step foot in this venue. I had such an emotional connection to this group, and I knew that seeing a K-Pop group in the States was more difficult to come by, so I made sure I’d be able to see them while they were in New York. The line to get in led my friend and I all the way down into the subway. We just made it into the theater as the show was about to start.

This was the first concert where I was not only able to make memories with the friend I had brought to the concert, but the fellow fans that I didn’t know ended up contributing to my overall experience. People were so kind to each other, complimenting each other on their outfits, giving each other gifts to bring home with them, and I felt like I was a part of this community.

Tomorrow X Together at the time wasn’t as popular as they are today, and because of that, they were able to walk off the stage into the crowd to engage with fans. My friend and I had end seats, not knowing that these seats would allow us to be inches away from the band as they walked down our aisle. Giving high fives to a group that had been my escape from the drama of my normal life was surreal. I remember calling my grandmother who is also a fan of the group when there was a break, pinching myself as I replayed the dream in my head.  

Nicki Minaj at her tour, “Pink Friday 2” at the XL Center in Hartford, CT in 2024. Photo by YouTube Channel 
Yohance the Concert Guy

Nicki Minaj - 2023

This concert felt extra special because of my cousin and I’s obsession over the years with Nicki Minaj. As soon as I knew Nicki Minaj was going on tour, my cousin was the first one to be contacted. My roommate and I also loved her music, and so being able to make it a fun girls trip with my cousin and I as well as my roommate and her sister was such a special moment.

It was getting close to the end of the year and my roommate was graduating within a month, so it was good to have something to look forward to before it was all over. Nicki Minaj’s music career spans between these dynamic eras, and getting to sing along to songs from her entire discography was a full circle moment.

Niall Horan performing at the Maine Savings Amphitheater in Bangor, ME on his tour, “The Show". Photo by Laura Riggle

Niall Horan – 2024

Getting to see Niall as one of my first concerts and one of my most recent concerts brought back nostalgia, especially being able to share the moment with my childhood best friend. As we stood out in the sultry heat waiting for Niall to come out, I could just picture us at the One Direction concert when we were in middle school feeling the same butterflies in our stomachs like before, we were just grown up. This music impacted us the same way even though it had been almost ten years since our first concert together.

I will still feel the same way stepping into a concert, watching the house lights dim, standing on my tip toes to see the artist come out, the live accompaniment buzzing in my ears and screaming at the top of my lungs the songs, whether I knew them well or not. Reminiscing about concerts makes me want to throw more money at my computer and buy more tickets. But that’s the thing, nothing can replicate these moments, moments that will replay in my head for as long as my brain will allow it.