Japanese refer to a live concert as "raibu," or "live," another example (like bartender in the last post!) of loan words from English to Japanese. Chinese and Korean both have similar English loan words (although not as many as Japanese) so don't be surprised next time you're listening to Asian tourists talk to each other that you hear some English sounding words that you can decipher.
Anyway, MJ and I went to the U2 live concert on Sunday, a really great one to attend for first time concertgoer like myself! The stadium was packed (except about 1/3 of the stadium which was behind the stage area), U2 was in regular beautiful form, and the Lumineers were also pretty entertaining. We were able to get REALLY up close to the stage because we had general admission standing-only tickets, which caused me to whine a lot at the end of the concert because my back hurt from standing a long time, but if the 40-50 year old primary audience members (the target audience for U2 apparently) could handle it, I had to bear it.
Despite complaining and whining about everything to MJ at the concert and possibly ruining the entire experience (ex: WHY do we have to wait almost an hour after the open for the main act? A: that's how most live concerts operate), I had a pretty enjoyable time. It was an awesome early summer evening, the weather was cooperative (I've been in stadiums that become humid with all the bodies and hot air inside), U2 had some cool visual effects, and the music was obviously very high level, I got a little into it. It's just like a baseball game: sure one can watch the game at home and know what's going on, but you don't get the atmosphere of the stadium, the knowledge that the music is being played live in front of you and there's magic happening before your very eyes. Or at least that's what the live concert company wants you to think. People were getting really into it, and I have to say I got into it along with them, a group mentality. And hey, I didn't even have to wear earphones! ( I dreaded that for about a week before the concert, whether I would go deaf or at least get a headache from the noise. Nothing of the sort came close to happening, this was U2, not Metallica).
Life hack 1; don't buy ANYTHING at the stadium. $7 bottled water, $8 lemonade, $5 hot dog (wrapped in tin foil paper). It's certainly tempting, but the regret will set in very soon.
Life hack 2: DO NOT park in the stadium parking lot for well-attended concerts, professional sports games, live performances, etc. Not only does it cost an arm and a leg to park ($40!!!! to park at the Rose Bowl for a U2 concert), it's also murder to get out of the lot after the concert unless you leave early or something. MJ and I parked safely outside of the stadium in a residential neighborhood and walked less than a mile to the concert, a nice walk especially in beautiful Pasadena. This applies to Disneyland also, I've parked there for free before instead of the Mickey and Goofy and friends parking lot.
Life hack 3: wait outside of the stadium with the anxious-looking groupies looking expectantly for some sort of car to arrive, we happened to stumble on Bono arriving at the stadium in his private vehicle waving to everyone as he entered the Rose Bowl. I'm not sure why people were so excited since we saw him on stage shortly after at about the same distance away, but hey these are rock stars.
Life hack 4: sit down if you can and rest your legs/ body at a concert, you're gonna need the rest later when everyone's standing and jumping up and down. Maybe this is a consequence-of-being-30-thing.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
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