I wake just before five in the morning. I was feeling excited the day before and didn't sleep well. Packing up, it seems like my backpack will be too crammed - what if I buy some merch? so I re-pack into a larger backpack. And am running late. I worry about missing the bus. I ride downtown in the darkness without a helmet or lights (only to save from having to pack these items around). I decide on heading straight to the closest bus stop as opposed to the starting point. And wait. Seems like maybe I would have had time? The driver tells me I'm lucky because he normally already has two bikes on the rack. I know that I am lucky, just to have caught the bus. There are a couple of teenagers on the bus. They are ditching school in pretense of going to the Bieber concert but one says, "I hate Justin Bieber." A lot of people use Justin Bieber don't they. Think of all the books that have preceded Justin's and all the magazines, but that's another blog. I leave my bike at the ferry, surprised there isn't a bike rack as I had imagined. Even though cheap bikes do get stolen, I figure there's got to be homeland security around the ferry terminal so I feel safe about leaving it. Immediate boarding on the 7 AM ferry. I see a teenager with a Bieber t-shirt, something unofficial? don't know where she got it. She walks ahead of her mom. Her mother is just a key to her goal. Something you need to keep hanging around that comes in handy, but not something you'd rather carry. The age where mom is embarassing.
There are two moms and four girls who travel together. One of the girls buys a teen magazine, "the bible every girl should have" the magazine reads. The girls take turns on a dating poll to see who gets the perfect date with Justin. They all seem to choose wearing Converse shoes, but some choose a sun dress over jeans and a t-shirt. Are they answering honestly or answering based on what they know about Justin? They show a photo to one of the moms, who has said she is 39. "Isn't he cute?" the girls asks. "If I found him cute, that would be pedophiliac." The girls ask what that means. But here's the thing. I think Justin is cute, and I even see sexy sometimes in video of him, but this does not mean I want to have sex with him. Likewise, I think my cat is cute and handsome and sexy but I do not want to have sex with him either. What's interesting, is that most men would find a 16 year old girl (or younger) cute AND want to have sex with them, if they were to be honest, but would not consider themselves pedophiles. I think if I were a pedophile, I would kill myself because I don't believe they can change. But I guess if I were one, I'd think like them, thinking that they were doing this noble service to kids. If that were the case, I'd want someone to kill me. But that's another blog too.
As I walk up to the hotel around 1 o'clock, there's loud Justin Bieber music playing out on the street. This is awesome! As I wait to see about checking in, this same song can be heard and two girls who look about 4 years old are singing along. A teenager stands with a suitcase, waiting for her mom to check in. Her head angles down and she looks up at me with intense eyes. I wonder if this the look she has practiced in the mirror. It is a look of seduction whether she means it or not. It's a little intimidating. I imagine this look would work on Justin. I check in and plan to nap, but unfortunately there's construction across the street and I'm right by the stairwell and the door keeps slamming and then a maintenance guy knocks on my door looking to repair a fridge. I don't have a fridge! Wrong room. I hear him chat with a mom across the hall about the fridge. I give up on napping and go out for a walk. There are a lot of people in this city and I note a lot of great fashion styles on them. I get a photo of a woman carrying a Chanel bag with two gay men holding hands as they walk down the street in the background. A photo like this, I consider a success. That's what photos are to me in one respect, glory. And I would have gotten a VIP ticket to see Justin if I had known it would have gotten me into a pre-party and sound-check only for the glory of the photos that would have been available to me from that high-priced ticket. But thankfully, the VIP tickets were only sold in pairs and I didn't know about this until after I had my own ticket.
What Vancouver seems to lack are clocks. My cell phone has already died (don't get a Koodo phone - the batteries "suck") and I wanted to save on my camera battery (which incidentally died around 11AM the next day but that's because I took a lot of video and turned the camera on and off a lot during the concert). I ask someone on the street. It's quarter to 4. I decide to just go to the restaurant at the hotel to save time (though I would have rather gone to the pub Ian's brother, Dan, took me to when we saw Madonna). Ordering from the lunch menu, I chose a steak wrap. Me and steak! Incredible. But I needed the energy. Thankfully they were very small pieces and well-done as requested and, yes, did give energy.
Headed towards Rogers Arena just before 5:30. Groups of fans were calling out Justin nearby tour busses. Wouldn't he be inside at a meet and greet? Gate 5. There is no line-up. Just a pile of people. I wonder what Gate 3 looks like but am pretty close to the door so stay put. I'm behind a blonde girl who looks about 14 and her dad, who is about 5'8" brown hair, moustache, facial hair, estimate between 36 and 42 years old, 230lbs? His belly looked quite round. His breath smelled of alcohol. Again I wanted to move away to avoid the smell but was in a good door position so stayed. The girl was unlike all the other girls, even other girls who were with their dads. She didn't look around at all. Didn't seem excited or happy. Just still. I wondered if her father was incestuous. I saw a TD Visa in his hand. Girls came out from the arena, with moms and everyone looked blissed out, big smiles on all their faces. And then, it could no longer be contained. The girls just had to scream! I guess they had just met him. But why did they have to come back outside? That seemed odd. They were too happy to care about where they were in the non-line up and hugged each other in celebration. One girl announced that was her second time. I wonder how this thrill compares to any other and I think because there is love involved and human contact with another human you adore, nothing can compare. Nothing. And the great thing about being a girl, is that you are allowed and free to scream and express your emotions and share your happiness and let it explode. This is why I attribute the fame and success of many or all musical artists to the female gender. Sure, we can thank Justin Bieber for helping out the economy by writing a book or putting on a concert, but it's the females who are spending the money. But that's another blog.
There were three girls who all had cool t-shirts made of themselves standing beside Justin. They, like others, were disappointed to learn they were not allowed to have posters/banners if they were seated in the stands. They thought it might be a safety thing. I said it was probably because they would block the view of the person behind.
Behind me, a mom talks about the lazer tag incident. She talks about that poor son who will be ostracized because of his dad going for a cash grab and Justin probably wasn't even there - his security took him away as soon as people realized he was there. I still wonder why the kid wasn't in school. It seems unlikely they'd be in town from somewhere to see Justin in concert and then for his dad to try suing him. Unless his dad was bitter about the travel expenses of having to see the concert his son wouldn't stop crying about? Maybe his son is gay and the dad blames Justin. Who knows. People suck. Seriously dude, it's dark playing lazer tag. It was an accident.
The doors open. Finally. Aside from a mom and her daughter suddenly coming out of nowhere and budging in front of me, things seem to be calm as calm as you could be. Well-behaved and happy, I guess. Quite unlike the people at the bus stop when it involves the ferry terminal with people cutting and shoving and pushing. Even this lady who complained about it, did it herself and cut in front of me and a bunch of others. But the Justin fans were all very nice and polite.
So I woke up today, thinking about that girl and wishing I had followed them around until her dad had to go to the bathroom (as it would be likely he'd drink more) and then asked her if she was okay and maybe if there was a sign, get her seat number and have the police arrest him after the show. Maybe she'd enjoy the show more, knowing he was going to be arrested afterwards. Maybe she wouldn't want him arrested because he's her dad and she loves him. Which is confusing to her. Even though she thinks of killing him one day. But mostly thinks of running away. But he does buy her everything she wants. Her body might enjoy the sex. More confusion. Self-hatred. But like everyone else, I was focussed on myself and searched out the Xbox 360 photo station. I found a merch table first. This would have been my only reasonable opportunity to get something (otherwise the tables were four times more crowded and then merch was sold out) but I figured nothing would fit me anyway and it would be unlikely they'd have anything for men (something that would fit me). Had there been a purple baseball cap, that I would have bought. I seemed to be the only adult having their photo taken. Odd. LOL. Yeah, I know I don't fit the norm anywhere. Life is hard. Let me have my enjoyment and free photo, please. I'm already self-conscious enough about looking like Godzilla next to Justin. The Xbox 360 people are cool and treat me equally. Good. I own an Xbox 360. But honestly, I won a PS3 right after and it's quiet (unlike the Xbox 360 with its noisy fan) so the Xbox 360 is hardly used.
Just in case, I get a bottle of water. Dasani is my favourite and it's $4.50 a bottle or something. Crazy. They pour it into a plastic cup. It tastes like plastic :( Never do that again. May as well buy coke which is rumoured to be plastic. Just kidding. I like Coke and there's a bottle in my fridge right now.
My seat is better than I imagined with a good straight view (no neck strain of having to look to the left!). Behind me are two girls. One with a plastic container of something she has for Justin. I think she should try throwing it on the upper stage that is nearest to us. Who knows what she does with it. In front of me are two sisters: one in a ridiculously cute hat with ears that she even bats at like a cat would preening itself. They go down three rows and visit with a friend. The moment they do, two girls jump into their seats. I wonder if they are seat surfers, looking for opporunities of getting closer. The girls look up often which suggests this. But it all seems to work out and the sisters get to sit beside each other. Two rows ahead is a girl who looks like the Botticelli Venus. She and her friends have "I" on their foreheads, with a big red heart on their right cheeks and "JB" on the left cheeks. I think Justin should really see this girl. She could be his music video girlfriend.
Down below on the floor, there is a boy in a banana costume. Same hair colour and similar style as Justin's and even those glasses that Shawty Mane wears. Screams came from below. I wondered if Justin was the banana boy. But no, that would be too risky. Unless he were strapped up and security could pull him up out of the crowd. Lol. Turns out they were screaming in excitement. And screaming everytime a spotlight hit them. Seats were only 1/4 filled and already the screaming was incredibly loud. Uh oh. One time, they were screaming Justin, Justin, Justin, and my lips quivered with emotion, wanting to scream his name too perhaps. Should I let my fandom show or "act my age"? Another time, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Perhaps from the music vibration. They screamed when the crew came on. They screamed when I Know The DeeJay came on. Screaming because everything that happens is taking them closer to the moment we are all waiting for. Justin. DeeJay announed a band from Disney, Burnham. Never heard of them. Girls behind me say, "Worst band ever." Aside from the drummer, it seems fake to me. Especially the first song. I cannot hear the guitar or bass and their hands don't seem to be moving off of any one chord. The singer is moving around a lot but his voice sounds perfect. He makes a comment about the lovely ladies and teenagers think, aw that's cute, as you would if a puppy peed the floor. Then Jasmine comes on. Again never heard of her, though she does sing one song I've heard on the radio. She gives a shout out to the girl on the floor wearing a wedding dress. Yes, wedding dress with a train and veil. The girl is delighted to be taken notice of and now knows that Justin will be able to see her as well. Then someone says that Sean Kingston will soon be on. I ask my neighbour if that was a joke. The girl seems quite composed. She says she heard he was touring. She says to her friend, "Get ready to stand." When Kingston does appear. While he may not have Timbaland's stature, Kingston does have a heckuva lot of hits under his belt. He has the audience keep their hands up all throughout. I preferred knocking my fist back and forth as opposed to waving it. He performed a little of Eenie Meenie and I actually thought Justin was singing just backstage. People screamed at that. I screamed.
Dang that's a lot of people that are touring with Justin. Burnham is 4. Jasmine has two dancers (maybe they are Justin's dancers?). Kingston has 7? All the crew and the dancers and Scooter and Usher and Xbox 360 and the venues and the flights and the busses and the food and hotels. I wonder just how much Justin is really making.
The Giant Ball appeared on stage. I cheered it, knowing Justin would be inside. Then a countdown appeared on the screens. 15 minutes. Once the clock winds down to 3 minutes, the excitement escalates. And when the timer finishes, words appear, as if Justin were tweeting himself, Are you ready? People screamed. Really? Louder screams. REALLY?? Even louder screams. The screen suggests we will see what is happening backstage. Like a screen showing a helicopter arriving. Only it's the dancers playing on the Xbox 360 game (the same that was out by the photo shoot) that a mom in a cotton grey and black horizontal striped dress tried out. Justin appears on the screen and joins the game. Someone shows up at a door letting them know it's time to go onstage. Justin is the last to leave but he shows up on stage wearing a different outfit than the video which takes you out of the illusion of getting a peak of backstage life. But if there is even any unconscious disappointment at being tricked or duped, Justin makes up for it later in sharing personal home videos and photos of him as a baby and child. I feel blessed to be able to share in these intimate family moments. It warms me to recognize that same sparkle in his eye that I see today, that same warm smile of his and that same big smile and all throughout, that love and talent for music. This is something that completely passes over the press who write about the concert the next day (I will respond to them in another post).
When I was a kid, I liked Donny Osmond. Think about that for a second. Similar hair style, big smile, big brown eyes, and wearing purple. Haha!
He did tell us it would be the best concert of our lives and it was. It was better than Madonna even. And I love Madonna. The reason for this is because of the fans. Everyone was on their feet. Even the people in the worst seats. Everyone was screaming. (I was shocked people weren't freaking out at the Madonna concert and grudgingly had to sit down. I mean it's Madonna in Canada. She probably won't come back because of how little the audience in the stands gave her). He told us we were the best fans in the world and we were. Even The Vancouver Sun said so the next day. So whatever Justin says, comes true, is the word.
I would also like to add that when I go to concerts, I enjoy watching the dancers more. But Justin had my full attention the entire time even when he wasn't dancing. The only time I paid attention to the dancers was when they had their free time or were directly interacting with Justin. And I love dancers. When Jasmine performed, my eyes were on her dancers.
I slept little, 5 hours maybe. Ordinarily I might be cranky on such little sleep. But I was a happy fan. Girls traveling home looked very happy too. And they looked more tired than me. The moms were wide awake. And then the girls got sad. They were moving away from where he had been. The time of seeing him was over and it was back to their normal lives. Or perhaps it was the sadness that comes with loving someone who is unavailable. I am unsure. But it was sweet to watch one teen share photos with her mom and see the two of them smiling as they were already re-living the experience.
