by Natasa Kvesic |
Like any other concert I go to, my pre-game ritual is a hearty meal at a trendy restaurant and a quick stop at a coffee shop, just to calm the fangirling jitters. So before getting in line to the Wonder Ballroom, I stop at Bunk for a killer salad and make a stop at Gold Rush Coffee. It was there, sitting on a plush seat cushion, where the fangirling emotions were released.
Seeing an artist before their performance is a rare occurrence in my life. But lo and behold, there before me were three of the four guys from the opening act of the night: Hippo Campus. We all sipped our coffee and sat silently while I was scrunching my toes to stop from doing something that made me seem like that cliche “Hippo Campus or die” type of girl. So I waited.
I waited in line with a rather young group of people. All were wearing the same thing, and at least one out of three had a septum piercing that was most likely fake. We all swarmed into the Wonder Ballroom and patiently awaited for Hippo Campus to come on stage.
They came on in all of their awkward glory and completely blew everybody away. From their hard-hitting drums and enthusiasm on stage, I couldn’t help but dance to every song. The melodies were infectious and made me feel genuinely happy inside. At one point I felt like I was walking through a field of tulips that was never-ending. Every song was like this, even towards the end of their set when we were all becoming impatient to see the next act.
Soon, the moment came. It was time for the main act of the night: JR JR. Every inch of my body was in full dance mode. I could not stop. I swear I tried to at one point, but I couldn’t. The crowd caught the energy from this talented duo like a disease, and it never went away. Amidst the personal conversations with the crowd, the mosh-pit during one of their most popular songs and the bubble machines, the smile on my face was permanent.
I came in to this concert as a part time lover of both bands, but left with my bruised feet and crackly voice showing otherwise.
Natasa Kvesic is a reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at kvesic19@up.edu.
