Hello!
Remember when I told you about my love for One Direction? Well, something big happened, before the concert I had already planned to go to on the 7th. Not something big, something huge. Massive. Enormous. Titanic. I got meet and greet passes.
A Nashville radio station had invited 1D to do a little performance and M&G at the station's own tiny venue (they usually only gave 40 tickets away; I found later they gave away 60 for this: it was bigger than when they had Justin Bieber, they said). When I first found out, I completely nearly hyperventilated.
The problem? Your name would go on a list when you won, no actual, physical tickets were available! That means no selling tickets on Craigslist. About a week later, my good ol' mom found out that the show's/venue's sponsor, a car insurance place, was actually giving away (a very limited supply of) tickets at their stores. My dad went, and he got them!
The problem? Your name would go on a list when you won, no actual, physical tickets were available! That means no selling tickets on Craigslist. About a week later, my good ol' mom found out that the show's/venue's sponsor, a car insurance place, was actually giving away (a very limited supply of) tickets at their stores. My dad went, and he got them!
Hand stamp
I imported the Deluxe Yearbook Edition of Up All Night from Europe (it's not released in the U.S. yet) immediately, for them to sign. On the day of the concert, me, my mom, and my Directioner friend (who was taking me to the concert that 1D opened for, later that night), waited outside for two hours until they let us in, about an half an hour later than they said they would. After they let us enter, we waited inside for about an hour longer. Sheesh!
Anyway, finally they let us into the actual room! Shortly after, One Direction, in the flesh, in real freaking life, entered! I can't describe how I felt; I could've died, really. I turned on my light-up sign, and got ready to sing along.
My camera's so lousy. So lousy.
They sang two songs and did a mini-Q&A. Now, time for the meet and greet...
That's what the radio people called it, anyway. The guy said that it was picture-time, in groups of six. So that meant me and my Directioner friend Sara had to get a picture with four complete strangers. I was pretty angry.
In the photograph, I sort of stood by Liam, and Sara didn't even get to stand by a band member! We were on the very end; I was so disappointed. To top it off, one of the workers said no autographs. NO AUTOGRAPHS?! You mean I paid triple the standard price for that freaking Yearbook CD to be imported, and I wouldn't even get it signed by Harry?! This would not work for me. Nope. Not at all.
My mom had waited in the lobby (she hadn't been allowed at the "Meet and Greet" because it was a "plus-one only"), and she saw how upset I was, so here's what went down...
The employees by the door kept saying we had to leave, but like I said, I was very, very upset. My mom, being the mind-numblingly wonderful lady she is, took me into the bathroom and told me to wait until all the pictures were taken, then run in and get an autograph, whatever it takes. I'm not really rule-breaker, to be honest, so I can't describe how nervous I was. I didn't have time to have a panic attack, though, because a minute later, my mom knocked on the door and told me to go now. (If you need help visualizing: The bathroom was at the top of a little hallway, right next to the lobby, and on the other side, it ended at the performance/M&G room, where everyone went in and came out.) Well, the bandmembers and their security were right by the M&G room door, and Niall was about to step down the hall when I ran out of the bathroom toward them.
I got to the doorway and security grabbed me! (Because I'm such a massive, gun-holding, threatening man, right? This really angered me, later on.) One of them kept saying "sweetheart, sweetheart...", and the fat guy who had told us we were getting pictures in groups of six said "you can't be back here!" a few times. I glanced at Niall, who was halfway down the hall, and he was stopped and sort of just watching. I said, "please sign this!" quite desperately (as I was), and shoved the yearbook CD and a Sharpie (orange glitter paint Sharpie; the shake-to-make-it-work paint marker was a poor choice, in retrospect) and he sort of just looked at me, then took it and signed it!
Security kept trying to make leave the whole time (I hadn't even gotten my stuff back yet; not even cool), but Harry signed it and gave it back, and I said "thank you!" and sort of ran down the hallway. In a moment of uncharacteristic spontaneity, I sort of grabbed Niall, in a weird sort of half-hug (my mom later said he put his arm around me in a half hug back! Congratulations, Niall. You've been promoted to my favorite member...tied with Harry, of course.) Anyway, I grabbed my stuff from a chair in the lobby (that I had thrown it in when I was thrust into the bathroom), and got out of there. Halfway to the car, I realized I left my camera...My mom went back and got it from the room, and nobody even stopped her when she came face-to-face with 1D sitting in there, eating pizza. Oh, the glory of being an unamused mom.
I got to the doorway and security grabbed me! (Because I'm such a massive, gun-holding, threatening man, right? This really angered me, later on.) One of them kept saying "sweetheart, sweetheart...", and the fat guy who had told us we were getting pictures in groups of six said "you can't be back here!" a few times. I glanced at Niall, who was halfway down the hall, and he was stopped and sort of just watching. I said, "please sign this!" quite desperately (as I was), and shoved the yearbook CD and a Sharpie (orange glitter paint Sharpie; the shake-to-make-it-work paint marker was a poor choice, in retrospect) and he sort of just looked at me, then took it and signed it!
Security kept trying to make leave the whole time (I hadn't even gotten my stuff back yet; not even cool), but Harry signed it and gave it back, and I said "thank you!" and sort of ran down the hallway. In a moment of uncharacteristic spontaneity, I sort of grabbed Niall, in a weird sort of half-hug (my mom later said he put his arm around me in a half hug back! Congratulations, Niall. You've been promoted to my favorite member...tied with Harry, of course.) Anyway, I grabbed my stuff from a chair in the lobby (that I had thrown it in when I was thrust into the bathroom), and got out of there. Halfway to the car, I realized I left my camera...My mom went back and got it from the room, and nobody even stopped her when she came face-to-face with 1D sitting in there, eating pizza. Oh, the glory of being an unamused mom.
Later was the concert at the massive arena. They opened for another band, that I didn't enjoy as much as I had wanted. Now I know how my mom feels when I drag her to no-name band's concerts.
We were in the nosebleeds, so this picture is kind of a miracle.
All in all, I took about 700 pictures. I bought a $35 shirt that I probably could've just iron-on transferred at home, and a wristband that has all the band's faces on it. I got hugs from Niall and Liam, a sort-of picture with the group, Harry Styles' autograph, and a pretty rad story to tell.
My mom says it's okay that I'm infatuated with One Direction, because girls were like this with The Beatles.
Wait, did she just say The Beatles?
xoxo,
Zoe
Zoe
