The $423.77 Night I Will Never Regret

🎵 Can You Stand the Rain 🎵

It is 12:05 am on Friday November 10, 2023, and I can only assume that, by now, Laufey has ended her set for her Houston stop of the Bewitched Tour.

I say I can only assume because, despite buying a ticket at a significant mark up, I left early.

I drove 49 minutes in traffic to find parking near the venue.

I sat in my car for an hour to assure I found parking in the neighborhood nearby.

I Lyfted around the block because of the rain.

I walked to the end of the line that practically stretched 4 mins from the entrance.

I stood in the rain for an hour with no jacket.

I watched the opener sing songs that were oddly specific and detailed.

I watched Laufey for roughly 25 minutes: trying to look over the sea of phones.

I went to the merch table and waited for 30 minutes for a tote, a poster, and a shirt to wear.

I walked downstairs, out the door, and to my car.

I stopped and got some Takis.

I went home.

I'm not sure tonight, this concert, the ticket, was ever about Laufey. Everything I said about her, her music, and why you should listen to her still stand. I was stunned at how beautiful she sounded despite the crowd singing way ahead of her tempo, often finishing lyrics before she did. I was struck at her ability to incorporate her classical training so effortlessly into her set. I was amused in her playful retelling of what caused her to write a certain song. I was captivated by the beauty held in her performance, her art.

But

As I walked to my car, cold and damp as my shirt had not dried over the past 3 hours, I did so with a certain skip in my step. I left that concert knowing that I am willing to spend time with myself, to spend money on myself, to invest in the things I really want to do even if no one else is really interested. Yet, what is more striking is how much I looked forward to getting home to return to the classroom and to my team. I am not sure I fully appreciate what tonight was: I will savor these fruits for years to come. Who knows, maybe I will revisit this post in a couple of years. Though I will be recouping the money spent tonight for a little bit, the night was priceless.