ed sheeran – that lemon life

Sziget Festival – Part One

Hola everyone.

Where am I? Why am I here? What day is it? And why did I not wake up in Budapest today with the prospect of spending another day at Sziget? Can I please go back? Honestly, reality is so overrated. Living the dream is way better, trust me guys.

But even if I don’t want to realize it, I have to face the fact that Sziget festival is officially over. That I’m officially back home again. And that normality is very dull compared to the past week. Very very dull. But I’m so glad I’m here and you are here, because together, we can and will relive that absolutely out-of-this-world crazy week I got to spend at Sziget. It’s going to be a treat, trust me. And I’m so happy I get to write this, because right now, I’m looking for any chance of reliving my time there over and over again. PCD (post-concert-depression) is really kicking my butt right now, so any chance of taking my mind back to Budapest is very welcome. And as so, so, so, SO much happened in those seven days, plus the tattoo appointment on the eighth day, I thought it would be best to split them up in twos. So, for the next two weeks, it’s officially all going to be about Sziget. Because this festival deserves every recognition it can get. And because it was, without a doubt, the best week of my entire life and I’m literally nearly bursting of excitement and happiness and pure love, so I need to just share it with you. So, let’s head right in, shall we?

Day 1

Okay, so, as some of you might know from my previous posts, one of the artists I was most looking forward to was Ed. Yes, my Ed. Ed freaking Sheeran. At Sziget festival. I’m still not over it. Never will, probably. And he was exactly the one who got to be the very first headliner of the week, so the seven days of madness started with him. I couldn’t have wished for anyone else, let’s be real.

So, on the very first day, my mum and I took the train to Budapest, got to our hotel – Brody House once again (still the most beautiful hotel I’ve ever stayed at) -, got dressed and then headed straight to the festival. God damn, I was so excited. One year had passed since I last had had the chance to be at Sziget, so the anticipation was out of this world. I nearly couldn’t take it. But, obviously, the festival didn’t let me down. It never does. It was as beautiful as ever. And as crazy and weird and fantastic and fun and literally perfect as ever. I loved it the second we got there. And with that, I left behind all my worries and thoughts about the outside world. You know, Sziget is like another universe. A universe, where only music, love, freedom and happiness exist. Nothing else. And now that I’ve been there for a whole week (which felt like a month, tbh), it feels like my second home. My place of absolute freedom and happiness. There’s no other place like this on earth. Trust me.

On that day, besides being in awe because of all the beauty of the festival, we got to see the following acts:

Ocean Alley
Kodaline
Michael Kiwanuka
Ed Sheeran

Obviously, Ed was the ultimate highlight, he was just as fantastic as always. And he played “Remember The Name”, which I was super excited about. It’s just such an incredible song. And I love that he always mixes up his sets. I’ve seen him three times the past three months and every single show was different. That’s what I call cool. Besides that, I was also super happy to finally be able to see Kodaline after all those years, but unfortunately, I didn’t get to hear all their well-known songs as we had to head back to the main stage to get a good spot for Ed. And here comes the small let down. The first day was apparently the only one that was completely sold out. No surprise, if it’s Ed. But they brought more people in than they usually do and the area around the stage wasn’t made to hold about 95.000 people, which we then noticed by the sheer endless amount of people surrounding us and pressing in on us. I literally couldn’t see anything else than just people everywhere. And, in all honesty, it was just too much, because at first, it kind of ruined the experience. My mum never got to see Ed, because there was just no place to go for her where she could see better. And after the show, as everyone wanted to leave at the same time, there was a huge crowd waiting to get out at the entrance, even after an hour when we wanted to leave as well. There were just too many people. I mean, I get that it was Ed and that they wanted to have a full crowd and a full festival, but that was just too much.

Still, the first day was absolutely fantastic and a nearly perfect start of the whole week. And I just loved seeing Ed at Sziget. I dreamed about it ever since being there for the first time in 2015 and now, four years later, the dream finally came true and I’ll be forever grateful for that.

Day 2

When I woke up the next day, I immediately knew that Ed has achieved what he always wants to get out of a show – I had pretty much lost my voice. But as much as my voice was gone, the more had my happiness and excitement grown. I was so ready for another day in paradise and it would be a great one, with The 1975 and many more to look forward to.

Compared to the first day, the second one was a lot more chill, simply because first of all, we got there far earlier than the day before and, secondly, because there just weren’t as many people. And I don’t know about you, but I’m always that teeny tiny bit calmer when I’m not pressed against human bodies all the time. And as we had quite some time left before the first act, we had time to go on a little walk on the island and check out all the other entertainment stuff and venues. Again, I have to point out, the sheer amount of things you can do and go to besides just to the shows at Sziget is absolutely mind-blowing. There’s something for anyone, whether you want to watch a movie, chill in the sun, go to the beach, paint something, make your own shirt or go to a dance class or visit a circus. You can do anything and whatever at Sziget.

One of my favourite venues definitely was the Luminarium. I can’t really explain what it is, but just imagine stepping into a huge balloon, where some calming, mysterious music is playing inside and only specs of sunlight can come through the coloured walls, creating the most beautiful rainbows inside in the process. I know, it might not sound that cool, maybe even a bit weird, but trust me, it’s absolutely magical. It’s like stepping into another world. Another world on top of the other world that is Sziget. I’m so in love with it. And it’s the most fantastic photo spot (check out the pics down below).

After that, we went over to the museum quarter and made our own badges (yep, that’s literally what you can do at Sziget, for free), which was super cool. I obviously had to make one in the design of an arc reactor (Tony stans rise) and then, for my second one, I wanted to make one just for myself, that wasn’t obviously representing anything. That just had a meaning for myself and that looked cute, so I could wear it every day. You can probably guess, as I was already so hyped for Twenty One Pilots, that it had to be TOP related. So, after a few minutes long brainstorm, I ended up with a light pink background and a replica of Ty’s “carpe noctem” tattoo (= seize the night). And I know, you might think now that it’s a bit corny, but if you know me, you know it’s fitting because I’m literally the most extreme night owl. I love the night. I need the night. I live the night. So yeah, it’s pretty much spot on and I’ve been proudly wearing it ever since.

Later on we went to the cinema and grabbed some popcorn, watched an extremely cool athletics/dance team, who were literally throwing their female team members around like they were some tiny, light balls and not heavy human beings (absolutely mind-blowing, honestly), checked out the funfair and just like that, it was time for us to head to the main stage for Franz Ferdinand, who I was super excited for.

In total, these were all the acts we saw on that day:

Franz Ferdinand
Pale Waves
The 1975
Cvrches

Looking at the whole day, I think my mum’s highlight definitely wasn’t a musical act, but someone very different and very special. As Sziget is built on principles like freedom, love, equality and the protection of our environment, being green was an especially important topic this year and thus they also had special events planned for that. And one of those events was a short talk by the one and only Jane Goodall. Yes, that amazing woman who spent many years of her life living with chimpanzees and who’s now made it her mission to spread the message that we need to act now and that we need to live in harmony with all beings on this planet in order to be able to save it. In short, this woman is a hero and I still feel so honoured that I could be in her presence. And as my mum is very much into all that stuff as well, it was extremely important for her too. I’m usually the one in the family to easily get teary-eyed (I cried a lot throughout the whole festival, trust me), but even she got tears in her eyes. And in that moment, I was just so so happy for her.

Still, personally, my highlight has to be The 1975 closing the main stage. I’ve seen this band many many times already, from small shows when they were still supporting Two Door Cinema Club back in 2013, to big headline shows like the one at Sziget. But out of all of those, that one on this very island has to be my favourite one to date. Matty was so hyped up, it was out of this world. I mean, he literally jumped into the crowd at full speed, changed his outfit on stage, did a shot and then handed the empty glass over to the cameraman and cursed at the organizers for telling him to hurry up. He didn’t give a single f*** that night and I was all up for it. You can say whatever you want about him, he’ll always be one of the coolest people in the industry. And he knows that, let’s be real.

And that pretty much was day two. Obviously, we stayed for a little while, walked around the area, checked out the Cvrches gig and did whatever we felt like, but it was just a chill night after The 1975 and I loved that. Sziget is a place where I could spend my whole life. A life surrounded by music, happiness, love, sunshine and good food. Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it?

Well, and there you go, guys. Those were the first two days at Sziget – in short, actually, even though it might not seem like it. Sziget is just so damn fantastic, I could literally talk about it for days. I would never shut up. But those were the most important parts. And I’m super happy that I get to share them with you. I hope you enjoyed reading about those two days and that you’re already excited for the upcoming two. You can be, honestly, because Marty’s show is about to be next and it was such a hell of a ride. I may or may not have had the chance to talk to Gabe (if you know, you know), but I won’t give away too much. I’ll just say this – get ready. And until then I wish you a lovely week, and, as always, thanks for reading. x

Let’s go to Paradise

Hola everyone.

And welcome to another Monday. I hope you’re all doing good and that you had an amazing weekend. I for my part am pretty tired and sore because I went climbing yesterday with my parents, which, despite me having no strength left at all, was absolutely fantastic and so much fun. But even more so, I am honestly in the best mood ever right now, because now, in two days, I’ll already be getting ready in our hotel in Budapest to go to Sziget. In two freaking days. I can’t believe it. And as my excitement is that big, I thought I’d tell you a bit about this phenomenal festival – or how I like to call it, the Disneyland for music lovers.

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ll probably know what Sziget is, as I basically never shut up about it. It was my very first festival I ever attended, back in 2015, and, without exaggeration, I fell in love with it the moment my mum and I got there. It really felt like a dream, stepping onto this island full of exciting music and fantastic people. God, I loved it so much. And ever since then my mum and I have been trying to find a reason to go back every single year (sometimes the not so well-fitting lineups hindered us). We just adore it so much. And now, in 2019, the festival finally gave us another reason, after last year, to once again step back into paradise. And this time for a whole week. Yes, you read that right. A whole week. I would be lying if I said that I’m not a teeny tiny bit nervous about the one-week aspect, simply because I know how draining festivals can be. But in a good way, obviously. Once you’re a bit deaf and sound a bit croaky, that’s when you’ve reached the good kind of exhaustion. Exhaustion that comes from music and happiness.

And I have to say, this year’s lineup is basically the organisers thinking “who would Laura like to see the most?” and then booking those very same people. I mean, come on. Ed, Marty, Twenty One Pilots, The 1975, Florence and The Machine, Kodaline, Catfish and the Bottlemen and Boy Pablo? Might as well just put everyone from my favourites playlist on. It’s absolutely crazy. Especially as Ed, Marty and TOP are my all-time top three and now I’m really going to see all of them within the space of one week. Absolutely mind-blowing. I get happy/nervous tingles whenever I think about it. I’m just so damn excited, holy moly.

Obviously, as soon as I get back, I’ll tell you everything about the whole week. And I’ll of course also include the ultimate highlight, the one high note the whole trip will end on – my tattoo appointment. I’m not going to lie, I really tend to forget about it, simply because the whole week at Sziget in itself is so sensational that the prospect of getting a new tattoo on top is on the verge of being too much. In the best way ever, obviously, but still. And do you want to know what the best part about that is? I’ll get the tattoo, which is inspired by the one and only Twenty One Pilots, not even 24 hours after having seen them live. If that’s not the cherry on top, then I don’t know what is. Also, my mum and I want to try to get as close to the front as possible for their set on Tuesday, so I might just get to hold Ty with the very same arm I’ll get the tattoo on. Doesn’t that sound absolutely perfect? I’m already so in love with the idea. Watch me wait for hours at the front in the glaring sun just to hold him up during Trees. It would totally be worth it though, let’s be honest. The whole week will be an absolute dream, I can already tell. Can’t wait.

You can probably guess that I, unfortunately, won’t be able to post anything until Monday in two weeks, as I’ll be at Sziget. But you can already put down the date on your calendars guys because that post will be a hell of a ride. A “Sziget was freaking unbelievable / I held Ty’s hand / look at my new tattoo” hell of a ride. And I can’t wait to write it and for you to read it. But until then, let Sziget and the most fantastic week come around and regarding all of you guys, I wish you lovely two weeks and thanks for reading. x

New Music Friday

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to another Friday. And, also, to another episode of our all-time favourite series – the New Music Friday. Amazing, new and exciting music that you can relax and/or get hyped to. Music that you can fall in love with. Could there be any better way to start off the weekend? I don’t think so.

As the last New Music post was done at the end of May, you can probably imagine the huge bulk of music I’ve collected over the past two months. I don’t think the list has ever been that long. But I’m honestly so so so happy I get to share all these fantastic songs with you guys. There’s so much waiting for you to discover. Ed just released his new collab-album, or as he calls it, his new project. Amber Run are back in the game. Two Door Cinema Club also moved on to their new phase with their new LP. Tyler still owns my heart with his reconstructed versions of some songs. And Hippo Campus blessed us all by releasing all their demos. I mean, what more could you wish for? The more music, the better. So, let’s jump right in and please enjoy.

Antisocial – Ed Sheeran ft. Travis Scott

To say that this new album and also this new song blew my mind would be a huge understatement. I mean, we all know Ed and his typical style of music. You get the idea. Good. Now throw all of that away. Because “No.6 Collaborations Project” is anything but what you would expect to hear from Ed. And that’s exactly what makes it this good. Especially the last song, “Blow”, with Bruno Mars and Chris Stapleton is absolutely mind-boggling. I was so shocked when I listened to it for the first time. Actually, I think I’m still a bit shocked. I won’t spoil the surprise, just listen to it yourself.

But that’s not the song I want to share on this list. It’s “Antisocial”, with Travis Scott, featuring the weirdest music video ever. I still have no idea what’s going on or what the idea behind it was. I just know that I absolutely love the song and its vibe. That’s a hype up song right there. Well freaking done, Ed. And Travis.

Affection – Amber Run

Ever since hearing “I Found” by this absolutely amazing band, I’ve been attached to them and their music. Joe, their lead singer, has such an incredible, distinct voice that I really don’t know how to describe it. They are just one of those bands that you listen to whenever and wherever and their music will always be great and make you feel good. Which is also why I’m so damn happy that they’re back with new music. I honestly can’t wait to see them live. Finally.

Wallflower – Larkins

This is one of my newest finds, but I’m so happy I stumbled upon it. You know, every single year, when the weather gets nicer and everyone starts to cheer up and the sun tries to burn you alive once in a while, I try to look for a few perfect summer hits. And this right here is one of them. While listening to it, I can already see myself lying in the sun in my garden or on my way to a festival. It’s pure summer.

So Many People – Two Door Cinema Club

Oh, how I long I’ve waited for this album to come out. And I have to say, although it has some ups and downs, I’m so damn glad the guys are back in the game and doing exactly what they want and love. Some people might say that compared to their last album “Gameshow”, their new “False Alarm” isn’t really much of a change, but I don’t think so. And this song right here proves it. TDCC never fail to grow. Nor to make me love them even more.

Runaway – Half Alive

Sometimes I’d really love to give YouTube a big thank-you-kiss on the cheek. Because if it wasn’t for this amazing platform, I would’ve never found this band and I would’ve never gotten the chance to listen to this beautiful song and watch this stunning music video. If you aren’t a fan of this band already, you definitely need to check out this song and all their other stuff. They’ve got big things ahead of them, I just know it. And I’ll be right with them to experience it all.

Superlike – The Academic

Well, well, well, as if we weren’t here just about a year ago. A year has passed since I found this band and fell in love with their music. Since I saw them live and then loved them even more. Now, a year later, nothing has changed. I still love them. I still want to see them live again. And they still manage to release absolute hits you can easily get addicted to. They just know exactly what they’re doing and this song shows that. I’m not going to make the really bad pun and say I superlike it… but I do superlike it.

What I like – Archie Faulks

Another one of my newest additions to the list and a slow one as well for a change. As far as I can tell, Archie is one of those artists who’s are just getting started and I’m already so excited to see where his path will go.

Chlorine & My Blood (Reconstruct Versions) – Twenty One Pilots

Honestly, guys, do I need to say anything? I don’t, right? I think I’ve talked enough about this phenomenal performance in one of my latest posts (click me), though I could easily talk about it for hours and hours and hours. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve already watched this video since they put it on YouTube. And I still can’t get enough of it. Though I think I never will. Tyler’s talent just never fails to fully blow me away, especially with these two performances right here. During My Blood, I highly recommend paying extra attention to minute 3:28. It’s definitely one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard. This band is such a blessing, honestly. Wow.

Everything Means Everything Meant Everything – Hunny

Guys, it doesn’t get any newer than this song. Hunny just released their new album “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.” (yes, that’s really the title of the album) and I’m honestly so happy that it’s finally out and about. Thank god. I’ve waited so long for this. Though it definitely was worth the wait, because it’s simply fantastic. It’s a Yes. Now, can they please come tour in the UK so I can see them in London? Thanks.

Kentucky & Chapstick (Demos) – Hippo Campus

Have you ever had the urge or maybe just the pure interest to listen to demo versions of songs of a very cool, very great band? Well, ask no more, because your wish just got granted. Hippo Campus did it. They released all their demos from their latest album “Bambi” and now I basically want every single band and artist to do the exact same thing. Yes to more music. To more like these two songs. So damn good. Also, fun fact, when I first listened to “Kentucky” I immediately started to cry and I honestly can’t tell why. Again proves that music can trigger emotions simply by having a special rhythm. The power.

Best Part of Me – Ed Sheeran ft. YEBBA

Well, we started off this list with Ed so we might as well end it with him. I’m not gonna say much about this, just that Ed is an angel, especially towards the end, that YEBBA is breathtaking and that this is what heaven must sound like.

And that’s it, guys. These are the incredible songs I’ve been in love with the past few days and months. All of them are very special, very beautiful and very unique in their own ways. And I’m honestly so happy that I get to share them with you and hope that you love them just as much as I do. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. And, of course, I wish you all a lovely weekend and thanks for reading. x

The Divide Tour – Part Two

Hola everyone.

Welcome back to my blog and to another Friday. I hope so far you’ve all had a great week and that you’re doing well. Before I get into today’s post, I want to apologize for not posting anything this Monday, like I had promised in my previous post. I went to a The 1975 gig in Vienna with my mum on that day, which was actually a little festival, so I didn’t get the time to write and post anything. I’m honestly so sorry. But better late than never, right? And yes, I’ll of course tell you everything about the gig later on. It was wayyyyy too good not to. But that’s for another day and another post.

For today, I’d like to tell you all about the second Ed Sheeran concert me and my friend attended in Klagenfurt. As mentioned in my last post about the first show (click here), our plan was to camp outside for the first night to get to the front – which we pretty much nailed – and then to sit in front of the stadium throughout the whole second show and basically just listen to him from the outside. I mean, yes, we could’ve bought tickets for the second night as well, in theory. But first of all, it would’ve all gotten a bit expensive, and, secondly, I’ve always wanted to listen to a concert from outside a stadium. And it was so damn nice, I’m honestly so glad we really did that. I know, it might sound quite bland or boring, even I thought besides the show it would be quite uneventful, but oh wow, I was so wrong. Get ready and buckle up for a hell of a ride.

Okay, so, we got to the stadium at half-past 8 at night, 30 minutes before Ed was supposed to come on stage. We quickly looked for the perfect spot to listen to the show and basically set up our whole camp once again. And yes, we had packed everything like we had for the first day – our blanket, the pizza (= our air mattress), food, drinks, basically everything we could take with us. And even just setting everything up in front of the venue was so much fun. I mean, imagine two girls inflating a huge pizza in front of a huge stadium, right at the entrance, surrounded by securities and other onlookers. The whole situation must have looked so hilarious to others, but we were just standing there, laughing and crying at the same time, while holding up a pizza slice made of plastic, and not caring about anyone or anything. Which was also kind of our mantra for the whole night. We had the biggest fun, no matter how many strange looks we got from other people. And it wasn’t like we were alone there. The whole space outside the stadium had turned into a huge sightseeing hotspot as soon as Ed had started playing. At one point, there was literally a group of cyclers who stopped by to listen to the show for a bit. And they weren’t the only ones. Parents came with their kids. A few couples settled down on blankets next to us. Other fans came to listen to Ed too, just like us. Usually, when I attend concerts, I never think that there could actually be people outside, listening as well. But there are. Far more than I would’ve ever imagined.

Overall, the whole night was one of the funniest and craziest adventures I’ve ever had. As always, Ed was absolutely freaking brilliant, even though we couldn’t see him. But we could hear him, very well actually, and it was just so nice to hear his voice so clearly. In the past, I’ve always asked myself how his show would sound like from the outside. Now I know. It sounds like heaven. And hearing the whole crowd sing and scream with and for him was so magical. The power he has, this normal, but crazily talented guy from a teeny-tiny village in the UK, is absolutely mind-blowing.

And although we were sitting outside and Ed was in there, we still partied like he was standing right in front of us. We sang, we clapped and we danced like there was no tomorrow. Again, we must have looked like the craziest weirdos ever. But also the happiest ones. I’m pretty sure you know you’re having the time of your life when you either can’t stop laughing or grinning. And that’s exactly what we did in those two hours.

But that wasn’t the only thing. Because, at the end, we did something neither of us had planned. Something that might even be kind of illegal (???). A teeny-tiny bit, maybe. You can probably guess what I mean. Yes, exactly. We sneaked in, right before the end. And it was literally the best thing ever. Just to mention, I hope I don’t get into trouble for saying this now, but as far as I can say, it was the best idea we had and I don’t regret it one bit.

When we got to the venue, I quickly made the plan to ask the security to let us in for the encore. Which I quickly discarded again as soon as I saw another person try exactly that. Needless to say, it didn’t really work out. They didn’t let him in. So I needed another plan. The plan to wait for our chance and to sneak in. And the chance came. I won’t explain how exactly it all worked out, but let me just say that people walking out of a concert BEFORE it’s even over (which irritates me every single time I see it happening) can be quite distracting for securities. So distracting that they don’t give notice to two girls slowly walking and then running past them at full speed in the opposite direction than everyone else.

So, we ran into the stadium and I swear, the moment we got to the crowd and we could see Ed on stage, it felt like we had just stepped into heaven. Naturally, we both started to scream like some super crazy weirdos, but that’s just what I call having a completely reasonable and natural reaction to seeing Ed freaking Sheeran. So we screamed and clapped and sang to the last 30 seconds of You Need Me, I Don’t Need You and then it was all over again. Ed left the stage, we both looked at each other and then we just started to laugh. We really had managed to see him one last time. And right then and there, we definitely were the two happiest people in the room.

Until today, I can’t really believe that all of this happened. That we really waited for such a long time outside and got through it, still being healthy and happy. That we saw Ed this close. That we even saw Ed. And that we managed to see him a second time, even just for a tiny bit and even though we weren’t really supposed to. Overall, those days in Klagenfurt have definitely become one of the biggest adventures I’ve ever had and I’ll honestly never forget any of it. And I’ll definitely tell my kids about this some time.

But for now, I hope that you enjoyed reading about this crazy, little adventure. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your comments and thoughts down below. And, of course, I wish you all a fantastic weekend and thanks for reading. x

The Divide Tour – Part One

Hola everyone.

How are we all doing on this beautiful Friday? I hope so far you’ve had a good week. I just started working this Monday and am kind of having a bit of a rough time getting into it. But that’s what happens when you’re used to waking up at lunchtime, with your cat cuddled up next to you. Now I have to get up at 7 and needless to say that Peaches for sure isn’t there. But oh well. I’m just proud of myself for actually working for two months, so I can go and continue celebrating live music. Which is something I did last weekend and want to tell you all about today. Get excited. Honestly.

In short – last weekend was definitely one of the best ones of my entire life. Because I didn’t just get to spend it with a really good friend who I’m rarely able to meet up with due to me living in the UK, but because the other person I got to spend it with was Ed. My Ed. The incredibly talented guy with the red hair and the angelic voice. That Ed. And holy moly, I don’t even know where to begin. I mean, if you’ve been following my blog for a while now, you’ve probably already read that my friend and I were planning on driving to Klagenfurt together to see Ed again, before his Divide tour will come to a close. And you’ll probably also know that we had made it our mission to camp outside the whole day and then get front row (or at least very close to that). That was the plan. But oh wow, so much more happened.

So we drove to Klagenfurt on Thursday and thankfully got to stay at my cousin’s house, which was really close to the stadium, for the whole weekend. On the next day, Friday, we drove to the stadium at about 11 am, fully prepared for anything and everything. I had bought a big picnic blanket and a huge air mattress in the shape of a pizza slice (we now refer to it as the pizza, just that), we had packed heaps of food and water, overall, we were ready for what was to come. I think I need to mention that neither of us had ever done something like that before – camped outside a concert venue, waited for hours and hours, literally packed so much stuff that it looked like we were planning on moving into the place. So, it was a first for us. But after everything that happened that night and also the next one, I can proudly say that we totally nailed it. And that we regret absolutely nothing.

After we had gotten to the venue, we saw that the queue was far shorter than we had expected. From what I had seen last year, I thought there would be about a hundred or more people there already. I mean, yes, there were girls there who had actually spent the night outside the stadium, but besides that, it was pretty calm and chill. But it was hot. If I were to say that the sun was literally trying to burn us alive, I wouldn’t be exaggerating. It was so damn hot. Which is why we and a whole lot of other girls quickly decided that it would be best to sit down in the shadow of the stadium, which was about three meters away from the barriers for the queue, and just leave some stuff in the actual queue as a replacement for ourself. It was the smartest thing we could do. We sat down on the pizza, played Barbie Uno (yes, Barbie Uno), chatted with other girls and watched cringy reporters do cringy interviews. All was well. But unfortunately, that didn’t last for long.

Because crowds of humans still and always will function like big crowds of cows or sheep. I don’t mean that in a bad way, but deep down we are all just panicky herd animals and if one moment made it clear, then it was the one when two girls decided to basically ignore the respectful queue system we had previously created and just walked up to the front of the queue and took the first spot without deserving it. I mean, it’s always a first-come, first-serve principle. You arrive early, you’re at the front, you’re late, you stay at the back. That’s literally the number one rule when it comes to queueing. But I guess it just wasn’t for those two girls. So, obviously, after that happened, all of us jumped to our feet like the crazy fangirls we were and are and literally sprinted to the queue. Within a minute, my friend and I were squished together in this crowd of panting, sweating girls. It was half-past one. The doors were supposed to open at four.

You can probably guess that the hours until they finally let us into the stadium weren’t the best. At about two pm, the securities checked our bags and then kept us in a smaller area, still in the glaring sun. They had taken all our food and drinks (I still smuggled our food in, obviously) and while laying there on the hot asphalt, my head stuck between the barrier to at least have it in the shadows, and being handed water from a literal bucket, I felt like a cow waiting to be killed. Honestly. Like I said, herd animals. Needless to say, part of the securities made it their mission to embody literal jerks and laugh at girls who were close to fainting while smoking in the shadows, one meter away from us. That’s how close the place of heaven – also known as the shadow – was. One meter. And they still didn’t let us through, for over two hours. Three girls fainted. It was pure chaos.

Thankfully, they let us into the stadium shortly after that and we could find the spot we would then later stay at for the whole rest of the day. And again, I was so glad that we had prepared so much. We literally got to our spot, I took out the pizza, put it onto the burning hot metal ground, we both sat down and then we continued our game of Uno while snacking a bit and getting weird looks from the people surrounding us. And though so far it had really been super exhausting, we were still in such a good mood. And I’m glad it stayed like this for the rest of the night.

So, we got our spot at about half-past 4, the first support act, Zara Larsson, came on at about 7, shortly followed by James Bay at about 8. Personally, I liked both of them, although I have to add that Zara’s music is the complete opposite of what I usually listen to. Her music is what the radio stations in my home country love to play again and again and again every single day. It’s TOP 40’s music. Something I usually try to avoid (Ed is an exception). But still, I liked her show and especially her background dancers. Just, at least for me, James was so much better. I don’t listen to his music either, but I enjoyed his set so much more, simply because you could actually see how happy he was to be playing for us. He thanked us over and over again. It was really cute.

You might ask now how we managed to not crumble after such an exhausting day and, honestly, I think it was partly because of our preparation and my smuggle of food and also simply because of the prospect of getting to see Ed this close. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a front-row spot, but we were in the 6th row at least, and it was just so damn close anyway. I remember sitting there on the pizza, glancing up to the sky and the stage actually taking up half of the space because we were so close. We were actually sitting underneath it. How crazy is that?

Obviously, the moment Ed came up on the big screen (they always film him walking up to the stage), all the exhaustion, the slight irritation, the weariness, it was all gone. I cried as soon as he got up on stage and I actually saw how close we really were. I can still see myself turning around to my friend and us holding hands and screaming at each other because he was literally just a few meters away. After a whole year of waiting, it was finally happening. And we were both just so shocked to really be there. To have him really be there. I think I needed about half an hour until I finally realized that he was really there. Every time I looked back at my friend and then back at him, I felt this slight shock. He was really, actually there. My Ed.

I think I don’t have to say that the concert was freaking amazing. I mean, it’s an Ed Sheeran concert, of course it’s going to blow your mind. But it was also so damn special. Not just because we were so close that I could actually see his wedding ring and watch his feet work the loop pedal and so on. No. It was so special because of Ed and his absolutely fantastic mood. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone smile this much over the course of two hours (besides maybe me in those very same two hours). And he also just kept on laughing and talking. I mean, he literally asked us how we were and then said, with the biggest grin on his face: “Everyone’s in a good mood. And it’s Friday. Yey.”. I mean, how freaking cute is he? He’s such a bear. I wish I could’ve run up to him and given him the biggest hug.

Apart from that, a few other highlights were that during Thinking Out Loud, the strap of his electric guitar (which is a new one, as I noticed, and looks fire) loosened and it nearly slipped out of his hand, which made him make the funniest face ever and then try his best not to burst out laughing. And that he changed up the setlist a bit and played a mashup of Kiss Me (which I’ve never heard live, but always wanted to) and Give Me Love and also, believe it or not, played a bit of Wayfaring Stranger at the beginning of I See Fire. Honestly, I was in shock. Because that was the very same song he covered at his 2014 show in Vienna, during which he took down the mic and continued singing without it. I hadn’t heard him play it ever since that show. It was such a throwback moment and I’m still so thankful that he decided to play it. Also, he played I Don’t Care, which I don’t like as the studio version, but literally adore live, and he premiered Beautiful People, which was super nice as well.

Overall, the show was definitely one of his best ones I’ve ever attended and it just made me fall in love with him so much all over again. Not that I ever stopped loving him. It just reminded me of the reasons why. He really is such a magnificent human being. One that I would love to cuddle at least once in my life, just to tell him how happy he and his music have made me. I wish I could thank him for everything.

My friend and I went home that night probably as two of the happiest people on earth. We were still humming Ed’s songs, despite being half-deaf and me having lost my voice (as always; Ed is just so demanding). To our luck, there was no need for post-concert-depression to take over, as we knew that we would be at least hearing him again the next day. Which, just like the first day, became an even bigger adventure than what we had thought. But I’ll keep that back for now until my next post for the second part. At the end of the day, I just have to grin whenever I think of the concert. And feel immediate gratitude towards Ed and his team and my friend and also my cousin and her husband for making all of this possible. It was such a dream come true.

And this, guys, is how I spent last Friday with Ed. But, like I just said, there’s still more to come, so please stay tuned and check by again next Monday. And until then I hope you enjoyed this post and wish you a lovely weekend (I’m going to see Spiderman: Far From Home tomorrow, so saying that I’m at the edge of my seat would be an understatement). And, as always, thanks for reading. x

Trench reimagined

Hola everyone.

How are you all doing? Did you have a great weekend? I hope you did. I, for my part, had one of the best weekends ever, as I got to spend it with Ed. Admiring him. Singing to him. Smiling at him. And yes, it was just as lovely as it sounds.

But I actually don’t want to get into much detail, as I’ve got a big post planned for Friday, in which I want to tell you everything and anything about the two concerts. How my friend and I managed to get right to the front by waiting for about nine hours in the glaring sun and nearly being burned alive. How I starred at Ed for about half an hour, in complete disbelief that he was really that close to me. And how we actually sneaked in on the second night. In short, there are some crazy stories coming up.

But for now, I just wanted to quickly share something utterly beautiful with you. This video right here. It’s a clip of Ty singing and also reimagining a few songs, which might sound plain at first, but trust me, it’s anything but. Basically, it’s a 27 minutes and 38 seconds long trip to heaven. Music heaven. And it’s another testimony of how incredibly talented he truly is. I mean, it can’t get any more genius than that. The way he lets himself fall while playing his own songs and the way he still manages to create something new by working with something old is absolutely mind-blowing. Again, for me, watching him work like this gives me another reason to love and admire this talented man to pieces. And I can just repeat myself over and over again – right now, Tyler is, without a single doubt, the most creative and genius musician I know and listen to. He and Josh continue to blow my mind with their talent every single day and I’m honestly so damn proud to be part of their fandom, their clique. What a band.

Of course, I’m now going to urge you to watch and listen to this video, preferably with headphones on and in a nice setting. Or any setting, Tyler will turn it into a nice one anyway. And afterwards, please don’t forget to give the boys another listen and then to tell me your thoughts and opinions. And until then, I wish you all a great week and, as always, thanks for reading. x