Sommet Center Wonderland

I know, I know, two blogs in a row. Don't worry, you won't have to get used to it. haha.

So back in August, I found out that Relient K would be in town for the Winter Wonder Slam tour with Toby Mac, Family Force Five, and B Reith. Obviously I wasn't going to miss Relient K when they were five minutes away. In August, I still had a bunch of money in my account from my summer earnings, so I didn't feel as bad buying the $35 tickets. Of course, it's never the asking price with ticketmaster, so two tickets actually cost $90. UGH. I didn't have anyone to go with when I bought them in August--I figured I'd just find someone to go, which I did, thankfully. :)

Allow me to explain the purchasing process, a backstory of sorts that will come into play later in my story. So the tickets were obviously expensive, an issue I had gotten over at the time. It was Relient K, who cares about how much? When I purchased the tickets, I made sure that I was getting the VERY BEST seats, or rather the general admissions area directly in front of the stage. The ticketmaster page for this event had all the prices and areas listed (as is normal), the most expensive one was $35. It said "Main Floor". Then, below that was: "Note: The Main floor will have a General Admissions area." Okay, so maybe it was just stupidity on my part, or maybe the ticketmaster and sommet center people are just really really unclear about their ticket stuff. I was under the impression that my ticket, the most expensive one, the one that said it was the main floor, was general admissions. I genuinely thought that the whole main floor would be general admissions. When I got to the venue, this was not the case. 

We arrived at 5:15. Traffic downtown was CRAZY. For some reason, the Christmas Parade decided to be on the same day as a Toby Mac concert... anyways, we finally reached the center (after taking the scenic route due to all the road closings) and parked in a cheap $5 lot near the back. We walked down the street eager to both get out of the cold and see the show. Since we parked near the back, we had to walk around to gain entry. As we were walking along the street, freezing because I didn't want to lug my jacket around at the show, we came across these HUGE vents in the side of the Sommet Center. Cristina and I were walking and we both stopped at the same time and sighed. Haha, it was like a GIANT heater on the street! It felt so good. :) I said, "Ohh, that feels soo nice. I bet it's like toxic chemicals and we're like inhaling them but still." So if I ever was so unfortunate that I became homeless, I know where I'd sleep on a cold night. < /random>

So we finally got inside the center at 5:30. After using the facilities, we pretty much just slid in the front of where everyone was waiting to file in. Doors opened at 6 and we were so excited! We were going to be in the very front!! YAY! So we like pretty much ran to where we thought we were going. I went straight to the general admissions section and showed him my tickets and he said, "sorry, you have to have a wristband to get in here." "what??.. where do you get a wristband?" "you were supposed to get one when you scanned your ticket."

How did we miss that?? UGH. So we like ran back up to the ticket booth and asked a security guard if we could get wristbands, or how we could get wristbands. At this point, I had realized how stupid I had been, my tickets didn't say "GA" on them, they said "Sec 3 Row 24 Seat 13".

Apparently, the wristbands were given to FAN CLUB MEMBERS ONLY. They paid the same price, but just because they were in the fan club, they got to be in the very very front. I made my argument with the ticket booth people, the security guard was confused as I told him I was under the impression that I purchased General Admission tickets. The ticket booth lady was also confused as she was instructed to check my name and tickets. Obviously not many people came along claiming they had received the wrong tickets. I don't know why, but she stamped an "OK" on both the tickets, and then the guy in charge talked to me and basically said "No I'm sorry, these are your seats, you have to sit here." Section 3, Row 24, Seat 13. 

I was defeated. We returned to the arena to find our actual seats. So, do you see the tiny little red dot at the back of section 3? Yes, that would be where my seat was. The VERY BACK row! Ridiculous, and I wasn't having it. I didn't pay $90 for that BS. I decided I would try telling the security guard that the "ok" stamp on our tickets meant that the lady at the ticket booth meant we could get into the GA section. Ha. I acted very confused and upset (though the latter wasn't acting), and explained my situation. After 5 minutes of pleading, he felt bad, but still had to do his job. He called in the guy on the radio and asked about it, and a couple minutes later he said that the "ok" was just so I could get back in the venue, not into the GA section. [A fact I already knew] It was worth a shot right? I complained about how there was like nobody in the GA section. "So are you saying that if it is empty like this, you still won't let people come into the area?" blah blah blah. He said "I'm really sorry, I wish I could help but that's not my job, if you really want to see if something can be done, try guest services or the ticket booth again." Hmph. 

At this point I was still very upset. We walked back to our pitiful seats and stood there for a little while. I complained, yes very annoying. I know it's bad, but I was upset. Would you be if you seriously thought you'd be two feet from the stage, but ended up being behind a bunch of tall people (i'm very short) in the very back. Almost a hundred dollars for that?? NO, I wasn't going to have it. 

Cristina wanted a drink so we went back up to the foyer or whatever. Consequently that's where guest services is, and I couldn't resist, I was NOT going to sit in those seats. There was this little old lady working behind the desk and I explained my situation to her. I think she felt I was being hostile but I think I also made it clear that I was upset and just really disappointed. I felt tricked, and fooled out of my money. After pleading with her for a while, and asking a bunch of questions including "how much were the GA tickets" ect. ect. [I think I said this already, but yea, they were the SAME price]. Finally she called the guy I had already spoken to at the ticket booth back to where I was to speak to me. I apologized for making such a big deal but explained I felt very upset. He said that there were only so many GA tickets given out, 250 to be exact, and they were "already at Fire Marshall limit". Also, there was something about them getting a few wristbands back the other day, but they sold them or something. After another long argument with him, he offered to switch our tickets with some better seats. Imagine a red dot near the stage side of section 106. Well, it wasn't the stage, but it was a heck of a lot closer, and elevated so I'd be able to see. *sigh* "Okay" I resigned. But before we accepted the tickets, we asked to go check out the seats so we could be sure. When we did find the seats, they were SO much better, so we decided that it was better than nothing. We went back up to guest services.

This part was confusing and a rush and.. just weirdness. We got back in there expecting to exchange our tickets with the new, still mediocre seats. We walked in as the little old lady was on her walkie talkie, and here's what she said, "I know, but we just had two girls leave the general admissions area and we have these two girls here that just really want to be in there, can you bring over two wristbands?"

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Either they were holding out on us, and they actually did have some extras that they didn't sell. Or two people just coincidentally LEFT the GA section, RIGHT as we wanted to be in it... Oh well, either way, we EFFING GOT WRISTBANDS. And they were SO nice about it! I gave her my sincerest thank you ever, and I really meant it. She was like "I know baby I know you were so upset, and I would be too." And then this security lady asked what happened and I told her and added, "and I'm so short, I was seated in the very back too, I just wouldn't be able to see anything and I paid so much.." and she was like "yea, you're so right... that wouldn't be good. well, see now, it never hurts to just ask!" Then this big guy in a suit comes in smiling and holds up the wristbands, and we put them on and exchange our tickets for GA. 

Wow, mission accomplished.. really? Sheesh, I was definitely not expecting to actually get what I wanted. But I'm not complaining!

We got to the general admissions section and were let in with glee. We had to stand in like the 2nd/3rd row near stage left but it was SO much better than what my other option was. And I am so grateful for that lady. I'm very glad I wasn't a pushover tonight. 

Wow that's a lot and I haven't even talked about the actual show...

I'll leave it short, I just wanted to tell you my incredible luck. God was smiling upon us tonight. 

So, B Reith was pretty neat, he was like a rapper. And Family Force Five came out in tight pleather pants and badass leather jackets with zippers and popped collars and bamf haircuts and effing ROCKED it. They rock so hard. If you've never seen Family Force Five, DO IT. They are so good live, so full of energy and you'll probably end up dancing/hardcore moshing the whole time. Simply awesome. 

And then.... RELIENT K. OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG.

phew.

Okay so I've seen relient K before, once. And since we got there late, I was on the second level, far far away from dear Matthew. Tonight, I was literally 7 feet from him. I literally swoon over this man. He is so incredibly talented. A wonderful singer, he plays piano, guitar, drums, sax and a laundry list of others. He also writes like ALL their songs, and is the most inspiring Christian I know. He's also incredibly cute in a nerdy way. Plus, their music is so darn good and Relient K is my all-time favorite band. Their music is fun and energetic and also slow and awesome and the lyrics are always so deep. (except for sadie..) Anyways, Relient K was amazing and i love love love them so so much. :)))))

Toby Mac was his usual awesome self. Great show, great dancing, great lights, great music. I wish I could spend more time elaborating the details. I can tell you that I touched his butt? haha, he crowd surfed.. the first time we dropped him but the second time was really good. I got to hold him up, it was pretty neat. It was so nice being that close. Ugh, I can't believe how lucky I was! :D

Oh, and Matthew Thiessen definitely made eye contact with me like 8 times. Yea, he pretty much sang to me. haha. (not...but really)

I felt like Toby Mac looked at me too. I hate having to wear glasses at concerts, even as close as I was, I still needed them. 

So overall, it was an amazing night. 

We stayed after for a really long time hoping to run into Relient K, but instead we just got autographs from FF5, and stayed even longer to obtain a picture with them. One of these days I shall meet Matty T and he shall fall in love with me. (or not, either way, I'm meeting him.)

Ask me details if you want them, I'll try and post a video log later with all the videos I took, there are some awesome moments in them.

Thank you for reading this, whoever you are.

I love you, no matter what.

Kyara