My younger self would have scoffed at having to debate whether one should attend a concert or not - the answer was "obviously" yes.
But present-day me can no longer echo the strong opinion. I'm tired, derelict of rest, and burdened with far too many tasks to tackle in a humanly possible time frame. For every concert I'd choose to skip, I'd be conserving funds, relieving myself of the treacherous commute, and restoring time for completing chores and errands. And, as an added perk of declining GA shows, I'd no longer suffer from feet, shoulder, and back pain afterwards.
But present-day me can no longer echo the strong opinion. I'm tired, derelict of rest, and burdened with far too many tasks to tackle in a humanly possible time frame. For every concert I'd choose to skip, I'd be conserving funds, relieving myself of the treacherous commute, and restoring time for completing chores and errands. And, as an added perk of declining GA shows, I'd no longer suffer from feet, shoulder, and back pain afterwards.
I won't lie: Leading up to the day of P1Harmony's UTOP1A tour stop in Toronto, I found myself dreading yet another commute downtown, instead of anticipating with enthusiasm. The sheer existence of the event had actually escaped me entirely; had it not been for my fellow concert-goer, I would have forgotten until reviewing my list of never-ending calendar appointments.
Just as I had planned to start preparing for the drive to the GO station, a phone call caused the process to come to a grinding halt. My attention was urgently needed to facilitate home happenings. Naturally, this delayed my departure by at least forty minutes.
Horrendous rush hour traffic posed another hurdle. With a high likelihood of missing the train, I opted to swerve into the closest plaza for an early dinner (and indoor plumbing facilities instead).
Horrendous rush hour traffic posed another hurdle. With a high likelihood of missing the train, I opted to swerve into the closest plaza for an early dinner (and indoor plumbing facilities instead).
Located within the plaza was Tim Hortons, Rexall, Dollarama, cannabis shop, and gas station. At its southeast corner was the quietest of Subway locations. I entered to find empty tables, forceful gusts of air conditioning, and just two customers requesting takeout.
 |  |
My pick would adopt a 6" Chimichurri Steak Sub utilizing a toasted Multigrain bun, melted cheese, pickled, tomatoes, black olives, and, of course, chimichurri sauce. The wrapped package would be presented to me in a matter of minutes, unsurprising given the nonexistent customer volumes.
The meal was tasty, but nothing to write home about. Rather, I was more impressed with the washroom stalls. My observations could be biased given that the staff had just finished cleaning, but spotless, queue-free stalls were a much-appreciated feature, for I knew concert venues would not offer the same.
Crossing my way over to Clarkson, I learned of an intersection collision that had spurred chaos earlier. A tow truck was now on site. It seemed that a vehicle had attempted to turn left into oncoming traffic instead of working its way around a signalized intersection.
 |  |
My arrival at Exhibition GO was not all lonely, for fellow K-Pop fans followed closely behind.
Coca-Cola Coliseum was a brief walk from the transit stop - and covered for the most part. Much to my relief, temperatures had returned to seasonal conditions: high teens with plenty of sun and breeze. Nevertheless, my concert attire would comprise of full-length pants (for I am neither a fan of rashes nor fellow transit riders brushing against bare knees) and a fleece-lined hoodie to combat venue and GO train A/C.
Coca-Cola Coliseum was a brief walk from the transit stop - and covered for the most part. Much to my relief, temperatures had returned to seasonal conditions: high teens with plenty of sun and breeze. Nevertheless, my concert attire would comprise of full-length pants (for I am neither a fan of rashes nor fellow transit riders brushing against bare knees) and a fleece-lined hoodie to combat venue and GO train A/C.
Entry into the facility was far swifter than I could have ever imagined! The entrance was fully staffed, yet not particularly menacing. After verifying my digital ticket, I was waved through security, skipping the bag check entirely. The security gate persisted with green lights, allowing me to bypass the inspection altogether. I needed not fret over my "oversized" choice of bag, nor whether I'd be given a hard time for the point-and-shoot nestled within it
RSS Feed