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For me, this entire thing Started Friday morning at 4 o’clock [GTM -7] when I got up, drove to the airport and flew from Alberta, Canada to Chicago, IL. Where I would take a connection flight to St. Louis, MO, where my Uncle lives. Trying to find my gate was amusing since I’ve never actually flown by myself before. I accidentally read the screen wrong and totally wound up at the wrong gate. Thankfully, I had been talking to my Mom on the phone and looked again or I wouldn’t have even noticed. So I turned around and walked the opposite way that I had just come. The contours between sections B and C were fun, though. The moving walking things…anyway, Found my gate after and maybe an hour later I was on another plane, and soon in St. Louis, being picked up by my Uncle.







The next day was pretty much a do-what-ever-since-Sunday-is-the-concert day. So I wound up going to Wal-Mart with my Aunt and Uncle…It was amusing for me, just to see some differences in Wal-Mart USA and Wal-Mart CANADA. Once done that, we went home and I playing on my laptop.



And let me tell you this: If you have NEVER had cran-grape juice before…go do it. It’s kinda addicting.







On Sunday, my Uncle handed me the tickets- he had them before, but I hadn’t gotten them. I kinda sat there staring at them for a few minutes. Till my Uncle asked what I’d do if he ripped them up.



I hung around the house pretty much all day till about 3:30, when my Uncle decided it was time to go. So I collected all my stuff, and went out into the care.



The plan was to make it to the venue at about 5:00. Somehow, neither my uncle nor I noticed the large sign that said ‘POP’S’ and we totally drove right by. We drove for a bit, then I pulled my phone out and looked up the website [I’ll regret this later when I get my bill] and found that yea, we did drive right by it. So we stopped at gas station (or something. I think that’s what it was) and turned around, and drove back. By the Time we got back, we both saw the sign, and drove in; it was about 5:30. I realized that I forgot to wear my Tutu. I said I was, but I just went “bleh” [I had a random thing for tutus’ right now ._.; Believe it or not, it’s actually because of Diru o.o]







I didn’t think it was all that cold out. But then again, I was wearing two hoodies and a scarf. Plus, where I come from, we already have a layer of snow. My Uncle and I went to the back of the line, which from my perspective didn’t seem all that long. My Uncle said something to the two in front of us, and we all started chatting. They seemed a little surprised that I came from Canada, I think. At some point while waiting, I made my Uncle run to the car and get me a mini-Canada flag, which I wore in my hair for the concert. Until we went in, it stayed tucked in my sleeve though. At 6, the box office opened and a bunch of people went over to buy tickets. I actually had an extra one I could have given to them, and my uncle suggested that, but I was too lazy to walk over there. And my feet were starting to get cold. [I was wearing flats lol]



After everyone had their tickets, someone from the Venue came out and made us flip the line around. We all pretty much stayed in the same spots, I had just moved back one, but it didn’t matter. Soon, my Uncle stated chatting with the people behind us, asking about the score of a game [lol I have no idea XD] then he asked who had traveled the farthest for the concert. The guys decided that it was probably me when they found out I flew from Canada. They said “and we thought a three and a half hour drive was long!”



Well, we waited a bit longer, and some guys came around marking people. You got a wrist band if you were over 21, and if not they would put and ‘x’ on each hand. By then my feet were starting to hurt, but because of the way the line flipped the wind no longer hit me. When I looked back, I realized that the line had doubled, at least! Then an ambulance came, apparently someone had already passed out. The cold is bad.







Eventually, they started letting people in. When I got in, I went right over to the stage, about 5 or so rows back from where the rail was, right in front of Die. My Uncle came up to me, to make sure where I was before going to the washroom [o.O], when he came back, I handed him my stuff and went over to the Merch booth with my Money. It took about 5 minutes before I got to the front where I promptly bought:



-Two T-Shirts [The Rose Trims again, and USI (I think that’s what it was called)] - $30 ea.

-The Hoodie - $55 ea.

-The CD - $15 ea.

-Both Stickers - $2 ea.

-The Pin set - $5 ea. [5 pins]

-The poster - $15 ea.



So, in the end I spent $159. Then I had the guy break a ten, and I left a $5 tip =]



One I had all my stuff in my arms, I went back over to my uncle and made him take it all, but, I had to take my other two hoodies off. Once He had that stuff, he refused to take my bag/purse, so I was stuck with it. I just shrugged and put it on my back and tightened the straps so it wouldn’t get in the way.



Maybe 10 minutes later my Uncle came back, decided to take everything out to the car. So I took my CD back, and put it in my purse. He asked if he wanted me to have him take that out too- instead I took my phone [which was off because it was nearly dead. Wtf. It was fully charged in the morning =/] and I handed him my iPod, along with my 6 candy canes, and lil change purse of Canadian money. I took the hoodie I bought also, because I was getting a little chilly in just a tank-top.







Not long after, The Human Abstract came on. The guy on Piano came out first with the drummer, and he smashed the keyboard, or something, but it made a loud noise, and a bunch of people cheered.



Right after the second song, the lead singer said something about Diru- which everyone cheered too, then went back to singing.



I’m not sure about anything with them after that, I kinda kept zoning out.



But I did notice this right away: The one guy with the long dreads? When he was head banging to their music, my first thought: “…Medusa…o.o” So I thought I’d share that. It was kinda really funny.



They played a bunch of songs, and I was glad the singer didn’t stage Dive like what I’ve read about what he did.



Then they got off stage, and a bunch of people came up and started to take THA’s stuff off, and put up Diru’s. That took at least 10 minutes. I waited, listened to the songs they were playing, for “Sa Bir” to tell me that Diru was about to come on. When the song started, I turned my camera on. [I had extra batteries since 1] Camera sucks and 2) I don’t know where the rechargeable batteries are anymore]



Then someone crossed the stage, Shinya following behind, and walked up to his drums. Die came over, and I’m sure Toshiya and Kaoru went to their spots also. I glanced down at my camera for a second, and glanced back up, and there was Kyo, peering down at the crowed. I was floored, and tears gathered in my eyes, although I didn’t actually cry, although I was on the verge. I don’t think I ever actually realized that I was actually going to see Diru live till then. Everything after that was kind of a blur. They started playing, and I know they did not open with Obscure, but I couldn’t tell which song was which most of the time.







Maybe 5 songs in, CONCEIVED SORROW started to play. I remember this because Kyo started to sing without the mic – the rest of the music really quiet. Someone in the back yelled “Fuck You!” and that really annoyed me. After the song ended, they went right into GLASS SKIN, which I found was the easiest song for me to sing along too. I was having trouble hearing, having never actually been to a concert where I was close enough to see the band. Previously, the only concerts I’ve been too have been in hockey stadiums. Anyway, when GLASS SKIN ended, THE FINAL started. Everyone screamed, and had their hands in the air then.



When they started to play SAKU, a group to my left started to smash into each other in a circle, but the guy behind me stopped them from getting too close. When they played OBSCURE right after [I think], the group started again, but this time, a girl decided that she wanted to push people out of the way and get closer. When she hit me, and the others hit her, my glasses wound up being tossed in the air. Luckily, I caught them, but the nose piece got messed up, so I pulled my bag off to put them in, while the girl got ahead of me. Once I had my glasses tucked away, and my bag back on, I pushed her out of the way. I was kinda ticked about what happened to my glasses, and I wasn’t going to let her get by me D< She continued, until I decided to push my fist against her, aiming to press my ring into her back. She pulled back and moved to the side. I saw her try again a few minutes later, but I think she gave up in the end.



Thing continued till the band got off the stage, people around me started chanting “Dir en Grey!” then it went to “One More song!” then back to “Dir en Grey!” until the band came out again. They went right into KODOU, which made me happy because it’s one of my favorite songs [Although, all Diru songs are my favs, lol]



They played a couple more songs, till Kyo started yelling out “Last Song!” a few times. Everyone screamed and had their hands in the air, but I was kinda sad it was ending. It flew by so fast, but I bounced around as I had been throughout the entire concert, while everyone started to jump around.

During The song, Kaoru came over and stated to play towards us, and at one point he reached up and took one of Die’s picks, and Die kinda gave him a strange look. It made me laugh a little though. When the song ended, Kaoru, Die and Toshiya started to splash us with water. I got my hands wet, and got water down my front, but it felt good. They threw their water bottles to the crowd – Which I still don’t understand. What are you gonna do with a water bottle? Take it home and put it in a shrine all like “OMG! DIE DRANK OUT OF THIS! MUST WORSHIP!!?” or something? .__.;;



Anyway, then They started to throw picks out, Kaoru and Die threw some around where I was, then moved and threw them to the other side. I couldn’t see Toshiya well enough to tell what he was doing, although he hooked his bass up, and had it hanging from the ceiling. I remember Die held his guitar up, with his back to us, so we could see the worn away sticker that said “Dir en Grey” that was on it.



After Toshiya, Die, and Kaoru walked off, Shinya came up and threw his Drumsticks, one went right over my head, and a guy about a row back got it. Then he threw the Frisbee-thingy off to my right side, and walked off. Everyone kinda milled around, looking for Picks, but I went over to my uncle and informed him that my glasses needed to be fixed. Then I wandered over to the other side of the room, where some people were standing, waiting for the signings. Some guy got up on stage and told us what was happening- not that I could understand him. My ears were still a little numb.







Not long after he made that announcement, that Toshiya and Shinya came out and went along the edge with the girl that hung around them [lol I don’t really know who she was, cept that she put all the water bottles out for Diru]. The signings went by really fast. I didn’t realize till I was there that they were signing the actual CD, so I had to quickly open the case. Toshiya signed first, he smiled said “Thank you” and I said “Thanks” back, and actually smiled, then went over to Shinya, who took the CD, signed, also said “thank you” [in which, I replied thanks again, smiling] then turned and made my way off, as I passed a guy who was helping he said to me “I like your flag” – making reference that I had a Canadian Flag in my hair. I don’t know if it was noticed or not- because I totally forgot about it.







I made my way back to my Uncle, and we left right away. I dumped my stuff on the floor, and held the CD, and nearly fell asleep on the way back. My Uncle said to me right after “For a little guy, he sure has a voice” which made me smile. I tried to read the lyrics in the booklet, when we stopped for Gas, but wow. The writing is so small, and the print really doesn’t seem all that great. So, I pulled my glasses out and bent the nose thing back so I could try reading with them. My uncle asked if I wanted something to eat, but I wasn’t hungry, since y’know, I’m super good at not eating, but I got a grape Juice, but then wasn’t falling asleep on the rest of the way to my Uncles house. Once we got back, I pretty much went right to bed.



It was so worth the amount of money that I paid in the end. I’m so glad I went. It was amazing.



Now I get to wait till the 27th, when I fly back home =]