Guts
Last year I went to an Olivia Rodrigo Concert. I’ll be writing down the things that I remember so far from what happened on that day. To be honest a lot has already happened to me so this isn’t going to be a perfect recollection of what happened.
What I do remember is starting the day with a cold Yumburger from the night before. I gave one to my friend in case he hadn’t eaten. We left Lipa around 10-something. Somewhere along the road, we stopped for McDo for lunch. I’m just glad we already ate, because the group chat from our van was blowing up with “we might be late” panic, and I can’t deal with stress on an empty stomach. Before heading back, we grabbed some water.
On the way someone managed to plug their phone into the van speaker and they played Olivia Rodrigo’s songs and some from Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter. The people in the van were belting the songs like they were about to headline the concert themselves. It was loud, chaotic, and weirdly wholesome. Maybe they were warming up their vocal cords, before the concert.
We got to the venue around 1-ish and had to hunt for my other friend under the unforgiving sun. I forgot to bring a fan and an umbrella. Thankfully my friend came through like an angel with an umbrella and a fan. Once we found her and got in line for the concert. It was hot like the sun-is-cooking-my-soul kind of hot.
When we got in, we looked for our gate and ended up on the side but close enough to the stage that when people screamed, I felt the sound physically enter my skull. I’m not even kidding, I thought my right eardrums were going to retire. Then Olivia came out, and its like I was hit by a truck in the best way. I watched her, and for a moment, I wasn’t thinking at all. She was stunning. She was beautiful, beautiful in a way that made you reevaluate what you thought you understood about yourself. And when she performed Brutal and Jealousy, Jealousy, I don’t know—I felt weirdly emotional. I left the concert slightly deaf, deeply confused, and very inspired. Would absolutely do it all over again.