That that don't kill me...

I was so excited last week. Not only was I going up to my friends in Belfast fot the first time in over a year, I was goin up to see Kanye West!

It was kind of an excuse, in a way. I could have gone to the Marquee in Phoenix Park.
But that would have been outside. I wanted to stay indoors.

Turns out that didn't matter.

So the concert was on Saturday evening. Doors opened 6.30pm, show started at 8pm.

So it was a wee bit of a surprise to me when I found myself standing outside the Oddessy Arena at 1.30pm! It was cold, it was windy, and it was threatening to rain. I thought I was bad.. there was a group of girls there that had been waiting outside the venue since half past 6 that morning! Not a chance..

The girls were so eager to remain at the top of the queue, they devised a system to give all other arrivals a suitable place. I was quickly approached and asked if I would adhere. Sure. Why Not?

I was given the number '24'. Written on my hand in eyeliner. Right.

The barriers were put in place about 3 O' Clock. People queued up in a strangely orderly fashion. Everything was running smothly until.. yup- the heavens opened. It rained. And rained. And rained.

Soaked.

Three full hours of 'umbrella up', 'umbrella down' action. To make it worse, there was a group of girls huddled together at the very top of the queue, singing Spice Girls songs. They didn't know the words. Oh. My. God.

FINALLY, they opened the doors. It was like a stampede, everyone was running like their life depended on it. Running up the hall, through the bag check, through the barriers and up the hall to the very top. Somehow, despite the number '24' on my hand, I found myself in the front row. In the centre. WOW!

The concert was mayhem.
People trying to push their way to the front. Ouch.
People collapsing due to the excess of alcohol their little bodies consumed. Yuck.
A girl screaming "I'm only 12! I'm pregnant! Let me up the front!" Whatever.

14 people were pulled over the barriers and taken away by the medical team. 14!! Why, oh why would you spend GBP£35 on a KANYE WEST ticket, just to drink too much and be sent home before he even sets foot on stage!??!?!?

And how they missed out.

The concert was amazing. The band looked like ghostbusters! Kanye was backed up by

• TLC- a member of Three6Mafia


• Consequence, and


• Common

The show wasn't as spectacular as some of his other performances, but was still unbelievable.
His latest rendition of 'Hey Mama', dedicated to his recently deceased mother, had an extra verse which sang

'Last Night You Were In My Dreams, Now I Can't Wait To Go To Sleep'

Heartbreaking. Beautiful, though.

I did find it kind of strange that one of the back up singers had the stage to herself while she sang the popular 1988 Journey hit, 'Don't Stop Believin'. Still can't get my head around that- it's cool to like Journey!