Throughout my high school experience, One Direction has always been present in my life.  I’m embarrassed to say that I know way too much about those five british boys. About five years ago, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Liam Payne all auditioned for the TV show “The X Factor” as solo artists until Simon Cowell decided their careers would skyrocket much faster if they were put together as a boyband. Since then, One Direction have come out with three albums, sold millions of records, and gone on three sold out tours. I have been to at least one show of each of their tours and I believe it’s safe to say that the most recent one they have been on, the Where We Are tour, has definitely been the best.

Three weeks ago, I attended my fourth One Direction concert. Although I wouldn’t characterize myself as much of a fan anymore, I still had a fantastic time. The concert took place at the Rose Bowl in pasadena which could not have been more convenient considering the Rose Bowl is a five minute drive from my house. The first opening act was a solo singer named Jamie Scott who I had never heard of until then. He was an adorable british indie singer who did a great job of blowing me away. All he did was sit on a stool but his pure talent made it quite the performance. I knew right about then that the night would be great.

Next up on stage was an Australian pop-punk band called 5 Seconds of Summer. I have known and loved them for a bit over a year now because they toured with One Direction on their last tour. I knew about half of the songs they performed so the excitement really pumped me up for One Direction to come on. The set lasted about an hour but it seemed so much shorter because of the pure ecstasy they filled the crowds hearts with. Being a One Direction fan and being a 5 Seconds of Summer fan kind of goes hand in hand in the world of boybands. After those Australian cuties got off the stage, the night was really about to begin.

The stadium was being filled with anticipation and excitement as the wait for One Direction started to come to a close. The ten second countdown stretched on for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, the boys took the stage. The screams from tens of thousands of girls resulted in the first song, “Midnight Memories,” barely being heard. Considering everyone knew all of the words anyway, that hardly mattered. Being in row 21, seat 9, really made the experience that much more unreal. Around ten feet to my left, there was a long runway that connected to the stage to allow the boys to get closer to the crowd. I was within throwing distance of the biggest current boy band in the world and I could not have had a better time.

As the night went on, the show only got better. Those five twenty-something year olds each have a unique and beautiful voice. They found the perfect balance of slow songs and fast songs which gave everybody in the crowd something they enjoyed listening to. Each concert I have gone to, they have played different songs which only adds to the excitement. Before the concert, I was wondering which songs were going to be sung and I was extremely satisfied with the ones I heard. All of my expectations had been fulfilled and they truly outdid themselves. The main album featured in this tour is called Midnight Memories although they also featured songs from Take Me Home and Up All Night. In my opinion, the bests of the night were “Little Black Dress,” “Better Than Words,” “Kiss You,” and the closing song, “Best Song Ever.” Those select songs were filled with energy and pure joy from all five band mates and it was thrilling to see how much fun they were having up there on stage. Out of all the boy bands in todays era, I would say confidently that One Direction is my favorite. They seem to have so much personality and quirkiness to them compared to other similar bands. They will always have a special place in my heart for One Direction even if I’m not a diehard fan anymore.

Every rose has its thorn, and this concert definitely did have some drawbacks. Parking for the event was highly expensive and it took around an hour to leave the parking lot at the end of the night. The last thing I wanted to do at 11 o’clock on a Thursday night was wait in traffic so that aspect of the show was definitely not the best. I definitely still did enjoy the show but on top of everything, having a sinus infection really did not help either. I tried to forget how stuffed up I was and enjoy the whole night but it resulted in me coughing and sneezing everywhere. In my opinion, it was all worth it because when I think back on it, I don’t think about how sick I was or how incredibly annoying parking was, I think about how much fun I had when the music was playing.

If I had to rate the concert from 1-10, I would definitely give it a 9. The drawbacks really did not have a strong impact on how great that night was. It may not be something you think would appeal to you, but you would be surprised by the amount of fun you might have. This band appeals mostly to teenage girls but I think that if anyone would really give them a chance, they might just find themselves dancing and singing along when they are driving alone in their car. It was event not to be missed and I cannot wait for my next opportunity to see One Direction live.