Watching the sun set over the city of Atlanta with its colorful hue stood no doubt a life changing experience. I felt a sense of unity between all the attendees. Even though we left exhausted, or in many cases inebriated, we all seemed to stop and stare at the exact same spot in the sky, thinking “we are the lucky ones.”  My adventure with my dad through what I can safely say, proved one of the most memorable moments of my 16 years of life, and will forever live in my memories. Here lies my journey through the hectic, ear splitting, fan screaming, two days of Music Midtown.

Driving for more than half an hour to reach the Marta train in Sandy Springs, I decided to listen to the singers that would be performing that day. The exhilarating sensation of meeting the singers and bands that I hear every single day did not register at all until I actually saw them sing. On the train ride, there seemed to be more and more people getting on, forcing me to stand up and become crushed between a group of girls. I felt it all worth it- though, as walking into Piedmont Park hit me with a burst of new experiences and lots of new memories.    

We soon maneuvered towards the Belk Stage (one of four stages in total, each with their own schedule of the artists that would be performing) to watch Tove Lo perform hit songs like ‘Talking Body” and “Habits.” She stands as a unique singer, performing with no shoes off. She interacted with the audience by having them get on their knees with her to jump up and dance. Her braveness and mischievous behavior won the hearts of the crowd. She performed amazingly; her voice sounding the same as in her album.   

The most exciting performance my dad and I waited to see was Hozier. Many months before Music Midtown, I promised myself that I would see him at least once in my life, and I fulfilled that promise on Friday. I felt overwhelmed with emotion as he stepped on the stage, and I could not help but smile. Singing the songs from his newest album, he left the best,  “Take Me to Church,” for last. His persona showed through his face and  flowed into the lyrics as he and his band (which included a cello player) sung their hearts out on stage. The simpleness of Hozier and the power of his music left me, and everyone who experienced his beauty, speechless.

 Hozier’s amazing performance left my body drained. We had an hour to rest until Elton John’s performance and everyone migrated to the food trucks. Amazed by the array of diverse food selections, we ended up going to an organic Indian truck. Although the food tasted amazing, the spice left my mouth numb. I chowed down on the meal only as my hunger pains were kicking in. Then we headed to watch a legend.

 I do not know what made me more happy, seeing Elton John or seeing my dad watch Elton John. Humming to the words, my dad looked like he was having the time of his life. Elton John proved an exceptional performance worth watching. He dressed in a gold suit and red glasses. I have never seen someone play the piano like he did; his fingers glided through the keys with such grace that you could feel the vibrations of pure emotion in your heart. I know many will feel that my decision to see Elton John instead of Drake proved ludicrous, but I am happy that I stayed to see the piano legend.  

With the first day over, people poured out of the park onto the streets and all headed for Marta, even though the show was hardly over. Not only were there talented artists inside the park, but drummers and guitar players filled the streets all trying to gain recognition. A man immediately caught our attention because of his amazing drumming skills displayed on the side of the road.

 After going to bed at around 2 a.m and waking up at seven for breakfast, we ate lunch at a beautiful cafe and headed towards day two of Music Midtown. Upon arriving, the space seemed to have more people and twice the heat. The day before, the gates had opened at 4 p.m but now opened at 12 p.m. Unlike the day before, in which we did not have a game plan, we now came prepared. We printed out the schedules and while eating lunch, circled the Artists we wanted to attend. Since many people camped out all day at one stage, we decided it would be a great idea to go an hour before so we could be up front, a great decision in the end.

 X-Ambassadors performed first that day. As a fan of the band they blew me away with their performance. With guitar solos, including both guitarists on their knees and the lead singer going berserk on the drums, it proved a welcoming start to day two. Let us not forget their hit single “Renegades” which brought in a bigger crowd with every lyric they sang. I stood impressed at the force behind their singing and power behind the instruments.

Although getting to see your favorite artists sing remains a dream come true, there also held excitement in hearing other unknown artists. Wilderness, for example, had a unique style and were amusing to watch. The upbeat melody did not make it hard to start dancing, even if the lyrics remained unfamiliar. Other artist included Alessia Cara, singing hit single “Here,” and Alice in Chains.

 Another legendary band that we watched up close was Daryl Hall and John Oates. They started off with a very popular song “ManEater,” which I happily enjoyed. As we stood in the audience, a cameraman strolled along on our left side and turned directly at me, showing me on the wide screens. At this time we decided to eat and had a nice picnic on the grass with Panic at the Disco performing in the background.

Music Midtown definitely saved the best for last. Although difficult to choose between Sam Smith and Van Halen,I picked the latter as I  knew he would never again get the chance to see them. I remain satisfied with my decision. Eddie Van Halen’s guitar solo sounded like a Beethoven masterpiece, with cheers and gasps as he moved through the cords at lightning speed. David Lee Roth also humored the crowd with his slightly inappropriate jokes and personal storytelling.  

Once the last tune of music was finished, my dad and I looked at each other and laughed. The same phrase popped into my head: “We are the lucky ones.” We are the lucky ones because we stood 150,000 strong who all came together to experience the vibrations of music. I am the lucky one because I got to spend an extraordinary experience at an extraordinary place with an extraordinary dad. I will see you next year, Music Midtown.