Standing Ticket

One standing ticket
Front barrier

Everyone was busy or broke or "maybe"
And the band I've loved from the bad flat years
The album that carried me through a winter
Of broken boiler and broken-up boyfriend
Had one night, one city, one Tuesday
The old me would've mourned it politely
Filed it under 'next time,' knowing better
So I did the unthinkable thing: I went
Ironed nothing. Told no one. Doors at seven
Bought one ticket like sweet contraband
Screenshot saved in three places, sacred
Ate chips in the queue with strangers
Swapped sunscreen and setlist predictions
Who knew every B-side I knew
Traded favourite bootlegs like recipes
Minded my spot while I minded theirs —
The barrier code, older than any of us
And at doors, believe me, I didn't stroll —
I walked fast — a missile in trainers —
And the plan was: barrier. Front. Mine

Nobody to check on
Nobody's view to mind
Just me and the stage and the rail
And both hands free

Standing ticket!
(Front row)
Sang every word with strangers
Came alone and left with a choir —
Standing ticket, best seat none

Row what?
(No rows!)
With who?

Deep in the set they played the old one
The one from the bad flat, the survival one
The one I played on repeat through the thin wall winter
And the whole room lifted it together
Like furniture up a staircase —
Every voice under it, nobody dropping it
The girl to my left grabbed my arm —
Total stranger, instant sister —
And we screamed the bridge at each other
Like a contract being signed
Her name was Nima. We're seeing them in spring
Barrier. Obviously. It's our spot now
You cannot be lonely at a barrier
It's physically impossible. I checked
The drummer threw a stick at the ceiling
And the ceiling gave it back. Even physics showed up

Nobody to translate it for
Nobody bored by row three
Just me and the stage and the rail
And the whole night open

Standing ticket!
(Front row)
Sang every word with strangers
Came alone and left with a choir —
Standing ticket, best seat none

Encore?
(Encore!)
One more?
(One more!)
The bus home was full of ringing ears
All of us grinning at our phones

My voice a proud ruin, and the setlist —
The actual setlist, the guitarist pointed at me —
Folded in my jacket like a passport
To a country I should've visited years ago
Waiting for nobody to be free
Would have cost me this
Book the ticket. Go alone
You won't be

Standing ticket!
(Front row)
Setlist folded in my jacket
Came alone and left with a choir —
Standing ticket, best seat none

One standing ticket

Standing ticket!

Standing ticket!

Standing ticket!

(Worth it)
Standing ticket