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Brenda Ceja

Mrs. Morris

English 2 HN - G

October 5,2015

Waiting for Euphoria

It's 5:10 in the evening and Disneyland is bustling with people. A ten minute walk away

from the busy lines in Disneyland, there is a line in front of the House of Blues in Downtown

Disney. The sign above the main doors of the House of Blues reads, "9/27 CATFISH AND THE

BOTTLEMEN." Fans sit perched in their lawn chairs wait to be allowed inside. Excited chatter

and the distant sound of Radio Disney fills the air. Camping out in line, waiting inside the venue,

and an amazing performance, all add to the overall excitement and exhilaration of a Catfish and

the Bottlemen concert.

The line consists of high school to college aged students. It begins at the doors of the

House of Blues and extends to the Tex-Mex restaurant on the other side. A cinnamon scent

mixes into the air as some people eat their gourmet dinners from Wetzel's Pretzels. The young

fans in line seem to be wearing identical, black outfits. If it were not for the abundance of

iPhones in their hands, the kids look like they had been transported from the 1990's. Families

leaving Disneyland stare at the adolescents boldly wearing T-shirts that depict a couple reaching

into each other's pants. Fans chuckle as the lips of parents form the question, "What is Catfish

and the Bottlemen?" Guitar tuning can be heard from inside the music hall. The line listens

closely to identify songs by their guitar riffs. The queue sings along as the band completes their

sound-check. Large men in yellow shirts stating, 'SECURITY', bark at the line to stand up and

follow them into the venue.

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Fans eagerly rush into the poorly lit room. The musky smell of the House of Blues does

not phase them. A small fence known to concert-goers as, "The Barrier," separates the crowd

from the stage. Those who had camped out for hours on lawn chairs secure spots on The Barrier.

rest of the line packs in behind them. The crowd buzzes with excitement as they wait for the

curtains to open. The venue grows warmer as bodies press together. A stench of sweat rises from

the heated bodies. The lights dim. The curtains open. Piercing screams ring through everyone's

ears.

The members of Catfish and the Bottlemen appear from the shadows. The explosion in

the room rivals Disneyland's fireworks show. The singer greets the fans, "Hello Anaheim! How

are you feeling tonight?" The thunderous response makes the singer smile. The music begins and

the audience is so loud that the lead vocalist is almost inaudible. Hearts are pounding in rhythm

with the bass lines. The sea of people jumping up and down in union resemble ocean waves

crashing onto a rocky shore. Forty-five minutes of adrenaline and euphoria quickly pass. As

Catfish and the Bottlemen play their last song, the audience sings like there is no tomorrow.

The filthy stench of the room hits the fans like a semi-truck. They surround the exit door

trying to escape. Once outside the venue, fans catch their breath and take in the fresh air. Bruised

and sore bodies pack into the trams driving to the Disneyland parking structure. The adrenaline

of the concert begins to wear off. In Downtown Disney, the House of Blues stands empty, but the

fans who saw Catfish and the Bottlemen earlier that night are full of memories.