Events
Like last year, my travels were few and far between. In 2024, procuring tickets to a show at the retail price was difficult, and booking flights and accommodations were expensive. That said, I only attended three concerts in person in 2024.
Purple Kiss 2024 BXX Tour in Calgary
I have followed Purple Kiss since their debut, and I may have missed seeing them during their Festa tour. But a second chance came when they announced their BXX Tour would go through Canada. When K-pop acts tour Canada, they usually visit Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver. I was surprised when they listed my city (Calgary) as a tour stop.
Finally, arranging flights and hotels to see a K-pop show was unnecessary. I only had to take a 45-minute C-train ride downtown and walk to the venue.
Experience-wise, this was my favourite show of 2024 since I got to do a lot of stuff I usually wouldn’t be able to do at a K-pop show. My full review of the Purple Kiss concert experience can be read here.
IU Hereh World Tour 2024 in Los Angeles
Like many others, I tried to get IU tickets and was stonewalled by millions of other people in the queue ahead of me. So I didn’t get a ticket at retail price, and I wasn’t going to pay the insane scalper/re-seller prices to see her.
When I failed to get tickets, I applied for press access to the show, knowing that I would probably get the standard “Thanks, but no thanks” reply or be ghosted as a return. But it was worth a shot. A few weeks before IU started her tour around America, I received an email saying I had been approved for a press seat for the Los Angeles stop. It was indeed an early Festivus miracle.
My full review of IU in Los Angeles can be read here.
XG The First Howl World Tour in Los Angeles
The final show I attended was XG’s tour stop in Los Angeles. There was a dogfight for tickets, and I managed to get a VIP X seat just behind the pit area of the Microsoft Theater at retail price.
XG is among the few Japanese girl groups that inspire genuine excitement in me through its music, videos, and stage performances, so I was excited to see it all in person. My full review of XG in Los Angeles can be read here.
