One Direction & 5 Seconds Of Summer Concert Experience

I’ve always had a thing for boy bands. It started when I was 7 with the Backstreet Boys, reignited in high school with the Jonas Brothers and three years ago I came to love these four Brits and one Irish lad. I’ve had some pretty awesome concert experiences with these boys at the Molson Amphitheatre and Air Canada Centre thanks to VIP tickets, but this year with just a regular ol’ ticket (VIP offered nothing special anyways unless you’re into One Direction watches) I had just as good a time.

On their first stadium tour performing to over 50, 000 fans, it’s pretty awesome that Toronto is the first city in North America to see the Where We Are Tour. If only fans knew Where They Were hiding out. Seriously, every time they come to Toronto it’s an intense game of hide and seek and the fans never win. Anyways, instead of sitting here wondering what to do with my life, which is one of symptoms of post-concert depression, I figured I might as well write about my concert experience while it’s fresh in my mind and give you guys some pictures.

I plan on putting together a video of the experience and hosting a One Direction related giveaway, so stay tuned for that! Also for those wondering what it’s like to have VIP this year, my sister experienced that last night and will be sharing her story and pics soon as well!

The Seats: A7, Row 15
In my opinion, these seats were almost perfect. You’re probably thinking that the only spot to place your butt that could be perfect is first row. But when they’ve got a humungous stage and a catwalk leading to a secondary stage at the back, this first row is not the greatest. From where I was sitting, I had a perfect centre view of the entire stage, I was located right next to the catwalk and at the exact spot where they all seemingly decided to stop and pause to sing during their walk from big ass stage 1 to mini stage at the back. And here’s the thing, I got these seats THE DAY BEFORE THE CONCERT. You think you have to stick with your nosebleeds that you bought a year ago, but you don’t! When they set up the seating, most venues find that they have room for more seats and they usually put them up for sale that day. So I highly recommend checking ticketmaster a day or two before and the day of for more seats. You can call to exchange your old ones for just a $7 (and totally worth it) fee!

The Camera: 
Also, not to brag or anything but you’ll notice these pictures are pretty damn awesome. I wish I could take the credit and say it’s all me but all the glory goes to the best digital point and shoot camera to ever exist: the Canon Powershot SX240 HS. Sure being 10 seats away from the catwalk helped, but you do not understand the power of this zoom. It’s my go-t0 for concerts… and life. Whoever says the end of digital cameras is coming thanks to smart phone have not tried this beaut. And Canon isn’t even paying me or bribing me to say this, I truly honestly from the heart recommend it.

The Opener: 5 Seconds of Summer (who are totally ready to headline their own show by now) 
They looked so perfect standing there (sorry, just had to use that line)!

Picture taken WITH NO ZOOM. Not bad, am I right?

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Luke doing his thang, because that’s what lead singers do. Their thang.

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A perfect “Caption This” photo.  Clearly so many things were going on in Michael’s head, he’s overwhelmed, or he’s trying to use his telepathy powers or something.

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DAT ASS(ES).

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Look at those pink cheeks!

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The Main Event: One Direction
While the band’s professional photographer Cal was on stage, I could arguably take his job. Here are a few of the masterpieces I captured on camera.
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The F Word Red Carpet Premiere With Daniel Radcliffe

Red carpets are always a fun affair. As a journalist, they’re not as glamorous as instagram pictures may make it seem (try waiting an hour or two for talent who never arrive on time, therefore making you miss the first ten minutes of the movie screening and having to sit in the first row… or third, if you’re lucky).

But it’s always a great experience and incredible opportunity I could never pass up. I mean, the other day I had the chance to meet Daniel Radcliffe. Harry Potter IN DA FLESH. Who might I add, is a lot shorter than I pegged him to be.

Post Harry Potter, this talented actor starred in an Irish-Canadian rom-com that was filmed here in Toronto two years ago, The F Word (or What If? for American audiences) a movie that is not about the actual F word that first popped into your head and is instead referencing FRIEND. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival back in September, but had an official premiere this month before its theatre release on August 22nd.

Mother Nature gifted us with perfect, sunny weather for an outdoor premiere and eOne really pulled out all the stops for this red carpet.

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I’ve seen Daniel Radcliffe many times before. On the big screen while watching Harry Potter, on my laptop screen while watching Harry Potter, on my television while watching Harry Potter, and oh and in my dreams, while I dreamt that I was Harry, Hermione and Ron’s fourth best friend living the life at Hogwarts. (In reality, I’m still waiting for my acceptance letter or at least Hagrid to come barging into my house to tell me my parents have been hiding those owl-delivered letters all along). But nothing compares to seeing Dan in real life. Of course, as a journalist, the number one rule is that your fan-girl can never show. No screaming, no jumping around. Just very subtle eyeball bulging at the sight of one of your favourite actors IN DA FLESH.

Just take a look at how close he was while he was being interviewed by the media outlet before me, with this blurry photo taken on my phone WITH NO ZOOM:

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While Daniel was definitely a huge highlight, the premiere actually had a majority of its talented cast in attendance including Meghan Park (Secret Life of the American Teenager), director Michael Dowse, screenwriter Elan Mastai and co-star Zoe Kazan (Ruby Sparks).

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For more pictures and the actual interviews, you’ll have to keep a look out on faze.ca.

As for the film itself, it’s definitely something you should check out when it’s released in theatres in August. The big screen has been lacking rom-coms in the recent years and this is one that isn’t afraid to poke fun at it’s genre. It’s realistic, it’s funny, it’s dirty (in a make-you-laugh way) and Daniel Radcliffe got to keep his British accent. 4 out of 5 stars!

-@Naomi_ML

5 Feelings That Come With Cleaning Out Your Closet

Whether it’s a yearly, seasonal or monthly task or something you just do when you’re moving, there will be a moment when you find yourself cleaning out your closet. No matter how much time you spend in that tiny crammed up space (or giant walk-in if you’re extremely blessed) dedicated to your wardrobe, it’s safe to say you’re bound to experience one, or heck probably all, of the following feelings while doing so.



1. Joy
Alright so for most people, cleaning out your closet is one of the least enjoyable chores on your to-do list. It’s time consuming and not an easy thing to do. Let’s face it, deciding what to keep, donate or throw is the hardest decision you’ve come across since deciding which college to attend. However, there are a select few who find pure bliss when getting rid of last seasons’ trends or reorganizing all your shirts by color and size. And so this feeling is dedicated to you.

2. Regret
There are many clothes from your past that have been long forgotten in the deep depths of your closet. You know that hideous sweater or unflattering pair of jeans you find and say “What was I thinking?!”, a statement that applies to the moment you spotted the item, thought it was cute, thought it looked good on you in the fitting room, purchased it, and wore it…many times in public. If you could go back in time and give your seventeen-year-old self one piece of advice, it would definitely be that bell bottom jeans are not cute.

3. Nostalgia
Everyone has that old band tee or volunteer shirt from one of the dozen committees you were a part of in high school or college that when found again gives you a rush of memories. Just the touch and smell of it brings back the good times and you know that this is a piece you’ll take with you to the grave. Then, there are the items that bring back the memories you wish could disappear into your subconscious forever. You know, the shirt with that stain you got after the-worst-date-ever spilled his wine on you. With things like that, it’s best to practice your best Michael Jordan shot by throwing it straight into the garbage can.

4. Relief
Sometimes beloved items you thought were lost forever resurface and you let out a big sigh and/or the biggest smile creeps up on your face. It could be your great-grandmothers necklace that somehow ended up in your sock drawer or a vintage sweater that was passed down your family for generations. Either way, cleaning out your closet brings unexpected surprises. The completion of the entire task of cleaning out your closet also calls for a big sigh of relief, leaving you with a hopefully satisfied feeling of an afternoon well spent.

5. Sadness
It’s not easy parting ways with your things, at least not as easy as it should be. Especially when you invested so much money into an item. But there’s no point keeping something that you will never touch again, or you know will never come back in style. The point of cleaning out your closet is to get rid of things, so saying goodbye is a must. “You don’t need strength to let go of something. What you really need is understanding.” – Guy Finley

8 Truths About The Immediate Post Grad Life

As published on Thought Catalog.

Hey you collegiate graduate you. Congrats! You’ve spent the past 16 years of your life fulfilling your duties, as assigned by society, as a student and now it’s time for you to enter “the real world” (thankfully not the MTV show). Yup, the minute you walked across that stage and moved over your tassel to the left side, you “officially” became an adult.

Fast forward a couple weeks, maybe even months. Your diploma still has the smell of fresh ink (at least, hypothetically), Vitamin C’s Graduation Song still pops up on your playlist and you’re living the post grad life. However, it’s not all chalked up to be what the movies, your parents, teachers and the media made it seem. That good grades + good school + degree/diploma formula doesn’t always equal a good job. So my fellow postgrad, here are some truths (that I hope you can relate with) to life shortly following that graduation ceremony.

1. You’re going to get bored.
With no school and no job, there is going to be an abundance of free time; more than you’ve ever had during your time as as a student. Soon Facebook statuses and tweets on Twitter will become redundant and you’ll be able to (proudly) say you’ve binge-watched every good show on Netflix. So what’s there to do? Spend this time reigniting your passion for an old forgotten hobby, volunteer or get a part-time job even if it’s not in your desired field. Oh and obviously scouring job boards for that dream job. It’s out there somewhere!

2. Time will pass by quickly.
One day you’ll find yourself playing The Sims on a Monday, and the the next thing you know it’s Friday. Procrastinating may have worked in your favour in school, but nothing good comes from pushing back the job search or application process. As soon as you see a position you’re interested in, apply right away, regardless of when the deadline is. Also remember it’s summer! The sun is out, the weather is warm, enjoy it. There’s no need to stay crammed up indoors just because you’re not technically on “vacation” from anything.

3. Living at your parents house is not going to be easy.
Of course this is all dependent on your home life and family. But whether you’ve spent the past four years fending for yourself on residence or off-campus housing, or stayed at home and suffered the commuter life, as you get older your desire for more freedom is greater. And when you have your mom still barging into your room to remind you to clean, eat or sleep, it can be a struggle. However, there are major positives that come with living with the parentals, like those home-cooked meals, clean laundry, and absence of rent bills. Remember as you get older, so do your parents. So spend time with them while you can, ask them questions, learn from their experiences and sometimes even, take their advice.

4. You will find yourself continuing to work for minimum wage.
The moment you receive your degree/diploma, is not the minute your hourly income goes up. Unfortunately that retail or restaurant job you had during college doesn’t care that your name is printed on a fancy paper from the University of BlahBlahBlah and that you after many sleepless nights and bottomless coffees you can finally recite every single metaphor in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

5. Entry-level jobs are not easy to find.
That being said, expect to continue working your college job postgrad. Whether you’re ready for that 9-5 life or not, finding a full-time entry-level position is a huge challenge. Seeing 5-6 years experience under the requirements of a job will become the norm, but don’t be discouraged, continue the hunt.

6. You will feel unsuccessful and lost.
When you see all of the Facebook statuses and LinkedIn updates about classmates and friends landing their dream jobs, let alone a paying gig in the first place, it’s going to put you in a down mood. Not to mention the marriage proposals and baby showers… But life is not like school, where everyone is expected to graduate at the same time. People will find success at their own pace, and it’s more than normal not to find it immediately upon graduation. You’ll only see the good things broadcasted on social media. “Still unemployed and broke!” is not a Facebook status you’re likely to see. So keep in mind that while three people are working jobs with full benefits, thirty are still searching.

7. You will lose touch with your friends.
The moment classes end, friendships will start to dwindle. First to go are those who you just talked to when you saw them in the hallways or in class, but soon the ones you counted on to hold your hair back on Friday nights and shared inside jokes with will also drift away. Wrangling together everyone for some drinks won’t be as easy with different schedules and even different cities acting as roadblocks. In order to keep up relationships, real time and effort needs to be put into them. Don’t wait for someone to message you, send a simple “hey, how’s it going?” text in order to keep in touch.

8. The future is scary.
Like break down in the middle of the night because you don’t know what you’re doing with your life scary. For the first time in a long time, you don’t know where you’ll be or what you’ll be doing in September let alone the next year. But that’s okay, you’re not going through this alone, and you have the rest of your life to decide what you want to do. “The best things in life are unexpected–because there were no expectations.” – Eli Khamarov “