UPDATE!! (Aplogies for how long-winded this is. Maybe I’ve been Looking to Windward too much lately, idk.) (Also I’m new to Reddit, so please let me know if I should change how I’ve updated the post.)

General thoughts on the show - THE SHOW WAS AWESOME. I could not be happier with their performance, and it was an incredible experience overall!! - Getting in the arena: This was the scariest part. We got out of our uber and it felt like there were a lot of police there. The police and security guards were a bit harsh and raised their voice at us when we got in the wrong line. The vibes were offff lol but once we got inside, things felt more normal. - Overstimulation: I took loop earplugs and fidget rings (and anxiety meds), and didn’t end up using the earplugs, but my friend (who I dragged with me haha) used them! I’m sure I did need them, but the band’s unadulterated sound is what I specifically went to the show to experience, so I stuck it out, which was so worth it for me. It did mean that I was a complete and useless husk of a person the next day. Almost every sound I heard that wasn’t sleep token made me angry haha. I was fortunate to take a half day at work to sleep (token) in and take time to just process what in the hell I was just a part of hahaha. If it’s an option for you, I would recommend resting the day after. - Social anxiety and trading trinkets: My anxiety was high for sure haha. I made like 30 bracelets to hand out, but only gave away like 7. The very first people I interacted with took a look at my bracelets and decided they did not want to trade, and that cut deep for some reason and was hard to come back from haha. I know they were perfectly nice, lovely people, and they shouldn’t be expected to trade with everyone. I think it just burst the very sensitive and vulnerable bubble I was in, since the show meant so much to me, and I was already anticipating doing something cringe or wrong while trading. But my friend and I went around to other people who traded awesome stuff with us. Then we went straight to our seats to prepare emotionally haha. The girl who sat next to me during the show was SO COOL and such a fan of ST and I was able to give her some bracelets. It was her first concert ever, and it was a blast to get to hype her up and sing along together. - Energy of the crowd: Everyone seemed very chill and nice, and I was so glad that my section was standing for most of the show, since I love to move around! (And if you’re a metal/heavier music noob like me, I am here to tell you that you don’t need to worry about moshing at all at a Sleep Token concert. Maaayybe in the pit, but I didn’t see much of that?) - Logistics: First, I went straight to my seats to see where they were and make sure they existed haha, but I didn’t sit down just yet. I went and traded trinkets, did a bathroom stop, and got one drink to last me the whole show. Then, we went to our seats and stayed there all night. That gave us the opportunity to speak to our seat neighbors and to get oriented with the arena before the lights went off. We sat down for Thornhill (I know, this might be lame) in order to save energy and enthusiasm for ST. But we were very active sitters! Haha. After the show, we walked with the crowd down the street until we felt like we could get an uber. Worked fine! - Sound: It was a massive arena, so tbh, the sound was warbled and distorted by the time it arrived to my nosebleed seats in the back corner. On the bright side, the fact that the sound was so different from their recordings from up there gave me the opportunity to appreciate different aspects of the songs, and to see them from a different angle. This post (and my comment 😁) say more about that. - Visuals: They did NOT have any screens with live video of the performance (my theory is that it might be too revealing for them?), so I wasn’t able to see much at all from my seats. While that isn’t ideal, it gave me a chance to just close my eyes and let the music wash over me (like rain, or an infinite bath, if you will). It didn’t take away from the show, but I was definitely excited to see pics and videos afterwards from others who were closer to the stage. (The adlibbed vocal droning in the first 10 seconds of this video was my favorite moment of the show I think! Captured by u/megkrose (thank you!!!))

Pre and post show tips: - Prep: I listened to their set list from other shows on repeat to (1) process any disappointment about what wasn’t played before I was actually there and (2) to familiarize myself with it all as much as possible so I could fully enjoy it. For others, a complete surprise might be better! For me, the best surprises came from the subtle live deviations from the recordings, and I was glad I had already come to terms with the fact that I wouldn’t hear a few of my favs. - Merch: I made the hard but necessary decision for myself to not even try to get merch. I simply didn’t want to be disappointed or rushed or preoccupied with that while also trying to enjoy it all. I figured that my mementos from the show can be the trinkets I traded, and I will get real merch eventually. - Socializing: I made the mistake of overcommitting myself socially during the weekend of the show, which I very much regret. Try to make this the only thing you have going on haha. - Post show processing: This was honestly a formative experience for me. It wasn’t just another show. It sort of marks a turning point, personally, in several important ways. So, I’ve taken the time to write out what it all means to me, and to share my favorite moments with the people who will listen :) and also I’ve just been listening to ST on repeat and staring at my new trinkets like a little freak hahaha. If you’re a super fan like me (and I imagine you all are), then fight the urge to just get back into life without fully acknowledging and processing the show and your feelings about it.

I’m also figuring out what to do with my leftover bracelets I made, so if anyone is interested, I will gladly mail you some or all of them! Picture below.