MADE BY MKY

Author: akmmky

  • Hit Me Hard and Soft

    2 concerts, 2 cities, 1 week

    From left to right: Me, Annalisa, RB, Nadia

    BOSTON

    Camping

    My flight home was at 5ish in the morning… and I decided I wasn’t gonna sleep the night before, until about an hour before I had to leave. I passed the fuck out, and only woke up when my mom called me, confused as to why I hadn’t left yet. Shit… I RAN out the door after waking up my roommate who had also failed to wake up. I got to the airport 15 minutes before my flight and THANK GOD, I live in a small city with a SMALL airport! I flew through TSA (thanks to TSA PreCheck) and got to my gate RIGHT before doors closed.

    I got home at around 11 am and debated to myslef about naping when I got an email telling me I had won the Support+Feed MSG Sweepstakes!

    WHAT! MOM! MOM! MOM! IM GONNA MET BILLIE’S MOM

    I was FREAKING OUT. Literally, giveaways like that aren’t real, you hear about them, you enter, and you never see ANYTHING about them ever again. I almost completely forgot about it becuse I never thought I’d even have a chance of winning. The best part was that I was gonna be able to tell my best friend, RB, in person later that night. Sleep was no longer an option, I was shaking indefinitely.

    I could not get it together, I was shaking and stuttering the whole way through. RB literally could NOT believe it, he thought it was a prank actually till we got to NYC. Also, I fully was already inside becuse I really needed to pee, but I’ve always wanted one of those open the door to a surprise moment. I made that poster with customer tickets IMMEDIATELY after finding out I had won.

    We didn’t even know we were gonna get to see the Hit me Hard and Soft Tour at all, so to find out we get to go TWICE was actually the most insane thing I’ve ever experienced

    We went to line up at around 9 pm the night before the show and got numbers 50-54. We met the wonderful, amazing, show-stopping, Avery Dunn (@avery.dunn_) who was posting updates for the line on his Instagram, as his friends managed the fan-made wristbands. We bonded over our shared name and course, and we then compared birthdays, he’s a year older than me 🙁

    Our Airbnb just so happened to be literally in THE perfect spot despite booking at almost the LAST second, and I will be gatekeeping it, sorry… no I’m not. We went out in shifts, but of course, I was too hyped to sleep anyway.

    one of the best part of camping was getting to talk to the people in line around us, we had each other’s backs.

    Getting Ready

    I may have had too much caffeine and that definitely didn’t mix with all the excited anxiety and adrenalin I was feeling. Felt like I was gonna have a heart attack and explode in the middle of the merch line, so I had to run and grab some anti-acids. They definitely saved my ass, but when Guess came on, I actually felt so fucked. My heart was beating out of my chest and I was struggling to breathe BUT it was so hype it was worth it, I absolutely could NOT let myself give up on jumping and screaming no matter what.
    Note to self… sleep more than 5 hours in 3 days leading up to a concert.

    The theme for this show, as dubbed by @billieeilishtours on Instagram, was L’Amour De Ma Vie, which is French for the love of my life. If you’ve never listened to the song, to me it’s a very vengeful song towards an ex, and I really wanted the channel that for my outfit. The idea was that I was the ex and I had been stabbed and killed, but showing up to a concert all bloody and with a fake knife sticking out of my chest didn’t feel like a good move, so at the last minute I decided to wear my high school powderpuff jersey and some face paint.

    TD Garden

    Being this close was absolutely surreal and completely worth it. I’m very happy that TD Garden has a good set of rules for camping, especially since you HAVE to leave after you get your official wrist band. When I was in Amsterdam for the eras tour, the floor was absolutely disgusting and everyone smelt horrible, I can confidently say that I don’t think I’d camp for anyone if it meant that was the environment I was stuck in for a whole day and very possibly more. The line into the area was a wreck with trash and waste even hours after doors opened too. At TD Garden they basically shoo you away to go shower and I’m forever grateful for that.

    The concert was amazing, I truly think we had the best spot on the barricade with a great view of almost everything, especially B-Stage. The only real downside was that the smoke design in front of us was broken and just pumping smoke into our faces instead of up to fill the room, the other thing was it was very apparent that it was the girls next to me first concert…

    BUT non of that mattered when Billie was RIGHT in front of me I lost my shit and just barely managed to get her in front of the video/photo. For her barricade run I maybe accidentally threw someone’s hand away because I thought they were trying to wiggle up to the barricade and cut me off from my friends, I almost feel bad, but it was fully a grown man so like, please step aside. I’ve been waiting actual years for this moment. My friends and I have basically grown up with Billie at this point and you’re like 40? When she did get to us in her run she was giving most people just a little touch, and ahh not to brag, but our fingers locked! I’m not sure if I caused that to happen or if Billie did, but if I did it fully subconsciously and if she did, that’s even fucking cooler. I just wish I had it on video but I’ll truthfully never forget it, so I’ll just replay it in my head.

    NEW YORK

    This was my first trip on my own without a family member and it was RB’s first trip to a major city other than Boston. I had been multiple times throughout my life(including just a few months earlier), but this was the onetime I have truly enjoyed it through and through.

    The Amex pop-up was way cooler than I expected, I’ve never been to any pop-up of any kind and I honestly thought maybe I never would (DO MORE BOSTON POP UPS! PLEASE! but like wait till I’m there) It was basically just a merch stand with a lot of cool photo ops, and of course we took them. It was also chance to show RB a little bit of SoHo on our way to PS20.

    Community Event With MAGGIE!!

    As part of the giveaway, we got to help out at a food drive put on by Support and Feed, and Sharing Access, as well as meet Billie’s Mom, Maggie.

    The Food drive was a wonderful thing to get to be a part of, getting to see firsthand what Support and Feed does for the communities it’s a part of was just fantastic. Meeting Maggie was actually the most insane thing ever, neither of us could fathom that it was actually happening even as it was happening. We also got to meet Billie’s dog, Brutus, who she had just adopted a week prior at one of her Pensilvania shows. A funny thing to note is every time Maggie came up to us, she caught me completely off guard and scared the shit out of me. Especially when she found us at the concert and dropped a bundle of merch in my lap with 2 setlists signed by Billie. She told us not to look at them as it would spoil the show for us, and we both thought, “But we’ve already seen it.” but oh my god, thank god we listened!

    we deffinetly didnt freak out over the likelyhood that she showed Billie her photos with us…

    Food

    As part of the sweepstakes, we got to go to two of Billie and her family’s favorite plant-based restaurants in Manhattan. This was my first time eating specifically plant-based so I was definitely a little nervous but OMG the restaurants we so AMAZING! Genuinely some of the best food I’ve ever eaten, I wish there were good, affordable plant-based options around me, but unfortunately, I’m a college student in Upstate New York.

    Planta: We orderd the DanDan Noddles, the Spicy Tuna Roll, and the Crispy Gyoza

    Planta was a more Asian-inspired restaurant. And I’ll be honest, Asian food tends to be ranked towards the bottom of my preferences, and it being plant-based added another layer of nerves for me. It really surpassed any expectations I had. They focus on bigger portions as they are mostly meant to be split amongst the table. Everything was very good, I especially liked the DanDan Noddles. Both the tuna rolls and gyoza were good, but had a lot of tastes going on which I found slightly overwhelming, for a first-time try. If I had them again, I believe I would feel differently.

    ANIXI: I ordered the Grilled Chicken Kabob and RB ordered the Grilled Chicken Giro. (sorry Billie but we also got sparkling water)

    ANIXI was a Mediterranean-centered, more upscale restaurant, and we had come from the food drive with Maggie, so I definitely felt a bit underdressed. When we told Maggie that’s where we were headed, she raved about how good it was, and that it was actually Finneas, Billie’s brother, and his girlfriend, Claudia’s favorite restaurant possibly ever. So the expectation was very much set and it did not disappoint. I never thought vegan chicken could be that good, I actually miss it every day.

    Getting Ready

    The theme for MSG night 3 was dubbed Billieween by the fan page @billieeilishtours on Instagram, and after some deliberating, we decided to go as Chiriro and No Face from Spirited Away aka the movie the song Chiriro was written after.

    I made my outfit jersey adjacent with the name written on the back with the number 3 for track 3. I thought making it like a jersey would be cool as I wore my high school powder puff jersey in Boston and Billie is always wearing one.

    For RB, he wore all-back dresscloths and we painted his face white, and that was easier said than done… BUT it looked awesome!

    before the concert
    after the concert

    Madison Square Garden Night 3

    It was so cool to see the show from a different perspective, and though sometimes I wish I had taken the floor tickets so we could have room to dance around, the seats were still amazing and did not disappoint. It was amazing to get to actually see the visuals on the screen and the INCREDIBLE lighting. She also sang “i love you” in full, with Finneas, for the first time in years! Thats why Maggie told us not to look at the set list.

    We were terrified to leave, we were about to carry probably well over $2,000 worth of Billie merch, INCLUDING TWO SIGNED SET LIST through the STREETS of Manhattan, flooded with Billie fans. We were too scared to take to train.

    We stayed in the arena as long as we could, looping around the lower bowl. We got stopped by a pair of concertgoers who asked us if we had won the contest, and I was terrified of getting recognized for some reason. So I was shocked and replied with an “uh”
    “Like the costume contest right?” oh thank god. They then asked for a hug and I, high off adrenalin, was like, “Sure, why not.” It was fully just a tipsy, grown, non-threatening man.

    When we decided to actually leave, I got a tap on the shoulder after crossing the street and was jump scared by a very distinct southern accent and I turned to see Avery in the coolest costume. He said hi and congratulated us on winning the sweepstakes and then flashed his wrist of 3 cool-ass MSG, Billie Eilish wristbands, 1 for each night, and told us that he camped the Box Office all 3 nights. I’m still so jealous of how cool those wristbands looked.

    Thank you so very much to Fandiem, Support+Feed, and Maggie Baird for a weekend I’ll never in a million years forget. I am absolutely honored I got to be a part of this experience even more so being the first of hopefully many to come.

    Check it out at Fandiem

    Billie has been such an inspiration to me for the last 6-7 years to dress and act the way that feels authentic to me. In a fandom like this, it’s so easy to feel an insane amount of imposter syndrome, and it was especially easy to fall victim to the “why do I deserve this experience?” during that week. I know that I deserved it, but RB deserved this more than anyone ever. He’s the reason I really fell in love with Billie and her music. and I knew instantly that he was coming with me.

    I love you so very much,
    Avery

  • New Hampshire Camping ’24

    Every year my friends and I camping in New Hampshire where we go hiking, wonder around and yap till 4 am.

    This will include a mix of all of our photos

    from left to right. Me, RB, Nadia | RB’s Photo

    Usually, we go rustic style camping but this year we decided to get an Air bnb in Bradford, New Hampshire.

    I look forward to this trip every summer, I met these two, like most of my friends, when I lived on Cape Cod and since I moved in 2022 grade and especially since collage, I only get to see them a few times a year. I’ve always been prone to taking the people in my life for granted but this trip reminds me just how much I miss them every year.

    RB’s photo

    Some friendships have the unique ability to go on a long hiatus, and when you inevitably come back it’s like absolutely nothing happened, and you’ve been with each other the whole time. I’m happy to be able to say that’s the case for these two.

    RB’s Photo

    New Hampshire is really a stunning place, rain or shine we love getting to see what the surrounding area has to offer. We go hiking, often times to one of those gimmicky tourist traps, swimming in a random part of the river, or just hang out around were ever we’re staying. Whether were having an active day or a lazy day, it’s always an amazing time.

    RB’s Photo
    RB’s Photo

    Before leaving my house, we realized the weather was a little icky (just like it is every year) but neither RB nor Nadia brought raincoats. I booked it into my basement to find my family’s vast collection of rain ponchos. It was only (barely) rainy for a day but who doesn’t want to throw on a poncho every now and aging.

    RB’s Photo

    We love to play Werewolf (aka Mafia) around the fire before calling it a night. This is always a great way to end the day. In most cases when you play the game, you’ll have someone play as the narrator but because there are only so many of us, RB has an app on his phone that we pass around from person to person. There’s always a lot of dumb bits, accusations, and best of all… horrible lying!

    RB’s Photo
    RB’s Photo

    I love you guys

  • Renaissance Fair ’24

    It’s an annual tradition now, for my friends and I to go to a Renaissance Fair in the fall. September, 2024 marked our 3rd consecutive year.

    Back row: Owen, Max, Kristen, Mac, Emi, Brenna, Amber | Front row: Me, Avery(Boltzzy)

    What’s a better way to start off the school year than driving 6 hours to go outside and walk around with a bunch of people dressed in a variety of medieval outfits and costumes? This is one of my favorite parts of the year, getting to see so many of the people I care about having fun being the very strange people we are.

    Our group has grown every year as we all meet new people we want to bring along. We used to go to our local Ren Fair in Carver, MA. Now, as we’re all spread out and in college, we’ve decided the Connecticut Renaissance Fair is better for everyone (it’s also less than half the price!!) and now I am the only one 6 hours away. oops…

    Kristen took this one

    The Ren Fair is the thing I look forward to most every year, I love planning it and figuring out what we’re going to do and where we’re going to stay even if it’s not how it all goes down when we get there. I’ll find myself deep dive planning MONTHS in advanced just because of how excited I am to be there aging.

  • City of Presidents Skate Jam ’24

    The City of Presidents Skate Jam is an annual get together for any and all skaters in Quincy, Mass. Put together by the talented @skatestills

    All @’s are for Instagram

    Ariel Perl: @varielperl

    This was my first year attending my local Skate Jam, as well as my first time taking photos of skaters in general. I was very shyly taking photos from a bench at first, not knowing the photography etiquette. As the day went on, I got more and more comfortable with looking for shots wherever I could but still really only from a distance.

    The park was full of wonderful people and had many events such as a best trick contest over one of the volcanos and a highest ollie contest (obviously this was measured by stacking boards on top of each other each round) with plenty of giddies to be won from places like the Orchard Skate Shop in The North End of Boston.

    Highest Ollie contest
    Best Trick contest
    Ariel Perl: @varielperl
    Chad Young: @youngchad808

    Elijah and I went to high school together and became friends in our senior year, but after graduation, our paths diverged, and we didn’t talk as much. One day, last summer, he showed up at my work, we talked, and I told him I had gotten into skateboarding to get around my schools’ campus. He was very excited to learn this and immediately started making plans to bring me to our local skate park and go to the skate shop. We spent the rest of summer at the Quincy Skatepark even after the new Waymouth park had opened just down to road.

    Elijah E.

    Despite the nasty weather earlier in the day, the jam had an incredible turn out, some people who attended were locals, and some even came from across the state.

    @sb_knasty

    BOSTON

    Before heading to the Quincy skate park, we headed to Boston’s Downtown for some sew shoes and The North End for some new trucks at Orchard Skateshop as well as some of the best pizza I’ve possibly ever had in my life at Ernesto’s Pizza just two blocks over.

    slightly less cool iPhone photos