London OGS - My thrilling, exciting, terrifying and amazing experience

I've literally just got back home after Infinite's OGS in London last night and I want to share my experience with you! :3 It was an amazing night altogether but there were some pretty awful parts that put a downer on it.

 

I'd heard rumours about the NYC concert getting really rough but I hadn't expected it to be like that in London, but it got really bad. I turned up to queue at 2am and I was #10 of the standard entry people, which was pretty awesome. Then I had 18 hour of waiting until the concert started. The first 9 or so hours flew by as I made friends with the people that were #7, #8 and #9 and their friends that joined us later.

 

After around noon, the time started to go so slowly and I started to get really nervous because the queue for early entry tickets was getting massive, I predict at least 200 to 300 people paid the extra £90 for early entry (they got a merchandise bag as well). Me and two other friends were interviewed on camera by the video team and we had to sign a consent form saying it could be aired online or on TV, I'm a little embarrassed since it was soooo awkward! But I'm holding my "Sungyeol-ah Yeol-ah Yeol <3" banner and I stated my love for Sungyeol when they asked who our favorite was, so I hope that he sees it!

 

Anyway, the doors opened for early entry at 7pm and then standard started to flow in at 7.30pm is. I was #10 so I was straight in and I was around 6 rows back, which was pretty good. We stayed a little to the left because the center was going to be the roughest area, but it didn't help too much. At this point I was already worried because the theatre is literally a theatre, well known here in Britain as a stand-up comedy venue. The stage was very low and there was no catwalk stage. The venue actually slopes at the back so the bottom is below the stage but the back is quite far above it, but I was too worried about getting fanservice to appreciate that at the time.

 

Anyway at 8pm the music video started for Destiny and I started to feel the push. When the curtain pulled apart and we saw them there the push got worse, but it wasn't too bad since I wasn't right in the center. I could only see little bits of the performance through the gaps. It was the same for Tic Toc, Paradise and Wings.

 

On their first talking interlude, I got a smile and eye contact with Sungyeol (MY ULTIMATE BIAS) because I was the only person near the front holding a Sungyeol banner. Then they started to sing again and it just got insane, by Going To You I had been pushed in the middle by the swaying crowd and I couldn't see anything. All I could hear around me was people saying "Help!" and "Stop pushing!" and people being pulled over the barriers by security guards. By this point i'd been pushed to like the 3rd or 4th row. I could barely see any of Sungyeol and Sungjong's stage and Infinite H's stage as well, and my Yeol and Jong banner got ripped out of my hands.

 

Here's where it get's terrifying.

When the "Inconvenient Truth" MV came on, the crowd was pushing from all directions and I lost my footing and fell down. I was stepped on by a few people while I was yelling for help and clawing, the crowd was closing in on me and I could barely breathe. Someone saw me and got everyone to make a barrier around me and pull me up, which was awesome (if any of you read this, thank you so much!).

I got up but I was hyperventilating and couldnt breathe and I knew I was going to faint. I could deal with the pushing but the fear of being trampled to death had given me a full on panic attack, I was helped to the front and helped over the barrier by the guards and the people in front of me. I was trying to get over before Infinite came back on stage because I didn't want them to have to see me being pulled over, it isn't fair on them. They were already looking worried, at one point I thought that Jongie was crying. They seemed to be avoiding looking at the pit and Yeol had a distant worried look on his face. Even Woohyun's smile looked strained.

I got over just as the boys started singing "In The Summer". The second I put my feet down I collapsed and had to be pulled up. I turned to look at Infinite and Sungjong was looking at me with a pained look on his face and so I gave him a smile and was walked off to get oxygen and water.

 

I spoke to the medic woman and she said that they had put extra staff on because they had read about New York, but that this was still worse than she'd expected, she then said "But they are really cute." Haha!

 

I missed the In The Summer and I Like You Medley, L's solo stage and like half of Woohyun's solo.

After like 10 minutes of crying and deep breathing, I went back out but this time I stood to the back where the floor slopes upwards. I could literally see everything with no banners or phones or heads in the way. I felt bad about not getting fanservice but honestly I enjoyed the concert a lot more from the back where I could dance and cheer and see everything without having to tiptoe to look between people's heads. My friends said that they got fansevice from Gyu, Namu, Dongwoo and Hoya but Sungyeol didn't seem to be doing much. They also said that they could barely see so I got the better end of the deal in the end. I was still shaken so I didn't properly pay attention all the way through, but I was able to watch my favorite songs: The Chaser, Before the Dawn, Cover Girl, Sunggyu's solo stage, Man In Love, She's Back and Hysterie, so that was awesome. The crowd had stopped pushing as much by this point so it wasn't bad, but I stayed away from it at the back where I repeat that the view was amazing! 

 

I can't remember some of it because I was so dazed, but they were honestly amazing and I don't feel like I wasted time or money; I met some awesome friends on my 18 hour wait and since I have no kpop friends at home it's awesome speaking to people who respect and like what I like. My only regret is not going straight to the back, since I missed a few parts that I was so looking forward to. 

 

The boys are so gorgeous in real life. Sungjong has never been attractive to me but last night I realised how beautiful he is! Myungsoo is like... impossibly attractive but Yeollie just blew me away, he has a new hairstyle where he has lines shaved into the side of his head and it's so attractive, and his hair is getting longer again. Sunggyu smiled so much and WOW, so cute! Hoya is shorter than I thought, as is Dongwoo but they are both gorgeous... Woohyun is so greasy! I never believed it until now, but wow... so much greasy Nam :3

 

The vocals were amazing, Sunggyu especially blew me away and the dancing was so in sync, I always knew that but seeing it in real life is something new. 

 

THE ENGRISH WAS SO CUTE! Dongwoo and Hoya and (I think) Sunggyu spoke completely in English, but the others did their rehearsed lines in English and then spoke in Korean with a translator that a load of people screamed over. Dongwoo's english is so precious!

COUPLE MOMENTS! I saw so much Wooyeol! Woohyun and Sungyeol basically stuck to each other all the time (I so think they're real!). Myungsoo and Sungyeol did their heart after Nothing's Over and also kept laughing at each other, and when Myungsoo was on the big screen, Sungyeol turned to stare! When Sungjong was talking at one point, Sungyeol walked over and put his microphone upside down over Sungjong's head and everyone was laughing and poor maknae looked so annoyed. Sunggyu and Sungyeol kept whispering to each other with smiles on their faces, and everyone kept trying to Sungyeol's hair, the part where it's shaved! He looked so pissed off. Woogyu had a few moments as well, but I basically spent most of the time staring at Yeollie and sometimes Woohyun (but mostly Yeollie).

When we were getting ready to leave we saw their cars leave and Hoya had his head out of the top of one and was smiling and waving so much!

 

The experience was altogether amazing and I would definitely see them again, but I'd consider seated unless it was a catwalk style stage or the venue was similar, in which case I'd go to the sloped part at the back because the view is better and who cares about fanservice when you can barely breathe or see anything. I just wish I'd known that before because the fainting/trampled thing did kind of ruin the night for me, even though I know I did enjoy myself.

 

I really feel sorry for people that paid double to be at the front but had to leave s soon because of the crowds pushing. I especially feel sorry for Infinite - having to watch their fans be pulled out in tears must hurt them so much!

 

Comments

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kittystew
#1
Wow that is just insane. I went to the show in LA and luckily our seats were seated; as someone said in another comment people did rush up the aisles but it wasn't bad. I lucked out with a perfect aisle seat in the 4th row and had tons of Yeolie service and all of the guys came down near me (except my bias sunggyu wtf and myungsoo but he threw me a teddy bear so it's ok) and I agree DW and Hoya are so short! And I was the tallest person in my area too.

When I saw them in Seoul I was in the pit, and there is a clear difference between the K-fans and the international fans. Maybe it's because the ones in Korea get more opportunity to see them so they don't go so bat insane? Anyway the most annoying thing about the concert in Seoul was the constant shutters of these chicks' gigantic nikons. But there was no pushing, falling, etc. I was just hanging out enjoying myself. And even when I saw B1A4 there was that initial surge forward when they first took the stage but other than that it was just a good time (an AMAZING time, ugh my two bias groups Infinite and B1A4 -sobs-)

Oh and I have a lotttt of experience with rock concerts and pits, like the last Muse concert I went to got kinda pushy up front but not to this extent. BUT also I feel like people who go to rock concerts are maybe more mature... maybe because I listen to older bands or the genres (like ska) aren't super aggressive to begin with (although there's always that one person in a crowd that just has to be a )

Anyway other than almost dying I'm glad you had a good time!! I'm currently torturing myself by looking up flights to Korea/apartments to rent because I wanna see the new B1A4 concerts and Infinite encores buuuut part of me doesn't want to be *that* fan....
one_over_3
#2
I'm so glad you got out of there safely and still enjoyed the show. I went to OGS Manila and I got the first row of the seating section because I read the stories about the pit. Ita that you think the boys are gorgeous in pictures, but IN REAL LIFE THEY ARE PERFECT. I'm glad you still had a great time :D
blondemyungsoo
#3
Ughhh I hate that our boys have to keep witnessing these crazy people pushing, hurting, and shoving eachother. Just be happy that they are there performing live in front of you, no need to go crazy and stomp all over other people! Smh! But I'm glad that you are okay and still enjoyed the concert even though you had to go through all that craziness. I'm so glad that OGSLA was not like this or ogsny... We were all seated and even though the crowd did run forward into the aisles when some of our boys jumped off stage, LA had a lot of security guards and held the crowd back. Im just happy to know that we can all share the fact that we all have experienced Infinite together through their OGS world tour:)
peachysoo
#4
I'm still trying to understand the fact that kpop concerts (at least Infinite's) are worse than metal/rock concert moshpits. (Like really, how does that happen. I mean, people punch people out during moshpits, but then at kpop concerts, you have pushing and whatnot. Mmm, I'd probably punch someone if they pushed me. Not even lying about that.) That is really scary and waiting in line hours? I may love Infinite, but I ain't waiting in a line for hours. Screw that.

But I'm glad you had some fun and hopefully you're okay. :( I swear, kpop fans need to learn concert etiquette.
khurui
#5
Aw... I didn't think what in NYC would happen again. x_x Makes me feel so bad for the trampled fans and disappointing Infinite. Ugh. I hope you're okay now! And I heard Myungsoo didn't smile as much because of the reappearance of his scandal. Hope all seven of them and everyone else are okay.
-Tigress-
#6
HOLY crap, time to start laying puches. WOW that's so insane!!! Like, why and how would people act like that?!?! Nuts.
Glad you're safe, though <3... and got to have eye contact with your bias. (Mine is Hoya haha)
Frosty_Maiden
#7
To be fair I had no freaking idea kpop was so popular over here....I have never known any one like it until I joined this site.
The whole experience sounds like when I went to download festival in 2009 and slipknot were playing....I was at the back of the mosh pit and I was scared crapless.
The people actually in the mosh pit got so messed up....
Mosh pits are scary...the noise, the claustrophobia...I tried one once during a gig in a small venue.....not sure if it was for my chemical romance or funeral for a friend....anyway one of the warm up bands was heavy and I took a chance at the mosh pit....I got elbowed in the face, fell on the floor and kicked in the ribs...I ended up with a bloody nose and had to sit outside...ugh. not fun.
I saw rammstein in Birmingham and avoided being right at the front...but as soon as the music hit I was crushed...Plus the pyrotechnics made the venue mega hot and I was dehydrated...think of the poor buggers near the front where all the flame stuff was!!

Anyway I am gobsmacked. Thought fans only went crazy for western pop stars.
I'm glad kpop has more fans over here but scared that we acted like crazed animals.
If i ever see idols live I am freaking sitting it out...hell I am doing it for rammstein if i get too see them again!!
Im too old to get dragged into fan induced craziness now...plus I would enjoy the show not panic about being trampled.
You my dear were lucky and brave *hugs*
jhengchie
#8
woah.. that was realllllyyyyy scary.. though good thing Manila wasn't that scary.. I enjoyed OGS without any hassle (maybe my painful throat afterwards and the thought of going to work early the next day were the only probs.)

Sunggyu is just super cute isn't he? like a ball of hamster fur XD lol.. the boys are really attractive beyond words Namu was like super out of this world greasy... and did Dongwoo laughed out loud?? i kinda died hearing the dino laugh.. too precious^^
onlyforone
#9
whoaaa that was crazy... i'm glad you're not badly injured. but seriously you just feel dazed after ogs and nothing else matters xD

aww this brings back my memories of ogs INA :')
Mandm33
#10
Wow... First if all, same! I don't know anyone that likes kpop so Im all alone so I would love to talk to some other people who like kpop... And lucky for going to a concert!
And I heard about the NYC concert, that was horrible and what happened to you was horrible:( I hope you're okay... That must've been terrifying but what kinds of fans do that?
And poor Infinite... and everyone else who got hurt.

But it sounds like you had a good time after that so yay!
silver_pulse
#11
Your experience sounds terrifying! Like you, I was in the pit(early entry) but i was one of the survivors from the NY one. That was crazy! The fact that over twenty people were taken out of the concert venue with in ten minutes blew my mind. I was part of the few that didnt have it too bad to where I passed out from so much heat- but like yours, the 'fans' (I'm not calling them that because fans don't act like that) were pushing and pulling and even hitting people just to get closer and my foot was almost broken. I've been in mosh pits and they were tame compared to this. Im sorry that thats what happened to you! It really must have freaked them out too, when did they tell the fans to calm down (I heard they did)? They didnt even make it two songs in the one at NY before they had to tell us to calm down... I feel embarrassed they had to go through that