When we got off the ferry, we tried for 30 minutes to find a parking spot and ended up under the Swedish Medical Center. After parking, we walked for 15 minutes to Neumos, the concert venue. We ended up being 3rd in line and hung out with the coolest people for six hours. During some of the longest hours of my life, we started to watch his friends walk into the venue and they would all say hello or exchange a high five or hug. Then, a Red Ford pulled up and through the window, Sam Lachow was waving.

My heart was beating so fast and my hands were shaking. He eventually ran up to us in line and gave us high fives. Chapstick was dropped in front of me during the overwhelming moment. Later, I figured out that it was Sam Lachow’s in a video we took. I stuffed it into my fanny pack and made sure I didn’t lose it.

Sam Lachow is a local rapper from Seattle. He started his musical career in the 7th grade, posting songs on his (Youtube) and (Soundcloud) accounts. Lachow has made a big impact on Seattle’s music industry being a songwriter, producer, and videographer. Since he started, he has accumulated 80,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.

When eight o’clock started to get closer, more people were trying to cut us in line; you could smell the strong odor of alcohol on their breath when they would ask if this was the entrance.

The doors finally opened and we ran in. The funniest part was the security didn’t check our ticket, just stamped you. My friends and I went directly to the front row and we readied our phones and took a bunch of pictures to remember the moment.

The first artist was DJ Beeba and he was incredible. Beeba remixed the newest songs. He motivated the crowd and definitely pumped me up. After his set, I wrote him on Twitter saying “@nickbeeba was sooo lit”. He quoted me with heart emojis.

The second artist was a rapper named Koga Shabazz . He was interesting, and you could tell how much passion he had for his music. He brought his friends up onto the stage, which was pretty cool. He was in love with my friend and would bend down and sing to her on a regular basis.

The finale was, the man himself, Sam Lachow. Bringing all his friends on stage to help him celebrate his birthday, he opened with “Action Figures ,” my personal favorite. Between songs, I would hold his chapstick out for him. When he finally noticed me, he laughed and said “Is that my chapstick?” I shook my head up and down violently, like any crazed fan, and he replied “Thanks. I’ll stick this right in my pocket”.

The concert was filled with surprises and one of the best birthday celebrations I have seen. I would definitely recommend listening to Lachow’s music and going to his concert if you love being a part of all the action. Getting there six hours early, waiting in line, seeing him and being front row was all worth it. Happy 26th Birthday, Sam Lachow.