THIS ANTi WORLD TOUR EXPERIENCE WAS A BLAST

For my first time seeing Rihanna in tour I decided to do things big. You know, Rihanna navy is like a family. I know a lot of navies through Instagram or Twitter but nobody really knows who I am. I’m not in what they like to call ‘the Elite Navy’. So I was afraid to do multiple shows and not meet anybody and have a sad experience. But when tickets went on sale, I was like ”Whatever Rebecca, take your tickets and you will see”. So I decided to go in Manchester first. It was a great date because I knew that a lot of navies would travel there so I thought that it would be fun. And Manchester show was also during my birthday. I never did that for any artist. And for my second show, of course I decided to go in Paris (because I live in Paris lol). 

But Manchester was my first Rihanna date ever. I was so nervous. To meet all the navies, to see Rihanna on stage, to be alone, to be too far from the stage, I don’t know everything was weird in my head. But it was a whole nother story! Every moment I lived in Manchester was so good. When I met all the navies, we were drunk partying on Rihanna’s songs, we celebrate our show together, we sang together, we cried together, we were all happy at the same time, in the same place. It was magical. Really.

And Rihanna. Can words describe this feeling? For sure, no.

Do you know this feeling when you hear a music for the first time, when you listen to each beat, each note, when you hear the melody? When you go to a show this feeling is multiple by 1000000000. When I heard Rihanna sing ‘Stay’ for the first time, I immediately cried. I couldn’t retain my tears. Before the show I said to myself, ‘don’t cry, you’re a grown woman, you can do it’ lmao but I cried like a baby.

????? #AWT #manchester #AntiWorldTour #UK #Rihanna #video #birthday #fave #NeededMe #igers #igdaily

A video posted by Rebecca (@beccacine) on Jul 2, 2016 at 1:45am PDT

Manchester was on another level. I already saw her before, several times. At the R8 experience, in Paris street, at the Hard Rock Café… But on stage it’s something else. She loves her fans for real man. Like she gives all of herself on stage. She sings every word for us. She knows that when she sing ‘Needed Me’ she tells us her story but our story too. 

But Manchester was not my fave show. Paris was. Because, damn. The vocals, her energy on stage, each show is not the same definitely. Each show has its specificity. In Paris, she bring something special. I don’t know how to describe it but it was a special night for me. My fave moment was the fourth act. When she comes with Needed Me following Same Ol’ Mistake (my fave song). These two songs live are an experience everybody have to live. I’m in love with this part of the show. Really if I could marry something it would be for sure ”Needed Me” and ”Same Ol’ Mistakes” live.

I was sad because Paris was supposed to be my last show. I wanted to try to meet her. But I already knew that other people ”deserve” it more than me. I thought that it wasn’t fair I don’t know. I was ok with the fact that I would probably never meet her. Anyway I was so happy to see her twice ??

@Loonina :) pic.twitter.com/DYXlh4RXJ4

— Rebecca (@Beccacine) August 20, 2016

Munich was unexpected. I didn’t plan to go there or to do a third date but my dear friend (@badgal_cindy) gifted me my last show. We were front row and it was amazing. But to be honest the crowd was not good (sorry) and I feel that she didn’t feel the vibe… Idk. She had fun in Munich but it wasn’t like Manchester or Paris. But it was cool anyway.

It was our last show and we tried everything we could to meet her so we waited like 2 hours in the backstage area. Then the moment arrived. My first tour, and the first time I talked to her, I hugged her, I met her ??. It was so special. But when I relive this moment I can’t stop laughing. We saw her 2 bodyguards ran in the street. We were only 4 girls waiting outside. Then she stopped her car. During like 30 seconds, I didn’t realize that she was stepping out her car. I was seated on the street, listening to Bryson Tiller, realizing that Rihanna was 5m in front of me. But I didn’t move lmao. I was like ”Hm ok, it’s Rihanna” and then I really realized lmaooo. The others 3 girls were already hugging her, crying, etc and then 3 minutes after I ran to meet her.

Do you know what perfection is? Lmao. ROBYN RIHANNA FENTY IS THE PERFECTION. Now I understand all the praises Drake always said on stage about Rih lmao. Man. She looks so damn good. She smells perfection, she reflects perfection. We just take few pictures, we talked 2 min but it’s enough. I’ll never forget this moment ?

POSE BITCH @badgalriri #Rihanna #PoseBitch #queen #picoftheday #instamoment #? #? #AWT #ANTiWorldTour #AWTMunich

A video posted by Rebecca (@beccacine) on Aug 8, 2016 at 10:28am PDT

Thank you all the navies that help me, thank you for all those amazing moments, thank you for all these memories. Thank you Melissa. Thank you Lele. And of course, thank you Rihanna. Thank you Robyn. Thank you to allow us to live this kind of experience. This stan experience. I achieved my goal for my first tour. And I’m so happy. I’ll never forget my first Badgalriri tour. OH FUCKING NO.

See you at the next tour ?

It’s all for me folks! Thank you ?

/Rebecca, (or Becca for the navies)

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So it all began opening night of the Anti World tour in Jacksonville, FL. Ri noticed me front row and her eyes lit up with excitement. She first recognized me when she began singing Same Ol Mistakes and lifted her sunglasses up to make eye contact and started waving to me. After the last song Riri walks from one side of the stage to the other side, waving and thanking everyone for coming to the show. Rihanna came right up to me waving and mumbled something to me but I couldn’t really figure out what she was saying but whatever lol.

I didn’t get to say hi to Ri backstage that night but it was amazing just seeing the first show and all the love she gave me on stage.

A week later was the Cincinnati show. I was second row for this one. The show was amazing per usual and afterwards I went by the buses where other Navy were waiting to hopefully see Rihanna somehow. I waited out there for like 45 minutes and then her bodyguard and tour manager come over to us saying where’s Nick? I immediately raise my hand and they say Rihanna wants to see you.

So I was brought backstage and was waiting in the hallway by myself with Rich and Frank (Rihanna’s bodyguards.) As I was waiting Jay Brown (Rihanna’s manager) came up and introduced himself to me and told me how much Rihanna appreciates me with all the support from over the years and thanking me for coming to so many shows. Jay is such a cool guy, very personal and humble.

After another 20 minutes pass by, Rihanna pops out of her dressing room with her arms wide open saying ”NICK!”. She immediately gives me a hug and we hug for a good couple seconds. From there we are just talking about the show, album, and more in the hallway. I then told Ri we gotta stop and take a selfie video and Rihanna was like ok, let’s do it. We record the video cracking up laughing. The video we made is just epic!

Still one of the best moments of my life with my homegirl @badgalriri #antiworldtour #Backstage #Cincinnati ⚓️®?

A video posted by Nick Gallo (@nickgallo610) on Apr 4, 2016 at 9:27pm PDT

After Ri signed my Anti Tour book putting ”To My Baby Daddy, <3 Rihanna,” and signed my anti cd cover putting ”To my boy Nick, <3 Rihanna”. We then took 3 selfies on my phone and Rich took 3 pictures of us on my professional camera. After the pictures and autographs we just talked about everything, personal stuff, career stuff, and more.

I do not want to get to into detail about the stuff because I want to keep it to myself. After Ri asked me how I was getting home and made sure I had a ride, I told her that I was taking an Uber back to my hotel and that I hop on a bus in the morning to go back home to Chicago. We said our goodbyes and she went to her bus and I exited the arena. After Cincinnati, I went to the Detroit show, the second Brooklyn show, Chicago (my hometown) and Atlanta.

Rihanna is truly one of the must humble and caring people I have ever met. It is just crazy for a global superstar to care about her true fans so much is so meaningful. I can’t thank her enough for everything!

Thanks,
Nick Gallo

On Wednesday November 14, 2012, when Rihanna revealed the European dates for ‘Diamonds World Tour’, my friend in Amsterdam messaged me that she would come there on June 23 and 24, in 2013. By the time I read my friend’s first messages, I knew that I had to fly from Greece to the Netherlands, so I could finally see Rihanna performing for the first time.

The last two days passed and ‘THE BIG DAY‘ was finally here! I woke up and I can tell you that I was never so excited in my life. I got ready as fast as I could but my friend took more time to get ready and we arrived at Ziggo Dome late, just about an hour before the doors opened. I saw so many people waiting in rows, probably waiting there since first thing in the morning, and I realized that we wouldn’t be front row. A few minutes after we arrived I saw Alena and I literally ran to her, excited that we would finally meet. I hugged her and I noticed a sticker on her t-shirt saying ”VIP Pass”. She told me that her, Nat and Sament would meet Rih backstage. I went back to my friend and while I was waiting in the row, as much as happy I was for Alena to finally meet her, I was thinking about how much I wanted this too, and I got a little sad.

 

This is our shared encounter but you’ll hear it from my perspective (says Alex).

First off, the whole day was insane. Rih was about to do her second show in New Jersey, Aug 17, 2014. Ebba and I both flew to NYC just for this. We were there the night before too, mostly because we couldn’t stand being so close without at least trying to get in. Finally we ended up buying really (really) cheap tickets after the show had started, way up in the seated section. It was amazing and only got us even more excited for our ”real” show the following day.

Ebba had tickets for section A and I for section B. This being the first time seeing her in concert for me, I was super nervous. So nervous I missed my stop and ended up lost in New Jersey. I spent two hours just walking around the outskirts of that ugly place under a burning sun, fearing I’d miss the show. My Swedish cell phone didn’t work and I had no clue where I was, just kept walking on the road that eventually turned into a freeway. At that point, alone on a U.S freeway, I fel it best to grab a cab. The driver charged like 60 dollars for the five minute drive. Fuckery.

When I finally got to the arena the queue was already miles long but Ebba hooked me up with a navy that had been there since morning and I got to jump in with her and her team. THANK YOU higher power for fans and their solidarity. <3

After the show, which was life changing, we all met up and decided to try and meet Rih. After a couple of hours of waiting those left of us split up into two cars that would drive back to Manhattan and the club Melissa (Rihanna’s BFF) was set to host at. We were hoping Rih would show up too.

So I went into one car and Ebba into the other. All the people in Ebba’s car ended up meeting Rihanna outside the club. All the people my car ended up watching the love fest from behind a man made fence.

Here’s what Ebba saw as Rih left the car to enter the club:

Throwback to @illestbaba @ThottiePebbles @OwenLauer @shonnigrl @mskitty0303 and @Rih2dope meeting Rih in NYC. pic.twitter.com/Eq1e7z8mxL

— $hitty Juice butt (@Loonina) March 25, 2016

Here’s what I saw as Rih left the car to enter the club:

And that’s stan life. Sometimes you’re a lucky bitch and sometimes you sit on the sidewalk. Either way it’s a magical experience and I can’t wait to do it all over again at the Anti World Tour. It’s going to be insane.

Ps. I got to see her up close as she left the club though. MAGICAL.