Joanna McDonald

On Flying For Concerts and Being Mistaken for a Prostitute

When I saw the clips circulating of the Kaytranada and Justice tour, I knew I absolutely had to go. In a possibly manic state, I bought tickets. But not for Austin, for Tampa, Florida.

Why did I fly halfway across the country for a tour where I didn't even really know one of the artists? I already absolutely loved Kaytranada and have been listening to him since 2017. Justice, on the other hand, I knew were legends. I didn't know any songs besides D.A.N.C.E., which I discovered as a teenager on Youtube, aka how all the best music is discovered.

To understand why I flew out for this, you just have to look up clips of the live shows. Kaytranada's on a circular platform that lifts up into the ceiling with a badass setup. Justice, however, they have an absolutely INSANE light show. I have truly never seen anything like it before. I insist you look it up. Specifically, look up One Night/All Night and Stress.

I was getting the most insane FOMO I had ever felt so obviously I wanted to buy tickets. Boom, they're not touring anywhere reasonably near me. FUCK. I pondered for a while and just kept thinking about how I had to be there. As I mentioned I was in a manic state of mind, so I checked the dates and figured out what date I could reasonably take the least time off for. That just so happened to randomly be Tampa, Florida.

To plenty of people traveling so far for a concert is unreasonable. But at this point I'm no stranger to it. November 2024 I flew out to Boston to see a kpop group, Loossemble. They ended up disbanding pretty soon after I saw them, so I don't regret it at alllll.

So I fly my happy ass out to Florida on a Friday night. The next day, the day of the concert, I wander around downtown Tampa, getting middle eastern food, playing Pokemon Go, and buying a fake weed pen. T'was a beautiful day.

That night, while waiting for my uber, I take a couple hefty puffs of the pen. It's hitting for sure and a few minutes go by as I wait. Soon, a very average-PRESENTING man in his late 20s, early 30s approaches me. His approaching words to me were short and sweet.

How much?

Didn't take me long to realize what he meant. He literally thought I was selling hole on the side of the street in downtown Tampa.

Keep in mind I'm also indeed quite high off that Florida fake weed. Nothing could truly truly phase me. In my blank state I tell him I'm waiting for my uber. He apologizes and says I look beautiful. Thanks lol.

You may be wondering, despite your best efforts to not wonder, what was I wearing? I won't waste time trying to describe it, I'll just show you and you'll have to tell me if this is what prostitutes in Tampa wear.


I think it's the shorts.

He leaves and I'm laughing in shock. Text a few people obviously. Despite my attitude about it, it is indeed quite violating for someone to assume you're selling your body and try to buy you. My uber finally arrives and I head my way to the concert. I hide my little weed pen in my waistband in case they check bags. I get in and find my place towards the front of Kaytranada's stage in the center of the room. Kaytranada blows my mind. I love his music and he's playing all my faves. I'm a little too high to dance much but I'm dancing to the beat and feeling everything. The lights are beautiful, he put on an excellent show. I hate to say it, but after seeing Justice's performance, my memory of the night skews towards them.

Kaytranada finishes and Justice is starting shortly after. I and all the people around me realized that the Kaytranada stage is completely blocking where Justice is coming out, so they all leave. As everyone is moving, I'm able to scoot to the center of the Kaytranada stage, where there's a completely clear view of Justice. Fake weed still hitting, Justice starts, and I'm fucking feeling the music. They go intense as fuck with their live shows in terms of the mixing. When the lights start, I'm speechless. My jaw to the ground type of speechless.

Justice themselves have described the lights at their show to be their singer, and I thoroughly agree with that. It changes EVERYTHING. The music is impeccable, but the insane light show created such an incredible energy that lasted throughout the show. I can't describe how much of a life-changing experience it felt like. Purely euphoric. At one point I looked around me and did not see a SINGLE phone out filming. That's how good the music was, that everyone couldn't help but to just be in the moment and enjoy the experience fully. I've never ever seen that happen at a concert.

My only regret is not getting the exclusive Justice in Tampa shirt. I was a bit too high on life and still a bit of the weed to remember merch. I tested my luck and walked home from the concert this time. Of course, I got sexually harassed (again?) by some strangers also walking. It was a bit confusing. They were talking about how my ass looked good and I knew what I was doing wearing those (prostitute, apparently) shorts. But then, the man talking said:

She kinda pasty though!

Now, I'm pale as fuck, but I'm not someone that feels the need to change how I look naturally. I also don't give a fuck what others think about that. So when the woman in the group tries to reassure me that they're not harassing me by telling me she also needs a tan, I'm finally like "okay, what the fuck." I didn't feel like arguing so I just went along with their bullshit, as one does. But damn girl, I don't NEED a tan, sorry for loving myself as I am. I still was in a state of not giving a fuck, as I often am. So I carried on my merry way and strutted my prostitute self (with all due respect to the prostitutes of the world) back to the hotel.

If nothing else gets you to listen to Justice... I hope it's the fact that I can be vaguely sexually harassed twice in one night and not give a fuck because of how much fun I had.

Justice for the prostitutes of Tampa.