Live! in Concert!

I'll never forget my first rock concert. I grew up in a relatively small city (if you can call it a city), but we did have a stadium that drew some of the major rock bands of my childhood. I remember sitting in the front yard on summer evenings and being able to hear the concerts (Night Ranger came through a lot) when I was little. We lived within a few blocks of the stadium. I could not wait until my parents deemed me old enough to go to a concert.

When I was twelve, my mother finally felt that I was old enough to go with her when the band, Cheap Trick, came to town. Mama liked Cheap Trick, and so did my sisters and I. Unfortunately for my younger sister, she was still not allowed to go. My older sister, a neighbor's child and I were all to be able to experience this band in concert. Needless to say, I was very excited.

I actually even remember the opening band, too. It was Hurricane, and I barely remember them. They had an MTV hit song, and what my sister and I liked about them was that they had two members who were related to two of the members of one of our favorite bands of the time, Quiet Riot. I don't think we knew more than the one song by Hurricane, but that hardly mattered.

We were not in expensive seats, but we got to stand in a good area where we could see the stage. Standing is fine with me, since I cannot hear music without wanting to dance. I have little to no memory of Hurricane's performance. I was too busy dancing to the music and being swept up in the excitement of being at my first concert. Some people record everything they see in moments like that, but apparently, I'm not one of them, or I'm getting old.

I do remember when Cheap Trick was onstage. I got to hear a lot of older favorites and their latest music, as well. They put on a terrific show. I was dazzled by the lights, the crowd and most of all, the music. I'm from a family that adores music in its many incarnations, so of course, that was the best part for our little group. I danced and sang along and generally made a fool of myself, but I was twelve, so who really cared?

After the show, we walked around to the fenced area at the back of the stadium. It was our luck that Hurricane was graciously giving autographs to fans through the fence. We used our ticket stubs (I think), and we got our very first autographs from a rock band. Well, they were a hair band, but that was just fine with us. It was that era.

From that experience, I gained several things. I affirmed that I have the coolest mother on the planet. Hey, she danced and sang right along with us, although she looked really good doing it. I learned that Hurricane's members were really nice to kids, and Cheap Trick is a fantastic live band. I also went home with a love for live performances.

I still love to go to concerts. I don't mind if I get cheap seats, standing pit tickets, a hazy view in a crowded bar, or have to watch the video screen from a distant grassy knoll. It also does not matter to me what kind of band is playing, either. If I love the music, and I get the opportunity, I'll go to a live show, any time.