Ride the Tiger: Unforgettable Memories of My First Concert with Jefferson Starship

I have incredible memories of my first concert. The year was 1983. I was 12 years old and my mom and uncle took me to see my favorite band at the time: Jefferson Starship. We saw them perform at the Garden State Arts Center (now the PNC Arts Center) in Homdel NJ. I was so excited because back then, I had a crush on the guitar player Paul Kantner.

Our seats were about 35 rows from the stage. However, once the concert began and the Jefferson Starship began to sing Ride The Tiger, fans rushed the stage. Security didn't stop them. So my mom took me closer to the stage so I could get a better view of 'my man' Paul Kantner.

We got about 20 rows away from the stage before security began holding people back. However, I sneaked past the security guards and fought my way closer to the stage and to Paul. And maybe it was fate that day, but I miraculously got right to the front of the stage and stood directly in front of Paul. I spent the rest of the concert looking up at Paul Kantner, watching him play guitar, and being so close, I actually grabbed his leg a few times.

If the memories of my first concert ended here, it would still make a great story. But believe it or not....this was only the beginning of what would be an unforgettable night.

About half way through the concert, I had another chance to grab Paul Kantner's leg. But this time, he reached down, took my hand, put something in it, and let it go. I looked at my hand to see what he gave me. It was his guitar pic! A brown Fender guitar pic. Some of the fans around me told me to protect that pic with my dear life. I got so scared, I put it in my pants pocket before I could lose it.

When the concert ended, I searched for my mom and my uncle and quickly found them. They weren't happy that I ran away from them to get closer to the stage. But when I showed them the guitar pic, they were absolutely amazed. They quickly forgot about my running away and looked in awe of the Paul Kantner pic.

Now I'm 40 years old writing this article on the memories of my first concert. I decided to step away from the keyboard for a moment to look for the pic. After rummaging through my hope chest, I found it. And it still brings a smile to my face. The t-shirt I bought from the concert is long gone, but the pic and the memories of my first concert are still here with me.

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An incredible personal experience