Aaaaaah I love the closer @Get_Right! I love after your raves about how meaningful & memorable & Top 5 that show was, that an even better thing was having that girl come up to you at a party and want to talk to you because you were there! You da man (or You da boy at the time but ya know )!
That Stones story was amazing. Sam sounds like that side character in every late 70s early 80s teen show that everyone knows or has a connection to. Lol
Alright, there are some tough acts to follow around here and I may be running out of stories, but here is one more. Not PJ, and no celebrity action, but I think it is a great story and it is about my first concert.
1981, I am 13 years old and in 8th grade, living outside Hartford, CT. I had just started to get into rock music and had been begging my mom to take me to see Kiss. No dice, too young. Really just getting into good rock music and had that huge Swan Song patch on the back of my Levi jean jacket. Then, the Rolling Stones announce two nights at the ole Civic Center where the Whalers played. I was way too young to be lining up for tickets and basically it sold out in a few hours. First $15.00 ticket and the tour was sponsored by Jovan Musk (random fact). At the time my mom was dating this guy who "was a contractor" and I am not really sure if that was real, but one day he would have $5,000 in his pocket and the next he was asking me for $20. Powder blue Lincoln Continental. You get the picture. Let's call him Sam.
So the week of the concerts arrives and that is all anyone in town can talk about, it is the lead story on the local news each night. I go up to Sam and tell about this and how cool it would be if he could get me tickets to one of the concerts. "I'd be the coolest kid in school, come on Sam, please make this happen!" He says, OK kid, let me see what I can do. "Thanks Sam, I will clean your car for a month, blah, blah, blah"
Day of the first concert comes and I say Sam are you having any luck with tickets? He says "get_right, I have never seen anything like this. These tickets are harder to get than for Elvis." He tells me to sit tight and stay at the house by the phone. Around 5pm he comes home and says sorry buddy, I could not make it happen tonight, but I am working something for tomorrow.
Next day arrives, and I am so nervous and excited that this might happen. Sam tells me to pick one friend in case he gets two tickets. My best friend and I at the time were completely distracted all day. I come home from school and the phone rings around 4 pm. It's Sam, hey get_right, sit tight I am coming home, do not leave the house. OK, what’s up I wonder. Around 5 he comes home, and he has a couple of shirts over his shoulder, the show program under his arm, and a few pins in his hand.
He hands me the shirts and the pins and says, sorry bud, I could not get any tickets, but I was able to get inside, hear the soundcheck, and buy some stuff for you. “So sorry I wish I could have made this happen for you.” He hands me the program and says “it’s all good, you can wear the shirt to school and tell all the girls you went.” I say thanks Sam this is great and start flipping through the program.
I get to the “centerfold” and what is sitting there? A single ticket to see the Rolling Stones that evening. 2nd row in the section right next to the stage. “Holy shit!” Sam you are the man, how did you get this, how much did it cost, how am I getting there, am I going alone, can I take a friend, Holy Shit. HOLY SHIT. He smiles and says, "get_right, you have no idea what I went through to get that ticket for you."
Here is the deal, he says, I am driving us down in about an hour, we are getting dinner, and I am walking you to the Civic Center door. Go to the seats and you will be sitting with my friends, they will keep an eye on you. When the show ends you come right back to this restaurant.
So, I go into the show, and there are three 40 something guys sitting in the seats, and they welcome me warmly. The show starts, Garland Jefferies opened. All I remember about that is that it was the first time I heard a live concert and it was LOUD. The fellas may or may not have passed a joint my way. I will never tell. Or did I just tell LOL.
Finally, the Stones come on and they open with Under my Thumb. So. Good. I remember so many details from the show. The white stage, that sort of looked like the famous lips. The drum kit rotated around the stage during the show. I remember Keith’s black telecaster so vividly. I can still put myself in that seat and hearing Shattered, Little T&A, Waiting on a Friend, Cant Always get what you want (my first sing a long) and the last three songs of the main set, Honky Tonk Women, Brown Sugar, and Jumping Jack Flash. For that last song, Mick gets in this cherry picker basket and is singing the song to the audience as the basket rotates around the arena. I will never never ever forget seeing Mick Jagger in the cherry picker basket, hanging in the air 20 ft above me signing
But it's all right now, in fact, it's a gas But it's all right, I'm Jumpin' Jack Flash It's a gas! Gas! Gas!
The encore is Satisfaction and I am completely blown away by the energy in the room and the intense, visceral joy I am feeling at that moment. I smile every time I think about it. And people wonder why I chase rock concerts.
November 10 will mark the 40th Anniversary of that night. Through the years, I have seen many shows by many amazing artists in many amazing venues. To this day, that Rolling Stones concert remains in my top five, and the Jagger moment with Jumping Jack Flash is still the coolest thing I have ever experienced at a concert.
But it gets better, at least for me it does. Not quite a VIP after party but maybe better....
So my parents were divorced and my Dad lived up in Massachusetts, just across the border near Connecticut. He had remarried and I had an older stepsister (3 years older). I was visiting my dad about two weeks after the Stones concert, and my stepsister was having a little party in the basement, probably about 20 kids hanging out, playing music, ping pong etc. There was some making out going on, and not kidding, they were playing spin the bottle (look it up youngsters). I am just walking around the basement, being the annoying younger brother that I was (and maybe looking for beer), and this girl comes up to me and says “Hey, were you at the Rolling Stones concert in Hartford last week, I think I saw you there!” “Why yes, I was.” She says, “oh that is so cool, wasn’t it fun, come on lets sit, tell me how you got your tickets.” Why yes, I would love sit down with you…. Ahh the 80s!
Here's my surprise Rolling Stones story....
I'm dead asleep the first week after my sophomore year of high school ended. The phone is ringing and no one is answering. So I roll out of bed and answer it. It's my friend Steve " hey what are you doing?" I'm asleep dude its like 7:30 whatthefuckyouwant?. He says " how much cash you got?" I'm like I don't know maybe a hundred. "Great meet me outside in 10 BYE". So I get dressed grab my cash and meet him outside. I get in his car and ask him some form of WTF? He says "you'll see". We drive to downtown DC, park, and walk over to the Warner Theater. The Marquis says "Under Construction" but there are maybe 20 people standing in line outside the B.O. window. Turns out we're there to buy tickets for a secret Stones show. He buys a pair in the 5th row center, I get a pair in the 6th row. He grabs my tickets and takes me home. He picks me up that afternoon to go to the show, hands me an envelope with his extra 5th row ticket and $150. He says " don't ask, enjoy the show, and don't ask". It was an amazing night. My first Stones show and not my last.
Alright, there are some tough acts to follow around here and I may be running out of stories, but here is one more. Not PJ, and no celebrity action, but I think it is a great story and it is about my first concert.
1981, I am 13 years old and in 8th grade, living outside Hartford, CT. I had just started to get into rock music and had been begging my mom to take me to see Kiss. No dice, too young. Really just getting into good rock music and had that huge Swan Song patch on the back of my Levi jean jacket. Then, the Rolling Stones announce two nights at the ole Civic Center where the Whalers played. I was way too young to be lining up for tickets and basically it sold out in a few hours. First $15.00 ticket and the tour was sponsored by Jovan Musk (random fact). At the time my mom was dating this guy who "was a contractor" and I am not really sure if that was real, but one day he would have $5,000 in his pocket and the next he was asking me for $20. Powder blue Lincoln Continental. You get the picture. Let's call him Sam.
So the week of the concerts arrives and that is all anyone in town can talk about, it is the lead story on the local news each night. I go up to Sam and tell about this and how cool it would be if he could get me tickets to one of the concerts. "I'd be the coolest kid in school, come on Sam, please make this happen!" He says, OK kid, let me see what I can do. "Thanks Sam, I will clean your car for a month, blah, blah, blah"
Day of the first concert comes and I say Sam are you having any luck with tickets? He says "get_right, I have never seen anything like this. These tickets are harder to get than for Elvis." He tells me to sit tight and stay at the house by the phone. Around 5pm he comes home and says sorry buddy, I could not make it happen tonight, but I am working something for tomorrow.
Next day arrives, and I am so nervous and excited that this might happen. Sam tells me to pick one friend in case he gets two tickets. My best friend and I at the time were completely distracted all day. I come home from school and the phone rings around 4 pm. It's Sam, hey get_right, sit tight I am coming home, do not leave the house. OK, what’s up I wonder. Around 5 he comes home, and he has a couple of shirts over his shoulder, the show program under his arm, and a few pins in his hand.
He hands me the shirts and the pins and says, sorry bud, I could not get any tickets, but I was able to get inside, hear the soundcheck, and buy some stuff for you. “So sorry I wish I could have made this happen for you.” He hands me the program and says “it’s all good, you can wear the shirt to school and tell all the girls you went.” I say thanks Sam this is great and start flipping through the program.
I get to the “centerfold” and what is sitting there? A single ticket to see the Rolling Stones that evening. 2nd row in the section right next to the stage. “Holy shit!” Sam you are the man, how did you get this, how much did it cost, how am I getting there, am I going alone, can I take a friend, Holy Shit. HOLY SHIT. He smiles and says, "get_right, you have no idea what I went through to get that ticket for you."
Here is the deal, he says, I am driving us down in about an hour, we are getting dinner, and I am walking you to the Civic Center door. Go to the seats and you will be sitting with my friends, they will keep an eye on you. When the show ends you come right back to this restaurant.
So, I go into the show, and there are three 40 something guys sitting in the seats, and they welcome me warmly. The show starts, Garland Jefferies opened. All I remember about that is that it was the first time I heard a live concert and it was LOUD. The fellas may or may not have passed a joint my way. I will never tell. Or did I just tell LOL.
Finally, the Stones come on and they open with Under my Thumb. So. Good. I remember so many details from the show. The white stage, that sort of looked like the famous lips. The drum kit rotated around the stage during the show. I remember Keith’s black telecaster so vividly. I can still put myself in that seat and hearing Shattered, Little T&A, Waiting on a Friend, Cant Always get what you want (my first sing a long) and the last three songs of the main set, Honky Tonk Women, Brown Sugar, and Jumping Jack Flash. For that last song, Mick gets in this cherry picker basket and is singing the song to the audience as the basket rotates around the arena. I will never never ever forget seeing Mick Jagger in the cherry picker basket, hanging in the air 20 ft above me signing
But it's all right now, in fact, it's a gas But it's all right, I'm Jumpin' Jack Flash It's a gas! Gas! Gas!
The encore is Satisfaction and I am completely blown away by the energy in the room and the intense, visceral joy I am feeling at that moment. I smile every time I think about it. And people wonder why I chase rock concerts.
November 10 will mark the 40th Anniversary of that night. Through the years, I have seen many shows by many amazing artists in many amazing venues. To this day, that Rolling Stones concert remains in my top five, and the Jagger moment with Jumping Jack Flash is still the coolest thing I have ever experienced at a concert.
But it gets better, at least for me it does. Not quite a VIP after party but maybe better....
So my parents were divorced and my Dad lived up in Massachusetts, just across the border near Connecticut. He had remarried and I had an older stepsister (3 years older). I was visiting my dad about two weeks after the Stones concert, and my stepsister was having a little party in the basement, probably about 20 kids hanging out, playing music, ping pong etc. There was some making out going on, and not kidding, they were playing spin the bottle (look it up youngsters). I am just walking around the basement, being the annoying younger brother that I was (and maybe looking for beer), and this girl comes up to me and says “Hey, were you at the Rolling Stones concert in Hartford last week, I think I saw you there!” “Why yes, I was.” She says, “oh that is so cool, wasn’t it fun, come on lets sit, tell me how you got your tickets.” Why yes, I would love sit down with you…. Ahh the 80s!
Here's my surprise Rolling Stones story....
I'm dead asleep the first week after my sophomore year of high school ended. The phone is ringing and no one is answering. So I roll out of bed and answer it. It's my friend Steve " hey what are you doing?" I'm asleep dude its like 7:30 whatthefuckyouwant?. He says " how much cash you got?" I'm like I don't know maybe a hundred. "Great meet me outside in 10 BYE". So I get dressed grab my cash and meet him outside. I get in his car and ask him some form of WTF? He says "you'll see". We drive to downtown DC, park, and walk over to the Warner Theater. The Marquis says "Under Construction" but there are maybe 20 people standing in line outside the B.O. window. Turns out we're there to buy tickets for a secret Stones show. He buys a pair in the 5th row center, I get a pair in the 6th row. He grabs my tickets and takes me home. He picks me up that afternoon to go to the show, hands me an envelope with his extra 5th row ticket and $150. He says " don't ask, enjoy the show, and don't ask". It was an amazing night. My first Stones show and not my last.
Love it. Saw the Jerry Garcia Band at the Warner Theater. Must have been great for the Stones.
Alright, there are some tough acts to follow around here and I may be running out of stories, but here is one more. Not PJ, and no celebrity action, but I think it is a great story and it is about my first concert.
1981, I am 13 years old and in 8th grade, living outside Hartford, CT. I had just started to get into rock music and had been begging my mom to take me to see Kiss. No dice, too young. Really just getting into good rock music and had that huge Swan Song patch on the back of my Levi jean jacket. Then, the Rolling Stones announce two nights at the ole Civic Center where the Whalers played. I was way too young to be lining up for tickets and basically it sold out in a few hours. First $15.00 ticket and the tour was sponsored by Jovan Musk (random fact). At the time my mom was dating this guy who "was a contractor" and I am not really sure if that was real, but one day he would have $5,000 in his pocket and the next he was asking me for $20. Powder blue Lincoln Continental. You get the picture. Let's call him Sam.
So the week of the concerts arrives and that is all anyone in town can talk about, it is the lead story on the local news each night. I go up to Sam and tell about this and how cool it would be if he could get me tickets to one of the concerts. "I'd be the coolest kid in school, come on Sam, please make this happen!" He says, OK kid, let me see what I can do. "Thanks Sam, I will clean your car for a month, blah, blah, blah"
Day of the first concert comes and I say Sam are you having any luck with tickets? He says "get_right, I have never seen anything like this. These tickets are harder to get than for Elvis." He tells me to sit tight and stay at the house by the phone. Around 5pm he comes home and says sorry buddy, I could not make it happen tonight, but I am working something for tomorrow.
Next day arrives, and I am so nervous and excited that this might happen. Sam tells me to pick one friend in case he gets two tickets. My best friend and I at the time were completely distracted all day. I come home from school and the phone rings around 4 pm. It's Sam, hey get_right, sit tight I am coming home, do not leave the house. OK, what’s up I wonder. Around 5 he comes home, and he has a couple of shirts over his shoulder, the show program under his arm, and a few pins in his hand.
He hands me the shirts and the pins and says, sorry bud, I could not get any tickets, but I was able to get inside, hear the soundcheck, and buy some stuff for you. “So sorry I wish I could have made this happen for you.” He hands me the program and says “it’s all good, you can wear the shirt to school and tell all the girls you went.” I say thanks Sam this is great and start flipping through the program.
I get to the “centerfold” and what is sitting there? A single ticket to see the Rolling Stones that evening. 2nd row in the section right next to the stage. “Holy shit!” Sam you are the man, how did you get this, how much did it cost, how am I getting there, am I going alone, can I take a friend, Holy Shit. HOLY SHIT. He smiles and says, "get_right, you have no idea what I went through to get that ticket for you."
Here is the deal, he says, I am driving us down in about an hour, we are getting dinner, and I am walking you to the Civic Center door. Go to the seats and you will be sitting with my friends, they will keep an eye on you. When the show ends you come right back to this restaurant.
So, I go into the show, and there are three 40 something guys sitting in the seats, and they welcome me warmly. The show starts, Garland Jefferies opened. All I remember about that is that it was the first time I heard a live concert and it was LOUD. The fellas may or may not have passed a joint my way. I will never tell. Or did I just tell LOL.
Finally, the Stones come on and they open with Under my Thumb. So. Good. I remember so many details from the show. The white stage, that sort of looked like the famous lips. The drum kit rotated around the stage during the show. I remember Keith’s black telecaster so vividly. I can still put myself in that seat and hearing Shattered, Little T&A, Waiting on a Friend, Cant Always get what you want (my first sing a long) and the last three songs of the main set, Honky Tonk Women, Brown Sugar, and Jumping Jack Flash. For that last song, Mick gets in this cherry picker basket and is singing the song to the audience as the basket rotates around the arena. I will never never ever forget seeing Mick Jagger in the cherry picker basket, hanging in the air 20 ft above me signing
But it's all right now, in fact, it's a gas But it's all right, I'm Jumpin' Jack Flash It's a gas! Gas! Gas!
The encore is Satisfaction and I am completely blown away by the energy in the room and the intense, visceral joy I am feeling at that moment. I smile every time I think about it. And people wonder why I chase rock concerts.
November 10 will mark the 40th Anniversary of that night. Through the years, I have seen many shows by many amazing artists in many amazing venues. To this day, that Rolling Stones concert remains in my top five, and the Jagger moment with Jumping Jack Flash is still the coolest thing I have ever experienced at a concert.
But it gets better, at least for me it does. Not quite a VIP after party but maybe better....
So my parents were divorced and my Dad lived up in Massachusetts, just across the border near Connecticut. He had remarried and I had an older stepsister (3 years older). I was visiting my dad about two weeks after the Stones concert, and my stepsister was having a little party in the basement, probably about 20 kids hanging out, playing music, ping pong etc. There was some making out going on, and not kidding, they were playing spin the bottle (look it up youngsters). I am just walking around the basement, being the annoying younger brother that I was (and maybe looking for beer), and this girl comes up to me and says “Hey, were you at the Rolling Stones concert in Hartford last week, I think I saw you there!” “Why yes, I was.” She says, “oh that is so cool, wasn’t it fun, come on lets sit, tell me how you got your tickets.” Why yes, I would love sit down with you…. Ahh the 80s!
Here's my surprise Rolling Stones story....
I'm dead asleep the first week after my sophomore year of high school ended. The phone is ringing and no one is answering. So I roll out of bed and answer it. It's my friend Steve " hey what are you doing?" I'm asleep dude its like 7:30 whatthefuckyouwant?. He says " how much cash you got?" I'm like I don't know maybe a hundred. "Great meet me outside in 10 BYE". So I get dressed grab my cash and meet him outside. I get in his car and ask him some form of WTF? He says "you'll see". We drive to downtown DC, park, and walk over to the Warner Theater. The Marquis says "Under Construction" but there are maybe 20 people standing in line outside the B.O. window. Turns out we're there to buy tickets for a secret Stones show. He buys a pair in the 5th row center, I get a pair in the 6th row. He grabs my tickets and takes me home. He picks me up that afternoon to go to the show, hands me an envelope with his extra 5th row ticket and $150. He says " don't ask, enjoy the show, and don't ask". It was an amazing night. My first Stones show and not my last.
Dang, I've only see the Wiggles at Warner Theater in DC (took my then very young daughter) but since I've been in there OMfrickinG that you saw THE STONES there! Wow!
Aaaaaah I love the closer @Get_Right! I love after your raves about how meaningful & memorable & Top 5 that show was, that an even better thing was having that girl come up to you at a party and want to talk to you because you were there! You da man (or You da boy at the time but ya know )!
Great story!
JH, no doubt the girl is the best part of the story. Certainly felt like da man at the time, and that experience did wonders for my confidence as a teen!
Because I've already posted this today elsewhere, here's my contribution to the Stones stories:
When I was 13 we went to see the Rolling Stones, and through a funny sequence of events during the show involving someone behind us trying to throw a bouquet of roses onstage, missing, hitting us, roses everywhere, I told my friend Kathy to give me her gum, for some reason I think it's funny to write her home phone # (yay landlines!) on a piece of paper, stick it to a rose with gum, and throw it onstage. No one ever picked it up during the show and as far as we knew, it just got swept up as garbage at the end. It was an incredible show, also on a school night, and after the show we went back to my friend's house and went to sleep.
At 4:00am her mom knocked on her door and said "Um, Kathy... the Rolling Stones are on the phone asking for you???" We got up and Kathy got on the phone and I listened on another line (yay landlines!) and a very British, very intoxicated guy was like "Kathy! Come party with us! It's the Rolling Stones! Come to our hotel!" Kathy & I were thinking 13yr old versions of "What the actual fuck??!!" but Kathy said "Well, thanks, but we're 13 yrs old and we have school tomorrow so we can't go out." Pause on other end, then even more excited in what we look back on as a disturbing thing "Kathy! BRING YOUR FRIENDS! Come party with us! We're the Rolling Stones! Come to our hotel!!!"
We are pretty sure they were somehow really connected to the tour (roadies or friends of roadies) but whether there were any actual Stones or not, we laughed about it, went back to bed, and were on time for our 8:20am 1st period high school class later that morning.
I'd completely forgotten that story, then Kathy tells it at my 40th birthday party to everyone, including my new at the time boyfriend (now husband) and let's just say I was like "And THAT will be the last story Kathy tells today!"
We were front row for that show, obviously very young girls (about 5 of us high school students crammed into 2 seats), and we knew Bill Wyman supposedly never smiles onstage, so we spent A LOT of time trying to get him to laugh, and we did, many times. What we did NOT know was his, erm, interest in young girls, so now when we reminisce about that show we kind of feel icky about how much time we spent interacting with him, but we did have a great time and never were closer than 30 ft away from him so that's a good thing.
I'm sure he'd try to say somehow we showed i.d. from the front row showing we were 27 yrs old so they only called because they thought we were of age. Kinda gets debunked though when we said "We're 13 and have high school tomorrow" and he was that much more frantic to get us to that party....
I'm sure he'd try to say somehow we showed i.d. from the front row showing we were 27 yrs old so they only called because they thought we were of age. Kinda gets debunked though when we said "We're 13 and have high school tomorrow" and he was that much more frantic to get us to that party....
Eh, we are British, we dont follow your rules. Creepy.
OK. I have a very long story that I have been wanting to post for while. I have told it to a few people on here already, but after reading some of these stories, I decided to post mine as well. In 1996 the Who played six nights of their Quadrophenia show at MSG. I had tickets to see one of them. After that show through a chain of events that started with me randomly meeting one of the lighting guys and ending up with me meeting Pete Townshend's brother Paul, I got a backstage pass for their final night's shows (courtesy of Paul Townshend). I watched the entire show from the soundboard with Roger Daltrey's daughers. It was a great show. After it was over, I went backstage and met Pete Townshend. He was my hero at the time, and I was completely in shock. He was nice enough to sign my ticket and take a photo with me using my 35mm film camera that I brought. I also got one of his picks. That would have been enough. However, a few people I met backstage invited me to go to a bar with them around the corner. We get to the bar and at this big table are a bunch of people including Pete Townshend, and Eddie Vedder. I sat down at the table and could not say a word. I was really tongue tied. After about 20 minutes Pete stood up and said his goodbyes, but the rest of us stayed. I told Paul that I was a fan of Pearl Jam. So, he brought be over to Eddie and introduced me. At that point, Eddie was sitting at one of those high bar tables with the stools. He told me to have a seat. Paul walked away and I sat and talked with Eddie for about 20 minutes. He was really nice. I was working on my doctoral dissertation at the time and he asked me to tell him about it. After a while, word got out that he was there and the bar got really crowded. People were coming up to our table and asking him to sign things. He did it for a while, then I could tell he was getting over it. I was still sitting there the whole time.
The bar was getting ready to close and John Entwhistle's girlfriend (who I had met earlier) invited us all back to their hotel suite (at the Riga Royal hotel - which is no longer around). John was not at the bar, so I hadn't seen him yet. Anyway, we all go back to the suite (which was bigger than my apartment), and had an after party. At one point I found myself in the kitchen with Eddie Vedder and some other guy smoking a joint and talking about the Beach Boys. It was all so surreal. John Entwhistle was really drunk and passed out under the dining room table. At around 7:00am his girlfriend kicked us all out. I gave Eddie a hug goodbye and told him how much I loved his music and meeting him. I then asked him if I could get a photo with him since I was still carrying around my camera. He said I didn't need a photo and tapped me on the head and said all the photos I need were right there. I guess that was his way of saying NO!! you can't take my photo. Of course I respected it. No cell phones then to sneakily take any photos. I only had that big film camera.
After that I had to go to work, but was high on adrenaline for a long time. When I was at work I sent my friend in Prague a long email detailing the entire night. I am sure that email has more details than I remember here. He did print out the email since he thought it was so cool. Every so often I ask him if he can find it. He thinks he still has it, but is not sure where it is. Anyway, thanks for letting me share my story on what was one of the greatest nights of my life.
I’ll tease this and work on memories related. I’ll be back, you’ve been warned
Muddy Waters opened for Eric Clapton.
Also saw Muddy Waters around that time in a bar near Illinois/Wisconsin border.
I’ll write something on that first. Crazy times chasing lowest legal drinking
age…driving!
Gibby Haynes and I met in a pony ride line at a block party in Brooklyn. We both had our daughters with us, so we kept the conversation civil. That was pretty surreal.
It was the first time I'd seen him that he didn't whip his dick out.
We chatted about every time we ran into each other after that. We agreed that we were both smart to marry attorneys.
I also became pretty close friends with Brian Johnson in the 1990s. He even took me for a spin in an Aston Martin that he had just bought, opening the fucker up on I-75.
I had drag raced with my friends as a teen and had been behind the wheel or in the passenger seat of many powerful cars, but I'd never felt a kick like that Aston Martin had. It was like being in a slingshot. Awesome machine!
I’ll tease this and work on memories related. I’ll be back, you’ve been warned
Muddy Waters opened for Eric Clapton.
Also saw Muddy Waters around that time in a bar near Illinois/Wisconsin border.
I’ll write something on that first. Crazy times chasing lowest legal drinking
age…driving!
Cool to see Rosemont Horizon, Chicago Stadium and Poplar Creek Theatre. I still call it Rosemont Horizon, by the way.
I’ll tease this and work on memories related. I’ll be back, you’ve been warned
Muddy Waters opened for Eric Clapton.
Also saw Muddy Waters around that time in a bar near Illinois/Wisconsin border.
I’ll write something on that first. Crazy times chasing lowest legal drinking
age…driving!
Cool to see Rosemont Horizon, Chicago Stadium and Poplar Creek Theatre. I still call it Rosemont Horizon, by the way.
I have hundreds of ticket stubs in an album. I think I saw that Robert Plant, and the David Bowie tour you have here. Look at those ticket prices. $14.00 for a Bowie tickets, $11.50 for Tom Petty. Nice!
I’ll tease this and work on memories related. I’ll be back, you’ve been warned
Muddy Waters opened for Eric Clapton.
Also saw Muddy Waters around that time in a bar near Illinois/Wisconsin border.
I’ll write something on that first. Crazy times chasing lowest legal drinking
age…driving!
Wow, quite a collection! I want to hear any stories you are willing to tell, but I am *especially* wanting to hear show (and before/after show) details of Frank Zappa, David Bowie, and RICHARD PRYOR LIVE??? Wow, how were those?
Edited to add: Oh yeah and DEFINITELY want to hear the Muddy Waters stories!
OK. I have a very long story that I have been wanting to post for while. I have told it to a few people on here already, but after reading some of these stories, I decided to post mine as well. In 1996 the Who played six nights of their Quadrophenia show at MSG. I had tickets to see one of them. After that show through a chain of events that started with me randomly meeting one of the lighting guys and ending up with me meeting Pete Townshend's brother Paul, I got a backstage pass for their final night's shows (courtesy of Paul Townshend). I watched the entire show from the soundboard with Roger Daltrey's daughers. It was a great show. After it was over, I went backstage and met Pete Townshend. He was my hero at the time, and I was completely in shock. He was nice enough to sign my ticket and take a photo with me using my 35mm film camera that I brought. I also got one of his picks. That would have been enough. However, a few people I met backstage invited me to go to a bar with them around the corner. We get to the bar and at this big table are a bunch of people including Pete Townshend, and Eddie Vedder. I sat down at the table and could not say a word. I was really tongue tied. After about 20 minutes Pete stood up and said his goodbyes, but the rest of us stayed. I told Paul that I was a fan of Pearl Jam. So, he brought be over to Eddie and introduced me. At that point, Eddie was sitting at one of those high bar tables with the stools. He told me to have a seat. Paul walked away and I sat and talked with Eddie for about 20 minutes. He was really nice. I was working on my doctoral dissertation at the time and he asked me to tell him about it. After a while, word got out that he was there and the bar got really crowded. People were coming up to our table and asking him to sign things. He did it for a while, then I could tell he was getting over it. I was still sitting there the whole time.
The bar was getting ready to close and John Entwhistle's girlfriend (who I had met earlier) invited us all back to their hotel suite (at the Riga Royal hotel - which is no longer around). John was not at the bar, so I hadn't seen him yet. Anyway, we all go back to the suite (which was bigger than my apartment), and had an after party. At one point I found myself in the kitchen with Eddie Vedder and some other guy smoking a joint and talking about the Beach Boys. It was all so surreal. John Entwhistle was really drunk and passed out under the dining room table. At around 7:00am his girlfriend kicked us all out. I gave Eddie a hug goodbye and told him how much I loved his music and meeting him. I then asked him if I could get a photo with him since I was still carrying around my camera. He said I didn't need a photo and tapped me on the head and said all the photos I need were right there. I guess that was his way of saying NO!! you can't take my photo. Of course I respected it. No cell phones then to sneakily take any photos. I only had that big film camera.
After that I had to go to work, but was high on adrenaline for a long time. When I was at work I sent my friend in Prague a long email detailing the entire night. I am sure that email has more details than I remember here. He did print out the email since he thought it was so cool. Every so often I ask him if he can find it. He thinks he still has it, but is not sure where it is. Anyway, thanks for letting me share my story on what was one of the greatest nights of my life.
I've heard this one before, but I never get tired of reading it. This is by far my fave "band meeting" story of all time. Love it.
"Oh Canada...you're beautiful when you're drunk" -EV 8/14/93
OK. I have a very long story that I have been wanting to post for while. I have told it to a few people on here already, but after reading some of these stories, I decided to post mine as well. In 1996 the Who played six nights of their Quadrophenia show at MSG. I had tickets to see one of them. After that show through a chain of events that started with me randomly meeting one of the lighting guys and ending up with me meeting Pete Townshend's brother Paul, I got a backstage pass for their final night's shows (courtesy of Paul Townshend). I watched the entire show from the soundboard with Roger Daltrey's daughers. It was a great show. After it was over, I went backstage and met Pete Townshend. He was my hero at the time, and I was completely in shock. He was nice enough to sign my ticket and take a photo with me using my 35mm film camera that I brought. I also got one of his picks. That would have been enough. However, a few people I met backstage invited me to go to a bar with them around the corner. We get to the bar and at this big table are a bunch of people including Pete Townshend, and Eddie Vedder. I sat down at the table and could not say a word. I was really tongue tied. After about 20 minutes Pete stood up and said his goodbyes, but the rest of us stayed. I told Paul that I was a fan of Pearl Jam. So, he brought be over to Eddie and introduced me. At that point, Eddie was sitting at one of those high bar tables with the stools. He told me to have a seat. Paul walked away and I sat and talked with Eddie for about 20 minutes. He was really nice. I was working on my doctoral dissertation at the time and he asked me to tell him about it. After a while, word got out that he was there and the bar got really crowded. People were coming up to our table and asking him to sign things. He did it for a while, then I could tell he was getting over it. I was still sitting there the whole time.
The bar was getting ready to close and John Entwhistle's girlfriend (who I had met earlier) invited us all back to their hotel suite (at the Riga Royal hotel - which is no longer around). John was not at the bar, so I hadn't seen him yet. Anyway, we all go back to the suite (which was bigger than my apartment), and had an after party. At one point I found myself in the kitchen with Eddie Vedder and some other guy smoking a joint and talking about the Beach Boys. It was all so surreal. John Entwhistle was really drunk and passed out under the dining room table. At around 7:00am his girlfriend kicked us all out. I gave Eddie a hug goodbye and told him how much I loved his music and meeting him. I then asked him if I could get a photo with him since I was still carrying around my camera. He said I didn't need a photo and tapped me on the head and said all the photos I need were right there. I guess that was his way of saying NO!! you can't take my photo. Of course I respected it. No cell phones then to sneakily take any photos. I only had that big film camera.
After that I had to go to work, but was high on adrenaline for a long time. When I was at work I sent my friend in Prague a long email detailing the entire night. I am sure that email has more details than I remember here. He did print out the email since he thought it was so cool. Every so often I ask him if he can find it. He thinks he still has it, but is not sure where it is. Anyway, thanks for letting me share my story on what was one of the greatest nights of my life.
I've heard this one before, but I never get tired of reading it. This is by far my fave "band meeting" story of all time. Love it.
Thanks. I remember telling you this story a while ago. I finally posted it all this time later.
OK. I have a very long story that I have been wanting to post for while. I have told it to a few people on here already, but after reading some of these stories, I decided to post mine as well. In 1996 the Who played six nights of their Quadrophenia show at MSG. I had tickets to see one of them. After that show through a chain of events that started with me randomly meeting one of the lighting guys and ending up with me meeting Pete Townshend's brother Paul, I got a backstage pass for their final night's shows (courtesy of Paul Townshend). I watched the entire show from the soundboard with Roger Daltrey's daughers. It was a great show. After it was over, I went backstage and met Pete Townshend. He was my hero at the time, and I was completely in shock. He was nice enough to sign my ticket and take a photo with me using my 35mm film camera that I brought. I also got one of his picks. That would have been enough. However, a few people I met backstage invited me to go to a bar with them around the corner. We get to the bar and at this big table are a bunch of people including Pete Townshend, and Eddie Vedder. I sat down at the table and could not say a word. I was really tongue tied. After about 20 minutes Pete stood up and said his goodbyes, but the rest of us stayed. I told Paul that I was a fan of Pearl Jam. So, he brought be over to Eddie and introduced me. At that point, Eddie was sitting at one of those high bar tables with the stools. He told me to have a seat. Paul walked away and I sat and talked with Eddie for about 20 minutes. He was really nice. I was working on my doctoral dissertation at the time and he asked me to tell him about it. After a while, word got out that he was there and the bar got really crowded. People were coming up to our table and asking him to sign things. He did it for a while, then I could tell he was getting over it. I was still sitting there the whole time.
The bar was getting ready to close and John Entwhistle's girlfriend (who I had met earlier) invited us all back to their hotel suite (at the Riga Royal hotel - which is no longer around). John was not at the bar, so I hadn't seen him yet. Anyway, we all go back to the suite (which was bigger than my apartment), and had an after party. At one point I found myself in the kitchen with Eddie Vedder and some other guy smoking a joint and talking about the Beach Boys. It was all so surreal. John Entwhistle was really drunk and passed out under the dining room table. At around 7:00am his girlfriend kicked us all out. I gave Eddie a hug goodbye and told him how much I loved his music and meeting him. I then asked him if I could get a photo with him since I was still carrying around my camera. He said I didn't need a photo and tapped me on the head and said all the photos I need were right there. I guess that was his way of saying NO!! you can't take my photo. Of course I respected it. No cell phones then to sneakily take any photos. I only had that big film camera.
After that I had to go to work, but was high on adrenaline for a long time. When I was at work I sent my friend in Prague a long email detailing the entire night. I am sure that email has more details than I remember here. He did print out the email since he thought it was so cool. Every so often I ask him if he can find it. He thinks he still has it, but is not sure where it is. Anyway, thanks for letting me share my story on what was one of the greatest nights of my life.
What a fantastic story! A truly unforgettable epic night that must have been.
"A smart monkey doesn't monkey around with another monkey's monkey" - Darwin's Theory
Wow, quite a collection! I want to hear any stories you are willing to tell, but I am *especially* wanting to hear show (and before/after show) details of Frank Zappa, David Bowie, and RICHARD PRYOR LIVE??? Wow, how were those?
Ok, Richard Pryor. I'll write
on that. Definitely before/after to this. But deeper then just the concert. About a time in the life of a white Chicago teen and his diverse friends playing records by this outrageous black comedian on the back stairs on a portable record player. On these recording Richard spoke and joked about things we knew well and about things we didn't know quite so well - yet. Another thing about the records was the audience could be heard laughing even when Richard Pryor wasn't talking. So you knew there was more to it. Had to see a show.
A show on the tour I saw in
1983 was filmed and officially released. It’s called Here and Now.
These were sober times for
Richard Pryor and he talked to Johnny Carson about that year:
Hilarious. Good hiding spot! Music is a tool to fix my head. Your setlists makes me wish I saw sg a couple more times. Those songs must have been killer live.
Comments
Great story!
I'm dead asleep the first week after my sophomore year of high school ended. The phone is ringing and no one is answering. So I roll out of bed and answer it. It's my friend Steve " hey what are you doing?" I'm asleep dude its like 7:30 whatthefuckyouwant?.
He says " how much cash you got?" I'm like I don't know maybe a hundred. "Great meet me outside in 10 BYE". So I get dressed grab my cash and meet him outside. I get in his car and ask him some form of WTF? He says "you'll see". We drive to downtown DC, park, and walk over to the Warner Theater. The Marquis says "Under Construction" but there are maybe 20 people standing in line outside the B.O. window. Turns out we're there to buy tickets for a secret Stones show. He buys a pair in the 5th row center, I get a pair in the 6th row. He grabs my tickets and takes me home.
He picks me up that afternoon to go to the show, hands me an envelope with his extra 5th row ticket and $150. He says " don't ask, enjoy the show, and don't ask". It was an amazing night. My first Stones show and not my last.
JH, no doubt the girl is the best part of the story. Certainly felt like da man at the time, and that experience did wonders for my confidence as a teen!
When I was 13 we went to see the Rolling Stones, and through a funny sequence of events during the show involving someone behind us trying to throw a bouquet of roses onstage, missing, hitting us, roses everywhere, I told my friend Kathy to give me her gum, for some reason I think it's funny to write her home phone # (yay landlines!) on a piece of paper, stick it to a rose with gum, and throw it onstage. No one ever picked it up during the show and as far as we knew, it just got swept up as garbage at the end. It was an incredible show, also on a school night, and after the show we went back to my friend's house and went to sleep.
At 4:00am her mom knocked on her door and said "Um, Kathy... the Rolling Stones are on the phone asking for you???" We got up and Kathy got on the phone and I listened on another line (yay landlines!) and a very British, very intoxicated guy was like "Kathy! Come party with us! It's the Rolling Stones! Come to our hotel!" Kathy & I were thinking 13yr old versions of "What the actual fuck??!!" but Kathy said "Well, thanks, but we're 13 yrs old and we have school tomorrow so we can't go out." Pause on other end, then even more excited in what we look back on as a disturbing thing "Kathy! BRING YOUR FRIENDS! Come party with us! We're the Rolling Stones! Come to our hotel!!!"
We are pretty sure they were somehow really connected to the tour (roadies or friends of roadies) but whether there were any actual Stones or not, we laughed about it, went back to bed, and were on time for our 8:20am 1st period high school class later that morning.
I'd completely forgotten that story, then Kathy tells it at my 40th birthday party to everyone, including my new at the time boyfriend (now husband) and let's just say I was like "And THAT will be the last story Kathy tells today!"
We were front row for that show, obviously very young girls (about 5 of us high school students crammed into 2 seats), and we knew Bill Wyman supposedly never smiles onstage, so we spent A LOT of time trying to get him to laugh, and we did, many times. What we did NOT know was his, erm, interest in young girls, so now when we reminisce about that show we kind of feel icky about how much time we spent interacting with him, but we did have a great time and never were closer than 30 ft away from him so that's a good thing.
Eh, we are British, we dont follow your rules. Creepy.
I’ll tease this and work on memories related. I’ll be back, you’ve been warned
Muddy Waters opened for Eric Clapton. Also saw Muddy Waters around that time in a bar near Illinois/Wisconsin border. I’ll write something on that first. Crazy times chasing lowest legal drinking age…driving!
Three Fish
July 1996 San Francisco
June 1999 Chicago
It was the first time I'd seen him that he didn't whip his dick out.
We chatted about every time we ran into each other after that. We agreed that we were both smart to marry attorneys.
I also became pretty close friends with Brian Johnson in the 1990s. He even took me for a spin in an Aston Martin that he had just bought, opening the fucker up on I-75.
I had drag raced with my friends as a teen and had been behind the wheel or in the passenger seat of many powerful cars, but I'd never felt a kick like that Aston Martin had. It was like being in a slingshot. Awesome machine!
I have some cool stories as well....will type them up someday. In the meantime, keep 'em coming!
www.cluthelee.com
www.cluthe.com
Edited to add: Oh yeah and DEFINITELY want to hear the Muddy Waters stories!
-EV 8/14/93
I was so absorbed in that great story
astoria 06
albany 06
hartford 06
reading 06
barcelona 06
paris 06
wembley 07
dusseldorf 07
nijmegen 07
this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
Ok, Richard Pryor. I'll write on that. Definitely before/after to this. But deeper then just the concert. About a time in the life of a white Chicago teen and his diverse friends playing records by this outrageous black comedian on the back stairs on a portable record player. On these recording Richard spoke and joked about things we knew well and about things we didn't know quite so well - yet. Another thing about the records was the audience could be heard laughing even when Richard Pryor wasn't talking. So you knew there was more to it. Had to see a show.
A show on the tour I saw in 1983 was filmed and officially released. It’s called Here and Now.
These were sober times for Richard Pryor and he talked to Johnny Carson about that year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuV1tgw-YII
It may take a while to put together. So many of you write so beautifully, I may ask someone to read my post before I post it.
Three Fish
July 1996 San Francisco
June 1999 Chicago
astoria 06
albany 06
hartford 06
reading 06
barcelona 06
paris 06
wembley 07
dusseldorf 07
nijmegen 07
this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
Your setlists makes me wish I saw sg a couple more times. Those songs must have been killer live.
Post them here if you want. Cool to see a bunch of different setlists in one spot.