Well, I was surprised to discover that I'm a critical 'component' to the Week 4: BG-Pauly Gamble-thon - the question being the sum total of the times I and the Iggster have seen a Grateful Dead concert. Interesting wager. It got me to thinking of the sum total of all concerts I've ever seen and to, subsequently, take another walk down memory lane. Care to join me - I knew you would...
There aren't a massive number to count. Proximity and lack of funds made it prohibitive to see many of the major acts of "my day" or any day, for that matter. But there were some which came through OKC I did manage to see; some who came through Columbia, MO where I went to college and through Oregon and Phoenix the brief time I dwelt in those places. The earliest concerts I remember were when I was in junior high school. One of my best girlfriend's dad owned one of the local amusement parks, so we'd get prime seating for the groups that were on the circuit - which really was the genesis of arena concerts in general, dating back to the 30s & 40s when acts would tour the summer resorts and amusement parks - long before mega arenas and the Beatles' arrival to Shea Stadium.
I saw The Beach Boys, The Kingsmen (Louie-Louie - I even knew the dirty lyrics...), Herman's Hermits, and Freddie & the Dreamers (I think I still have Freddy's autograph on some spin art; and I saw him in his underwear....) at the amusement park. The Ike & Tina Turner Review came through the fair grounds and played in a small exhibit building. The seating was folding chairs, no stage, and I was on the front row. I remember thinking the singers' skirts were really short. This was a before they hit it big. I saw Simon & Garfunkel when I was in 9th grade. My friend and I got all the way down by the stage by the end of the concert so that when they left the stage, they walked right by us - way cool - and we found their car & chauffeur outside and he let us sit in the car. There was some mail to Paul Simon in the back seat I considered stealing, but I chickened out. When they came out they said hello. Wow.
My senior year in high school I saw Peter Paul & Mary in Dallas. This was very special because by that time I was a hopeful folk singer in the local scene singing regularly at a local coffee house - I idolized Joan Baez and I totally alienated my grandparents who were insistent that I play for them and so I sang my rendition of Bob Dylan' Masters of War. They never asked again. I sang for and with Leonard Nemoy - he joined me for a duet of (wait for it) --- If I Had a Hammer. I gave him my string of hippie beads and a kiss on the cheek - oddly enough I really didn't know who he was having never watched Star Trek. I didn't become a Trekker until it hit syndication later.
In college I saw Judy Collins; Arlo Guthrie (Harry Chapin opened); Moody Blues; It's a Beautiful Day (White Bird being their big hit); James Taylor & Carol King (hitchhiked from Columbia to St. Louis for that one - got picked up by a woman who drove 90 - 100 mph, scaring the living crap out of us. She had to get to the airport to pick up her husband before dropping us off. Her husband was the person who wrote the tune "Tequila"). I know there were probably others during that time, but some of that time is also rather, er.... foggy.
Since college and to now some I've seen include Waylon Jennings & the Outlaws (Willie wasn't with 'em on that tour and it was free - my roommate worked in the E.R. and the road manager came in with an injury and gave some of the E.R. staff on duty free tickets to the concert...); Manhattan Transfer in Phoenix - Martin Mull opening; Bette Midler (with Barry Manilow on piano) in Oregon - we dressed in full Midler-esque regalia for that one; George Harrison in Tulsa; Leon Russell; Joni Mitchell; Jethro Tull (twice); Rolling Stones - Bridges to Babylon tour; Bruce Springsteen (when he tires of Patty he can give me a call).
During a 9 year stint running a performing arts facility we had numerous concerts there. It was small so no mega groups, but a few came through before hitting bigger markets. The Flaming Lips (local boys made good); Tori Amos (a highlight of my time there, I have a special autograph from her); Michael Hedges (one of the premier guitarists of his time, which was cut way too short). And I've seen about 20 years of jazz concerts with some jazz greats due to a close affiliation with this organization.
I'm pretty picky about concert-going these days. I want to be close or not go. The one band I wanted to see most I never got to - and that was, of course, The Beatles. I still have my Beatles scrapbook.
Oh....and The Grateful Dead? I was on my way from Santa Fe to Taos on a solo road trip through New Mexico when I heard on the radio that Jerry Garcia had died. I thought an era had come to an end. Apparently not. When did I see them? I don't know. I don't honestly know if I've seen them or not....if I did it was in college during the 'fog' - which would be totally appropriate that I wouldn't remember a Dead concert. So...I'd have to say that the number of times I've seen The Grateful Dead is from zero to I don't know....sorry, Pauly.
