Okee dokee folks… I just realized that I have been attending concerts for 50 years now. In that span of time I have seen countless shows. I honestly have no idea how many I have been to, but it’s a LOT.
In comparison to today’s kids, I got a bit of a late start. I was the oldest kid in my family and I had to be the trailblazer for everything. I was 15 when I was finally allowed to go.
My first show was Seals and Crofts at The Providence Civic Center (and I still call it that, too!) in June of 1976. Arena shows were the thing back then and they were cheap! An average ticket price was between $5.00-$7.50. I had a part time job and working at minimum wage for 2-3 hours would pay for admission. Sometimes I would end up going to a concert a week. My poor parents had to drive to Providence and drop me off and then come back to pick me up (yes, I would occasionally go alone!). Sometimes my friend’s parents would drive – or an older friend who had their license, if we got parental approval. Fortunately, I only had to bug the parental units for one year before I got my license and could drive myself!
Getting the tickets would sometimes be a challenge. There was no internet and we had to go straight to the Civic Center or a record store ticket outlet to buy them. I used to have the Civic Center’s phone number memorized and would call them every few days to find out about shows and sale dates. My grandparents would sometimes pick up the tickets for me and once my grandfather wound up with his photo in the ProJo because he was buying tix for Fleetwood Mac.
I used to keep meticulous records of who played – headliner and opener, the date of the show, photos, programs, and souvenirs (guitar picks, drum sticks, etc). That lapsed after a few years and now I have to rely on fuzzy memories.
Of the bazillion concerts I have attended (so far) in my life there are many that are memorable, most from my youth: Bruce Springsteen’s 4 hour show on a school night, when I paid $5 for the ticket from a scalper 5 minutes before the show; Fleetwood Mac – having Stevie Nicks grab me by the hand and not wanting to let go. I was 16! Seeing Journey, Rush, Cheap Trick, and many other notable bands as opening acts. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Neil Young outside the Civic Center for 10 minutes and having no clue that it was him. Sneaking into the arena to see Genesis. Elton John at Schaefer Stadium in Foxboro on July 4, 1976. At a different show, Elton John reaching down and grabbing my hand as I walked by the stage. Seeing Queen with Freddie Mercury – a FEW times, all memorable!!! Hanging out in the green room with the Doobie Brothers at 15 when Pat Simmons let me play his guitar. That time Ronnie James Dio pulled me onstage at The Leroy Theatre while Ritchie Blackmore smashed his Strat. These are the memories that have not faded from my sieve of a brain, but there are so many more if I were to dig. I have many, many more from later years of press access and musician perks. There are, of course, many acts I have never seen. Music has always been my life and I am forever grateful that I have been able to experience so much of it, LIVE! Read on.
Well, I mused a bit long so I will just give you some quick notes of a few, LIVE music and festival experiences that you can add to your lists.
For my Roots Report Podcast, I interviewed two performers who are coming to the area. Five For Fighting’s John Ondrasik and ELP’s Carl Palmer. John Ondrasik will be at The Narrows on September 29. He is known for the songs “Superman (It’s Not Easy),” “100 Years,” and “The Riddle,” and will be performing with a string quartet at this show. narrowscenter.org
The legendary drummer, Carl Palmer, who was one third of Emerson, Lake and Palmer as well as part of the super-group Asia, will be performing at The Greenwich Odeum on September 11. The show combines video performance of Emerson and Lake from a Royal Albert Hall ELP show from 1992 with live-on-stage performances by Carl Palmer with his own ELP Legacy band (Paul Bielatowicz and Simon Fitzpatrick). greenwichodeum.com You can listen to these podcasts and more at motifri.com/rootsreportpodcast.
Intention Fest, a free wellness and peace festival, will take place from 11-5 on Sunday, September 27, by the Little Nini Beach Pond and Observatory at Ninigret Park in Charlestown. A variety of free events will be going on including: Sound Bath, Tai Chi, Yoga, Live Acoustic Music, Song Circle and Meditations throughout the day. Check the website for the schedule of activities. intentionfest.info
One of the finest singer-songwriters of her generation, Karla Bonoff, will be at The Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport on September 12. “Bonoff has enjoyed critical acclaim, commercial success, enduring popularity, and the unwavering respect of her peers.” Her song “Personally” was a top 20 hit and others have been covered by artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Wynonna Judd, Trisha Yearwood, and most famously, Linda Rondstat. janepickens.com
I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you about these shows: On Saturday, September 12, Nicole Gauthier and I will be at Chan’s in Woonsocket with our Joni Mitchell and Cat Stevens Tribute show. Thejonicatshow.com, chanseggrollsjazz.com
The following Saturday, Sept 19, we are part of a bigger show called Legends Of Folk that will be at The Assembly Theatre in Harrisville. Besides Nicole and I, Avi Jacob will be playing the music of Bob Dylan and Kala Farnham will be covering Joni Mitchell. assemblytheatre.org
That’s it for now. You can listen to my podcasts at motifri.com/rootsreportpodcast. You can find my concert photographs at motifri.com/fuzeksfotos. Thanks for reading and listening.