Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Sitting In The Cheap Seats


Begging my uptight parents for the umpteenth time to pretty please let me go to this concert, I finally got a YES! My first concert ever and it was The Rolling Stones at Solider Field.

Earth to parents! What in the world were you thinking? I learned more that day than four years of high school!

That Saturday, the trains were packed with thousands migrating to the city; heading to the concert of the decade! I was lucky to be going and luckier for a ticket, as were the 60,000+. Seats were general admission, so if you weren’t early, you sat at the back like us! Mind you, we got there at 9:00 a.m. for a concert that started at 6:00 though backup bands played all day.

This crazy ass day began my lifelong love of going to concerts. I’ve seen many a concert from the cheap seats. 

When my daughter asked for four Bon Jovi/Daughtry tickets for Christmas a few years back, I was thrilled, mostly because getting a teenager to provide a Christmas list is difficult in itself. She was over the moon even though they were just short of the “nose bleed” section. I was a bit concerned with the concert venue; the United Center is in a seedy part of town.

As the date approached, I became extremely hesitant to let young girls drive down to the stadium at night and park in a dark lot even with a pass. My excuse to go? I got online and bought two tickets thinking I’d drag a friend.

Entering the stadium, I pointed out the girls’ gate and headed a different direction entirely. Just as the concert was about to start, I got a text from my daughter. “Mom, where are you?” I replied, “Look towards the stage and I’ll stand on my chair.” The answer I got back was, “Mooooooom!!!!!!”

I don’t do the cheap seats anymore, darling! 

Cheap:

 Please remember:

1.             Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.
2.             You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.
3.             The word itself needs to be included in your response.
4.             You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above. 
5.             Your post must include a link back to Trifecta.
6.             Please submit your post's permalink, not the main page of your blog.  For example: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/2012/03/trifextra-week-eight.html not www.trifectawritingchallenge.com.

22 comments:

dunce two said...

This sounds like a lot of fun! Hooray for no more cheap seats!

Gina said...

Both were great. The Stones concert was monumental. Couldn't believe I got the "go ahead" from my parents! If they only knew...

I've paid my dues at a lot of concerts where I was lucky to attend even if the seats weren't great. I guess I can add this to the list of my costly and bad habits!

OldDogNewTits said...

That's excellent! My daughter is only 9 but we've already seen a Katy Perry concert together. (Don't judge me too harshly. Someone else bought the tickets.) I hope to follow in your footsteps in the future. Great interpretation of the prompt.

I fought the urge to do a similar story about a Cheap Trick concert many years ago. Yes, I KNOW that would be double dipping! :)

Gina said...

I would totally go to a Katy Perry concert so no judgement here! I cracked up with your double dipping comment. Saw Cheap Trick, too, when they came to my school.

Unknown said...

Oh Gina my friend this brings back such memories for me. My first concert my friend Barbara and I with her older brother and friends, we saw Alice Cooper. Back in the day singing the whole Dead Babies thing ripping head off dolls and throwing them into the audience- lots of snakes and stuff, just awesome. I sometimes wonder if my parents knew what we were seeing that night, LOL...I was 13 and loved every darn minute of it. ah the memories!!

Gina said...

Alice Cooper!!! Holy cats! That must have been just crazy and a little bizarre. You were so young. I was 16. Great memories.

My parents didn't worry about me as much as I do my kids and, quite possibly, they should have. Still in one piece, though!

dunce two said...

Now THAT sounds like an interesting list...

Gina said...

It's quite long.

dunce two said...

I'm listening...

Gina said...

Well there's no chance of me sharing that list for the www to read. People might judge me.

According to Mags... said...

This sounds like a blast! What a cool mom you are!

Libby said...

My first concert was Rush at Comiskey Park. :)

Gina said...

It was a blast but unfortunately my kids don't always think I'm cool...only sometimes. I think I used to be cool though, at least in my mind!

Gina said...

A fellow Chi-town girl??? We went to concerts rather young way back then.

barbara said...

good for you, mama!

Oh, my . . . my own memories of concerts are much less exciting . . . I am that much older. :) I went to Vets Memorial (now renamed, I think) in downtown Columbus Ohio to see the likes of the Animals, Peter, Paul and Mary, Peter and Gordon . . . Rosey Grier (yes, the football player). Ahhh sweet youth. :)

Gina said...

You were a concert goer too. I feel like the bands I knew and loved back then date me as well. IMO, there's nothing like live music. I would see just about anything...not picky at all!

dunce two said...

Ha ha! Well, we wouldn't want that. I guess the www will just have to use their imaginations. I will tell them to be kind.

Gina said...

They'll have to be pretty creative, at least for a few!

Anonymous said...

Hahaha!!!! I don't either. I've discovered how amazing it is to actually see the band (as opposed to the jumbotron) and haven't gone back. It's funny, being the daughter of a musician, I used to think the visuals weren't as important as the hearing. But I accidentally got good seats to a concert (Weird Al Yankovic of all things) and it changed my perspective completely. The big screen can't catch it all. And it's so worth being close to the stage. So much the better if it's a small venue.

And the Stones at Soldier Field? I.Am. JEALOUS.

Gina said...

JQ,
It was the concert of a lifetime. So many people...all day long...music, music, music!

I agree. Nothing like actually seeing the singers' faces. Makes all the difference. Not going back either!

Saw Lady Antebellum at the Chicago Theater a year or so ago, right before they were HUGE. Small venue, they wanted to show everyone their talent. Charming and humble! Probably one of the best concerts I have EVER seen!

Trifecta said...

Thanks so much for linking up with this fun piece. I love music and concerts, so I'm right there with you. I'm with you and JQ on this one--the Jumbotron may be the worst invention ever. Saw U2 last year, and if I'm honest, I'd have rather been at home, watching them on DVD. At least the beer would've been cheaper. I need to see facial expressions, see beads of sweat, feel a connection to the artist. No sense going otherwise.

My mother also let me go to a concert she shouldn't have. I was 15; she let me miss school for it. What an education.

See you back soon.

Gina said...

Sometimes I wonder about what my did and didn't let me do when I was in high school. I was always pushing them though so maybe I wore them down a bit.

Gotta see their faces and get lost in it. I'm not paying for the Jumbotron.

See you around next week at Trifecta!