Summer Concert Memories

One of the things I used to enjoy was going to concerts. I don't really go to them anymore because I am a mom and well it is hard to get away to go to one. I remember my first concert, it was The Cranberries when I was in the seventh grade. My sister's first concert was New Kids on the Block, I think. I could be wrong. I was never in to New Kids on the Block so I am not so excited as everyone else is about the reunion concert. When I was in high school, every summer my dad would take my sister and I to see Steve Miller at Deer Creek. I looked forward to it each summer because it was something special my dad shared with us, the love of music. We also went to other concerts at fairs, but Steve Miller was always my favorite. I was pretty naive when I was younger and I didn't realize what the other people at the concert were doing. I thought that they all just had really bad body odor. I remember asking later why it smelled so bad, and I was told why.

The last concert I went to was Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was a long time ago. It was literally spur of the moment as things often were before I was a mom. We hadn't gone through a big ticket shop to get our tickets. We fought through traffic which was completely backed up. We got to the concert not even knowing if we would get tickets. There were a ton of people who wanted to see Lynyrd Skynyrd too. After standing there for what seemed like hours, a friend was able to get us tickets. The concert was awesome. Everyone was singing a long and having a great time. When you go to a concert lawn seats are the way to go, but they only had pavilion so it was kind of crunched. I remember bawling at the first notes of Tuesday's Gone.  I felt like a total weirdo but it made me remember my miscarriage.

I would love to take Noah to concerts when he gets older. He loves music, especially Rock n Roll. I think it would be fun to make those memories with my son, just as my dad did with me.

The Camping Music Fans

There are a few campgrounds in my area, not because I live by a national park or even a state park but because there is a music center close by. In the summer I see many camping tents at the local camp ground, which really is someone’s yard with port-o-potties. There are probably three trees not what you think of when you think of people camping out. I assume they make great money by charging people to camp there. They have tried to sell it many times but I am sure the insurance is really expensive on the campground. Most of the time I only know who is playing by what is written on the welcome sign.

I often wonder what goes on at night after the concert is over, and there are all those people with their camping gear. I am assuming it would be kind of scary because you have no idea how drunk these strangers are what kind of drugs they are on, and what kind of life they lead. I am sure it is one big party but, I don’t think you could pay me enough to spend one night there during a Phish concert which seems to be one of their busiest weekends.

I am curious what the owners must be like. I wouldn’t be able to tolerate the immoral activity taking place on my property if I owned it. I am pretty sure there is illegal drug use at the campground too. I wouldn’t be able to turn the other cheek; I would feel like I had an obligation to not allow that kind of behavior and I probably wouldn’t be very successful in the campground rental business.

Have you ever camped out after a concert? What did you think of your experience? If you haven’t would you put yourself in the situation?