concert – Leigha Robbins

Mumbles … Arena

A magical night

Relieved for weeks in her mind

Embracing the experience

Never to forget

A meet and greet behind the arena door

Back when I was a teenager, a friend and I got the rush of a lifetime meeting some of our idols before a concert. I will never forget how much I was shaking and how much I felt on cloud nine afterwards. Of course the most memorable show was the one in the front row… but that story is for another time.

Now I have heard of at least a half dozen groups who do “meet and greets” for a price. You get to have your picture taken, maybe ask a question and then you’re out the door and they get ready for the show. I have seen price tags starting at $150 on up (beyond the ticket price)… it all depends on the group and how popular they are. I know the costs of touring have really gone up and musicians were hurt when covid hit without being able to do what made them the most money – tour. I would really like to see these events more attainable to the everyday person though, those who have to scrape together ticket money just to see the show. I just don’t know how to make that happen. Meeting someone like that can really be a moment to last forever in your mind.

A concert by a favorite act can always make me smile. But there are some memories that will never leave me (like the band member walking barefoot through the bar looking for his shoes after one show). An arena was a favorite place of mine in my past… I guess at 56 I am too old to holler and scream at a concert? Ah, hell no! Bring on the bands!

*****

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – arena

Mumbles … Prof(f)it

I am going to stretch this word of the day a little bit… just enough to make room for another F. The band Mason Proffit was a group I grew up listening to their music. I was too young when they were at their height in the 60s and 70s but we had albums my parents and sister played all the time. I still to this day know most of the words to the songs off the albums Moving Toward Happiness and Two Hangman.

I grew up mostly after the group had disbanded. I even heard through a friend that one of the Talbot brothers became a monk. All I know is in the 2000s I got a shock. Mason Proffit had reformed with a new group of musicians and was playing a concert in my state! I was over the moon and HAD TO go. I did. My sister, daughter and I all went to the show and the music sounded as good as ever. They even played a few new songs… but I was there for the ones I knew by heart. And they did not disappoint.

I will share the one song of theirs I used to occasionally hear on a local radio station back in the 80s. I will refrain from sharing every song I like (there are a LOT). So listen to the lyrics of this one and enjoy the many layers of vocals at the end.

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – profit

It Never Hurts To Ask

The song ended and there was a tumultuous roar from the crowd. The band had performed a final encore and the crowd was still hungry for more. There was applause and stomping, yelling and screaming for more. But the band had already spent all their energy after a two-and-a-half-hour concert.

The crowd slowly began to quiet, realizing the band would not return again, and Donna picked up her purse and made her way to the stage. She had a friend who had done this and had to try. She saw one of the stagehands unplugging wires and asked, “Excuse me, is it possible to get a set list from the show?”

He turned to her and smiled. “Sure, do you have a preference as to who’s list it is?”

She thought for a moment, “I would like Joe’s if I could.”

“No problem, miss.” He went towards the keyboards where Joe had just performed and grabbed a sheet of paper taking it to Donna.

“Oh, thank you so much, sir.” She was in heaven from the live music and the unbelievable bit of memorabilia she had just scored. This was one of her best concerts ever. Now, if there was just a way to meet Joe, she thought.

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – tumultuous

Rock On

She climbed the stairs of the coliseum and looked ahead for row numbers. This had been a last-minute concert idea and their seats were in the upper balcony. Her Dad would have called them seats in the nose-bleed section because they were so high up.

They found their seats and settled in for a good show. Her sister and her had decided to go to the show for old times sake. Many years ago, they had stood in line for tickets to see The Boss, and here they were going to another Bruce Spingsteen show more than thirty years later.

As the show began, they were instantly aware that despite being more than 70 years old, Bruce still knew how to rock and roll! They clapped and screamed and hollered and were repaid with an encore. And as they left the coliseum with their ears ringing and hands numb the smiles on their faces gave away that they had thoroughly enjoyed the show.

(added bonus… one of my favorites off the Seeger Sessions CD, Pay Me My Money Down live)

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – upper

(A2Z) Very Visual Fun

Van Halen, Vanilla Ice, Vince Gill, Village People… Valleri, Vacation, Vienna, Video Killed the Radio Star… Violin, vivace, vibrato, vocal music… very diverse verses.

This is something out of the ordinary. It is something I found I enjoyed a lot more than I thought I would. This is Video Games Live. It is a concert experience like no other. Tommy Tallarico hosts the concerts that take place with a local symphony. The music is not your normal symphony pieces though.

The local symphonies practice and perfect video game music. The stage show runs video footage of the games the songs are from. And it is lighted like a rock concert. I only play a select few games, so I didn’t know all the songs or anything, but they all sounded awesome! First time I have been to a symphony with yelling and cheering going on (that was at Tommy’s request).

After the show (at the show I went to) Tommy set up to sign autographs. Unfortunately, we were unable to stand in line as we had a long drive home. But we did purchase some merchandise before the night ended.

The concert and available CDs include everything from the early 8bit songs to the driving rock tunes written exclusively for todays edgy games. They have costume or cosplay contests of the video game characters. Giveaways on stage and it is so much FUN!

Unfortunately, with covid there is only one concert on their tour schedule right now and it is not until next year. Check out their website here and this is a piece of one of their shows.

Blogging A to Z April Prompt

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U

(A2Z) Many Musical Moments

Manhatten Transfer, Monkees, Meatloaf, Moody Blues… Mony, Mony, Maple Leaf Rag, Mad World, Make You Feel My Love… Major, movement, Music Man, melody… many more musical mentions.

About the time I was 9 or 10 years old, my sister was really into music and would let me listen to records with her. One she often played had come from a recommendation of our neighbor. He introduced Mason Proffitt to my folks and my sister really enjoyed them too. I became hooked on the song they did that made the radio airplay. It was a song called “Two Hangmen.”

I grew older and embraced all of the songs. They were from the 60s and 70s and had messages about freedom, no war, peace, Native American rights… they were very reminiscent of the time. One of the lines I recall the best is “Flowers beads a good disguise but don’t forget the shades that cover your eyes to keep your mind tied down. If you’re real, you’ll learn to think as well as feel,” from the song “Walk on Down the Road.” And I know all of “Two Hangmen” by heart. “… It seems the folks were up in arms, a man now had to die, for believing things that didn’t fit the laws they set aside…”

One of my favorites is a song called “Buffalo.” It talks of a Native American upon a buffalo nickel that gets up and looks around seeing things that were wrong. “… this reservation’s wrong, who’s this white man, my people never smile, where is my brother, my children ignorant, where is my squaw…” It still sends chills every time I hear it.

I never thought I would be able to see them preform live, but a few years ago my sister and I got to attend a concert at the Surf Ballroom. It was magnificent, they sounded as good as the albums even all those years later. You can also find some of their songs on YouTube from the Wanted and Moving Towards Happiness albums. Here is another one of my favorites…

(if this works right… it is part of a playlist, but starting at the song Old Joe Clark)

Blogging A to Z April Prompt

A B C D E F G H I J K L

(A2Z) Listen To This

Lady Gaga, Lindsey Stirling, Led Zeppelin, Lenny Kravitz… La Bamaba, LA Woman, Love Will Keep Us Together, Love Shack… live music, lyrics, largo, lyre… listen to the music.

Ok, I have a confession. I was once young, foolish and reckless. Another confession I was heavily into country music in the early 80s – the time of “country rock.” This is how the two met one day.

A very small county fair had a concert my friend called me about. It was Louise Mandrell. You may recall her sister Barbara as the more famous sister, but Louise did ok for herself too. Anyway, my friend and I went to the fair in a small-town west of us.

Louise put on a great show. We didn’t have the greatest seats, but we were not blind, she had a cute band member or two. So, the time in the show where she introduces the band came and my friend and I were very vocal about each introduction. Finally, Louise said we should come on up stage and meet them. Oh – my – goodness, we did! My friend took the lead I ran to catch up and a third girl ran up on stage with us. We started on the left side of the stage and went around to each band member to get hugs and handshakes. Then we hopped down and went back to our seats.

After the show we got autographs of most of the band. And it was a night we will never forget… besides we can’t there were pictures taken. Ha, ha!

I am guessing videos were not big in the career of Louise, as a search came back with few choices. Here is one of her covering a rock song originally by Dave Edmunds.

Blogging A to Z April Prompt

A B C D E F G H I J K

Just a Small Town Girl

Julian Lennon, Joan Jett, Janice Joplin, Jackson 5… Joy to the World, Juke Box Hero, Jack and Diane, Janie’s Got a Gun… Jug band, jive, jam session, jazz… just to name a few.

Don’t Stop Believing was on the Escape (E5C4P3) album that Journey released in July of 1981. It was a favorite of my friends and I, so much so that we did a lot of talking to our parents as soon as we heard Journey would be in town. We successfully negotiated being allowed to go to our first concert unaccompanied by parents, for me it was my first concert all together.

It would have been a memorable show just from the amazing performance Journey did on stage. But honestly, my most vivid memory came from my time sitting in the seats – I was the last one on the right. We were clapping and screaming and dancing in our seats when the lady in the seat just in front and to the left of me turned around and asked if I wanted a hit, holding a joint. Now, first concert, first encounter with a physical joint in my presence and you must remember my dad was on the police force. I felt like it took eons for me to answer her with a no, but I really only stumbled over my words for a short time. I turned to my friend on my left and just raised my eyebrows and we both started to laugh. I was a very naïve teenager probably 15 at the time. What an introduction to the world of rock and roll.

Now the night was not a total goodie two shoes night. One of my friends called her friend and he brought a six pack of beer for us. I think I had maybe two drinks and was not impressed. But we were on a live music high… and maybe a little second-hand smoke from the couple in front of us. Ha, ha!

I will always remember seeing Journey for my first concert, do you remember your first concert?

Blogging A to Z April Prompt …

A B C D E F G H I

Encore, Encore!

Notes hit the air

The crowd in a frenzy

The drums begin to pound

A familiar rhythm

An electric guitar screams

The crowd answers back

The singer steps to the mic

He is deafened by the audience

Singing louder than him

He steps back from the mic

And signals the crowd

The words ring out

Across the auditorium

The lights go up

The crowd is alive as one

The encore leaves the band

Bathed in adoration

Nothing better than music

To bring people together

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – note

Musical Heaven

He stood on the stage singing of a virtuous and righteous man. A man who was born into poverty and searched for a better life. A man who found God. Steve and Kris had come to the concert to see a new artist play. They knew his father was in an old-time rock and roll band and had assumed his son Chris was a rocker too. The music spoke of salvation and going to Heaven. They had nothing against gospel music as long as it was good.

They often explored new bands and artists together. There was something about the rush of a live show that made them feel alive. And if some positive message was thrown into it as well, that would just be a bonus. They sang and swayed to some standard hymns. Listened closely to the original songs. They screamed and yelled for an encore. And they went home happy to have heard an up-and-coming artist sing his heart out. It had been a beautiful night.

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – virtuous

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