Listening the band in 1982, Tempe, Arizona


When I was going to ASU, back in the 1980s, I rarely had the inclination to go listen to live music. Most of my friends did, and they attended concerts, and nowadays they talk about them, and maybe even still have the concert tickets. So I smile and just hope that they'll change the subject before they find out that I never went to any concerts. But I did listen to the band one night. I wish that I could remember the name of the band, or exactly where it was, but I can't. That it was in Tempe I'm sure about, because that's where I lived at the time and I wouldn't have driven very far.

The lead singer was a friend of mine, and he told me that his band would be playing at a local bar, so I visited him. No, he never became famous, and if you're waiting to hear something spectacular, you're going to disappointed. But I was there to support my friend, and to listen to the music.

The bar was completely empty when I walked in. The band was up on the stage, all set up, but they weren't playing. I waved to my friend, got a beer, and sat down. I had front row seats! My friend said something like "Hey, we have an audience now, can we play?", and they did their set for me.

I've always had a fascination with live music, going back to high school when most of my friends played an instrument, and some sang. That was in Minneapolis, which I left right after high school, and none of my friends became rich and famous. They were all in bands, I know and some of them even made records. But music was their life, not their livelihood. They were good, but not lucky. No big break ever came around for them.

When the set was over (we're back in Tempe in 1982 now), I applauded, finished my beer, and went home. I have no memory of what they played, but I know that it was all their own original music. This gives me no bragging rights, but I'm glad that I heard it.

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