Concerts and Memories

A good friend of mine took three young ladies to the Taylor Swift concert last night in Wichita.  She posted on Facebook this morning about the experience.  She said that one of the girls she took, who has been through personal issues in the past year, said through tears, “I can’t even believe I’m alive and sober, let alone here!”

Jen’s post got me to thinking about the concerts I have attended over the years.  I think the first one was the Lennon Sisters at the Kansas State Fair back in 1966 (I think).  The most recent was a Bill Cosby concert at the Orpheum in downtown Wichita.

In between has been The Lettermen, Lilly Tomlin, the Gaither Vocal Band, Red Skelton, the Statler Brothers, Hal Holbrook, Amy Grant, The Martins, Roy Clark, The Oak Ridge Boys, Sandy Patti, and others I’ve probably forgotten, at least temporarily.

Good concerts are really memory-makers.  For singers, if one knows some of the songs of that singer or group, when they perform them live at concert, it makes the song come alive in a way that it never could on CD (or years ago, on vinyl).  At other concerts, such as Hal Holbrook’s portrayal of Mark Twain, the memories come in other ways.  For me, they stem from a phonograph record I have of Mr. Holbrook portraying Mark Twain back in the early 1960’s.  Seeing him in person was rewarding and, in a very real way, kind of a closure…a full circle, so to speak.

Some folks may think it’s a waste of money to spend it on tickets to a concert.  I suppose there is some validity to that argument, but there’s also validity to the notion of spending money on a house that’s bigger than we need, or on two cars when public transportation and bicycles would work.  Or of buying round steak when cheaper turkey would provide as much nutrition.

Now, I’m not advocating we spend money that we don’t have.  But a concert venue once in a while using money we’ve put aside specifically for that purpose can be not only enjoyable, but also provide lasting memories and pleasant times with loved ones and friends.

I’ll never forget the raucous, “rolling on the floor” laughter at the Red Skelton concert.  I’ll never forget who I was sitting next to at the Lennon Sisters concert.  Nor will I soon forget the powerful renditions of favorite songs of the Gaither Vocal Band at the Fair.  I don’t have enough space to talk about the uplifting performances of Amy Grant and The Martins.  And Bill Cosby was as funny as you know him to be on TV.

So go ahead.  Set aside some money and get tickets for the next concert you’d like to attend.  And take someone with you if at all possible.  I think you’ll be glad you did.