Michael has asked us to tale weave on the topic of concerts. I remain emotionally scarred by my most embarrassing concert experience, EVER.

Both [Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck] are known for a smooth, pop style and largely female audiences who have a tendency to throw their underwear on stage during live performances. Today, October 26, 2006

Back in the mid-1970’s, Engelbert Humperdinck was all the rage with my mother and her cohorts. As punishment for some rebellious teenage transgression or another, I was forced to attend one of his concerts with them. Remember, this was “back in the day” when children and parents usually DID NOT attend the same [arena] musical extravaganzas. My mother at Yes, Edgar Winter, or Sly and the Family Stone – I think not. But, there I was, floor-side four rows back with mom, Terry and Joan. And thousands of screaming suburban housewives. [Louder than fans at an Alice Cooper show.] Throwing lacy pants up on the stage. Thankfully, my mother and her friends DID NOT leave lingerie behind!

A cringe-worthy night for a 14/15 year old. A reoccurring nightmare. And, my worst fear: this embarrassing secret would be discovered by my peers! The shame of it all . . . well, I would have run off and joined the circus. Or become a roadie . . .

The Load Out/Stay: Jackson Browne from Running on Empty, 1977

Now the seats are all empty
Let the roadies take the stage
Pack it up and tear it down
They’re the first to come and last to leave
Working for that minimum wage
They’ll set it up in another town
Tonight the people were so fine
They waited there in line
And when they got up on their feet they made the show
And that was sweet…
But I can hear the sound
Of slamming doors and folding chairs
And that’s a sound they’ll never know
Now roll them cases out and lift them amps
Haul them trusses down and get’em up them ramps
Cause when it comes to moving me
You guys are the champs
But when that last guitar’s been packed away
You know that I still want to play
So just make sure you got it all set to go
Before you come for my piano
But the band’s on the bus
And they’re waiting to go
We’ve got to drive all night and do a show in Chicago
or Detroit, I don’t know
We do so many shows in a row
And these towns all look the same
We just pass the time in our hotel rooms
And wander ‘round backstage
Till those lights come up and we hear that crowd
And we remember why we came
Now we got country and western on the bus
R and B, we got disco in eight tracks and cassettes in stereo
We’ve got rural scenes & magazines
We’ve got truckers on the CB
We’ve got Richard Pryor on the video
We got time to think of the ones we love
While the miles roll away
But the only time that seems too short
Is the time that we get to play
People you’ve got the power over what we do
You can sit there and wait
Or you can pull us through
Come along, sing the song
You know you can’t go wrong
Cause when that morning sun comes beating down
You’re going to wake up in your town
But we’ll be scheduled to appear
A thousand miles away from here

People stay just a little bit longer
We want to play, just a little bit longer

Now the promoter don’t mind
And the union don’t mind
If we take a little time
And we leave it all behind and sing
One more song

Oh won’t you stay
Just a little bit longer
Please please please, say you will
Say you will

Oh won’t you stay
Just a little bit longer
Oh please please please stay
just a little bit long

I bet promoters don’t mind
And the roadies don’t mind
If we take a little time
And we leave this all behind
Singing one more song

written on the wonderful date of 02.20.2020, for mlmm taleweaver #263: concert