concerts
Posted by Sherry on August 30, 2010
Attending an outdoor concert was a first for our 16-year marriage. As Mothers/Fathers Day gifts, our local “kids” gave us tickets to see Garrison Keillor/Prairie Home Companion at the Portland Zoo on Saturday night. We joined the masses, hauling our chairs and blankets and picnics through the zoo to the open-air amphitheater, and got comfortable.
It was also John’s birthday.
Binoculars would have been useful, but we decided these “seats” were just fine. We remember what Garrison looks like.
But then he walked halfway up the hill through the crowd, and we didn’t have to use our imaginations after all.
It was a very fun show, and the people-watching was at its best. Near the end, Erin pulled out cupcakes, lit a match for John to wish on, and we whispered the “All Day Long” birthday song during Garrison’s 20-minute tale of Lake Wobegon.
A half a day later we were again loading ourselves and our concert gear into the car of our friends Bob and Peggy Hanson for yet another outdoor concert…our second in 16 years of marriage.
This one was held at the Edgefield McMenamins in Troutdale, an hour from home.
We trekked a long way across the parking lot we did not choose to stand in a long line with 6,000 other Bob Dylan concertgoers.
Did I mention the line was long? Yes, I think I did.
Once again we settled in to our chosen spot, here next to the Ankenys, Mark and Becky.
Becky and Peggy are die-hard Dylan fans. Becky took advantage of the wait time to show Mauri her iPhone’s collection of Dylan songs, pointing out her favorites.
Look familiar? We had plenty of time for more people watching. I figure in a public venue like this, everyone’s fair game. No doubt we were watched as well.
That’s why I’m careful to make sure any unsightly cracks and crevices are concealed.
(This is a stock photo.)
Bob Dylan is 69 years old, but here he is touring the country, collecting a bazillion dollars from folk like us who are fans or just plain curious, even though he’s, shall we say, past his prime.
So, since Mauri and I are in the latter category (just plain curious), we were content to sit close and enjoy watching the fans zig and zag to the somewhat familiar tunes.
One could almost believe we sat beneath a silvery moon.
The crack picture is great! Brad and I were at Universal Studios once and started snapping pictures of crack after crack. Talk about a photo series! It was hilarious
What a difference a few decades make. We saw Garrison in MN when he was first starting out…there were maybe 50 people there; and in my youth (as well as his) I saw Dylan in Greenwich Village many times at the Gaslight Cafe. Such a deal, buy a cup of coffee and see the show for free!
What a treat to get to drop in on your big adventures.
Those are two concerts I would have loved also. Yes Dylan
in past his prime, but he changed everything in the way I saw
the world, back in the day! His lyrics are always powerful,
voice…….not so much. We gettiing ready for our cruise,
will send you pics when we get back.
Love to you both, Gail
What can we say about Bob Dylan?— a unique and creative personality— on the edge – here and there – seeking and reinventing on a huge public scale, difficult to know what sort of personal experience he has lived, but certainly has influenced and inspired many. I have loved his music since I was a teenager back in the ’60s and have seen many performances over the years. Ok, this was not one of the best, but for us die-hard fans (scary term) it is a kick to hear the old tunes redone in weird new ways, and to hear the new ones keep coming. For the record, we are also long-time Garrison fans and were at this Portland radio-broadcast concert several years back. His stories and tunes perhaps have more in common with Dylan than you might think, snapshots of human experience, tender, funny, confusing, familar, silly, holy, human. (Regarding the crack photo, lets turn to Ringo for lyrics instead… “if you don’t like my peaches honey….”)
I agree..with thee….!