I love this story Don, very entertaining. I love Wolf trap, it was such a nice venue. Your stories always make me laugh out loud, my favorite line, " she was, naturally, obese, had lots of visible tattoos, a multitude of earrings, and….was wearing a mask. The total America 2.0 package."
Hey Donald, I am a reasonably competent jazz bass player, happy to do a Meet and Greet anytime. Just give me a few days notice so I can get my surgical mask ensemble in order.
I had to laugh at several of Don’s observations. People have gotten more distasteful in appearance with the hideous tattoos everywhere. I find it revolting when an otherwise good looking young lady has weird blue ink skulls on her neck. Tattoos were for dangerous oddballs in the early 70s. Richard Speck, who murdered like 9 nurses near Chicago had a
“Born to Raise Hell” tat on his arm. I associate Speck with tattoos.
Yes, tattoos were for outlaw bikers and the like, Dan. I always took it as a sign of someone willing to quickly resort to violence. Now, everyone has them, so I don't know how they can be considered rebellious. Thanks!
The worst for me is the bull rings in the nose above the lips...OMG...I have daughters and grands but no disfiguring in any way. Thank the Lord...esp the tats on the neck and down the arm to the wrist. And piercings, yuck. So sit the hell down so we can see!!!!
I LOVED it all and it says so much about life today or trying to figure out life today. Lived in Arlington so I've been to Wolf Trap where Kris K (who opened for Bob snore Dylan) seemed annoyed that the friend and I wanted a picture with him...disappointing. I never felt the same about him after that. After all, he was the "opening act" so he should have been happy anyone cared. RIP KK.
Very few rock stars have had great reputations with fans, Vicki. That's why I'm glad I never met Dylan, Elvis Costello, John Lennon, Bryan Ferry, Roger McGuinn, Any member of The Band, Brian Wilson, Joni Mitchell, or any of my other favorites. Never meet your heroes. Well, except for Graham Parker, who was one of my favorites, although never really a big star. He has become a friend- left me tickets to see him twice, and both times we met and chatted. Very nice guy. Thanks!
It served as a reminder that I made the right decision when I left the country and escaped from NYC 25 years ago last week. One drawback is that where I am living now is why I can't upgrade to paid for my favorite writers on Substack, like yourself, and some others.
And speaking of music and good musicians, etc. In 2016 I had the good fortune to record some of my songs with a group of NYC musicians, three of whom were part of the Paul Simon/Sting Together Tour, the drummer plays with Steve Morse of Deep Purple and the old Dixie Dregs (remember them?), and a great NYC guitar player named Erik Della Penna and the other half of his duo Kill Henry Sugar, Dean Sharenow as engineer (it was recorded on an old Neve Console).
Of course, I'll spare you the details and instead relate it to your excellent article.
In short, I spent a week with a group of America 1.0'ers living in America 2.0. Naturaly, I couldn't have put it that way at the time. It was only until I started reading your articles on the subject that lightening struck. "THAT was it!" I can remember saying to myself. "That's what that was!" And it was.
So thanks Donald for helping to clarify that.
In any event, from their perspective though, it was like meeting with someone dropped from a Time Machine, since I hadn't been back in so long. Basically, though like them I was an American 1.0'er, I left before the country became American 2.0 (though it was gettin' there just as I left).
Anyway, the important thing was that everyone had a good time and seemed to be happy with what we did together, 9 songs in 10 hours - Old School, or America 1.0. In fact, even more importantly, for me at least, was that they all wanted to do it again, and of course, so did I. But the Argentine Peso drifted even further away from the US Dollar (from 15 to 1 in 2016 to roughly 1,500 to 1 today). So, that was that. But it was still great we did it. It turned out to be my last contact with both Americas.
Ah, yes. I remember going to concerts in FL and smoking pot. Someone would light up a joint, take a hit, and then just pass it on to whoever was next to them. That joint went all the way down the row to friends and strangers alike. We all took a hit. No one cared about germs. Now days you see people wearing masks and social distancing. WTH?
I remember that kind of thing as well, Cat. I had to resist most the stuff being passed down the rows at the Rolling Stones concert. Even then, I was paranoid. Thanks!
Sucks to get old, doesn't it Don? Tats on fats or any person, I find rather disgusting. Well, maybe the military guys when it was on the upper arm. Even the women have so many tats on their arms they look like a sleeve. I do not and will never get any. They are ugly, will turn blue as time passes, and when your skin gets wrinkly and old, they will sag.
I think the last concert I attended was perhaps 10 -12 years ago, Robin Trower, great guitar player. He plays like the god he was back in the 70s. My sister ended up causing some trouble with the couple next to her - they told me she was dumping her drink on them so I switched places with her and poured out what was left in her glass. At our age, in our 50s, and we are getting in fights? No thanks.
Once I was supposed to see Rush, but I became very messed up; should not have stopped in a bar beforehand. That ticket was $150.
Other than that, I don't bother. I can entirely relate to those wonderful concerts back in the day with all the MJ smoke filled arenas. People were nice. They shared what they had, there were no fights, everyone got along as we were all there for the same thing. It was fun. I kept most of my ticket stubs and once in a while, I reminisce.
My feeling is this - I can pull up any 70s or 80s videos on YT and crank it up, sing off key, and dance away for as long as I like without anyone getting in my way, without anyone getting offended. Even after a bubbly or two. My bed isn't too far away and I do not have to worry about the coppers pulling me over.
From those little 45s from Sun Records of Elvis and then the big Procol Harem, Janis Joplin "Pearl" and the Beatles...why did I just give them to the goodwill...can't believe I did that.
Went to Wolf Trap on a field trip as a kid, fully expecting to see a wolf trap. I knew it was a concert venue but it had to get it's name from somewhere. There weren't even any wolves at Wolf Trap.
This is not allegory for anything, but it certainly could be.
Great post! I especially appreciate this: "You realize that co-workers are like your fellow high school students. They weren’t really friends. Just associates that were forced to be in the same place, at the same time."
I love this story Don, very entertaining. I love Wolf trap, it was such a nice venue. Your stories always make me laugh out loud, my favorite line, " she was, naturally, obese, had lots of visible tattoos, a multitude of earrings, and….was wearing a mask. The total America 2.0 package."
🤣🤣
Thanks, Robin!
Hey Donald, I am a reasonably competent jazz bass player, happy to do a Meet and Greet anytime. Just give me a few days notice so I can get my surgical mask ensemble in order.
Now that is funny
I had to laugh at several of Don’s observations. People have gotten more distasteful in appearance with the hideous tattoos everywhere. I find it revolting when an otherwise good looking young lady has weird blue ink skulls on her neck. Tattoos were for dangerous oddballs in the early 70s. Richard Speck, who murdered like 9 nurses near Chicago had a
“Born to Raise Hell” tat on his arm. I associate Speck with tattoos.
Yes, tattoos were for outlaw bikers and the like, Dan. I always took it as a sign of someone willing to quickly resort to violence. Now, everyone has them, so I don't know how they can be considered rebellious. Thanks!
The worst for me is the bull rings in the nose above the lips...OMG...I have daughters and grands but no disfiguring in any way. Thank the Lord...esp the tats on the neck and down the arm to the wrist. And piercings, yuck. So sit the hell down so we can see!!!!
I LOVED it all and it says so much about life today or trying to figure out life today. Lived in Arlington so I've been to Wolf Trap where Kris K (who opened for Bob snore Dylan) seemed annoyed that the friend and I wanted a picture with him...disappointing. I never felt the same about him after that. After all, he was the "opening act" so he should have been happy anyone cared. RIP KK.
Very few rock stars have had great reputations with fans, Vicki. That's why I'm glad I never met Dylan, Elvis Costello, John Lennon, Bryan Ferry, Roger McGuinn, Any member of The Band, Brian Wilson, Joni Mitchell, or any of my other favorites. Never meet your heroes. Well, except for Graham Parker, who was one of my favorites, although never really a big star. He has become a friend- left me tickets to see him twice, and both times we met and chatted. Very nice guy. Thanks!
Thanks for another great article Donald!
It served as a reminder that I made the right decision when I left the country and escaped from NYC 25 years ago last week. One drawback is that where I am living now is why I can't upgrade to paid for my favorite writers on Substack, like yourself, and some others.
And speaking of music and good musicians, etc. In 2016 I had the good fortune to record some of my songs with a group of NYC musicians, three of whom were part of the Paul Simon/Sting Together Tour, the drummer plays with Steve Morse of Deep Purple and the old Dixie Dregs (remember them?), and a great NYC guitar player named Erik Della Penna and the other half of his duo Kill Henry Sugar, Dean Sharenow as engineer (it was recorded on an old Neve Console).
Of course, I'll spare you the details and instead relate it to your excellent article.
In short, I spent a week with a group of America 1.0'ers living in America 2.0. Naturaly, I couldn't have put it that way at the time. It was only until I started reading your articles on the subject that lightening struck. "THAT was it!" I can remember saying to myself. "That's what that was!" And it was.
So thanks Donald for helping to clarify that.
In any event, from their perspective though, it was like meeting with someone dropped from a Time Machine, since I hadn't been back in so long. Basically, though like them I was an American 1.0'er, I left before the country became American 2.0 (though it was gettin' there just as I left).
Anyway, the important thing was that everyone had a good time and seemed to be happy with what we did together, 9 songs in 10 hours - Old School, or America 1.0. In fact, even more importantly, for me at least, was that they all wanted to do it again, and of course, so did I. But the Argentine Peso drifted even further away from the US Dollar (from 15 to 1 in 2016 to roughly 1,500 to 1 today). So, that was that. But it was still great we did it. It turned out to be my last contact with both Americas.
Thanks again for a great article Donald!
I appreciate the kind words, Paul. Thanks!
Ah, yes. I remember going to concerts in FL and smoking pot. Someone would light up a joint, take a hit, and then just pass it on to whoever was next to them. That joint went all the way down the row to friends and strangers alike. We all took a hit. No one cared about germs. Now days you see people wearing masks and social distancing. WTH?
I remember that kind of thing as well, Cat. I had to resist most the stuff being passed down the rows at the Rolling Stones concert. Even then, I was paranoid. Thanks!
Haha, "beer goggles" needed for America 2.0! The social engineers of Freud's nephew have succeeded so well.
I miss Wolf Trap - was in MD in the early 90s.
Sucks to get old, doesn't it Don? Tats on fats or any person, I find rather disgusting. Well, maybe the military guys when it was on the upper arm. Even the women have so many tats on their arms they look like a sleeve. I do not and will never get any. They are ugly, will turn blue as time passes, and when your skin gets wrinkly and old, they will sag.
I think the last concert I attended was perhaps 10 -12 years ago, Robin Trower, great guitar player. He plays like the god he was back in the 70s. My sister ended up causing some trouble with the couple next to her - they told me she was dumping her drink on them so I switched places with her and poured out what was left in her glass. At our age, in our 50s, and we are getting in fights? No thanks.
Once I was supposed to see Rush, but I became very messed up; should not have stopped in a bar beforehand. That ticket was $150.
Other than that, I don't bother. I can entirely relate to those wonderful concerts back in the day with all the MJ smoke filled arenas. People were nice. They shared what they had, there were no fights, everyone got along as we were all there for the same thing. It was fun. I kept most of my ticket stubs and once in a while, I reminisce.
My feeling is this - I can pull up any 70s or 80s videos on YT and crank it up, sing off key, and dance away for as long as I like without anyone getting in my way, without anyone getting offended. Even after a bubbly or two. My bed isn't too far away and I do not have to worry about the coppers pulling me over.
Well expressed, Fran. Procol Harum was one of, if not my favorite band, so I know Robin Trower's work very well. Thanks!
From those little 45s from Sun Records of Elvis and then the big Procol Harem, Janis Joplin "Pearl" and the Beatles...why did I just give them to the goodwill...can't believe I did that.
Went to Wolf Trap on a field trip as a kid, fully expecting to see a wolf trap. I knew it was a concert venue but it had to get it's name from somewhere. There weren't even any wolves at Wolf Trap.
This is not allegory for anything, but it certainly could be.
Great post! I especially appreciate this: "You realize that co-workers are like your fellow high school students. They weren’t really friends. Just associates that were forced to be in the same place, at the same time."
Thanks, Katherine!