Sooner

Aug 02, 2017 19:24

A little backstory.

Since 1984, when I first saw a video of theirs on a PBS show called "Color Tunes" that used music videos with on-screen lyrics to teach people to read, Alphaville has been a part of my life and my mind. They've been my unshakeable favorite band since then; I've never wavered. Other bands and songs have come along, but always were supplanted by another as time went by.

Not Alphaville. Not that they were popular - far from it. Hardly anyone knew who they were. Until I went to college, I had no one to really talk to about my favorite bands, or my musical tastes in general.

One of my greatest friends in my life was met in college; we've been close for nearly 30 years. We bonded because he asked me who my favorite band was, and I didn't want to tell him, because I didn't think he'd know who they were. He pressed on, and when I finally said Alphavile, I went to his wall rack of cassettes and pulled down both of their albums from that period!

I could go on about this band, on and on, about how much they mean to me. They recorded a song I wrote; they've chatted with me online; they were worried about me when I was hospitalized. In 1998, they travelled to the US and performed for the first time ever; three shows. I was there along with so many friends I met for the first time, from the online fan club. In 2001, they did a special acoustic show in Salt Lake City, and I was once again there (and that's one hell of a story involving backpacks, dance cluns, drunken gay mormon boys in a jeep ...)

And that was it. Music continued to be released, and Alphaville continued to tour the world, but USA fans once again returned to the old familiar feeling of knowing we'd never see our favorite band live again, no matter how hard we hoped.

And then, April 2017, Facebook, a nonchalent posting advertising a show in LA. Was this real? I asked the fan liason ... and yes! Alphaville was playing a show!

I started planning a trip, getting ready to buy tickets ... wait ... a second show?! Also true!

Over the next few days, a total of FIVE shows were announced. A little overwhelmed, I started trying to decide which of the shows would be the best to attend. I was really stressing over it.

Until I realized I would never forgive myself if I did not go to each show.

And so I am.

On Friday morning, I fly to Houston, Texas. Saturday morning, I fly to New York, New York. Sunday morning, I fly into Chicago.

Where by incredible coincidence my best friend from college, the one I bonded with over Alphaville, has just made his permanent residence. We will be fulfilling a dream I've had for decades- seeing the band perform together. Second row seats.

I'm staying an extra day in Chicago with my chum and his new boyfriend, and then Tuesday morning, I fly back to Albuquerque.

But that's just part 1.

Like I said, there's five shows. So, the next Friday after I return, I get back on a plane once more for San Jose, California. Saturday morning, I'm back on a plane to LA for the final show. Then Sunday morning, I fly back to Albuquerque and my life once more.

And that's part 2.

But wait - it gets better. There's a meet and greet with the band, limited to 50 seats, in Chicago, San Jose, and LA. I bought tickets to San Jose and LA. Sadly, they cannot be refunded, because I found out the next day that there will be a fan club private meet and greet with the band in Chicago and San Jose!

Can this possibly get any better?

Yes. Yes it can.

I have back stage passes to each show.

So, to sum up- one of the greatest influences in my life and one of my heroes playing 5 shows in the USA after a near 20-year abscence.

I have a plane ticket to each city the morning of the show. I have a ticket to the concert. I have a back stage pass.

And I have no other plans. No hotels, no one to meet, no rides, nothing. Because of the limitations of the venues, I'm traveling with a 10"x10" manbag that just arrived from Amazon.

The last time I did something like this, flinging myself into the great beyond with no inkling of what to do, I was 31, full of life, and friends with the night. I could handle anything thrown my way.

Now ... I'm 47 years old. I'm well over the weight I should be. I'm an introverted homebody. I'm not sure I could wak two miles without throwing up. I go to bed at 8 and asleep by 9 and awake by 6.

I'm terrified. What the hell am I thinking?

I don't care. I'm so excited I can hardly sleep.

I'm The Outsider.

And I'm about to have the greatest adventure of my life!

adventure, alphaville

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