ARS was my first concert, and me, and Barry, were pups back then. It was back in high school. I went with my Main Musical Mentor Leon. He had some acid, and offered me some. I'd only taken it once before, also with Leon, and I'd had a powerful and fairly overwhelming experience, which caught me off guard at first but soon became enjoyable, although I doubted I'd ever take it again, but I decided WTF. It was a concert after all.
The acid was real Purple Microdot, which was super-clean and potent, although not overpowering, at least not with one hit anyway. I loved ARS and I was excited to see my first real Rock concert so I'd have enjoyed it anyway, but the acid did intensify the experience somewhat. I'd heard live bands before, including Buddy Rich's band, Stan Kenton and other Jazz bands, and they were pretty loud, but I'd never heard a Rock band live, and they were damn loud.
I was whistling and clapping like everyone else, but I was more in a mood to be still and listen. It was probably partially due to the acid but mostly I was fascinated by my first show. Just seeing them playing these songs I already liked was really fun. Seeing a drummer playing live and hearing his drums coming through the PA was thrilling, and I could imagine doing that myself one day. Fortunately I got to do it a few times.
I saw some nice colors and a few tracers due to the acid, but my vision wasn't distorted or impaired, except that if I watched one person for a long time and then looked away, the afterimage would last about three minutes. The bass player smoked about 150 cigarettes and stepped them out on the stage. Sometimes the smoke would turn purple.
The concert was great and they did an encore or two and everybody left happy. On the drive home, which was about an hour, I was still tripping a little...enough to get very excited when I saw a radio tower way up the highway and up on a hill, and thought it was my first UFO. I was waiting a minute just to make sure it was really a UFO and not the acid before I pointed it out to Leon.
I was thinking "Wow...my first UFO...and I'm tripping!" I was thinking that there couldn't possibly be a better encore to my first Rock concert than seeing a UFO. but then I realized that it was only a radio tower, and I was bummed. Still it was worth a good laugh when I told Leon about it. All in alls I'd say it was a very good time all-around, from the bass player's first cigarette to the would-be UFO.
I've seen my share of great concerts since seeing Atlanta Rhythm Section, but they were my first, and you know what they say...you never forget your first concert. I also haven't forgotten Barry's guitar playing either. I can't put my finger on it at all but I really loved his parts and his playing, although he wasn't exactly known as being one of the gunslingers. His simple, funky, slightly-jangly and very catchy rhythm part on the song "So Into You" pops into my head all the time...not the whole song, just the guitar part.
It hits home, not just because it was my first show, but also from a thought that popped into my head one day. I was listening to all these great bands and thinking that most of them were only about ten years older than me, if that, so I'd know I was getting old when guys in these bands started dying. It's a bit of a morbid thought I guess, but some young musician had just died, and I was thinking about when the rest of these guys started dying of natural causes at a normal age. It was true, and npw here I am.
Barry died at 73 (of MS) which isn't ancient, although on average the life-expectancy of most Rock Stars is well-below that of regular folk. He didn't die from drinking and drugging, and I always admire that. Thanks Leon. Thanks Atlanta Rhythm section. Thanks Purple Microdot. It was fun. RIP Barry.
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