The Terrible Catsafterme

Brad's Musings and Meanderings

random acts of quoting

"I believe you're getting old...and nutty" - Chief Ramsbottom, "Night Owls"

maccartney89.jpgThe first time I ever saw a Beatle was on April 9, 1990. Ashleigh was not quite three weeks old – and it was Christi’s birthday. I know that I felt terrible about leaving for a concert on her special day, but I couldn’t help it. Originally, this concert was scheduled for February 22 when Dee Ann Booher, an office clerk at Kroger, asked me if I would like to attend with her and a friend. As a huge Beatles fan, I eagerly accepted. I asked my Dad if he would like to go along too, and he, too, jumped at the chance.

I’m not sure why the concert was postponed, but I do know that between the scheduled date and the actual date, Paul played six nights in Tokyo the first two weeks of March. The concert was held at the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, so it was quite a drive. Dee Ann’s friend (his name I do not recall) drove us while we listened to McCartney and Beatles tunes all the way from Dayton to Kentucky. My Dad remarked that since someone else was doing all the driving, going to this show was “easy.”

mc.jpgWhen we arrived, we were each given a free souvenier program which was actually a rather large book filled with great facts and stories about Paul and the band. It’s almost unthinkable that something like this would be given for free in this day and age. (I later purchased an additional copy at a garage sale in our neighborhood as a keepsake). I bought Christi a t-shirt as a both a souvenier and a birthday present.

Our seats were not spectacular by any means, being rather high up on the side, but it was still quite an amazing experience to see one of the Beatles mc2.jpglive and in living color come before you and play music. He was in support of his Flowers in the Dirt album so naturally played a few songs from that amongst the more-than-thirty songs from his career. Obviously, many of them were Beatles tunes. Being there felt like being part of history. There are only so many minutes in any man’s lifetime – and about 200 of Paul McCartney’s were spent playing music for me.

Paul and his band (including wife Linda) later released a compilation of performances from this tour on his Tripping the Live Fantastic CD, which my Dad got me for Christmas later that year.

1990 will continue

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