Friday, September 05, 2008

Shiny Happy People

I'm an aging Gen-Xer.  As such, I rounded up a babysitter last night, and headed into town for the R.E.M. concert.

It was an outdoor venue.  As such, it had no seating.  No gently sloping, grassy knoll.  No splintered, weathered bench nor crumbling curb.

I spent 5 1/2 hours last night walking, standing, swaying or generally hitting that funky beat.  I did not avail myself of the festering porta-potties, even for the chance to sit down for 30 seconds.  My bladder is legend.

At one point I turned and yelled into Mister's ear, "DOES YOUR BACK ACHE AS MUCH AS MINE!"

"NO!" he yelled back, "BUT MY HIPS ARE KILLING ME!"

I can't bounce as vigorously to "It's the End of the World" as I used to.  And I don't feel the pathos of "Losing My Religion" quite as keenly as I once did in high school.  But Michael Stipe was charming, his voice held for the entire concert, and they ended the show with "Man on the Moon".  Cuz' that's how it should be.

Hey, Baby!  Are you having fun?

Why, yes Michael.  Yes I am.

9 comments:

tracy said...

How fun!!!

Chad and I can totally relate to you, as each year we would go to see 311, and it made it even more fun, since the band was our age and we knew them. We had followed them since the mid '90's, and they are a very bouncy, rhythmic band. Last summer we noticed that we were nearly killing ourselves to even somewhat keep up with the groove. As we looked on the stage, the band wasn't bouncing anymore either.

We didn't go to see them this year, and we miss that youthful fervor and vitality of our 20's, which contributed to our flailing and bouncing about like the perky lambs we once were.

Anonymous said...

Jealllloussss... I'm still beating myself up for not going back to MA a couple months ago for the REM concert in the same venue where I first saw them 18 @#$&!! years ago. And since then, I've been revisiting my old faves like Murmur and Document.

They'll always be cool.

Victoria said...

Oh that sounds like so much fun!!!
If I drink enough I can ignore my creaky knees achey joints (at least for a night). hehehe

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tracy said...

Go Jeda... Go Jeda... Go Jeda!

Michele said...

Oh, I'm extremely jealous that you got to see REM! Their new album is fantastic---they've still got it! And you do, too, even if it feels a little wobblier (sp?) than it used to. You rock, girl!

Anonymous said...

REM - now there's a band. Takes me back to art college days; dreadlocks, Doc Martins, illegal substances and dancing around trying to work out the lyrics to 'What's the Frequency Kenneth'.

I'm so pissed that you went and I didn't, that I may have to boycott my visit...nah just joking!

Btw - your new stalker Claire, cool that she wants you to be on her site but ya know she could have responded to your post instead of sending a standard 'hey visit my site' comment! Pah.

Anonymous said...

You whippersnappers! Johnny-Come-Latelies! Why in my day, we danced around trying to figure out the lyrics to Radio Free Europe.

Bah. Where's my earhorn?!