I like thinking of new and possibly exciting things to write for this blog. I reposted old stuff twice: once for Christmas, once a couple weeks ago when I had a crazy week. I came across this the other day and just had to share it with everyone. I found my first article I ever wrote, which was published in the September, 1991 edition of the Norwood Junior High newsletter. It was a review of the Van Halen concert at Great Woods over the summer, and was the first concert I ever attended. Enjoy.
When I heard Van Halen was coming to town, I called up the boys and started planning. I knew we had to have a foolproof plan in order to convince my mommy and daddy to let me go. So they did let me go. After unloading our D&G Deli subs from Tim Ferrari’s Dad’s limo, and Rich Kfoury took his shirt off and whipped it around over his head and the older chicks whooped in delight, I knew this was gonna be a good time.
First, I couldn’t believe people actually bring their grills all the way from their house to the parking lot! There were a lot of people yelling and wearing VH stuff and listening to all their stuff, but if you are going to hear a concert of a band, wouldn’t you want to listen to something else before? I like their new live album, it’s a live one. So we got in to see Vince Neil open and do some of his songs without Mötley Crüe because they broke up. I was also excited cause this was my first live music I was hearing. When he started playing, I realized, “huh, this doesn’t sound like the albums.” So it wasn’t that good, but it was nice before playing “Home Sweet Home” (which was the most voted for song ever on Dial MTV) Vince said that every time he’s in this part of the country we (and indirectly that includes me) make him feel like he is home. I felt great that I could play a part in helping this famous guy who’s far from home feel like he was home. He stopped playing music and then we waited because all the guys were setting up for Van Halen.
When Van Halen came out, the lights went out and everyone went crazy, including me. They played so many songs. They just kept playing them, all night. All the favorites. Black and Blue. Best of Both Worlds. Jump. Dreams. It was a little weird hearing Sammy sing some of David Lee Roth songs, but with all the lights and the band was good, it was still an amazing experience. The highlight was during the drum solo, I looked over and Steve-O and Kfoury were talking to some older chicks! By the time Michael Anthony was finishing his bass solo and lighting it on fire, they were both smoking a butt! It was crazy, and no one’s parents found out, so it was ok.* The concert was so fun, by the end everyone was dancing and being crazy, and we didn’t care how we looked, and I played some air guitar, and some leg guitar, and on the way home everyone in the limo agreed we wouldn’t tell anyone else how silly anyone was being, so you just have to imagine just HOW silly and cool it was. And we also knew we had a crazy night because Sammy told us that everyone tonight was much louder and crazier than the crowd last night. Know what was great about that? After he said that, everyone went even crazier, thus further proving his point that this crowd was far superior in the “going crazy” department
So I think going to concerts is a good thing. You can dance and do what you want. And Van Halen is AWESOME, and if you have a chance to see them at a concert go to do it. The lasers and the rock and roll and Eddy and Alex and Michael and Sammy really put on a good show, especially when they get in a line and all take really big steps with totally straight legs all at the same time, like they practiced it or something. That really got everyone excited. So for reasons like that you should go see Van Halen. We had a great time!!!
*Dear Mr. Cammarratta, because this happened over the summer, when school wasn’t in session, and it wasn’t at school, you can’t do anything to Steve-O or KFoury. I checked with my lawyer.