My Apologies, O Concert God

This year I have gone to see Toby Keith, Brooks and Dunn and U2 in concert. Yes, tonight I went to see Bono in action. It was sheer luck. Sheer good luck. My friend, Shalene, works in a neurosurgeon’s office. One of the 5 neurosurgeons is a major concert goer. He was on the front row but he raffled off two pairs of additional tickets to U2 for the office staff. Pretty impressive when the concert tickets went on sale 9 months ago AND sold out in 40 minutes AND were priced starting at $100 a seat. Shalene did not win them but the woman that did had a migraine and so could not go. Shalene’s husband was working and could not go so hence, I was the stand in date.

I have been to quite a few concerts in my life and I am well versed in concert etiquette. The first and most important rule is that you must know all of the songs of the artist that you are going to see. At least of the album that they are touring for. You must spend at least as many hours as dollars paid for the ticket to research and learn lyrics and melodies and names. It is only then that you get the most out of the night of revelry and music making. I was not able to follow this rule for U2. I didn’t even have enough time to listen to one rehearsal song on Saturday. And I feel really bad. I could tell that I could have had a little better time had I known all the lyrics and was able to sing along to every last little song. I could tell that I could have had a little better time if I had some concert clothes hanging up in my closet that I could have pulled out to make me feel a little more “with it.” I told Shalene I wanted something with sequins but she said I was too young and I needed to be more like 50 to wear sequins. Is that true? With Toby and Brooks and Dunn, I wore my cowboy boots and belt buckle so I felt dressed to go out and a little sassy. (Can you tell most of my wardrobe is: sensible, designed for warmth and hiding garments and an occasional fat roll, boring?)

Bono was very cute. He looked like Captain Jack Sparrow and he danced like Willy Wonka. And do you know what? I would pay more than $100 to see Johnny Depp. A lot more.