Friday, January 30, 1987
1/30/1987 - Iron Maiden: Somewhere on Tour
In the late 80s you didn't ask "if" Iron Maiden was coming to town, you asked "when". And when you had Mike as your friend you didn't ask whether we wanted to go, you asked when and where we should show up to camp out for tickets. Mike was a Maiden nut. We had great seats and the show was awesome. Mike spray painted a bedsheet with some Maiden-like art and we took it with us. Way too big to display from our seats at one point towards the end of the concert he threw it towards the stage. He had written a note to the effect of "You guys rock. Call me if you want to party. 281.555.5555 or something like that hoping a band member might take him up on it. Mike also planned a post-Maiden party. We had a keg and everything. Mike and Fred got really trashed.
Thursday, January 16, 1986
1986 - Hitting my Stride
1/11/1986 - Thrill Show and Destruction Derby - Houston Astrodome, Houston Texas
First and only monster truck show I ever attended. We went because my buddy Chuck had a friend named Jared that thought it would be a good idea. Jared was a funny guy. We went, had a good time. I recall that at one point they dragged an old Dodge Charger onto the field, hoisted it up in the air with a large crane and dropped it on its grill from 100 feet or something. It was traumatic - Jared was an automotive enthusiast so he fueled our shared indignation to the point I am horrified by this act to this day. No, not really. But I do have a special place in my heart for Dodge Chargers as my dad had one when we were growing up on the farm in Pennsylvania.
1/16/1986 - Rush: Power Windows Tour - The Summit, Houston Texas
This was the concert. This was the concert that turned me into a rabid Rush fan. To this day I still like Power Windows more than the typical Rush fan from my day because the typical Rush fan from my day cut their teeth on "Moving Pictures". I was always late to the game when it came to music. Took my cues from Chuck - he seemed to know what he was doing. I think Fred wasn't too big of a Power Windows fan but I eventually turned him. I can recall wondering why everyone was cheering when, during the bridge of "The Manhattan Project" they showed nuclear explosions on screen. I thought that strange. Still do. It makes no sense. It is a somber sort of thing. Still, great show.
2/21/1986 - Done With Mirrors Tour - Aerosmith - The Summit, Houston Texas
Done with Mirrors was Aerosmith's "come back album" - reuniting the original band lineup. Yet another, "holy crap, this song is GREAT" evening for me. I listened to a lot of Aerosmith after this concert. But nothing stands out in my head about this one.
6/20/1986 - True Confessions Tour: Bob Dylan and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Southern Star Amphitheater, Houston Texas
Petty was great, I endured Bob Dylan. Not much of a Dylan fan but you know - any musician has to have a ton of respect for him.
9/21/1986 The Moody Blues - Long Distance Voyager
Apparently the Fixx opened for them - which I saw on a helpful website. I do not recall much from this show - probably because I didn't know much about TMB at that time. I did listen to LDV a lot afterwards and to this day I enjoy that album.
9/27/1986 Loving Feelings Tour - Chuck Berry, The Turtles, etc- The Summit, Houston Texas
Yeah, yeah, WTF, right? My buddy's (Chuck) mother, Fran wanted to go. We thought it might be fun. I recall Chuck Berry coming on stage an demanding that the video screens be turned off or he would leave the stage. The event organizers complied, he performed, but it was a big buzz kill. I also recall the Turtles making asses of themselves and making fun of Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" in the process. Looking back on it they were going for wacky and entertaining - they failed. But hey, at least they tried. Years later I would have the youth band at my church cover "Happy Together" so I guess their effort on 9/27/1986 wasn't totally lost.
10/31/1986 - .38 Special: Strength in Numbers Tour - The Summit, Houston Texas
I don't recall much about this one. I never bought this album so until they got the "classics" part of the show I was bored.
11/21/1986 Triumph - Sport of Kings Tour - The Summit, Houston Texas
I thought the world of Triumph back then. Just about the perfect late 80s arena rock band: Canadian power trio, stratospheric lead vocals, songs with acoustic intros that exploded into something bigger ... It bugged me that I never got to see them for the Thunder Seven Tour so this was a consolation prize. They were on the other side of their fame at this point.
First and only monster truck show I ever attended. We went because my buddy Chuck had a friend named Jared that thought it would be a good idea. Jared was a funny guy. We went, had a good time. I recall that at one point they dragged an old Dodge Charger onto the field, hoisted it up in the air with a large crane and dropped it on its grill from 100 feet or something. It was traumatic - Jared was an automotive enthusiast so he fueled our shared indignation to the point I am horrified by this act to this day. No, not really. But I do have a special place in my heart for Dodge Chargers as my dad had one when we were growing up on the farm in Pennsylvania.
1/16/1986 - Rush: Power Windows Tour - The Summit, Houston Texas
This was the concert. This was the concert that turned me into a rabid Rush fan. To this day I still like Power Windows more than the typical Rush fan from my day because the typical Rush fan from my day cut their teeth on "Moving Pictures". I was always late to the game when it came to music. Took my cues from Chuck - he seemed to know what he was doing. I think Fred wasn't too big of a Power Windows fan but I eventually turned him. I can recall wondering why everyone was cheering when, during the bridge of "The Manhattan Project" they showed nuclear explosions on screen. I thought that strange. Still do. It makes no sense. It is a somber sort of thing. Still, great show.
2/21/1986 - Done With Mirrors Tour - Aerosmith - The Summit, Houston Texas
Done with Mirrors was Aerosmith's "come back album" - reuniting the original band lineup. Yet another, "holy crap, this song is GREAT" evening for me. I listened to a lot of Aerosmith after this concert. But nothing stands out in my head about this one.
6/20/1986 - True Confessions Tour: Bob Dylan and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Southern Star Amphitheater, Houston Texas
Petty was great, I endured Bob Dylan. Not much of a Dylan fan but you know - any musician has to have a ton of respect for him.
9/21/1986 The Moody Blues - Long Distance Voyager
Apparently the Fixx opened for them - which I saw on a helpful website. I do not recall much from this show - probably because I didn't know much about TMB at that time. I did listen to LDV a lot afterwards and to this day I enjoy that album.
9/27/1986 Loving Feelings Tour - Chuck Berry, The Turtles, etc- The Summit, Houston Texas
Yeah, yeah, WTF, right? My buddy's (Chuck) mother, Fran wanted to go. We thought it might be fun. I recall Chuck Berry coming on stage an demanding that the video screens be turned off or he would leave the stage. The event organizers complied, he performed, but it was a big buzz kill. I also recall the Turtles making asses of themselves and making fun of Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" in the process. Looking back on it they were going for wacky and entertaining - they failed. But hey, at least they tried. Years later I would have the youth band at my church cover "Happy Together" so I guess their effort on 9/27/1986 wasn't totally lost.
10/31/1986 - .38 Special: Strength in Numbers Tour - The Summit, Houston Texas
I don't recall much about this one. I never bought this album so until they got the "classics" part of the show I was bored.
11/21/1986 Triumph - Sport of Kings Tour - The Summit, Houston Texas
I thought the world of Triumph back then. Just about the perfect late 80s arena rock band: Canadian power trio, stratospheric lead vocals, songs with acoustic intros that exploded into something bigger ... It bugged me that I never got to see them for the Thunder Seven Tour so this was a consolation prize. They were on the other side of their fame at this point.
Sunday, July 14, 1985
1985 - It begins
7/14/1985 - Crosby, Stills and Nash - Southern Star Amphitheater, Houston Texas
First concert I ever went to unless you count the Smother's Brothers show that my parents took us to when we lived in Pennsylvania. It was either them or the Doobie Brothers. Anyway, I remember sitting there at this concert and thinking, "Oh wow ... they do THIS song." over and over again. I am a sucker for melody and harmonies.
8/30/1985 - The Grateful Dead - Southern Star Amphitheater, Houston Texas - Unused Ticket
Something happened on this one and I was unable to go. It was either weather or some other problem. I thought I recall hearing that a shooting happened before this concert. Some kid got
shot going into the show or something. I never did see the Grateful Dead.
9/20.1985 - Neil Young 1985 Tour of North America with The International Harvesters - Southern Star Amphitheater, Houston Texas
I forgot that I had seen so many concerts at the SSA. I do not recall much about this one.
11/9/1985 - Brother, Where You Bound? Tour: Supertramp - The Summit, Houston Texas
Very cool concert as I recall. The lack of Hodgson was sad but did not have the impact I feared it might. This was another show where I sat there thinking, "I didn't know they did this song too! I've been a Supertramp fan for years and never even knew it."
Hitting my stride
First concert I ever went to unless you count the Smother's Brothers show that my parents took us to when we lived in Pennsylvania. It was either them or the Doobie Brothers. Anyway, I remember sitting there at this concert and thinking, "Oh wow ... they do THIS song." over and over again. I am a sucker for melody and harmonies.
8/30/1985 - The Grateful Dead - Southern Star Amphitheater, Houston Texas - Unused Ticket
Something happened on this one and I was unable to go. It was either weather or some other problem. I thought I recall hearing that a shooting happened before this concert. Some kid got
shot going into the show or something. I never did see the Grateful Dead.
9/20.1985 - Neil Young 1985 Tour of North America with The International Harvesters - Southern Star Amphitheater, Houston Texas
I forgot that I had seen so many concerts at the SSA. I do not recall much about this one.
11/9/1985 - Brother, Where You Bound? Tour: Supertramp - The Summit, Houston Texas
Very cool concert as I recall. The lack of Hodgson was sad but did not have the impact I feared it might. This was another show where I sat there thinking, "I didn't know they did this song too! I've been a Supertramp fan for years and never even knew it."
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