I am not going to mince any words. I am just going to straight out say that I had the best time. I mean it. Really. I mean it. The best time. It was 20+ years ago but I still say it was the funnest concert ever.
Who you ask?
Who?
POISON
Yep that long haired, 80's band.
I have really gotta say that that concert was "nothing but a good time". He He He Sorry I had too. LOL
But it was - really. Just a so much FUN!
I went to this concert with a date no less. One of my rules is do not go to a concert with a date. They get mad when you are dreamily drooling over the lead singer and are not paying any attention to them. They just don't understand that this is FANTASY. For 2 hours and well then next day we girls get to fantasize about how awesome it would be to be with those band members. It really is just fantasy but a dang good one. Well the dates just don't get it. They want it all about them. After all we can make it all about them any other time but not that night.
So, yeah, I had a date and this is when I really realized that I was getting on in years. I sat in the second tier directly opposite the stage. It was perfect. I could see whole stage and not have to fight anyone to get out of way. I could sit there and enjoy the concert. As I looked around I saw other local bands around us as well. They were to too cool to smile and have a good time types. They looked like they were of the Motley Crue types. They were interesting to watch as I checked in with them at various times throughout the concert. More on that later.
So there we are. My date and me sitting there waiting for the opening band to start. Now that band is the real reason I was there. It was a local band that had MADE it. I knew these guys way back when. And I wanted to see them and share in their success. After all I had been to so many local bars to see them over the years and her they are. Opening up for one of the most popular bands in America at that time. Dang!!!!! Their name is (because they are still around) TESLA. Not the car. The band.
They came on and they were just as I had remembered. GREAT. Love it. They were on it. Thanked all of Sacramento for being there for them all these years, etc. Ahhh! Dang this is a good night so far. My date is loving it. I checked on the band behind me and they nodded periodically as if to say Cool they did good.
Now we are waiting for the main headliner. As usual there was electricity in the air. Anticipation and excitement. And it didn't let me down. Or anyone else. It was like watching their videos. They were running everywhere and playing and singing and well just exciting. The crowd was into it and the lights were dancing all around. I thought this just can get any better. Then they did some of their more popular songs and it did get better.
I am still in my seat but just enjoying every single second of it. Singing along myself. My date is enjoying himself. I check in with the band in back of me and they are even nodding their heads and enjoying themselves. Still cool though. After all they have a rep to consider.
Then came the slower portion of the concert. This is where the lights dramatically lower to stage black with a single spot on an empty microphone. Just like you see in the variety shows on TV and other concerts. It was so effective. Then we heard the familiar guitar chords being strummed off stage. The opening sounds of their biggest hit "Every Rose Has It's Thorns". Crowd goes wild. Then I saw it. It was like that time my brother threw that ball and I saw it coming but couldn't get out of the way and ended up with my one and only black eye.
I have to tell you something about Sacramento. We are weird. Other places throw roses, or other flowers, bras, phone numbers, etc. We throw ... wait for it ... shoes. Yep it's shoes. I have been picked up and had my shoes taken off of me and thrown on stage. It's hilarious to see rock bands duck at the shoes are coming at them like a shooting gallery at a carnival.
So there I am, watching something unfold that I had no idea how to deal with. Because we were up in the second tier I wasn't blinded by the lights. I could see the crowd below. I just happened to look down as something caught my eye. I saw from pretty far out a young man throw a shoe. It was so far out that I thought in that split second that it wouldn't even reach the stage and it was going to hit someone on the head. Then it happened. Here is the lead singer Brett Michaels himself walking to the microphone. There is no way he could see it coming. There is no way that person who threw the shoe could have known it was reach the stage. But it didn't just reach the stage. It hit the microphone square on just as Brett Michaels reached it to start singing. The timing was perfect. No way that man planned it. But it hit Brett Michaels right in the mouth. That hurt. It hurt and stunned him. He had a look of what just happened. I immediately looked at the crown and that young man had the presence of mind to high tail it out of the arena. He was gone in a shot. Before anyone figured out what happened. Smart dude.
But then all hell broke loose. Brett Michaels was furious. He found someone in the crowd and singled him out. The crowd turned on that person and started to push and shove him around. I saw the security start to get ready as the crowd on the floor started to get pretty whipped up in the emotion of what was happening. It was starting to get a bit dangerous. Security had reached that poor person and get him out of harms way. But everyone was still hyped up. I looked around us and there was serious concern on everyone's face. We were all looking for the exit. Even the band behind us. We were wondering if we should make a break for it before it got even more out of control. At this time it was on the verge of full riot.
But to Brett Michaels' credit he appeared to recognize the seriousness of the situation and took control of the crowd and calmed them down. It took a bit of coaxing from him but the crowd did listen to him and calmed down enough that reason came back. We all looked around at each other, including the band behind me, and we all had the look of relief. We settled back in our seats to see if Poison was going to come back onstage as Brett Michaels had exited with the crowd under control by this time. I wouldn't have blamed them for walking off and say F you all.
But they didn't they came back on stage and finished the rest of the concert as if that whole incident never happened. Including encores.
We were leaving and all we could say was that was one fun concert. Other than the almost riot, that was the funnest concert I have ever been to. Honest. I still remember it and get a smile on my face.
Thank you POISON!!!!!
