I love music and I love Summertime. There’s something bout the two together that makes pure magic, and always has for me. When I listen back to Top 40 Countdowns on Sirius XM’s 80s on 8, more often than not, the Countdowns that hold my favorite songs were Summertime countdowns. Those were the countdowns where I waited anxiously for school to start back, to return to the company of my friends. The countdowns where I was busy spending every waking moment reading and writing and dreaming about some boy (or three or four), who struck my fancy. And each one had a special song that reminded me just of that boy. Summers were lonely times for me. My best friend Pam and her family went to Flat Top Lake over in Beckley, WV, just about every weekend, and for 2-3 weeks during the Summer, too. And I felt like I was all alone. Who was I kidding? I pretty much was all alone, except for my own family, whose idea of activity was working in the garden, canning, and going to church. Not that there was anything wrong with any of those things – they just weren’t what a teenage girl wanted to do to pass her Summertime hours away. So I lost myself in J104 out of Bluefield, and K92 out of Roanoke. And dreamed my Summer days and nights away through music and writing as much as humanly possible.
Some things just don’t change, I guess. I’m trying really hard to form better writing habits. I can’t imagine that I will ever write as much as I did when I was a teenager. I wrote then like my life depended on it, because, in a sense, it did. I lived to experience the worlds that I created through my writing. I’m far happier with my real life than I ever was as a teen, so I don’t need to write my way out of bad situations. But I still want to write about some of those situations. And about other stories that I have experienced or thought of since then.
I still love music. Although, admittedly, it is still mostly the music that I listened to back then. If you know me at all, you know that I am definitely an 80’s Girl and have been since that decade. Nothing soothes my soul or warms my heard like the sounds of the New Romantics or the Second British Invasion. Those great movie soundtracks still thrill me. I love those songs as much now as I did then. In fact, if you ever listen to Sirius XM with me, one of the most-uttered phrases from my lips is always, “Oh, my gosh! I LOVE THIS SONG!” And I mean it every time.
This Summer, I have several concerts lined up to attend. I’m completely stoked about most of them, starting with the one in Charlotte next Monday, July 13, which I will see with Russ. Tears For Fears. I’ve never seen Tears For Fears, although they have long been a favorite. I’ve adored watching Curt Smith on Psych over the years and have appreciated the way he kinda makes light of “Curt Smith,” the musical legend. It has certainly endeared him to me even more that he doesn’t take himself overly-seriously. I’ve listened to most of their new album, The Tipping Point, and have to say that I really like the new material. It’ll never get to me like “I Believe” or “Shout,” but it’s some really good stuff, and you should definitely check it out!
Towards the end of the month, I’m slated for a show that I will not believe is happening until I am there in the stands to witness it for real. Yes, if you read my blogs last Summer, you can guess this one. The infamous Stadium Tour. I sold the tickets that Russ and I had for the show in Nashville after the second rescheduling because I was convinced that it was never going to happen. As it worked out, my friend Misty had an extra ticket to the one in Charlotte on June 28. So, I bought it. If all goes well, I will FINALLY get to see Def Leppard (after like four times trying), Poison, Joan Jett, and Motley Crue (who I really don’t care so much about – ironically, since they are the headliners of the tour). My fingers are crossed; we’ll see what happens.
July 6, in Greenville, SC, I’m seeing the Mixed Tape Tour with my friend Becky. This is another one with a lot of musical bang for our concert bucks. New Kids on the Block are the headlining act – they were also my very first concert, back in August 1989, at the West Virginia State Fair. With them? En Vogue, Salt N Peppa, and – this is really why I wanted to go – Rick Astley! I’m so excited for this one! (He is so freaking adorable, even now, all these years later, lol!)
Then, on August 12, Russ and I will be back in Charlotte, switching gears. Not an 80’s artist. Not even a rock artist, although he certainly isn’t what qualified as “country” back in the 1980’s, either. Keith Urban! This one has been on my list for a long time, too. I love his voice, love that banjo, and – let’s be realistic – in the words of my friend Buffy, from my college days, “He ain’t hard on the eyes!” I think it’s going to be a fabulous show, and I’m excited that I get to experience it with my honey.
And, as of this moment, I still have a ticket for my birthday, August 23, at Merriweather Post Pavilion to see Duran Duran. I’m honestly still hoping to sell it. My heart simply is not in that show. If it happens, I’ll go. It’ll be fun to see Chic again. And maybe I’ll get into the spirit of it all if I’m actually there. But I really would rather not take that expensive of a chance and be able to sell it before then. That would be a great birthday present right now, lol!
So that’s my Summer Concert Series Lineup. Who are you looking forward to seeing on the road this Summer? Let me know. Let’s compare notes from the performances. You know I love to talk music!
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