I have been looking forward to this concert for the last 30 years. For whatever reason I never made it to one before now, and it eventually became one of the top 5 on my bucket list. The expectations for this moment were astronomical. I actually had moments of fear that Aerosmith would not live up to my preconceived notions. After all, they are all in the 60s and have had more than one replacement surgery! Surely their voices have disintegrated over time...I mean come on, have you heard Paul McCartney sing lately??!!?!? All of my fears were unfounded! While Tyler doesn't move around the stage like he once did, he definitely moves better and faster than I would! His voice was rock solid. He had me enthralled with every single note! And no matter what his age, Steven Tyler has more sex appeal than men half his age. Take note Channing Tatum..there is more to being sexy than a six pack and an exotic dancer background!
Now I will admit though that there were definitely some signs of aging going on! Here are your signs:
Sign 1. The average age of the concert had to be 65! I felt like a spring chicken! Megan and I went to the old Frog Bear and Wild Boar restaurant before the concert. Naturally, it was packed! We got to share a table with two groups of people. The first couple was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary with dinner and concert! When they left we invited Beth and Margaret to our table. Margaret was 76 years old and enjoying her first Aerosmith concert!!!!!! How awesome is that!!?!?!?
Sign 1. The average age of the concert had to be 65! I felt like a spring chicken! Megan and I went to the old Frog Bear and Wild Boar restaurant before the concert. Naturally, it was packed! We got to share a table with two groups of people. The first couple was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary with dinner and concert! When they left we invited Beth and Margaret to our table. Margaret was 76 years old and enjoying her first Aerosmith concert!!!!!! How awesome is that!!?!?!?
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| Beth and Margaret |
Sign 2. The meet and greet babes are no longer bleached blondes with fake boobs and daisy duke shorts! I had the opportunity to overhead a conversation between the band manager and the meet and greet group. The youngest woman was probably 55. The rest of the women had the blue hair and Alfred Dunn outfits on!!!!!!!! The men were balding and had the good ole boy beer guts. I just laughed and tried to imagine them all in their glory 30 years ago!
Sign 3. Concert necessities change dramatically. Thirty years ago my pre-concert warm up would have been massive quantities of alcohol and several packs of smokes. Today the pre-concert ritual was a diet coke, nice dinner and ear plugs. When you're my age and your hearing is at a deficient, you must preserve what you have left. I will say though I did not use the ear plugs. While we were in the 11th row, it wasn't as loud as I thought it would be.......or, I can't hear worth a shit and didn't realize it was way too loud!
Sign 4. When you get home and relax, you realize your entire body hurts and aches! I didn't know what to ice first....my knees, my hip or my right shoulder. I was rocking the entire 2 hour concert in heels! I haven't danced and sang like that since my last concert 15 years ago. I'm convinced that the small tear in my rotator cuff is now a millimeter or two bigger! I'm sure I just sped up my surgery date by a couple of years! How many people get to claim an Aerosmith injury that requires surgery! Of course the older gentleman beside me was wishing I would just sit my ass down! I can't tell you how many times I bumped into him. All I can say is that my rock goddess was not to be tamed last night! After all when you pay big bucks to be on the floor in the 11th row, you had better be on your feet and shaking your moneymaker all night long!
Sign 5. Joe Perry was creeping me out! Honestly he reminded me of Jack the Ripper. Between his outfit and his weird mustache thing, I was in denial. I know that 30 years ago, I would have loved his "creativity". Last night was a hell no! Now he did redeem himself when he went shirtless and hatless at the end. But the first hour was so weird! He reminded me of Fred Strangebone who was our tour guide on the Jack the Ripper tour in London! Still have chills going down the spine!
Sign 6. I don't remember much of the concert. Now 30 years ago it would have been due to alcohol consumption that the concert would have been fuzzy. But now at the age of 50 my reason is completely different. It's not because of Alzheimer's, but because I was living in every single moment of the concert. I can't begin to rattle of the play list or the songs not performed. What I do remember is the energy, the colors, the smells, the tastes and the adrenaline rush that pulsed through me during the concert. For 120 minutes I was transformed into a rock goddess that was fulfilled to the max! I'm pretty sure I will be reliving this "hangover" for many, many years to come.
My advice to anyone with a bucket list. Don't ever give up on the list! It will always be worth the effort. After all........"Dream on, dream on, dream on, dream until your dreams come true..........
Make Every Day Count
Denise
PS: Thanks to Megan Scott for going with me to the concert. If it wasn't for her love of Aerosmith, I might not have made to this concert! You got me the great tickets and shared in my "virgin moment"! I am eternally grateful! Rock on sister! And thanks for sending me the playlist so I will always remember!
