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Posted by Marilyn on April 13, 1999 at 19:27:15:
What compels a person to fly 1000 miles, spend over 600 dollars on
airfare and a concert ticket if not out of the sheer love for a band so
ephoiclly wonderful. I'll try to convey to you my feelings about my
11th Stones show as best as possible.
Lost in my dreams, I am on a natural high,which is NEVER going to wipe
the smile from my face, ever!.
On my walkman I hear the familar sounds that launched me back home to
sweat home Chicago as I head into the loop on the "EL" train. Its a
"Ferris Buller's day off to see the Stones day" in my mind, as I sail
into downtown Chicago after a 4 hour plane ride from Orlando, I head
over the Art Museum for an hour of quiet contemplation..the quiet before
the storm. I take a taxi over to Billy Goat's near the United Center
and met up with none other than Fleabit, Dandelion, Ridgely, a whole
gang from Undercover, a few others from the newsgroups as well! (It was
great meeting you guys!!) I wandered around looking for familar names
and showed some of my photos from Tampa to practically everyone there!
My brother Rick met up with me and soon we were off to collect our
tickets.
Beause of my last minute ticket mix-up I didn't really know where on the
floor I would be sitting, but I knew it would be near the "B" stage. I
was determined to be RIGHT THERE, next to the stage, reguardless of
where I was sitting. I found out that my seat was on the isle, AWAY
from the stage, my heart sank, and I bit my lowel lip as to not start
cying at the site of my 300 dollar seat just 12 seats away from the
stage! Now, most of the time I obey the rules of life...I really do!!
I do the spead limit, I don't use the express line at the store if I
have more that 10 items...etc.. this is just the way I am. However as
the saying goes, nice guys (gals) finish last!! I am always the one
with the dumb luck who picks the longest checkout line by accident.
I've decided that the Stones give me the courage to things that I
normally wouldn't do!! The are the muse of my passion for life that no
drug, no love of a guy, can possible give to me.
Before the show I walked steady and coolly to the security boy (he was
only about 22 or so) and had a heart to heart with him. The direct
approach might work with a liitle sob story, so I went through the
speal, how I just flew up from Orlando thinking that I would have THIS
seat, (as I pointed to the coveted seat near the stage), and maybe the
rock gods were looking down on me, but I clearly stated that I was going
to be in the isle at the top of the show and would NOT be moving for
ANYTHING!! Maybe I scared the little pipsqueak of a "security gurad",
but he was very nice to me and said I have to at least wait until the
show started until I moved over!! He never asked me to return to my
seat and I am very happy about about my asssertiveness!!
Johnny Lang had two very special guest back-up singers with him, Leah
Wood and Elizabeth Jagger!! I moved up to the middle of section one,
and in front of all the security guards took a few pictures!! The one
guy even said to me to hurry up and take my picture because he is goijng
to leave the stage now!! I think the word spread, that I was a walking
time bomb, and that NO ONE should mess with a women on a mission!
During intermission I snuck my brother onto the floor, and as the lights
went down, I calmly said "excuse me" to the 12 people to the right of
me. They were not too thrilled at me for doing this, and I had to
indure stares and several cold shoulders. I honestly didn't care at
this point, but made a point not to spill anyone's beer, or to get into
their way. I made it to the walkway by my little security guard friend
and nervously watched in a blur the band we love!! I was thrilled to
see them do Bitch, I got the Blues, and my favorite Gimmie Shelter! I
was so nervous about being "asked" to sit at my seat that I had to tell
myself to calm down and enjoy the show, but the pressure now was not
just that nawing feeling in my stomach but a full fleged ordeal!! I
was sweltering, shaking and dry mouthed. I kept looking around as the
other security guards squeezing by me for anyone who might ask me to
take my seat. The first half of the show is just a blur, as I inched
closer to the guard rail where I was to "seal my fate"!! By the time we
got to Out of Control, a mad dash so to speak, had started. Rows and
rows of people would worm their way towards the stage. The crowd
presses on me, but I hold my ground, and without realizing it I am at
the corner of the stage, with a orgy of people pressing, pulsating, with
the beat! Its as if we fromed one mass, a giant ait hill of lust-hungry
women, ready to devour our prey. We've set a trap, as Ketih's Thief in
the Night chugs on, the noise in my ear, a low rumbling, gets louder, I
try to lick my dry lips, by have no spit, and my jeans jacket and the
crowd is making me hot.
The time had come and the playful music that accompanys the arrival of
the band to the "B" stage hightens everyones' fury as the last bit of
rail is clutched. The lights are up and for a second I can't hear
anything at all! The noise of the crowd is tunneled down my ears, as I
see Mick arrive within 5 feet of me! He comes over towards me and two
others on the corner, and high fives the two others. I had my hand out
and after what seemed like an ertenity, Mick's hand gently slaps my left
hand. He went out of his way to slap my hand!! For a split-second I
didn't realize it. A soft, yet way sexy hand touched mine. I must
admit that I squealed like a teenagar and screamed, " I LOVE YOU", and
"THANK YOU MICK" as he moved toward the front of the stage. The other's
came as well, but my eyes just couldn't leave Mick not even for one
second! My camera came out form its hiding place and in front of the
head of security, I starting fireing off 36 pictures during the next
three songs. The girl to my right did so as well, and everytime Mick
came over he would look at us, one can only imagine what he thinks of as
he sees this every night! The girl on my left throws up a bra...a big
bra! Mick stops and as he tilts his head one eyebrow goes up..you can
read the express on his face as he turns toward the women with that drop
dead Jagger smirk of his...you could almost hear him say, 'oh myyyy!" I
fired off my camera at anything that moved on the stage. Keith
swaggeres on over and for a second I think of taking a picture of his
hair so I can analyze the assorted hooks, baubbles, and gadgets left
hanging there! Ronnie is jumping around and at one point looks at me as
I point and mouth the words "your great" to him. I am right next to
Chuck Levell who turns to smile at me several times...I sing the refrain
of Just my Imagination with our eyes locked. Midnight Rambler starts
off strong, but at several times I turn to the people around me and say
that they missed this cue, or that tempo change. I don't care at all,
and Iam having the time of my life! I can see Mick directing Keith to
slow it down here. Keith just wants to jam. At several times Mick puts
down the harmonica on Chuck's piano and I snap the last of my pictures.
I have with me my well traveled Union Jack flag, which Keith sees as he
is leaving the stage to go on the walk way. He stops, nods, and winks
at me with that wicked smile and then continues! I still can't believe
he was signing autographs on stage!! As MIck came around once more
time, I saw HIM with a camera and it was pointed at me and the girl to
the right of me, who along with me was taking a million pictures of him.
I couldn't believe he was doing a Andy Warhol and taking picturs of us,
and for a moment though that he might have been pissed at us for doing
do, or that he was making a point to the security gurads as if to say
""why didn't you stop these two!!" Then I though well he's playing with
us, but now I think he might have been taking a pic of another girl,
who I think was flashing them throughout the set! If that is true, then
it would make sense. (And might I add...how kinkily of Mick!!)
As they left toward the main stage I saw a young blond girl with a
baseball hat on looking down as she was escorted by a guard with a
flashlight. Her plastic pass gave her away and I asked the shy girl if
she were Elizabeth, she looked up and gave me a impish, closed mouth
smile that struck me as soooo Jerry Hallish...with big lips of course!
I said to her that she did a good job on stage and I wished her all the
best! In the back of my mind Iam thinking what should I say to this
rich kid who's parents just that day finalized their divorce settlement?
I smiled and she smiled and said thanks.
I followed her and the crowd toward the main stage and got to about the
10th row, near the bridge. Start me Up, Brown Sugar and Sympathy I had
a great view and the sound was increadable!
I could hardly contain my excitement as I met up with my brother agian.
He said, "so you'll never wash that hand again I suppose?" I kissed my
hand, said a silent prayer to Mick thanking him, and in a daze left for
pancakes and eggs, which I couldn't eat..I was lost in my thoughts of
the evenings events/
I sat for 3 hours, alone, in a dingy, cold airport terminal listing to
the blues in semi-darkness. I could see the city lights outlined and
thought about a young Mike Jagger in Dartford maybe sitting on his bed,
dreaming about Chicago. I thought of maybe a hot, sexy after hours
Stones party going on maybe at that moment and wished how I could have
been there.
My eleventh Stones show will always be the most intense, outlandish,
rampage for fun I could ever have hoped for. I yelled out Thank You to
them as they left the stage. If I can only have this feeling in my
heart all the time, especailly when life gets me down...I know all of
you have similar feelings towards them as I lay out this barrage of
lustful thirst for all to read. Burnt on my heart this memory will last
forever, and I think the Rolling Stones for the greatest thrill of my
life!!