Classic Rock N Recall: Behind the Scenes at a Rod Stewart Concert

Today In Classic Rock History

In 1970
Santana released "Black Magic Woman." (No one does it like Carlos)

In 1975
Queen released the album "A Night at the Opera." (see previous Big Wally Blog on Bohemian Rhapsody)

In 1979
Neil Young released the album "Live Rust."

In 1983
Ozzy Osbourne released the album "Bark at the Moon." (and we all did)

In 2006
Led Zeppelin, Rod Stewart, former Beach Boy Brian Wilson, James Brown, Bon Jovi, Dusty Springfield, and Beatles producer George Martin were honored in a ceremony in London as the new inductees into the UK Music Hall of Fame.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Ah... Rod Stewart. One of THE BEST shows I have ever seen.  He came to the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena back in 1984 on his 'Camouflage,' tour.

I was working at 'Esprit,' in the Ramada Inn in Binghamton at the time. I was a bartender. Me and my co workers closed the club, and went to a party. An After Hours Party! One that lasted till 8am, and beyond.

Well, so as to not get in trouble with the wife who was waiting at home, I thought it would be a great idea to wait in line, for Rod Stewart tickets, which were going on sale at 10am.  I really didn't care about seeing Rod Stewart in concert.  What I DID CARE ABOUT, was having a plausible excuse for coming home late. It DIDN'T WORK! I still got in a boat load of dog doo.

So fast forward to concert day. I had the tickets and the day off from work. Wife was still upset with the whole 'staying out late and lying about why,' thing. Funny how that never seems to ever go away, but she managed to muster up the enthusiasm to go to the show with me anyway. And IT WAS AWESOME!

We were 4th row center, sitting with my co-worker, John D. and a gigantic friend of his, who were both 17-times the legal limit of drunkenness. To be honest, we all actually had a few, and brought a few in with us. (yes, you could do that, back in the day)

Rod came out on stage and ROCKED... THE... HOUSE! He belted out all the greats. 'Hot Legs,' ' Do You Think I'm Sexy,'  'The First Cut is The Deepest.'  He also did songs from the new album, 'Camouflage.'
It was awesome and all were having a good time, that is until Rod started busting out with the new tune, 'Infatuation.'  We loved the song, what we didn't dig so much was the fact that drunken gigantor friend decided it was time to bust out his not so gigantor johnson,and urinate under row #3, in front of us.  (yes, I looked)

The major problem with this is not so much that drunken Shrek was peeing in public, but that drunken Shrek was peeing INTO my wife's purse,  which was located under a chair in row # 3. BANG-DIRECT HIT... YOU JUST SUNK MY BATTLE SHIP!

Now, the wife is as mad as a wet hen, and I have two choices at this time. Fight, or Flight. I usually don't shy away from a good drunken Irish brawl, but in this case, I spared Andre' the Drunk from what would have been an incredibly embarrassing, beat down. So I scooped up the purse soaked in recycled Budweiser, and proceeded to the mens room to clean said purse, and all it's disgustingly drenched contents.

By the time I got back to 4th row center, the concert was over, wife was still mad,  and my friend and Drunk Dude were gone... which was good for him, I have to say. All my work washing the purse was for naught because contents that were absolutely essential got emptied into the car and the rest got tossed into the trash.

It was a great show, for what I saw of it, and the wife is still mad... I'm hoping that will change someday soon. Oh well, 'Some Guys Have All the Luck.'

Question:   Should I have kicked Drunk Dudes Butt or would you have washed the purse too?