The Concert
Thursday, Jun. 03, 2004, 11:58 a.m.

QUESTION: What bill?

WHAT I LEARNED: Stand up.

Tonight was a night of unexpected music. I found myself the recipient of a ticket to a concert and a pal with whom to attend it. Unfortunately for him, and fortunately for me, my pal�s dear wife tends to have problems attending to her schedule. I understand � I live and die by my Outlook and have gotten myself in trouble by playing fast and loose with my calendar upon occasion myself. So, she went off to her child�s concert � a performance that will be repeated several times over the next week but still... a mother feels an obligation even if momentarily stifled by cool concert tickets. And there you go. Next thing you know I listening to southern rock with an attitude and liking it.

People were dodging stray cicadas and soaking in the punked up southern sounds of the opening band. They had the joint rocking. I am pretty sure however from the forthright blandishments of the lead singer/ drummer who at one point marched through the audience with his mike in hand shouting at people to get off their asses - that this band is not used to seeing sedate people sitting in their seats politely listening to their creative musical stylings. My instinct is that this band wasn�t quite prepared for this particular venue � a park-like environment where people picnic before the show begins � spreading our their wine and clever cold dishes on blankets laid out on green rolling lawns, where older couples scan the newspaper between bands, and where many folks stay seated instead of partying it up throughout their sets. This was amusing � and yes, you bet your sweet assets that I stood up before there was any chance that I would be singled out by this AWOL singer running through the crowd and striking fear in the hearts of more than one seated audience member.

By the time the headliner band came on, I was realizing that I really was a lucky girl. To tell the truth, I really didn�t think I wanted to go when I heard who was playing. Not because they were bad, but just because I had never listened to very much of their music over the years. Luckily, I have a friend with his own musical taste and consequently, mine gets enhanced and expanded by association � and visa versa.

This concert is a pleasant surprise for me in a day with a few unpleasant ones. But that�s another and slightly more embarrassing story. It�s one about someone who has their MBA and still can�t figure out how to pay all her bills on time. Oh well, we are all a work in progress.

Rock out.