Revisiting the adolescent Dork...

I'm heading to the surprise sell-out of the summer concert season Saturday night: Cheap Trick! Heart! Journey! All on the same bill!

Oh my god, the 14-year old girl in me is so happy. I loved loved loved Heart in my youth. 70's Heart, not so much the 80's incarnation with the overly-sexed-up look and more hook-y songs (I know - that was largely because of record company pressure, yada yada yada). I soooo wanted to be Ann Wilson when I was a teenager... and was hot for most of the guys in the band (especially drummer Mike Derosier. I liked facial hair then*. Sue me). I just so admired these two female rock band leaders and the music they made.



I just realized it's been 30 years since I first saw them live, on the tour featured in this video. I keep saying it because it's true: the time, it flies. 30 years? Holy moly. And yet, I remember the show so well, and this video that used to play on shows like "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" in the pre-MTV days. (Yes, young'uns... there was a time before MTV! We had to stay up really late on weekend nights and hope to catch a glimpse of our favorite bands in some shitty tour clip....).

Listening to this song still makes me smile (and if I could find video for "Love Alive" or "Kick It Out," I'd post them. Wait! Here's one! And the other! I'm dying. And staying up too late) And how can I still remember all the words to these songs when I don't remember half the things I did yesterday?

At that first show, in 1978, some stoned idiot made my whole night when he told me I looked like Ann. (I didn't. Not even a little.)

(I also love how Ann and Nancy have slammed the McCain - Palin crew for continuing to use "Barracuda" without permission. Also demonstrates that no one with the campaign is, you know, LISTENING TO THE LYRICS. Idiots.)


This is the best Cheap Trick song EVER:



Robin Zander: adorable! I still remember seeing them when I was 15, while they were on the rise. Good times.

And of course, Journey's responsible for this delightful tune about the city I have loved since I was a bored adolescent growing up in SoCal:



This should be a hilarious evening, especially since my friend Sherri, whom I've known since high school, is bringing her 16-year old daughter. And we'll no doubt embarrass her as we squeal and dance and sing along. At least I hope we do.

Isn't that the best part about getting older?

*I still think he's hot. Well, the 1970's version is. I've no idea how he looks today, and I prefer that!