Back in August, I went to this concert...

Back in high school, I used to really love music. I spent a lot of time buying records and tapes (never Cd's) listening to the radio, and I loved going to concerts.

Music is much more removed from my life today. So many things have changed. Clear Channel bought all the stations, concert tickets are about three times what I used to pay, I don't drive a car anymore, and the car was where I listened to a lot of music. I haven't seen MTV in years, but last time I watched, four hours went by before I saw a video. I listen to NPR to catch up on news and get Cd's from the library instead of buying them. But I did love a band called Concrete Blonde and when I saw the former lead singer, Johnette Napolitano was playing at the Noon Tunes this August, I made sure to get myself there.

It was just Johnette and her guitar, but she was great. Her voice is still incredibly powerful. Often she would step back from the mike when she really belted out a note.
This woman brought Johnette a present and kept wanting her to open it. She danced by herself off to the side for the entire concert. I mostly found her a distraction.


Johnette wore those gold heels out to the stage, promptly took them off and played her whole set barefoot. Then she put on her shoes and walked back off stage.
The majority of people at the concert were probably like myself, older and plumper then they were when we first heard those songs. Some people had their kids there, like this woman, who still managed to look hip while taking care of her three. Johnette played some of her own songs, some Concrete Blonde songs, some Coldplay and even the old standard "Smile Though Your Heart is Aching." The guy next to me was a true fan and sang along with every song she sang, even songs that weren't hers. She ended with "Joey" and came back for an encore of her own version of "Mercedes Benz" which started, "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a biodiesal Mercedes Benz"