Saturday, September 17, 2016

That's the Ticket (Stub)

Found a batch of missing ticket stubs (there's at least three MIA since my move in August). This is a Mostly `80s mix:

Duran Duran, April 5, 1984 @ Meadowlands, NJ
Thomas Dolby, April 17, 1984 @ Radio City Music Hall, NYC
My cousin Drew (then Andy)'s dad took us to see Duran Duran play at the Meadowlands in New Jersey & then just twelve days later, Thomas Dolby at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.  30+ years later & I still thank you, Uncle Eddie Gold.

~~~

Lollapalooza, July 10, 1996 @ Randall's Island, NYC
I'm no fan of crowds or extreme heat, but to experience The Ramones at Lollapalooza '96 on Randall's Island... well, subjecting myself to those two peeves of mine was all worth it.


Zebra, November 27, 1986 @ The Ritz, NYC
During high school, I went to a slew of concerts w/ my friend Eileen Fee w/ Zebra being a band we saw on more than one occasion.  This was their Thanksgiving show at The Ritz (now Webster Hall) in NYC.

~~~

Madonna, June 11, 1985 @ Madison Square Garden, NYC
Ahh, the infamous (at least to meMadonna's concert at Madison Square Garden -- the final stop of her debut The Virgin Tour.  My dad took me & my sister Bonni to see this w/ opening act The Beastie Boys (making their first round around the stadium circuit, as well).  I'd love to say we stuck around for the entire show -- or even the first half... or quarter -- but alas, even the confusion of Madonna-wannabe's when The Beastie Boys took the stage was not enough entertainment for my sister & I, so we begged our dad to take us home.

~~~

Drive Aid, February 20, 1986 @ Radio City Music Hall, NYC
After 1985's one-day multi-country Live Aid was it's lesser-known sibling Drive Aid in 1986 at Radio City in NYC.  Not that memorable of an event for me, except for Joan Jett & Darlene Love, who were two of the three reasons I went -- the third being my friend Susan Hudes who joined me.

~~~

Grateful Dead, October 12, 1983 @ Madison Square Garden, NYC
My parents took me & my sister Bonni to a heckuva lotta concerts since we were wee things, many of them being Grateful Dead shows -- this one happened on October 12, 1983.  I'll always remember the dancing Deadheads in the hallways.  Also unforgettable: This was back when smoking was allowed in public places & you could NOT see across Madison Square Garden b/c of the huge cloud blocking the view.

[Psst... wanna take a listen to a taping of the actual show?  It's on archive.org.  Just click the "date" link above.]

~~~

Laserlumia, October something, 1984 @ Hayden Planetarium, NYC
If you were a NYC teenager in the '80s, you more than likely went to a laser light show at the Hayden Planetarium & more than likely it was Laser Floyd or Laser Zeppelin.  Was each ticket labelled LASERLUMIA, or was that the title of a totally different show... beats me.  All I recall is the sight of lights, the smell of pot, & the sound of whippet canisters hitting the ground -- the latter two probably being the reason why the American Museum of Natural History stopped playing them.

~~~

Rocky Horror Picture Show, date unknown @ 8th St. Playhouse, NYC
Something else my parents took my sister Bonni & me to -- even more often than Grateful Dead concerts -- was Rocky Horror Picture Show at 8th St. Playhouse.  First time we went, I was in 6th-grade (Bonni, 5th).  Was this a sane parenting decision?  Not really, but it was darn fun.  This alone deserves it's own blog post, so I shall refrain from writing any further on this topic & move along...

~~~

To Tell the Truth, January 15, 1981 @ NBC Studios (30 Rock), NYC
Here's another that deserves it's own dedicated post, but in a nutshell... Sixth grade was a momentous time for me.  In addition to being introduced to the celluloid version of Rocky Horror (I actually listened to the soundtrack in fifth grade at Jill Roth's apartment), I was an imposter on To Tell The Truth. -- I pretended to be Cara Connery (a kid who compiled celebrities' recipes & created "Cooking With Love," a cookbook whose proceeds went to curing cancer, or something like that).

I was also in the final round -- something special they added to this version's game -- & pretended to be a champion log roller.  I was not that convincing -- being asked by Soupy Sales when I practiced, I responded, "in the summer... & winter," & then when asked how many members were on my team, I answered, "15... or 30."

Oh wait, I said I'd write about this later on.  Lemme stop here & go to the final stub of this post...

~~~

The Morning Show, October 18, 1980-something @ ABC (Studio 14), NYC 
Without a full date listed on the The Morning Show ticket, no recollection if Regis Philbin's co-host was Ann Abernathy or Kathie Lee Johnson (later on Gifford), & not being sure if that's Eileen Fee's or Loretta Jandrisevits' handwriting (Regis Rules), I can't tell what year this is from (definitely btwn 1984 & 1987).  See, back then I was an art major at LaGuardia High School & what was considered a truant.  Thing is, I didn't cut school to hang out at Sheep's Meadow.  If I wasn't hiding out in the library reading etiquette books w/ Eileen (it was hard to leave the school premises once inside), I was hanging out at the ABC Studios.

Not only did we go to tapings of Regis' show, we'd also wait outside the studio of All My Children to get autographs of the cast (Laurence Lau & Melissa Leo come to mind).  Not sure where those are, but I'll keep an eye out while unpacking & post when/if I find them.


& That's it for my look back in history via ticket stubs... till I find another set.