[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

The Who at Anahiem 3/21/76



I while back I posted a trade offer for the Anahiem show.I would like to
thank all who responded,especially of course the man who traded me for a copy
of his originall LP boot,Jon Golomb.Thanks again Jon.

I'm listening to it for the first time and when it got to Baba O Riely I
could'nt hold back the tears.I remember getting droped off at noon the day
before the concert and waiting all day in the hot sun,trying to keep up with
the big kids through the cases of Michelob (yuck!  :-)) That night my sister
,myself and our new friends spent the night outside the stadium.The next day
we stood like sardines for hours in the hot spring sun,with our winter coats
and backpacks on and the big kids and adults towering over me.I was 13.I
remember falling with the crowd,unable to get a foot in front of the
other.Each time the current would manage to upright me just before the point
of no return.

I held the rope that kept my sleeping bag rolled,tightly in my little hand.At
times the sleeping bag would be sucked into the crowd,the rope burning into
my hand.I was so crushed,I did'nt even have enough room to open my hand to
let go.When we finally made it in,we chose a spot in the lower stands,with
our sleeping bags infront of us for foot rests and our backpacks full of
sandwiches.Now adays you can't bring in so much as a bottle of water.This was
true festival style.

The opening band was "Little Feat" who were very good and well recieved by
the crowd,who were happy to have some time before the Who.The Who had two
giant lazers,one on each side,that were state of the art and cost thousands
per minute to run.(or somethin like that) They let them rip during Baba O
Reily as a disco ball reflected blue sparkles of light throughout the stadium
and our licorice papered joints of Mexican AKA commercial or "mersh" <g>
burned in unison.That is my clearest memory of the concert.Pete was young and
bearded,with his "#1" Les Paul,and Roger had his leather fringed jacket.Our
friends from Las Vegas that we spent the previous day with sent me two color
photos of the concert,which I still have,along with the beautifull color
photo ticket stub.

I never wished I'd die before I got old,for the simple reason I assumed I
would without hoping.I thought I'd never make it to 30.  I'll be 35 this
august. 

- -Ray Rae