As a child of the 60s and a teen of the 70s, I like to think we had the best music. Real music. Music you could actually hear and understand the words. Songs with meaning. Janis Joplin’s Me and Bobby McGee and Piece of My Heart. The Mamas & the Papas’ California Dreaming and Monday, Monday. And of course, legends like The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, and The Eagles, just to name a few. Honestly, the list could go on until your eyes glaze over, and I’d still have more to add.
Back then, kids and teens listened to the radio religiously to catch the latest hits. Vinyl albums and 45s were treasures we could play over and over, often driving parents a little batty, but hey, that’s the price of good music. Even though I was too young, I remember my brother talking about going to nightclubs or auditoriums to hear live bands. Before they became famous, bands like The Guess Who, The Stampeders, Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO), April Wine, and Trooper played live in Saskatoon nightclubs. Somehow, I survived the envy of hearing about those gigs without yet being old enough to attend myself.
By the 80s, I started seeing concerts in person. Iggy Pop at a nightclub, Cher, Tina Turner, Garth Brooks, Tom Jones, Rod Stewart, Bon Jovi, Diana Ross, Billy Joel, ZZ Top, Fleetwood Mac, Reba McEntire, Clint Black, Guns N’ Roses, and Elton John. And yes, tickets were reasonable back then. Rod Stewart? $27. Bon Jovi? $24.75. Elton John? $87. Cher? $93. When you consider that wages were much lower, those prices were actually somewhat expensive, but still, relatively speaking, a steal compared to today.
Concerts in those days had a magic all their own. People weren’t there to fight for the best spot or take endless selfies; they were there to hear music, sing along, and have a good time. The music itself felt pure, alive, and unfiltered. No auto-tune, no endless remixes, just real talent and passion.
Looking back, it’s funny how much music shaped who I am. It’s the backdrop to my memories, my moods, my teenage angst, my first dances, and my “I-can’t-believe-I-saw-them-live” moments. Today, sure, music is everywhere, You can stream thousands of songs instantly, but nothing quite replaces the thrill of a radio hit you memorized word for word or a vinyl record spinning on a lazy Sunday morning.
So, here’s to the songs that made us laugh, cry, and dance like no one was watching. To the bands that still make our hearts skip a beat. And to concerts where the only thing you needed to worry about was whether you remembered the lyrics. Because truly, some things never get old, and thankfully, neither does great music.
And, as Tigger would say “TTFN, Ta, Ta, for now!”