Thursday, August 12, 2010

Mellencamp melancholy

Tonight John Mellencamp and Bob Dylan are playing at the Casper Events Center.

I desperately want to go for Mellencamp.  I don't really care about Dylan.

You see, John Mellencamp was the first tape I ever got.  It was from Santa in my stocking when I was in 2nd grade, I believe.  That same Christmas my sisters got The Pointer Sisters and Bruce Springsteen.  Can you say children of the '80s or what?

I have had a mild obsession with Mellencamp ever since.  For awhile I owned about every tape you could of his.  I played his songs on repeat.  And when we moved from Indiana, his home state as well, to Colorado his music just meant something more.

I have never seen him in concert but it hasn't been for trying.  Fate just won't allow me to go!  Once, when I was in D.C., he played in Virginia.  I wanted to go, but couldn't get out of work in time.  Thank heavens I hadn't already bought a ticket!

Another time he was playing in Colorado.  I think this was right around when I had just moved back West and was jobless.  I couldn't justify buying a ticket and driving to Denver when I had no way to pay for it.  How was I so responsible in my judgement??

Tonight is strike three.  I heard a couple months ago he was coming and I was determined to go.  But we had the Jackson wedding last weekend, I have a flat tire that needs replaced, I have to save for some trips coming up...

I just can't go.

My coworker Matt sent me an email earlier saying he had heard Dylan was playing and he wondered if I was going to go.  I had no sooner explained I'd rather see ol' John Cougar, but couldn't justify the price to go when Matt emailed me a message he had seen on Twitter...

Matt's email:

I was just handed two tickets to a Bob Dylan concert in Casper TONIGHT at 6:30pm! Who wants 'em? They're free!
Find @UWInfoDesk on twitter!!!! HURRRYYYYYYYYYYYY
The first part is the actual tweet, the second is Matt's command to me.

I have never searched for, followed, and tweeted someone so fast.  I told Matt I'm sure I set a record.

Turns out you have to pick them up in Laramie, which obviously doesn't make any sense for me.

So, here I am.  Struck with Mellencamp melancholy.

One day I will see him!

I hope this isn't three strikes and I'm out!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gosh, all these years and you haven't made it happen? I'd say you should seize the opportunity while you can, even if it's slightly inconvenient for your schedule or outside of your budget. You don't want to keep on belly achin' for years about all the missed opportunities to see this fantastic artist! As John would say: "Save some time to dream." It could be that this is all there is, so we need to enjoy life while it's here.

Linds C said...

I hope one of those trips is to DC!!!! I miss you terribly.

Anonymous said...

I hope you ended up going! I agree with Anonymous. Do it! Find a show, make it happen. Don't wait for everything to fall into place. Put the pieces together and fit it in or you may regret it. This tour that is going to start at the end of October is going to be the BEST YET! I'm not sure where you live, but there is likely to be one in your area as they are going to be all over the country. More will be announced in the fall or later in the year. Check out mellencamp.com and join the mailing list. You can get access to presale tickets and join the community message boards! It would be great to have you! ~Kyra

Kelly S said...

Yeah, me in kindergarten in a pink floral dress and ponytail w/my Born in the USA tape. A very odd image, but I did love that tape, especially the song Dancing in the Dark. :) From then on, it was a tradition to get a cassette in our stocking every year until Christams of '93, when Stacey and I got our CD players and my first ever stocking CD: Trisha Yearwood The Song Remembers When.