dianeseattle
Member
I was thinking I needed more humor in my life and something happened that triggered a hilarious memory.
In 1994 I took a temp job working for a concert security company. It paid pretty well but was only temporary. I lived close to the Gorge Amphitheater, which used to be the Champs de Brionne winery at the Columbia River Gorge near Crescent Bar, around George, Washington. Yes, that's the name of the town. George. And if you go to George, you can stay at the Martha Inn. George at the Gorge staying Inn Martha. Many jokes have been made.
Here's a long shot of the venue, though it doesn't go far enough to show its incredible desolate beauty from the back. If you were on the deck behind the stage, you'd see a gorgeous crescent-curve of the Columbia River that cannot be described. But I hope this is enough to show you how beautiful it is.
That summer I provided security for Lolapalooza, concerts by Green Day, the Beastie Boys, George Clinton, the Breeders, Steely Dan and the Spin Doctors and so many more, I can't list them all. But the summer finale featured the Moody Blues performing Knights in White Satin, a hit that had been rearranged to include an orchestra. At this performance, they invited the local school symphony from Quincy High School which was a real thrill for the kids. The concert began at sundown, a gasp-producing vision.
Of course, I was a huge fan of the band from back in the Sixties when I was in high school. A boy friend of mine had actually written an arrangement for their current hit in the late Sixties, Tuesday Afternoon. It was amazing, precociously genius and a portent of what would happen in the future, as the band added orchestral tracks to their future hits. It was also progressive for our high school, allowing a student to be at the helm of the conductor, an unheard-of occurrence.
So at the Moody Blues concert, I was assigned backstage detail. It was my job to guard their wardrobe, which was huge stand-up trunks of extremely expensive costumes made of velvet and satin, hand-tailored for the band. Each costume was worth thousands of dollars and I got to protect them from looters who might find their way backstage, undetected. It was a joy to be there, especially since I was also right next to their dressing rooms so I had many brushes with these performers I idolized, who had been part of my Sixties experience.
When the concert was over, it was pitch black outside, but the firmament of stars was almost black with glowing stars from every constellation. I had taken astronomy in college so I was identifying them to myself as I waited to be relieved. And the view of the river and the basalt cliffs... all of it was like being in heaven.
Someone came walking over to me. I tried not to look at him, as it was Graeme Edge, the last remaining founding member and I was about to hyperventilate with excitement. The fact that he was wearing only a tight pair of bikini jockey shorts sent me into a whole 'nother level of anxiety. I really had to try not to stare. He came over and put his arm around my shoulders and looked at the sky. He started talking about how clear the sky was and then, leaning in for emphasis and reaching up to point the finger of his left hand at one star after another, he began to identify the constellations and tell me about their mythical origins.
I knew all this stuff since I'd studied the stars for my science elective, but I didn't say a word. I just basked in the surreality of the moment. And I was flummoxed by his choice of wardrobe. Like most of the band, he just shucked off his clothes in the dressing room after performing on this 90 degree night. He had no sense of being overexposed and just couldn't have been more normal.
Eventually I was called away and went home, but that's a crazy experience I'll never forget.
Anyone else have a weird celebrity sighting or experience? Or a good joke? I'd love to hear it.
In 1994 I took a temp job working for a concert security company. It paid pretty well but was only temporary. I lived close to the Gorge Amphitheater, which used to be the Champs de Brionne winery at the Columbia River Gorge near Crescent Bar, around George, Washington. Yes, that's the name of the town. George. And if you go to George, you can stay at the Martha Inn. George at the Gorge staying Inn Martha. Many jokes have been made.
Here's a long shot of the venue, though it doesn't go far enough to show its incredible desolate beauty from the back. If you were on the deck behind the stage, you'd see a gorgeous crescent-curve of the Columbia River that cannot be described. But I hope this is enough to show you how beautiful it is.
That summer I provided security for Lolapalooza, concerts by Green Day, the Beastie Boys, George Clinton, the Breeders, Steely Dan and the Spin Doctors and so many more, I can't list them all. But the summer finale featured the Moody Blues performing Knights in White Satin, a hit that had been rearranged to include an orchestra. At this performance, they invited the local school symphony from Quincy High School which was a real thrill for the kids. The concert began at sundown, a gasp-producing vision.
Of course, I was a huge fan of the band from back in the Sixties when I was in high school. A boy friend of mine had actually written an arrangement for their current hit in the late Sixties, Tuesday Afternoon. It was amazing, precociously genius and a portent of what would happen in the future, as the band added orchestral tracks to their future hits. It was also progressive for our high school, allowing a student to be at the helm of the conductor, an unheard-of occurrence.
So at the Moody Blues concert, I was assigned backstage detail. It was my job to guard their wardrobe, which was huge stand-up trunks of extremely expensive costumes made of velvet and satin, hand-tailored for the band. Each costume was worth thousands of dollars and I got to protect them from looters who might find their way backstage, undetected. It was a joy to be there, especially since I was also right next to their dressing rooms so I had many brushes with these performers I idolized, who had been part of my Sixties experience.
When the concert was over, it was pitch black outside, but the firmament of stars was almost black with glowing stars from every constellation. I had taken astronomy in college so I was identifying them to myself as I waited to be relieved. And the view of the river and the basalt cliffs... all of it was like being in heaven.
Someone came walking over to me. I tried not to look at him, as it was Graeme Edge, the last remaining founding member and I was about to hyperventilate with excitement. The fact that he was wearing only a tight pair of bikini jockey shorts sent me into a whole 'nother level of anxiety. I really had to try not to stare. He came over and put his arm around my shoulders and looked at the sky. He started talking about how clear the sky was and then, leaning in for emphasis and reaching up to point the finger of his left hand at one star after another, he began to identify the constellations and tell me about their mythical origins.
I knew all this stuff since I'd studied the stars for my science elective, but I didn't say a word. I just basked in the surreality of the moment. And I was flummoxed by his choice of wardrobe. Like most of the band, he just shucked off his clothes in the dressing room after performing on this 90 degree night. He had no sense of being overexposed and just couldn't have been more normal.
Eventually I was called away and went home, but that's a crazy experience I'll never forget.
Anyone else have a weird celebrity sighting or experience? Or a good joke? I'd love to hear it.
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