During my senior year in high school, I went to my first concert.
I wasn’t as good as I am today at keeping track of things back then. But the concert had to take place on either March 3, 5, or 6. That’s when Aerosmith played at the Great Western Forum as part of their Pump tour in Los Angeles. I went with my friend Eric. We had seats that faced the left side of the stage (if you were facing the stage as opposed to the audience). Skid Row opened for Aerosmith and we were very familiar with both bands. It was crazy and it was loud but mostly it was fun.
Skid Row played a bunch of their songs, including “18 and Life.” Then Aerosmith came out and played just an awesome show. Their really big hit from that album was “Love In An Elevator” but the song I really liked was “What It Takes.” The song not only reminds me of that last year in high school, but also of my first concert and the great time I had. I found sets lists for the three concerts at the Forum and I still can’t recall which show it was we saw. Maybe Eric can help. I do seem to recall that someone famous came out onstage to sing one song with Aerosmith, but alas, my memory fails me there as well.
I look back on that concert as a big step toward my own independence. For a while, I wondered why my parents were willing to let me go. I didn’t think they would let me. But they did. The concert was in early March 1990. I was a few weeks away from my 18th birthday (for which my parents and friends gave me a big surprise party) which is an important milestone itself. I was graduating in a few months and would be attending the University of California, Riverside. In short, I was growing up, becoming an adult. I’d be on my own at college and being able to go to the Aerosmith concert was symbolic of my growing independence.
It was also one heck of a show.
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