After my parents sold their dream house back in 1995 or so, they moved north to Thousand Oaks. Dad had quit his practice as an MD in Oceanside, CA. Though our paths split at that time, I would later rejoin them in Denver, Colorado.
No longer practicing medicine, pops found work with his new degree in Business/Hospital Admin. His first job in Thousand Oaks, CA, was successful but he wasn't satisfied with his contract. Once it ended, he already had the new job waiting in Denver.
At that time my life was moving forward aimlessly so with encouragement from my dad, I left California. While in Colorado, I attended Metro State University of Denver and found work at Breeze Winter Rentals.
Red Rocks
It's funny how much of life was packed into the year and a half I spent in Denver. The memories are pouring back in as I write this. One of the highlights (out of many) that comes along with living near Denver is the proximity of Morrison.
Morrison, CO, boasts and hosts the world famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre. During my short time in Denver, I saw some great bands play that natural outdoor wonder of an arena. Here are a few short accounts of some of the more memorable concerts.
Phil Lesh & Friends
Though my least favorite singer of the remaining Grateful Dead, Phil plays a mean bass guitar. It's fun to see him cause he usually has some incredibly talented guest musicians.
Before I quit my first job working construction and found the ski/snowboard shop, they came to town. I talked a couple girls into going with me and was pretty excited.
A couple days before the event, I fell running over a gravel driveway on the job. One of those 2 inch rocks punctured in-between my knee and cap. Though I could barely walk, I rallied for the girls.
It was a good show from the hazy memory I have of it. Most of my focus was on the throbbing pain in my knee and trying to smoke it away. The girls, Stacy and I can't remember the other, almost lost me in the parking lot.
We were headed in to the show and they just kept going....forgetting about my injured knee. But they came back and laughed and apologized. It was so long ago before my wife and I were even dating. The girls were kind but they weren't into my sorry ass. Not many were at that point in my life.
Allman Brothers Band With Dad
Dad wasn't hitting the joints that always end up being passed around at a concert like this....but I was! I suppose passing joints at concerts will remain something we used to do for quits some time.
Hanging out with dad in the parking lot and having a few icy cold Fat Tire beers goes down as a great day in the memory books. Some heads were wanting to trade beers for t-shirts so I picked up a couple. I still have one of those shirts. Just wore it with the face of Jerry Garcia last week!
In retrospect, this concert may not have happened while I lived in Denver. After I moved, I did visit as pops still lives out there. Of course, the Allman Brothers didn't have all original members. They did have Greg on the keys and microphone which was enough to make it epic.
Reggae On The Rocks With Little Brother
Memories like these are special because little bro had a skateboarding accident. He's no longer with us. He was with me on the day of Reggae On The Rocks and he went overboard!
We were drinking and smoking but he got a bunch of mushrooms. Knowing one of us would have to drive home, I wasn't keen on the psychedelics. I tried to tell little David, but he didn't listen. You can always eat more shrooms, but you can't eat less!
So David ate way too much and shortly after the first band came on, wasn't feeling well. He joined me to get a beer cause he wanted to use the bathroom and didn't want to be left alone. I got my beer, found him coming out of the John, and we headed back to our assigned seating area.
Red Rocks has a very steep incline as you walk up and away from the stage. Vendors and bathrooms are on the sides in-between several sets of concrete stairways. We had walked up to find the beer stands which are usually right next to the restrooms.
On our way back down, David hesitated at the top of a section of stairs. The concert was packed and people were everywhere. I saw the look of impending release on his face and apparently, everyone on the stairway saw it too.
He buckled, lurched back for just a moment, then heaved his whole upper body forward with his legs in place. David's head followed it all and out came the longest spray of vomit I've ever seen.
By some miracle to my eyes, not a single person on that stairway got a drop of it on them. It was like watching Moses part the Red Sea....at Red Rocks. Those heads split fast showing they weren't at their show.
David hit the floor a couple bands later and we had to get back to the car. I could relate to a bad shroom trip and I knew just what he needed. Space! Open nature! That huge crowd with the loud music wasn't gonna do it for him.
I was happy to babysit my full grown brother just like I did when he was a tyke. The only bummer about it was missing Jimmy Cliff as the closing act. He would have been something to hear and see live on stage.
Do you have a favorite venue? Been to Red Rocks? Who did you see? I hope it doesn't take too long to get back to normal cause I miss seeing shows.
Thanks for reading and as always...
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