I grew up listening to the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Their music took me through 2 serious boyfriends and my first marriage. Somehow I lost touch with their music over the past 15 years, so when I saw that John Fogerty was playing at the Beacon Theatre, I jumped at the chance to get a ticket. I arrive at the Beacon Theatre early Tuesday morning thinking there would surely be some available tickets. Nope, all sold out. But I learn a secret about getting last minute tickets from the little cutie pie in the box office. (if I told you, I’d have to kill you) So I score one later in the day!
First, let me give you a little info on the Beacon. It’s only a few blocks from the Gotham Den (can life get any better??) and it opened in 1928. Sadly it closed in 1981, but over the past several years the theatre has completed a three phase restoration project. It’s now remodeled and revitalized and yours truly got to see the restoration in all its glory.
I arrive promptly at 7:15 for the 7:30 p.m. show only to find a handful of people seated. Hmmm….did I miss something? The warm up band starts promptly at 7:30 and they play about 5 heavy metal songs which is not my favorite music, but I have to say they sound pretty good. But where are all the people? They told me this was a sell out?!?
So I learned a very “local” lesson – according to my new friends sitting beside me. New Yorkers are busy and usually don’t take the time to make it to the warm up show. Oh, now I get it. You take your time getting off from work, have a cocktail, and slowly make your way to the show arriving just in time for the main event. I like that. So after an intermission I make my way to get a glass of wine and return to my seat and the party begins. For the next 30 minutes the theatre was just one big cocktail party. You stand at your seat and mingle with the people in front of you, in back of you, and beside you.
The lights dim and then out comes JOHN FOGERTY and for the next couple of hours we are entertained like there’s no tomorrow. We dance and we sing. We watch John, who happens to be 64 years old, run across the stage and strut his stuff like a teenager. He never let up. Song after song brought back so many long-forgotten memories. Born on the Bayou, Bad Moon Rising, Who’ll Stop the Rain, Lookin Out my Back Door, Down on the Corner, Have You Ever Seen the Rain…too many to list.
It wasn’t until I was reading a review of his tour did I learn that this particular night was his final date on his fall tour. How exciting to be a part of it! Let the midnight special shine a everlovin light on me…
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