Sunday, September 23, 2007

SOS - Psychedelic Furs Concert

This Sunday Soap Opera involves rain and 1980's music. Please go visit other more poignant or funnier Soap Operas at Brillig and Walking Kateastrophe's.

It was 1986. The guy I was dating was in college. I was in high school. We had tickets to see the Psychedelic Furs at a brand new outdoor music venue a la Red Rocks in Colorado (except without the rocks so not as cool). The buzz was that you could have an outdoor concert even in the rain. The folks in the uncovered grass section in the way back were, well, stuck in the rain but those of us under the roof could remain dry.

That is if the first 26 rows didn't flood. Which is what happened when we arrived for the show in the pouring rain. So we got - ahem - rain checks for our tickets. The Furs would be back around in the fall.

Which ended up being a long time for a high school romance. This guy was someone I had dated on and off. During one of the "off" times I had noticed a fellow my age in that promising location, homeroom. So, that summer I was done with college guy and started dating homeroom fellow.

Somehow homeroom fellow and I had managed to start dating without being noticed by the gossip mongers at our high school. So fall rolled around and we were back in school pleasantly dating.

We were at his locker and he excitedly told me he had gotten tickets for the now rescheduled fall Psychedelic Furs concert. Of course he assumed I was going with him.

I had never told him about the rain check tickets with college guy.

So I told him I couldn't go with him because I already had a ticket and a ride with a former beau.

I figured the place was huge and we wouldn't run into each other.

The days leading up to the concert homeroom fellow seemed to take it well. The night of the concert he went with a couple of friends and I went with college guy.

We walked into the venue and were sitting in the middle section in the center. We were on an aisle side. We danced and sang but it was awkward. The Psychedelic Furs were heading into the encore part of the show when the entire row emptied of concert-goers. At the end of the row I was in, at the other aisle, was homeroom fellow with the friends.

I was told later that one of the friends, an incredibly nice and bubbly girl, saw me and said "Oh!!! There's Allison with her *college* boyfriend! He's so good-looking and COOL!" She was clueless that I had broken up with college guy and I was dating homeroom fellow standing right next to her.

To which he snarled "Let's see how cool he is" and proceeded to lead the group across the row.

I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye, turning to see him coming towards us. I found myself between two tall men who were glaring at each other (keep in mind I'm 5'9"). I muttered introductions, watched them shake hands in front of me and then they both furiously danced on either side of me.

I actually don't remember the concert ending or saying goodbye to the high school group. What I remember was riding in college guy's car with the moon roof open looking at the stars. He was seething and I was happy.

I spent the rest of my senior year in high school dating homeroom guy.

19 comments:

Dedee said...

Love it. Uncomfortable would be an understatement!

See you next week!

Madam Crunchypants said...

Teehee Psychedelic Furs!!!

As uncomfortable as it must have been, I bet it was just a teeny bit gratifying to have 2 boys doing a dance-off for your affections.

painted maypole said...

he he he I love this story.

I've never had men fighting over me (not even in a dance off) Did you feel powerful? ;)

Brillig said...

Hahahaha! I LOVE IT!!! oh, the drama. I love the dance-off. Hahaha.

And hi, psychedelic furs? Sigh. you really are awesome, aren't you!

Kate said...

intriguing! :)

Nell said...

Oh that is so funny! Those moments of total awkwardness... Great SOS!

Unknown said...

Now that would have been awkward!

Kateastrophe said...

Guys fighting over you is never bad!!

Cynthia said...

I totally forgot about that band! I have never had a dance-off for my affection...I love it though!

Jen said...

Oh, it so brings back those days. I'm glad they just danced off their anger. Boys!

Secret Agent Mama said...

I've never had anyone fight over me so I'm living vicariously through your story!! GREAT ONE!!

Anonymous said...

Wow! hahahh!

Hey I put up hyperlinks to the pictures of those mum things we had to wear for homecoming! Check it out!

www.minivandiva.com

Fourier Analyst said...

Oh Ho! What interesting glimpses we are getting of your shady past! Happy about them fighting over you? Have you no shame?! ;-) Psychedelic Furs...those were the days1 (sigh)

Goofball said...

funny story

Flower Child said...

The most captivating part of this story for me? Psychedelic Furs! I love them! Can't remember much else about what you wrote b/c I know have their music playing in my head. Who cares about boys fighting. You saw PF!

Jen said...

I left a little something for "Looking Into" today... come see! ;-)

Gunfighter said...

...and here I thought this story was going to end with these guys coming to blows!

Unknown said...

We really are soulmates, eh?

I saw the Psych Furs in Daytona in 1989ish. With my then boyfriend who was OBSESSED with them. And I was relieved he was obsessed with them because it was our only common ground musically... he was a total skate punk and everything else he listened to gave me a head ache.

That's the same boyfriend who did mean things later... but anyway the part that makes me smile, is somehow he got me to out a "skateboarding is not a crime" bumpersticker on my car... a JETTA no less. LOL.

Luisa Perkins said...

Excellent story. I never saw The Furs live...but Richard Butler lives in my tiny town now!