Tuesday, January 15, 2008

More Musical Observations: Records & Venues

(Oh, YEAH! Now playing here, 8:27 am: Merle Haggard, "The Fugitive," 1967.)
Reader Greg, in comments to yesterday's post...

Absolutely agree on King George and his act. Paid $5 to see George in the early 80's...now he has my money for every CD he has put out (plus albums; you know, those big round discs in a cardboard jacket...
Haha! I may be young, but not that young. I remember listening to my uncle's albums way back in the '80s, when I was growing up. I don't remember him having any George Strait records, though I'm sure they had to be around there somewhere, because he's always been a huge George Strait fan. I couldn't tell you for sure, but I wouldn't be terribly surprised if he's seen the Strait man as many times as I have. Next time I see him I'll ask him about that. Would that I had been of age to see King George for $5. I have come pretty close, though; the last couple of years he's been at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, I snagged tickets for about $16 apiece. Granted, they were in the nosebleed seats at Reliant Stadium, but hey, it's George Strait, I certainly am not going to complain. I was happy just to be there! Venues like Alltel are just great, though. I think it seats about 18,000 people. That sounds pretty big, but even on the lower level, where I was, there was a great view. I was telling someone as I was there that if I couldn't see George in one of those standing-room-only holes-in-the-wall, a venue like Alltel Arena was the next best thing. But I'll take George where I can get him...
(Now playing here, 8:47 am: Lacy J. Dalton, "16th Avenue," 1983. "they walk away from everything, just to see a dream come true, so God bless the boys who make the noise on Sixteenth Avenue...")