As you probably know, the Gallagher brothers are reforming the hit band Oasis after over a decade on hold. Unsurprisingly, their tickets are selling like hot cakes.
And why wouldn’t they? They’re in a perfect space where their music was very, very popular with people who are now in their 30s and 40s. The type of people who are in the sweet spot of a) still wanting to go to a concert and b) with some money in their pocket. The same people who would have scoffed at a $40 dollar ticket are now happily shelling out $400.
Fortunately, I am a happy camper in the earlier category. When I was 15, I was living in Dresden, Germany, with a particularly dour family who were unusually interested in model trains and being on time. I had made a friend, Christian, and together we decided to go see this semi-famous British band called Oasis. I had never been to a concert where the participants didn’t wear a school uniform Monday to Friday, so I thought it would be a great thing to do.
I was right. The concert cost $40 (I think) for the two of us, and was in a warehouse. All standing, a surprise for me, although it shouldn’t have been. Whiffs of marijuana and stale beer stained the air. It was terrific.
The night was a late one, and I had a 6:30 start the following day for school. My host family were adamant I attend school, so I schlepped out bleary eyed to the tram in the winter snow. What they didn’t know was that halfway through the ride to school, I got off, and returned home after the house was empty, and had a nap. That’s rock and roll, baby!