Anything For Rock N Roll

I live and breathe for music, and I have enjoyed live shows since a very young age. My first 'real' concert was when I saw Rick Springfield at age 11. My brother, 14 at the time, and his best friend took me and my best friend. It was one of the best experiences of my life! Since then, I have seen countless other artists and have invested a lot of time and money in this hobby.

I think the last show I saw was Rick Springfield in 2004, when he was at The House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, SC. I was able to watch his sound check and have my picture taken with him because my friend and I purchased special VIP passes. I was diagnosed with neuropathy in 2000 or so, and walking for more than five minutes, prolonged standing, and pretty much prolonged anything causes me great pain in my extremities. I am in pain even when I am just sitting still, so any activity beyond that is quite excruciating. At this particular show, I had seats in the orchestra area, which, at the HOB, is first come, first serve. My friend Brenda, also a Rick fanatic, and I wanted to be right at the stage, so we arrived several hours early (as did hundreds of others) to wait in line. We were able to get right at the stage! We stood for several hours until Rick came on. There were no actual seats in the front area, so people were just crammed in like sardines in chaotic fashion. I was in pure agony the whole time. My legs and feet felt like daggers were being plunged into them, I was dizzy, and just plain miserable . I used my friend's shoulder to lean on from time to time to get some slight relief, but basically just put up with it. When Rick finally came on, I forgot about the pain for a bit and enjoyed the show, but for several days after, I was completely bedridden. I could barely walk or stand. After that experience, I pretty much came to the conclusion that that would be my last Rock and Roll show.

That was about eight years ago. One of my favorite artists, Fiona Apple, is currently touring to support her new CD. When I found out she was performing at The Durham Performing Arts Center, I jumped online and scouted out the venue. It's not a huge place; it kind of looks like a glorified High School auditorium, but nice. It reminds me a bit of the Beacon Theater in New York, where I saw Rick in 1999. I called DPAC, and told them I am not wheelchair bound (although I do have to use one during extended outings) but that I cannot climb stairs or stand for long periods. They said they could accommodate me, that there were elevators and handicapped seating. I had to call them directly for tickets rather than use the Internet, but I ended up getting seats in the front/orchestra area, a mere 4 rows from the stage! I am quite excited! I bought two tickets and will be taking Lindsay with me. The show is at the end of September, which gives me time to figure out other details, like lodging and parking. I can't/don't drive much, so I'll need to work all that out.

There are so many things, even just every day things, I am unable to do these days. I have accepted it, for the most part, but it's very easy to get down on myself, particularly when I think about the future. Going to this show is a MAJOR deal for me. A few hours of escape will do wonders for me, and I am thrilled to share this with my daughter. She has had to suffer the consequences of my illness, too, and I have incredible guilt over not being able to get out and do things with her. I plan to research and plan more fun things we can do together!

Durham Performing Arts Center:
http://www.dpacnc.com/events/seating_chart