Rock and Roll Memories Live on in Chicago!

by ilyse.brainin on may 29, 2011

It was August of 1991, internet was new, no cell phones to be seen and if you took pictures, it was with a camera, and on this day, it was typical Chicago August heat. All I could think about was, what will I wear? I had never been to Tinley Park, but I heard it was the exact replica of my favorite place in the world, the place where most of my teen age memories remain in my mind...Poplar Creek Music Center. Torn down while I was away at college. Poplar Creek was open and free. We walked around with beer in hand, hair blowing in the summer breeze. No texting, no cell phones, just meeting up and running into people. In those days, we either wore jeans, tanks and GAS shoes or high heels with little anklet socks and short skirts. The determining factors were the seats. Lawn meant late night and grass seating with the possibility of rain and pavilion seats meant dressing hot and maybe meeting the band! It was easier in those days, they came and went in limos in and out of the same door. I had several brushes with greatness. One night, as Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth were leaving in their limo, I caught a glimpse of myself in the tinted glass window. My face was like a chipmunk, my eyes bruised and swollen. I stepped back not recognizing myself. Suddenly the window rolled down and David Lee Roth handed me a bottle (he had drank out of) of nothing other than Jack Daniels. He said, "Here darling, you look like you need this more than me!" I had my wisdom teeth pulled just a few hours before the concert and my friends didn't want to tell me how bad I looked. On a better night, my girlfriend and I sashayed our way to the first row for Rod Stewart, who took a liking to us. The band kept handling drinks to us all night, then threw us soccer balls, drum sticks and other 'band stuff'. They took a step down off the stage to stand in front of us and suddenly the entire crowd pushed us right into him! So many cool memories, how could I not go check out Lollapalooza, after all, we had seats! I was excited to see the new Music Center and hear all the new bands I was just beginning to get into. I grew up with Kiss, Rush, Black Sabath, then Ozzy,Van Halen, REO, Journey, Pink Floyd, Zeppelin (yes, I had my ticket order in) and then Robert Plant. Just to name a few. I started listening to 9 Inch Nails and The Buthole Surfers and then Jane's Addiction and Nervana. I liked the new sound, it was different and I was ready for different. The music of the 80's was fading fast, and the hair bands seemed almost comical, while the new sound took me back. It seemed to have some anger, like some of the music of the 70's I liked, Robin Trower for instance. The drive there was long, but we jammed to the new Chili Peppers all the way! When we arrived, and parked, I saw all of these kiosks with vendors selling stuff. I bought a silver ring with a hanging square, inlaid with blue stones. I still have that ring and when I wear it, I think of that day and the people I met. The place was a sea of jean shorts, black t-shirts and boots. Tatoos and piercings were new and evident on most of the young people. It dawned on me that day that tattoos used to define old sailors, like my uncle with the giant eagle across his chest and now they seemed to define the young people and the anger they hear and feel in the music. But were they angry at themselves or was it just a statement? Two years before this day, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. We danced around to much of the music I was going to hear on this very day. My life seemed happy and light, the people and the music seemed serious and angry and I was too naive to know why. I reflected on the world as it was changing and the world Ashley would grow up in as we defended the aisle to our seats. The people all around us were partying hard and were inviting us to join them. Most of the people we met that day were not from Chicago. We noticed the line of bikes that seemed to create it's own mini-parking lot when we came in. The guys we were partying with were from Colorado and had come down just to see Jane's Addiction. These were the times I remembered from Poplar Creek and we danced, smoked and drank with this crowd of ten or fifteen, the entire day. By the time the night rolled in, we were ready for each band as they came on stage. The idea of hearing different music all day long was just awesome and very Woodstock like to us. When Jane's Addiction and the Buthole Surfers came on, it was crazy in our area! Just like the old days of the indoor amplatheatre, we stood one foot on the back of our chair and one on the back of the chair in front of us, buzzed, balanced and jamming! The night cooled and the days sweat blew away, leaving a chill, or maybe it was the old memories? When Lolla first came to Chicago's Grant Park, my daughter Ashley was in high school. It had been a long time, and I was excited to go again. This time I was working on Michigan Ave. and I could see the set up happening from my classroom window. I walked to the front gate to get our tickets. The scene was amazing. They were bringing in giant fans, the entire atmosphere was like a circus! The internet allowed me to connect with others who were attending and texting allowed me to navigate the concert and show up at mini events going on all day. Ashley and I attend together each year, we arrange to meet people at different sites, we text clues to people like the original Grant Park Lolla did and make plans to see everyone we know who is as into live music as we are! Its funny how music and music centers have played such a big part of my life and now I can pass it onto my daughter and make memories with her too. There are not many memories that can be passed down from the 1980's, so I'm glad we have music memories that will last forever and continue to grow each year!

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