Friday night I went to the Eagles Concert at the Hollywood Bowl with two friends from the office. Had I known what was involved in getting into, upward toward and through the bowl, I would have worn the right shoes and gotten a map. It’s a hike for someone like me who considers the trek to and from the office elevator something that calls for sustenance first.
But, here is the thing. Planning an entire season without much worry for the weather, then add the amazing accoustics (at least I thought they were), the lit cross on the hill to the right (I’m not a holy roller, but I looked at it more than once as a song was being performed that brought back days gone by and felt it deep inside), and the civilized way people behave there made me immediately go online when I got home (at one in the morning!) and see what other concerts I can’t do without.
There are some flaws however.
Let’s talk about what they call stack parking. I have amazing parking karma. I always believe I will get a space, and I always do. If I park illegally, I never get a ticket because I’m sure I won’t. And stack parking (which means there is no way out until the person in front of you, and the one in front of them etc. is in the car and leaving) means it can take an hour and a half to get out. But we were number three in our row and I told my compatriots we would not be waiting and we didn’t. But I don’t want to push my luck and next time have to figure out the VIP parking scenario.
The trek is uphill. Big time, and when you are walking down you feel if you lean too far forward you could go rolling down the concrete hill (I swear it’s a straight down angle) and start picking up people becoming a large ball of rolling people that would slam into the tent at the bottom sellng flashing hair bands in assorted colors. I think this fear came from a time in college when I was skiing with friends. We laughed and laughed about this poor woman who was strapped into a sled after she fell and broke her leg. The sled got away from the rescue peeps and she went careening straight down the moutain, her head up, terrified racing faster and faster down the hill. She hit the lodge when she got to the botton and broke her collar bone and an arm. The worst part about it was that her leg wasn’t broken in the first place, it was only bruised. I made up the part about her leg not being broken after all so you would find the story more interesting. Anway, to make a long story longer, I kept thinking of how I laughed at that woman last night and knew it was payback time should I lean too far forward.
My friends at the Bowl...
But the stars above (not many but a few), the cool air, amazing Eagles (although I liked them better in the early days before they let the rocker lead singer guy in), and funny and equally appreciative friends made it one of the nicest nights I’ve had in the LA in which I’m starting to feel at home.
Next concert I’m going to there is the Carole King, James Taylor concert. Add in Simon and Garfunkel and I would sprint up the hill.
