Early Fan Days Stories . . .
By Tom from Iowa:
Air Supply
Monday, August 16th, 1982, 7:30pm
Iowa State Fair, Des Moines, Iowa
$6.00
Well, my memories are a little hazy since this was so long ago, but I'll do my best at remembering what I can. I was 11 years old at the time. Just getting into rock n roll. Kiss was my favorite band. I was just beginning to play guitar. And I even had started up a little band called the "Pop Top Rockers". Fun, innocent times. My dad was a music teacher at school. I remember every summer my he would take his show choir to The Iowa State Fair to perform. This was something I looked forward to every year. I was like Dad's little, personal helper. I would help load-in equipment such as a keyboard, music, props, and a long, cylindrical cardboard tube that contained a bunch of canes the students danced with. I would also be the "page turner" while my dad played piano. And I would help chase down music if the wind picked-up. This particular year, I found out that I would also get a treat. To go to my 1st rock concert. How cool is that? Very cool! So, on the way down to Des Moines, in the school bus, I remember hearing the latest music played on the kids' boom boxes, smuggled aboard the bus. This would drive my dad nuts. And sometimes it got out of hand. I remember the boys in the back - these huge, scary dudes. They were playing a lot of ACDC music, and my dad forced them to turn it off. Then they would go back to REO Speedwagon. Now the girls, on the other hand, were playing Blondie. Then they started playing Air Supply. I'd never even heard of the band before. So I got a good dose of the hits from "The One That You Love".
Remember, back then it was all 8 tracks and tapes. So I remember seeing the big, hot air balloon on one of the tape jackets, but I didn't know what the band looked like. I knew they wouldn't look like Kiss or ACDC. They sounded too nice. And I still remember the songs "The One That You Love" & "Here I Am". Awesome songs that will carry on and on forever. Very catchy choruses and melodies. You can't help but sing along. So by the time we got to Des Moines, I was primed and prepped to what I was about to see and hear. Anyway, we arrived at Des Moines, and went to Adventure Land & The State Fair performing a few times through-out the day with the show choir, and doing all the fun things you do at those places.
Then the evening time finally arrived when we were going to see Air Supply. I remember standing in a long line. Probably thousands of people. And I remember our seats. We were way up in the grand stands. Way up high. I remember Dad to the right of me, and me on the left, and an aisle between us - separating us. It was right in the center though, so we could see everything unobstructed. Then some man came on stage. He was holding a guitar, and he was getting the crowd pumped up. He was telling jokes and then would play guitar a little more with funny lyrics. A solo performance. I don't know who this person was, but I later found out that this person was considered the "opening act". I think some people were actually booing. And then cheering when he finally went away. Then more time went by. It was boring waiting, but I remember just being so pumped up about everything about going to a rock concert. Full of anticipation.
Then all of the sudden Air Supply came on stage. Lights and lazers and strobes were going off and on. It was the wake-up call for Des Moines. Air Supply had landed! And I remember the drummer was standing up, he held his arms up into a U shape and flexed his big biceps. And the crowd cheered the muscle stud. Then one by one they all got on stage. It was huge. It was bigger than big. I remember looking at one of the guitar players with his solid white guitar. And the bass player was right next to him. There was an electric key board player and a "real" piano player on the side. By now each member had taken his spot on the stage. They each had their own spot light centered on themselves. A tall man came out holding a big guitar and another guy was walking beside him holding a microphone. The crowd went totally chaotic. I realized that those two were the main attraction as everyone was hootin and hollarin at them. They said a few warm welcoming words and started the music. Now, remember, this was my 1st concert, and I was already blown away; but when they started playing, it was really loud. It was so loud, that I remember holding my ears shut. I always read about concerts being loud, and they were right. But after awhile, my ears got used to the noise, and I took my hands off my ears about half way through. Other than the severe loudness level, they sounded very good. Everything was mixed very well. I remember each member doing his own little personal solo too. They each got to bask in the lime-light, and that was cool. The guitar player did a little quick run which was cool. But Ace Frehley (of Kiss) was better in my opinion back then - ha ha.. The Air Supply drummer did his flexation of muscles again and got the girls yellin on his solo. However - the piano player won the solo contest.
I remember Air Supply playing both the hits that I listed above, and I remember one guy singing the girl part. I wondered where the girl was, but then I realized the guy just had a voice with a wide range, and that it really wasn't a girl I heard on the tape back in the bus after all. The tall man did a few songs that were very good and he played and sang guitar together very nicely. He was a cool dude. The music was blastin. Lights flashing. They had a tight grip on the audience and wouldn't let go. They rocked the house. People would stand on occasion and clap and yell. It was a great time. A good 1st concert for me.
I also remember some people climbing a chain link fence that separated the grandstand from the SRO (standing room only) floor up by the stage. They each had a camera and were taking pictures, and one of the people was from our group. I remember Dad publishing the pictures on a bulletin at school, and everyone looking at those pictures all the time. I can say I was there. I remember Air Supply doing 1 or 2 encores, and then it was over. Time to go. I remember walking forever. I was tired. My voice was hoarse from cheering. My ears were ringing. I couldn't hear right. I hoped I didn't get any damage, and I didn't. I remember we ran into some other kids in our group and we were talking about what had just happened. Everyone was happy to have gone and ready to go home. I remember the bus ride home. They kept playing "The One That You Love" tape over and over while singing along to it. Then we were home.
What a wonderful experience and 1st rock concert. I think I can say that this concert was one of the first of several motivators for me getting more involved in music. To this day, I am still involved with my bands and music projects and think back to this concert sometimes. This was not only a concert with audio, it also had good visual effects - like the lights and stage presence. Showmanship. Musicianship. Full of dynamics. It was a little bit of everything. I'm very glad I got to go and see Air Supply on such a good night. My memories might be a little hazy around the edges, but this show was something I know I will never forget.
Rock 'n Roll!!!!!!
by Tom O.
