Wish I could go see them again, but travel to the mainland and a concert is just a little bit out of reach financially for the time being.
I saw them back in the '90s when I was living in Winnipeg, though, and I didn't pay a cent. Shhh...
I was feeling a little under the weather, so I called in sick to work that night. I figured the boss wouldn't miss me because the store would be dead. You know... Stones playing and all.
It was a warm summer evening and I sat down on my front porch. Suddenly I heard the opening of "Start Me Up," and it was awesome! I walked to my front gate to hear better, but the wind was picking up and the sound of it blowing through the canopy of trees overhead overpowered the music.
I figured I'd just walk to the end of the block, up to Silver Avenue. It was almost a straight line down Silver from the Winnipeg Stadium to my street corner. I was sure I would be able to hear the music better there.
I got to the corner and kept walking as the music just pulled me towards the stadium. Before I knew it, thirteen blocks were behind me and I had crossed the railroad tracks. I found myself leaning up against a fence just across the street from the stadium.
I wasn't the only one who had that idea, though. There were about a hundred of us having the time of our lives doing the "Harlem Shuffle" on St. James Street in front of the stadium. The crowd inside the stadium roared, and we joined them from the street.
Around 9:00, I suddenly realized that the store was closing soon and my boss would be driving home right past the spot where I was dancing on the sidewalk. I bolted across the street towards the stadium and walked around the perimeter fence looking for a place to hide. There were some scraggly trees planted along the fence, so I climbed up.
There was a gap in the stadium between the bleachers and the stage, and I could see Mick and the boys strutting their stuff onstage. I couldn't believe the energy they put into their show. Mick moved like a teenager, dancing and singing and putting his heart into it. And I was in the perfect spot to enjoy the fireworks at the end of the show.
Well all good things come to an end and I practically danced my way back home down Silver. When I got back I realized that I'd left home without even closing - let alone locking - my front door. My cat was sitting on the porch giving me the death stare for being late with his dinner.
The next day at work I apologized for not being able to make it in, and my boss told me not to worry about it, they hadn't had a single customer all night. Everybody seemed to be at the concert. When she drove home, she'd seen all the people lined up along St. James Street listening to the music. There were even people sitting in the trees around the stadium watching the show.
Hmmm.... people in trees watching the show.... Imagine that.
Enjoy the show! It will be memorable!