1988.
In 1988.
On Tuesday the 21st of June.
At about 6.30pm.
I was walking past The City Hall in Newcastle upon Tyne.
I was 20 years old.
1995.
And in 1995.
7 years later.
On Thursday 7th December.
Mid morning.
I was wandering by Central Station in Newcastle City Centre.
Aged 27 years old.
The First Day.
On that first day in 1988.
At 6.30pm.
A guy outside Newcastle City Hall tried to sell me a ticket to see Stevie Ray Vaughan.
The concert started at 7.30pm.
I’d never heard of him so the guy (exasperated) laughed, shook his head and just gave me a ticket.
Stevie Ray Vaughan was good!
And that there ‘Wikipedia’ tells me that Stevie Ray Vaughan:
…was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, and one of the most influential guitarists in the revival of blues in the 1980s.
He is commonly referred to as one of the greatest guitar players of all time.
Which is nice.
And sad too, actually.
Because Stevie Ray Vaughan died under 2 years later.
Aged just 35 years old.
In in a helicopter crash.
On his way back from playing live with Eric Clapton.
The Second Day.
On that second day.
Seven years later.
In 1995.
As I was wandering past Newcastle Central Station.
A couple of guys asked me if I wanted two free tickets to the opening night concert at ‘The Arena’ in Newcastle.
The tickets were for that very night.
I’d not even heard of The Arena, as it goes.
And I didn’t know who was playing.
But I said yes, anyway.
And as the guy with the tickets handed them to me.
He leaned in and, still holding one end of the tickets as I held the other.
He said this to me,
You will go won’t you?
I paused.
Course!
I said.
And the guys wandered off.
RP. RT.
Seeing the 1988 Stevie Ray Vaughan concert was really something.
Right place.
Right time.
And seeing the 1995 David Bowie concert.
For free.
On the opening night of The Newcastle Arena.
That was really something, too.
