I might be a Baddie now

Last Friday (August 5th), I was standing in a sweaty crowd of people at the Coveleski Stadium in South Bend, IN. I think it an odd, but gloriously fun hobby of mine to spend hours upon hours driving to shows, paying for concert tickets, and pressuring friends to go with me... just to weave my way to the very front and get everyone else's sweat on me. I know it's strange, but I've been a concert freak since...oh... age 5. And I don't see it going away any time soon.

On this momentus day last week, I was experiencing my first-ever live show of DEF LEPPARD and BRYAN ADAMS. Yes, folks- together. In one venue. Ahhh how wonderful.

I was most excited about the Def Leppard show. I was geeked out as ever singing along with other 20/30 somethings standing around me. I love that unique connection you make with complete strangers as you just stand next to them and sing songs that you both know together.
Behind me was a good sized group of younger kids. They came with their parents- ofcourse, but to my surprise and delight, they knew almost all the words to these songs! I couldn't believe it. After "Pour Some Sugar On Me", I turned around to see a young boy who had been getting each and every lyric, (including deciphering the word 'sacharine' out of the song) and asked him, "Hey how old are you?" he said, "I'm 9. "I said, "I was your age when this song came out!" I was smiling at him to show my approval of his being cultured to know "old-school" music.. but as I turned back around I had this overwhelming feeling of.. "I FEEL OLD NOW!!!" Also, during a long guitar solo at the end of "Animal", I was staring at the screen backdrop -which was a multi-colored design -similiar to their album covers. The music was going I was rocking back and forth... sort of going into a trance by it all. I had this weird feeling come over me. I felt like it was 1992 or so and I was at one of their shows when they were in their peak. I snapped out of it after the song and just burst out laughing. Reminding myself... "i'm still 25 . This is 2005..."

After Def Leppard was done, Bryan Adams was up next. Older women pushed and SHOVED their way to the front; one making a rather large scene. I thought it was funny that these 40/50-year old women were getting all aggressive and holding their spots near the front of the stage. There was also a 70-something woman behind me during that show. How great is that?!
She was holding her own arm-in-arm with whom I'd guess was her daughter. They couldn't believe how "rough" the crowd was being.
I had to chuckle at this comment... thinking back on previous rock or punk concerts i've been to where you literally fall all over everyone else because you're packed like sardines against the edge of the stage. Even a handful of Christian rock concerts i've been to have been pretty rough. But the concert this night was not even in that league for "rough crowds".

So I was looking up the set lists for these shows today and learned that Bryan Adams fans are called "Baddies". This is because his initials are B.A. and i guess the D from Adams just follows to make a cute little nickname for all the BA fans. Baddies.
I must say; I'm a much bigger fan of him now that I've seen him live. He's all over the stage.... as energtic as ever.. .and I knew more songs than I realized. He did look RIGHT AT ME once during "Run to You" . That made my night. He sort of looks like Kevin Bacon too. Blond hottie.