Late for school

When I heard that Crowded House were giving a free farewell concert in the grounds of Sydney Opera House, I was interested in attending. My son had just turned five and started kindergarten that year, but I was already thinking about taking him along to his first 'real' concert. Previously he had seen Monica from Play School inside the Opera House, and a few local free entertainment shows, but this was a big concert and set to be his first glimpse of the world of music.

We arrived in plenty of time, to catch Powderfinger and You Am I in concert too. At the time, these bands were already known to me slightly, as I was an avid music video watcher on the weekends. I thought it would be a fun experience for us both to catch some Aussie bands live, in addition to seeing a well-known band give its final performance. I have since learned that Crowded House have got together again and done further concerts, but at the time, it was to be their very last.

There was an enormous crowd already there when we arrived. We found a patch of ground to sit on and chatted to some of the other music fans and then the music began. I could just see the head of the lead singer of Powderfinger and lifted my son up so he could see it too. I recognized a couple of the songs and my young son was quite happy to see someone from TV, although we did not get a very clear view as it was so crowded. He was a bit heavy to keep in the air, so I lowered him until the next band came along. I then pointed them out on the giant screen to one side, as this was easier to view.

Eventually, the main band appeared. I was eager to catch at least a few songs before leaving. I was not sure how long the concert would go on for in total, but my son had kindergarten class the next day and I had not stayed in the city late before to know what time the last trains home ran. We caught about five or six songs and then made our way home, hearing the concert behind us for several blocks. Luckily, there were plenty of trains still running, as Sydney seems to have a good transport system.

In the morning, I explained to the teacher that my son might be a little tired that day, as he had stayed up late the previous night to attend the Crowded House concert. At least he would have something fun to tell, if not show, for show and tell that week! The song that stands out most in my memory is not by the main band, however. It was from Powderfinger and was the one playing when I held my son up for his first sight of a famous star on stage!