The Tour Threads Edition #2: The Wild Heart Tour

[DashingDan]

First "rock" concert I ever went to. Was a pup of 15 back then, couldn't drive, went with my art class friend who was a year older than I. Her aunt drove us to the show, dropped us off, and picked us up after (thank you again, whoever you were).
Brought my new Canon AE-1 35mm camera to the show and was told I couldn't bring it in to the Centrum. I wrapped it in my Nike windbreaker and buried it next to a tree by the mall (talk about brave and stupid..$350 dollar camera) and went back in. I didn't mind Joe Walsh too much cos I new a bunch of the songs, but I recall thinking "okay, enough's enough". Marilyn Martin was his backing singer and percussionist (she did smack the congas a bit during Life in the Fastlane), but she hadn't made the move to Stevie's band just yet.
People could smoke inside public places back in those days, and by the time Joe Walsh was finished and the house lights were on there was a huge cloud of cigarette smoke (and others kinds of smoke) that hovered below the ceiling. It's funny how all that's changed, for the best I suppose.
Anyway, Stevie came on and sounded startlingly (at the time) bronchial and hoarse and husky. After 'Dreams' she did her thank yous, and I remember thinking "oh no, she's obviously too sick to sing anymore", I thought the concert was over after only 3 songs!! It wasn't, she plowed on, playing, as the boston globe put it in their reveiw of the show, "the sacrificial lamb".
Little bits that stay in my mind: I remember her plea to go home and read fairy tales before "beauty and the beast", and I remember she wore a lot of white. I remember someone lighting fire crackers in the crowd and her making the "tsk tsk tsk" mannerism in the direction of the sound....and honestly, that's about all i remember. I like the show, loved the show, but was surprised at how husky and low her voice was (this must've been around the point of the tour when she needed more of Prince's cough syrup).
We left the show, I found the tree, re-dug the hole, and got my camera and jacket back!

Oh yeah, I swear she did Nightbird at the show, but by all accounts, I am wrong. Funny how that happens.