Jun 4
My First Concert: Prince
Kimberly Gunn may have one of the best first concerts ever… Prince and The Revolution, during the “Purple Rain” tour in 1984.
A concert she says is “seared in her brain.”
She vividly recounts the experience:
“It was the height of the 80s, so I was dressed like Prince with the lace and gloves and makeup because I wasn’t going to be outdone by a man…
So there I was, dressed like Prince in the crowd. The energy was palpable and brimming with energy…the lights go out…I can still see the drumsticks playing in the dark and Sheila E. playing. It was pure magic. The lights come up and then the rest of the band is there, and the crowd went crazy.
It was so much fun and mind-blowing to see one of my favorite performers playing and they killed it that night.”
Gunn adds that her outfit was, in fact, outdone by Prince (naturally). And she feels extremely lucky to have seen him perform live.
Originally from New York, Gunn is the executive director of Zoomcatchers, a virtual meetings and events planning company based in Oakland, Calif. She holds a Master’s Degree in Chinese Language and Literature and has taught the Chinese language to children since 2006.
Her passion outside of her career? Music.
As an avid music fan since she was a young girl, music represents freedom and joy. “It’s a place where I can put my headphones on, listen to some great songs, and be in the zone. I don’t have to think or worry — I can just be in that moment and enjoy some great tunes,” she says.
Although Gunn enjoys listening to music, “It’s nothing like live events where you have bands and fans together — and all the lyrics, beats, are right there in your face!” she says. To her, it feels “euphoric, intense, and enthralling.”
“When everyone is zeroed in and focused on having a good time, you can be with total strangers yet you feel connected to them,” she says.
Aside from Prince, a few of her other favorite concerts include The Fixx with General Public in New York in 1984, and Anita Baker in New York in 1986: “She gave a live show in a smaller venue, which felt really intimate, and she’s such a great singer,” she says.
Looking ahead to the future, what band would she like to see perform live that she hasn’t seen before? Her all-time favorite band — Journey.
“I would love to see Journey with their original lineup — nothing wrong with their current lineup — but I grew up with Journey and Steve Perry, and I would be down for that!” she says.
What was your first concert? Was it as good as this one? Would love to hear your stories!
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Tammy Holzer is a freelance creative writer, storyteller, and music fanatic. For more music interviews, stories, and articles, visit her on Medium, and feel free to contact her if you’d like to share your own first concert story.
#music #concerts #liveevents #journey #thefixx #zoomcatchers #prince #anitabaker #steveperry #generalpublic
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.
