I wasn’t feeling particularly great heading into Saturday night’s Blue Öyster Cult concert at Grand Falls Casino, but I was certainly excited. After all, this was one of those bands that had been part of my life long before I really understood or appreciated the music.
Growing up in Connecticut, my dad and I spent countless hours driving up and down the winding roads that lose themselves in New England’s woodsy terrain. It was one of our favorite pastimes, and Blue Öyster Cult regularly accompanied those drives. Their music became part of the soundtrack of my childhood, so getting the opportunity to see them live all these years later carried a little more personal significance than your average concert.
Grand Falls was gracious enough to provide me with a complimentary ticket to stay for the entire performance after photographing the show. And not just any ticket, either. I had a dead-center seat in the second row, giving me an incredibly intimate perspective of a band whose music has endured for more than five decades.
The event center was nearly full, with excited chatter filling the room as classic tracks from the ’70s played over the speakers. There was a sense of anticipation among the crowd, many of whom had likely grown up listening to these songs themselves.
