Our Rock Hall Induction Experience

Another one crossed off our bucket lists!

What a way to characterize a history-making, once-in-a-lifetime experience! And to share this with my Mother! Now, that is sheer perfection!!!!!

Well, even though it has been crossed off our bucket lists, I sure hope we have one hell of a chance on making it to future Cleveland Induction Ceremonies! That's for sure. This is my element. OK, the music portion is my element. I am a vocalist. And a connoisseur of music, all genres. Later in this post, I'll get to what is NOT my element and what made our Rock Hall Induction Ceremony, at times, exasperating.

We lucked out. We are charter members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. However, when tickets to the general public went on sale, Mom and I got shut out --8 times!

We both tried the call in days.

We both tried the log in days.

We waited in line.

Finally, we just put our names on a list and hoped that in the end, they released a handful more tickets for Rock Hall Members.

Sure enough, the Thursday before Inductions, Mom got a call asking if we were still interested. Heck yea!

The tickets for the 'common folks' were quite expensive but well worth it.

We had one sticking point. Though Mom's recovery has been great and she is back, her mobility at times needs a little assistance. When we know we have to walk long distances or wait in line for a period of time, it's better for us to take 'assistance' of some sort. Hence we asked if they had a handicapped area. And they did.

We're going to the Rock Hall Inductions!

Now there is going to be a mix of ecstasy and disappointment in the lines that follow.

The ecstasy circles around the performances and the history being made. How could you NOT realize you are witnessing a little slice of heaven jamming to the finale with the guitarists of Metallica, Jimmy Page, Ronnie Wood, Jeff Beck, Joe Perry and so many other greats. I mean, come on!

From the get go, when the announcer counted down the seconds to the show open on LIVE TV and then said "Live, from Cleveland Ohio." Chills, that's all I can say!

Little Anthony and the Imperials opened the show sounding PERFECT! Everyone throughout the entire Public Auditorium, which looked lovely, was jamming.

Every act that performed thrilled the crowd and did not let anyone down....Wanda Jackson still jamming in her 70's....Cleveland boy Bobby Womack still has his set of pipes.....Mom and I REALLY enjoyed listening to the master, Jeff Beck who wound up jamming with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page during his performance...and then the entire auditorium got nuts when Metallica, all dressed in suits, started rocking the joint. I must admit, not Mom's favorites BUT she knew she was witnessing the likes of something never to be seen again.

The introductions were heart warming and informative. None of them were too long until the end when Flea ran wild introducing Metallica. Up to then, the show had retained its decorum and swiftness. Then Flea uncorked the swear words for the first time all night and went on longer than Metallica's acceptance speech.

We hung it out knowing there would be a master jam session at the end. That's the best part, hearing and seeing everyone jump up on stage and play together as one entity. The first jam session encore was a performance of 'Jailhouse Rock' while the finale was 'Train kept a rollin'.

It was great seeing the stars in the crowd as well the likes of Run DMC, Eric Carmen, local politicians such as the Kucinich's, Harlan Diamond, many local judges...the list is endless. A who's who.

Priceless. Pinch me!

A night never to be forgotten.

Now, comes the 'not so perfect part' of the night. Sure, the simple fact that we were there --that's enough.

But let me tell you, getting there was a cluster (I will leave off the F word that usually follows cluster!).

First of all, I really felt for the first time like I was a 'have-not.' There were the 'haves' who were being wined and dined and took home their Gibson care package bags. Then there were the 'have nots' who were treated like second class citizens. Let's face it, if it were not for the fans, these musicians might not be where they are today. The Rock Hall may not be as popular as it is today.

Getting into the Auditorium with a handicapped situation was IMPOSSIBLE. The red carpet was blocked by gawkers. There was no signage where to go if you could not do steps. We labored for a while as to where to and how to enter. Finally, we painstakingly made the trek up the stairs. Once inside, another major cluster. All the while, I was worrying we would not be in our seats on time because of the disorganization of the venue and possibly Rock Hall. You see, you had to be in your seat by 8pm or you got shut out until the next commercial break.

We were told over the phone by Rock Hall personnel they would escort us to the handicapped section. We spoke to 10 people associated with security and Public Hall who looked at us like we were speaking a different language. They directed us in circles. All the while, being a major worrier I was afraid we would not be in our seats at 8pm because of SOMEONE else's screw up.

They even sent us up the elevator unattended. We got up there and were standing alone in the corridor fretting. No one in sight. No help in sight.

Hadn't a clue where to go.

I hopped back on the elevator and went back downstairs to a place where at least there were people.

Got back down. Waited some more to grab someone's attention.

Finally, a beautifully dressed woman in red knew exactly where we should go. We haphazardly stumbled upon her as she was escorting in her party. If we would not have run into her, we STILL may be standing alone in the bowels of Public Auditorium.

They took us to the handicapped section which was on the floor in the back. It was also in a huge wind tunnel and behind a bar area.

We could not, at first, take part of the bar area. That was reserved for 'others.' I had to be escorted up 6 ramps to the commoners concession stand where I stood for 15 minutes worrying I'd miss the beginning of the show. Had to be escorted back down.

Finally, during the show a little man from the bar came and asked everyone in the handicapped section if we needed anything to drink.

The least they could do. Mom and I were lucky. I can walk. She can walk. However, she could not have walked up 6 ramps and neither could many of the other folks in our section.

Now this is what really got me. I am at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. That's why I am there. You have people sitting at the front tables who really did not realize they were witnessing history. I can not tell you how many people blocked the handicapped section view by standing at the bar all night with their backs to the ceremony, talking loudly at the top of their lungs making it nearly impossible to hear portions of the show. They did not care what was going on up on stage. They just cared about getting smashed at the bar and saying they were at the Rock Hall Inductions. So many people left BEFORE the end of the evening. What a drag.

It's a crime that many folks who really did not appreciate what they were witnessing got pampered to the max while those who should have gotten the star treatment were resigned to the 'back of the bus.'

I tried really hard not to let these folks get to me.....because I was at the Rock Hall Inductions with Mom and they were GREAT.....

I'm not in the 'in crowd' and probably never will be. Believe it or not I know a lot of people but apparently not well enough to get whisked away to events such as these, or loges at baseball games or anything like that!! And I guess I am ok with that. But it sucks (I know not the most educated word) when you see folks who misuse their power, or abuse their power and charm just to get something.

Then you had the directive no cameras, no photography yet there were people flashing all night. There was even a wall set up where people could stand to take pictures with the rock hall logo behind them. I play by the rules. Maybe that's why I DON'T GET AHEAD and am NOT in the 'in crowd'! I did not take my camera. We did not get any pictures. I followed the rules and again, got _ _ _ _ _ _. Then, I was hoping to buy some type of program or souvenir. If there were stands, they were not where we were ushered off.....nowhere in sight could I spend my money I set aside for this great night. That's the awful thing about it, I can afford to spend money on an event like this, but am not given the opportunity. I'm a 'have not.'

However, that said, foibles of the evening and all put behind us, Mom and I were at the 2009 Rock Hall Inductions, know how lucky and blessed we are...know that no matter how mortals treat us or how we feel, God is always on our side. Even if many of those dressed in monkey suits and long dress ballgowns did not realize what they were witnessing, we realized the enormity of this event, enjoyed it to the fullest, had a BLAST making history together, and savored every single morsel and moment!!!!!