Road Stories : That One Show I Regret Missing Is........
James Brown, There I said it. No build-up to what this blog is all about, Just “BOOM”, there it is, I guess the image above gave a hint to who it was.. . It was July 5, 1996, The show was to be at the Petrillo Music Shell, Grant Park in Chicago (I was still living there) …. That’s the one show I had been eagerly anticipating, but had to miss.
‘96 was the second year Alligator Records Photographer Eugene Kimmons would toss me a bone, The year before (because of him) I covered the 1995 Chicago Blues Festival featuring Blues greats such as Luther Allison and Eddie Campbell. Eugene, a mentor and a friend, always thought I was capable of becoming a music photographer, though I was much harder on myself and my abilities, both as a visual artist and more so as a photographer.
So back to the “why” this is the one show I regret missing. I remember I had my gear with me at LaSalle photo, where I worked at the time, it was at least a 40 to 45-minute ride by bus and train, that was on a good day, about an hour when there were festivals in the downtown area.
Before I departed for the show, I had been nursing a Migraine all day long. My 30’s was a time in my life I started to get migraines, they’d come and go and I’d go about my day, but it was also in my 30’s the frequency and intensity would get worse over time. This was one of those times it was not going to let up, and leave me totally incapacitated, I still decided to try and make the James Brown show later that day.
I was able to convince my boss to let me leave early that day, all the while thinking to myself that the sun was too bright and I was feeling sick to my stomach. Despite my condition, I decided to go to the show. I always made it a habit to arrive early for any event I was involved in; it helped me plan for the day.
To my surprise, the press table was already open, even though I still had a few hours to kill. I made my way to the line. My migraine was worsening; I was light-sensitive, nauseous, and dizzy. I knew my blood pressure was likely being affected as well. Soon, I found myself next in line to get my credentials for the show. At that moment, I informed the staff that I wasn’t feeling well and decided to head home.
Looking back, the only show I ever regretted missing was James Brown. It's a regret that still lingers—a missed opportunity that I can't help but think about from time to time. I even came across an article by Rick Regar that appeared in the Chicago Tribune in 1996, which reminded me just how special that day was.