The Automatik

This past spring, for the first time ever, and with no ironic intentions, I went to see Rick Springfield live. What can I say? It was amazing. Never mind that he’s old enough to be my dad, he’s still actually cute. A few more wrinkles around the eyes maybe, but that winning smile is still there.

After sitting (or standing) through an excruciating set of rock �n’ blues by some band, he finally came out, wearing silver vinyl pants and a black button up shirt. And he looked good! I wasn’t even embarrassed for him wearing an outfit that could have come from Hot Topic.

If you’ll pardon the mixed musical references, Rick Springfield and Iggy Pop are among the most energetic rockers I’ve ever seen and they’re both into middle age. Rick was cracking jokes, jumping around, throwing his guitar in the air, laughing, telling stories…you could not help but enjoy yourself during the show.

He was so gracious. There were a ton of people in the front who kept thrusting 8x10s, tour programs, albums, etc. to him on a constant basis, and he signed every one. At one point, he brought about 15 gals on stage with him to sing “I Get Excited.” He even wedged one lucky lady between him and his guitar to play the song. She was so thrilled I thought she was going to pass out! After the song she looked up at him and grinned and he gave her a quick peck on the lips. Her face was priceless. I’m sure that was the highlight of her life! Before the girls left the stage, he gave them all hugs. Not that he didn’t get his share of enjoyment from it, but it was still rather sweet.

At one point, someone tossed a ton of Mardi Gras beads on stage and he put them on and said, “Oh, I think I’m supposed to flash you now, right?” So he unbuttoned his shirt and proceeded to do so. If anyone else had done this, it would have been downright cheesy. But when he did it, it was funny and yes, dare I say it, sexy.

I had the best time! Like the Loverboy show I went to several years ago, there were no poseurs, no hipsters, just regular Joes having fun. Of course, these are probably the same people that I see at the mall and roll my eyes at, but in this context, it was perfect.

Too bad it had to end. After an hour and a half, he was gone. I vowed never to miss him again, and also to bring along my mom the next time he swung through town.

You can imagine my horror at reading about his arrest for assault on his wife a few weeks later. I don’t know any more of the details; I think it was too unbelievable for me to want to find them out. I don’t know the guy and I don’t know what kind of problems he and his family have, but it sure must be hell to have such intimate crises published in entertainment magazines and all over the Internet. But I will try not to dwell on the disappointment. I will only try to think of Rick Springfield the heartthrob, and what a good time I had and how much I love all those songs. At times like this, I just have to separate the artist from the person. I wish that it was easier to accept that they are just human after all.