Friday, was concert day and it actually started before school and between darkroom obligations. Basically, I earned a lot of respect and people were now asking me questions, seeking my opinions and the concert was being well organized. I simply asked to be apprised and updated as the situation was developed. During lunch in the auditorium, I met the other, "Stoned Kid," Garon Climes as he went to another school and took off. Parts of the crew were showing up and equipment was being set up.

Then the lighting chief, Roger came in and expressed nothing but his concerns. He said that there is a community event and he was told to set up for that instead and hoped we can do the concert with white lightning. I told him no and even bought the colored gels that I wanted to use. Next he said that he cannot do concert lighting as they are old pancake style dimmers and he won't blow them out. I said that wasn't my problem as it is contractual. Roger was an interesting person as in a play rehearsal, it was speculated that he added a bit of weighted drama that echoed beyond the auditorium and through the school. Last he said that he wished he could provide better lighting for us, but the lighting teacher is being a problem. I told him to do what is right and don't worry about things.

Mr. Getzy was an interesting teacher as he taught psychology class. Quite off the wall as he used the Catholic methods that helped him out. Everything was hand written on the chalk board. You walked in and immediately and quietly wrote everything down. That took about 15 minutes, then everything was up for class discussion. He liked the method so much at the end of school he explained the method to his madness. He used the sound level to indicate when people knew enough of the material to be comfortable with it. He used that time to gauge us, facial expressions on what needed better discussion. He also acted wacky, such as sitting on his chair's back rest, he'd call your name while pointing to someone else. You had to pay attention. I aced his class, but during part of it felt rather picked upon and treated with suspicion. "Mike, how many people do you think were committed to psychiatric institutions?"

"24,000"

"Wrong edition. Mike! That was the third edition, we are on the forth! That's why I don't hand out text books for use out of class!" He also brought a couple of his chickens in once and showed us how to hypnotize them. He had them all lined up and a student asked him why would he do something like that in the first place. "That's what I do when I have friends coming over and need to kill several of them for food."

His class was the second to last and the day of that concert, it was unhappily busy for him. About ten minutes in John knocked on the door and popped his head in, apologizing to the teacher and said, "Hey! Mike man... I want to let you know that we're doing the dry ice run." I acknowledged him and told him that fine. Mr. Getzy gave me a prolonged dirty look. I shrugged my shoulders.

Mr. Getzy had just started the discussion when the sponsoring teacher barged in the back door, walked up in front of Mr. Getzy, "Hey Mike! I got to let you know that I didn't have faith with you guys, but what I see you doing is going to be great! Hey, there are even colleges calling about the event! Now, I can't wait to see it!" He then walked out the front door.
That was a good way to know what it is like standing before Dirty Harry when he just cocked that gun of his. "God damn it! It is hard enough toleration an interruption from your student friend. At least he apologized, but to have a teacher barge in and take my class over is unforgivable." There was a long pause, but I got the message and though this wasn't my fault, I apologized. "Obviously you are an important person today and perhaps you should leave this class before any other interruptions!" I mentioned that there shouldn't be. "Well the next one...You're out of here!"

Not two minutes later the teacher in charge of the lighting, came in the front door and stood in front of Getzy. "I am going to tell you something Mr. Kohlman. We have a community event at 9:00am the next morning and we are setting up to that and we have to use it for the concert."

"Mr. Waldors, we have a contract."

"No sir, we do not, that contract is only to make sure the students get paid for being there providing the time."

"Then why did I get stuck, paying for them after they left?"

"That's different, there was nothing in the contract except the time period and the date! That's your tough luck."

I became instantly enraged, "Mr. Waldors; in that contract it says, 'To provide lighting as specified." You are going to provide it to my satisfaction. It became a comedic skit of yes and no, until I said, "Mr. Waldors, I am going to have that lighting regardless. For all I care you can go to hell! But I will have that lighting!"

His anger turned instantly into a smile and a long lovingly look, "Mr. Kohlman, I am glad that you did that. That is a suspendable offense and I am going to the principle right now. I will enjoy seeing you, next September serving your punishment." He then walked out through the back door. I could have cared less.

Now it looked like Mr. Getzy was looking at Dirty Harry, "Mike, he is in a lot of trouble isn't he?" I just smiled...

Ten minutes later Mr. Waldors walked in and he was hugs and kisses, "Mike, I want to apologize to you. I really shouldn't have taken things the way that I did and there will be no punishment. Are you OK with everything?" I nodded my head; then he left even apologizing to Mr. Getzy.

Mr Getzy had this, "Oh Shit," look on his face and told me, "Mike, I think you're the best student in this school and that I consider you my best friend. If there is anything that you need, please let me know; do you need a massage?" Mr. Getzy laughed, I laughed and shook my head, "No," but no one else joined in with laughter.

When psychology class was over, I walked outside and there was the principle, " Mr. Waldors came in and told me the most amazing story. You actually lost your temper? I listened and told him, 'If you pissed Mike of, then he must have a good reason. I want to see that contract.' It turns out that he doesn't understand or know how to do the lighting that you need. I asked around and found that you know Mr. Sebestan. He was in charge of the lighting at Towson and not only agreed, but wants to help you get that lighting up for you. I have to be honest, you come up with some projects, but this one is going to turn out to be your best!"

Immediately after school I went to the auditorium and was stopped by Mr. Sebestan, "I want to stop you here before you go in and explain things to you."

I thought, 'Oh Shit, they burnt the lighting board out.'

"I was the lighting teacher at Towson, but they really don't instruct well for rock concert lighting, I have been to a few concerts and think that I figured things out and really help the performance. I think you'll love it to as you have worked so hard and given me something that uses my talents. [He was also a painter and taught fine arts.]

The doors opened and my jaw dropped. The stage was fully equipped and set. They were also running the sound check and I could hear activity in the catwalks about the auditorium ceiling. He set the various zones so that there were several options, plus greatly improved the stages general lighting. He started laughing and said that the stage is also set for the event and the stage is marked out so that all they have to do is pop the gells." He felt what happened to me was much to do about nothing.

He had Rodger show me the zones and also mentioned that John went though his music so the lighting can be choreographed. Roger complained that he can't push the lighting and Mr. Sebestan said, "You're a student here, you won't have to pay for the lighting if it burns out. Think of this way, don't you feel that the school needs an up to date lighting system."

I was informed that the sound was set and wanted a full on rehearsal. I found out that we had a fuse blowing problem. The sound guy couldn't figure it out, but his brother was an electrician on his way. Also the custodian was involved and we got things arranged not to blow any more fuses. I now realized that we have the makings of a powerful performance and had this energy running through me with the voice on my left shoulder telling me not to take advantage of it.

Then back stage, I found that there were thirty chairs now set up in the wings. Neither I, nor the sponsoring teacher, were happy about that; but I reassured the teacher that it will be OK. I wanted to know exactly who will be back stage and why. It seems that John had invited people from other bands that were interested and wanted to see the stage workings. I asked that people if they have partying needs, do so off the grounds and everybody felt it was fine.

Then I saw the other Stoned Kids girlfriends toking up a bowl. She sensed that I was upset and assumed that I wanted a hit. I told her, "Getting this concert was pure hell and what you are doing is against school rule and will shut the concert down. Look, if you two have to do that, take it outside, preferable off school grounds." Both simply left, I was hoping that it wouldn't affect the performance, because if it did, my poor friend would be up on stage seeing his world crumbling and wishing that he was stoned, and most likely, I'd be the one ending up stoned... For real!

We kept up the rehearsal and it was going well, between songs I was applying spirit gum and non lubricated condoms to my face and filling in with liquid latex. It was a very time consuming process as one layer had to dry. For this one, I had checked out one of my mother's old plastic surgery nursing books and working in reverse. To further age myself, I had two baby pacifier tips up my nose with the tops cut of so it was more bulbous. My looks were scaring people and I know felt like my head was going to drop forward and fall off. People were telling me that my base was really doing funky things. We also added a drummer named Steve Bartlet, Max and had two soloists added Pual Gerden for guitar and Craig Bauer, a classical concert pianist who won a state award for playing.

The school had just opened its doors for the dance and we were an hour away, everything looked fine and we could relax until performance time. About five minutes later, the sponsoring teacher came in asked if we were ready. I happily told him that we were. He then said, "That's great! Because the other band has a fuse blowing problem and we are opening the auditorium doors, you should be on in five minutes." Funny, he just walked out.

Immediately, the sponsored class was filling in and filling the front row seats. A major distraction for me was the people sticking their head through the curtain, telling John and me that they were here. A great way to find out the house now consisted of three motorcycle gangs and umpteen groups of college kids. I just thought to myself, "God, please let this be great!"

The one minute to curtain was called and it was like a grand design, we all say it at the same time. The mixing board was on fire with a cannon-like billow of smoke coming from it. You know you' re in for one hell of a ride when the sound man yells, "Shit! Grab a patch and stick it anywhere. We have to run direct to amp!"

Several people ran up to me and said, "I'm a sound man for such and such, he can't do this one alone. Considering the number of channels we had, people were running out to get combining connectors. The sponsor popped back and wanted to know what was up, I told him and said that we just need a couple of minutes. About four hectic minutes in and the students were stomping their feet and cussing, yelling, "Come on!" We lost where the synthesizer was and John pressed the key and a 150 decibel blast of a high-pitch flanged shrill shot into the auditorium complete with screams of the audience. Then the last minute that we needed was blessed filled with silence. A minute later everyone was in position on the stage and the curtain opened.

The lighting came up and I realized at that point in time, that I am nothing but an innocent bystander that can be seen in a sniper's scope. I wasn't prepared for the experience and what a wonderful thing to see my best friend performing admirably. Then, the second song and foot stomping and chair back banging stated with chants for Bob Seger. I could tell by the pitch that it was the students and Jond and I exchanged glances, but he played on. There were also yells from the back of the house, "Shut the fuck up you fucking brats," among others. The teacher ran back stage and said, "I'm sorry for this. I expected a riot, but not from my own class. We got the other band back and are making them listen to them. I'm really sorry for this." What is that music, I have never heard that before?" I told him that there are all originals that John wrote. He said, "They sound great! I didn't expect this."
The rest of the show was going great and there were yells, but they were all positive and lit lighters as well. The song came up that was my cue, so I slipped into my black robe and grabbed the battle axe and peered out the back curtain, "Narcotics agents hell!" In the audience it looked like a cannon went off with one bong hit. I assumed the position stage left and the lights died as John moved to the piano and did his solo. We released the dry ice and heard, "Something's fucked up with a group of people trying to figure it out. The lights came back up with the ultraviolet kicker coming on and I walked out.

People in the audience were freaking out yelling that we released chlorine gas. For what ever reason our sparse dry ice mist had a green tint to it and people were getting up ready to run. Luckily a person yelled out and said, "That's not chlorine gas! I am a chemistry student from Johns Hopkins and if that was chlorine gas, they would already have been dead!" I continued one and realized, we never discussed when... I was to put out the candles. John would build up the music and nod to me and I would put one out. What tripped people out was the flame would get bigger before they extinguished. When finished, I walked across the stage and exited. Later I was told by the way I walked, I looked like they imagined death would have done. The truth was, I was in bare feet, now covered in the water vapor the mist produced, hoping not to step on an electric wire or dubious patch cord.

Two songs later, the concert was over and I announced that no one is allowed back staged, until I looked and every person in there rushed it. I then gave my last order, "Just try to keep this cool guys!" The next half hours was shaking hands and taking compliments. They all thought it was great and let us know how they heard about us. Surprisingly, we had many members from bands, a few from radio. We packed up and left. I figured this was now finally over.

I didn't expect the next Monday. It turned out we attracted the attention of many teachers and created such a hubbub that they felt obligated to attend. They loved it! Also commending us for the performance. Many of the students from the sponsored class apologized to John and me for their classmates and said that they tried to get back in but were told they couldn't. There was even a shift in the tide from our graduating class, "You fucking assholes, this is the type of stuff you should be doing for us!" I made sure that I shot back at them! The sponsoring teacher made an effort and tracked me down and reimbursed me about $400.00 touting the success the concert had for his class.

Oh, a janitor walked up to me and said we gave him the fright of his life. He had found ice in the sink and added water and started chipping. He didn't expect a gasous cloud to erupt. Rodger also said he wasn't happy as the next morning he found a beer can back stage. The concert was over and I told him, "God damn it Rodger! Be thankful that was your only problem. The audicience was doing bong hits! Be thankful there wasn't any real trouble!"

In the movie called, "Fame!" there is a scene where the teacher tells the class, "There are 24,000 people that call themselves actors. Out of that only about five hundred really are." An experience like this; is something that can be righteously carried throughout one's life and touted as an accomplishment. Many people have such experiences and I love to hear about them. Most of us don't get breaks and simply take from that experience and do the best that they possibly can adapting them as needed. What an honor!

To think, this performance occurred on a Friday the Thirteenth.