I waited an hour and 20 minutes but it was worth it

Steppenwolf just rocked the grandstands with “Born to Be Wild!” There is a gorgeous sliver of a rainbow over the Fairgrounds, and everyone is on their feet. I am not a Steppenwolf fan…and thought I only knew one of their songs…but enduring the unknown for this moment was worth it. It feels sort of magical for a time I don’t remember, an anthem that was never mine, but I loved sharing the moment with a couple thousand people I don’t know.
Much to my surprise, the band is back on stage for an encore. It’s called “The Pusher.” Never heard it before, but that doesn’t surprise me. Other than “Born to Be Wild” and, it turns out, “Magic Carpet Ride” every song tonight has been new to me.
Even though the music hasn’t really been my thing, I have thoroughly enjoyed John Kay’s running history lesson of his band and their songs and mentions of Bill Graham’s influence. Being a kid from San Francisco, I grew up with a deep respect for the music producer and his ability to find and cultivate music talent. Pretty cool to hear his name again after so many years.