My Grandmother and Grandfather Breeze, my mom's parents, obviously visited my dad and mom while they were living in Denver, Colorado, circa 1947. Gladys and Ray Breeze lived most of their lives in White Cloud, Kansas, in the extreme northeast corner of the state, where my mother was born back on July 4th, 1921.
In the photograph, which my father must have taken, my Grandmother sits just behind my Grandfather and is barely visible. Mom stands in front of them.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, lying toward the West of Denver, has hosted some memorable concerts and events over the years. Most notably, U2's UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY concert was recorded there. The ticket I have included is from a concert I attended in 2008, Cyndi Lauper's TRUE COLORS tour, featuring the B-52's and Joan Armatrading, among others.
How could my parents or grandparents have even comprehended that, approximately 61 years after they were playing tourist in an otherwise empty performance venue, a tour, celebrating diversity, especially celebrating gays as a significant part of that diversity, would appear there? And that same concert would be attended by their gay son and grandson, along with hundreds of other gays, lesbians, and gay friendly people?
As my mom used to say regarding all things gay, "Oh, we never spoke of such things back then." Heck, the music of U2 a couple of decades earlier than the TRUE COLORS tour would have knocked their eye teeth out and sent them fleeing the scene of utter madness. Rock and Roll music was still the better part of a decade off. Aliens landing from outer space might have created a lesser sensation in their eyes.
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