I know I said I wanted to turn this into a gardening blog, but I had this idea while walking around Costco tonight and I wanted to play around with it. I guess this can be categorized as one of those other tales.

Here’s the premise, you find an old record player while cleaning out your family member’s attic/basement/storage shed… it doesn’t matter where it was found, just that it’s clear it hasn’t been used in awhile. You take it home (with their permission of course, it was thrifted by someone in the family, no one really knows its origin story). Once you get it cleaned up a bit, you get ready to plug it in and a you notice a note stuck to the bottom. The note reads: The Rules. You are instantly intrigued and start to read them.

THE RULES:

• Whatever record is playing you will be transported to one of that artist’s concerts. The album doesn’t necessarily have to be the tour you attend, but it does have to feature the artist/band you wish to see.
• It has to be playing an actual record, no MP3s, radio, other formats of recorded music will work.
• You will only remain at that show for 30 minutes prior to the opening act and 1 hour after the show is over. However, for that time period you have an all access pass. You can meet the performers and interact with them, get the best seats in the house, VIP accommodations, etc.
• The magic of the Time Machine will change your outfit to be in style for the time of the show
• You cannot bring anything to or from the concert, no merch, no autographs (even if they autograph your skin, it will fade when you get back) no food or beverages, no sand in your shoes, everything stays in its time and place. You will have enough of valid currency to be able to purchase food/drinks while at the show if necessary, they just will not come back with you
• You cannot change the course of events that occurred at the show. You can interact with the people you see, but they will not remember you after, and there will be no lasting effects of your visit.
• Time will move differently, while you will be able to witness the entire show plus a little time before and after, the present time will only last the length of the side of the album. You will physically be gone for the length of the album.
• You can bring anyone who you touch to the concert and they will be subject to the same rules, if you get separated, once the album ends they will be transported back with you. However, upon returning, they will only be able to discuss the time travel with people who have used the Time Machine.
• You only get access to this Time Machine for 1 year out of your life. Once that 365 days is up from the time you plug it in the first time it will disappear and end up in someone else’s storage until it is found again.
• You can attend any show that has already happened, this Time Machine only moves forward in the sense that you can get back home, you cannot go to Britney Spears’ 2045 Don’t Call it a Comeback Tour
• You do not have to worry about the time/space continuum because if you run into your younger self at a show, you will not remember it later.

So now that we know the rules… What concerts are you going to? You don’t need to list a reason. Maybe the concert happened before you were born, were too young to attend, didn’t have the money or time, maybe you did go and you just want to relive the show, all reasons are valid ones.

I’ll start

• Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer Tour
• Fleetwood Mac in the height of the Stevie/Lindsay messiness
• Taylor Swift The Era’s Tour
• Taylor Swift’s Reputation Tour
• Green Day’s American Idiot Tour
• Garth Brooks: Live from Central Park
• Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival
• Cher sometime in the late 80s
• New Kids on the Block’s Hanging Tough Tour
• Wynonna Judd in the 90s
• Michael Jackson’s Thriller era
• Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation era
• The Original Woodstock Music Festival
• Nirvana’s Unplugged in New York show
• Lady Gaga’s Fame Monster era
• The Beatles first big tour and their last
• Tina Turner
• Elton John at Dodger Stadium
• David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust
• Snoop Dogg at Coachella in 2012
• Prince’s Purple Rain
• Whitney Houston’s Bodyguard era
• Madonna’s Blonde Ambition Tour
• Beyoncé’s Formation Tour

I know it’s a fairly long list, but if I have this Time Machine for only a year before it disappears on me, I’m going to make the best of it. I’m sure the more I think about it the more I’m going to want to add to this list, but it’s good start to get the conversation going.