“Really?”

“Uh, uh. Rolling Stones, Bryan Adams or Vanilla Ice, you name the act, chances are I’ve probably done the show.”

“I’m impressed.”

“Anyway, It all started when I had this dream to do the biggest show anyone has ever seen. It would be Woodstock, Live Aid and The Concert For New York all rolled into one.”

“That would be quite an achievement.”

“You’re telling me? I wanted every big name in the biz that was currently touring, like Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Elton John, Santana and David Lee Roth. My people said it would never fly, that the negotiations alone would be killer.”

“So, what happened?”

“Well, I knew I was going to need some help. That’s when I called up Clear Channel Entertainment and House Of Blues Concerts.”

“They’re competitors, aren’t they?”

“Oh, yeah, big time. But I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it without those heavy-hitters, so I called the heads of both companies and invited them to lunch.”

“I’ll bet the sparks flew during that meal.”

“You would think so, but it was really civil. In fact, not only did both company heads agree to help out on the show, but they also said that they would do it for free. Said it was good for business.”

“That is amazing. What happened next?”

“When word got out about the show, people started calling us. Before the end of the day, we had booked an incredible lineup of talent, including Cher and Enrique Iglesias.”

“It didn’t cost you a single penny?”

“That’s right. Everyone was donating their time. Oh, it was sweet. No one was griping about billing, about who should open and who should close. Plus, the city let us have the largest stadium in town for free, and the sound and lighting guys all volunteered their time and equipment.

“What happened next?”

“I gotta tell you that I’m a pessimist at heart. So I kept thinking that something was going to go wrong, that it would rain on show day, Mick would get sick or Keith would, well, act like Keith. But come the day of the concert, the sun was shining and all the stars, including Willie Nelson and Money Mark, had arrived. And to top it off, not only did we talk the parking lot concession people into skipping their fees for the day, but we convinced Ticketmaster into selling all the tickets sans service and convenience charges.”

“That’s remarkable!”

“Uh, uh. I’ll never forget that moment when it all began. The Pope had just stepped up to the mic to introduce Paul and Ringo. The crowd was going crazy, all the Clear Channel and House Of Blues people were backstage, hugging and kissing each other, and Rev. Sharpton was dancing with Dick Cheney. You never saw so much love in one place.”

“That’s really fantastic! Who would have imagined that the entire concert industry would come together like that? That sounds like one helluva show. “

“I guess so, but I wouldn’t know.”

“Uh? Why is that?”

“Because that’s when I woke up.”