Call it bad luck, sometimes even good luck, but I'm always square in the center of the storm.

 

1980 - Making a stop to a lawn mower repair shop in the Allapahta section of Miami (Liberty City), my mother and I find ourselves trapped in the very beginnings of the Arthur McDuffy Riots. I begin to fear for - as well as - the black man.

1981 - My cousin, Santiago and his girlfriend, Lee Anna decided to take me to a concert. It was not a stadium, or even a concert hall, but a dive in Redondo Beach. The cops show up, a beer bottle is thrown, and the end is near. No band ever played. All I saw was people running... and the cops coming.

1988 - While attending a Power 96 FM concert at Tropical Park with my sister's ex-husband, gansters cause trouble and the entire 5000 person event goes ballistic. Police horses run over bodies. I see a man's face busted open by a coconut shell. Shots are fired.

1991 - Social Distortion / Gang Green (at Club 1235 now called Level). The bouncers didn't care for "the Grudge crew" and they let them have it good. Over $250,000 in damages and hospital bills.

1992 - Constant trips to score drugs, into bad neighborhoods during the Rodney King Riots. Not a good idea. Tamara and I only experienced one altercation... wasn't much but it was nerve racking. I left L.A. because of this only to meet Andrew.

1993 - A weeknight show at Sumer's On The Beach in Fort Lauderdale, a Murphy's Law set, a friend maces people involved in a fight. Jimmy G (lead vocalist) gets mace in his eyes and proceeds to tell the crowd, "Tear this place up." They take it literally. The place is almost leveled to the ground as 100s of police are called in. Batons swing furiously. I run off into the night with my ex-girlfriend in hand.
I thank the excitemnt a riot can spur for getting me laid that night.

1993 - A week later at Club Nu in Miami, another weeknight show, a 24/7 Spys set, same friend maces people involved in a fight. Same shit different city.

1995 - At Club 1235 (now Level), the after-crowd of a Nine Inch Nails concert, held at the same club, gets rowdy. Stupid bouncers get what they deserve. The place is set on fire, but extinguished quickly. I've been to Level... they should have let the fire rage.