I returned the favor.

For my birthday Shelly took me to see Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes at B.B. King's Saturday eve.

In my college years I would see a concert on on near the date of my birthday.  Approaching my 18th birthday, I saw Dave Mason at Hofstra U.  About a week shy the following year I saw Eric Clapton at the Nassau Coliseum.  The following year it was a doubleheader of sorts at that same venue -- Loggins & Messina, Fleetwood Mac and John Sebastian first -- and two days later Rod Stewart and the Faces with pre- "Comes Alive" Peter Frampton opening. 40 years ago from the same date as this past Saturday's show, Frampton this time at Madison Square Garden.  In later years, on or near my birthday, I also saw Roger McGuinn, The Moody Bues.

After getting home from B.B. Kings Saturday eve I woke up my MacBook Pro and went right my Safari app's open tab for todaytix.com.   I refreshed the site to get tickets for the Broadway musical, "Beautiful."  Of course I am taking Shelly to celebrate her day.   Most know Beautiful centers on the story and music of Carol King and her ex-husband/ musical partner, Gerry Goffin.  It also features some music of husband-wife songwriting team, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weill.

It made me recall our first date, also a musical.  It was also a story of a female songwriter, Ellie Greenwich.  We saw "Leader of the Pack," pre-Broadway, at The Bottom Line, the long-gone music venue where many of my favorite acts performed.  Beautiful that day, still that today.