A few nights ago, one might say Marisa returned the favor. She took her dad to see a show.

A long time a-coming, as the lyrics go.

I believe her first time was during the winter a quarter century ago. Marisa was not yet in school. Today’s birthday boy was but several months in First Grade. Only one of three shows I attended that year, all with a Poco connection. Two involved the Bottom Line, site of my first date with Shelly. Indeed, Shelly joined me at those two shows; Poco a few weeks before that one show and Jim Messina, Poco’s co-founder, the following December. She stayed home this time as she did last Wednesday. In between at the Ritz, Marisa and Jonathan joined me at the late great DJ Pete Fornatale’s Sunday Show 10^thAnniversary concert. That show’s lineup included Poco’s Rusty Young and Paul Cotton, Dion, Tom Paxton, Richie Havens, Suzanne Vega, Peter Yarrow and Mary Travers. I recall introducing my then young’uns to Rusty and Paul before the show. Years later I took Marisa then a pre-teen to a Richie Furay show (and she’ll be seeing Poco’s founder sans her dad in two month at The Troubadour where fifty years ago band then name Pogo wowed an audience that included Don Henley and the late Glenn Frey who they inspired to take flight with Eagles four years later. Marisa also joined me at show featuring Squeeze and Cheap Trip; Jonathan accompanied me to see John Fogerty, Peter Frampton and a (partial) Monkees reunion.

Flash forward to this September. I did not pay for the ducats. Marisa told me this performer channeled the sound I’ll always associate first with Poco on his Flicker album which also gave name to the “world tour” we saw at Jones Beach. I sampled the songs on my iTunes.

So Niall Horan wowed with his music and personality; personally, I like the fact that a former boy band (One Direction) member grew musically. He even covered Billy Joel and the Boss in his 19-song set.

Wonder what show Marisa next plans to share with her dad.....