In June, 1973, The Jackson 5 toured Australia. I was thirteen years old and living in Perth at the time. The song 'Ben' (about a rat) was the number one song on the music charts. I was passionately in love with Jermaine Jackson because he had the biggest hair and a fabulous smile that melted my heart! Michael was only a year older than me, but the older Jermaine was my dream man!
A friend, Sharon, and her Mum invited me to go to the concert with them, which was being held at the the Beatty Park Swimming Centre (where I, co-incidentally, had participated in swim meets with my swimming club.)
This particular swimming centre was built in the 60s for the Commonwealth Games which were held in Perth so there was plenty of seating for a large audience. They built the stage over the top of the 50 metre swimming pool and our seats were on the second tier and a little way to the right.
It was the second concert that I had ever attended. Mum had taken me to see Johnny Farnham at Festival Hall in Brisbane the year before. We were in balcony seats for that one and Mum had to pull me back at one point when I got a bit excited while screaming Johnny's name and I almost fell over the balcony!
Before the Jackson 5 concert, we went shopping to buy a special outfit and I bought a pair of cream cuffed Oxford flare trousers, a lemon yellow wrap around wing-sleeved top and some brown platform sandals. My hairstyle at the time was called a 'Lioness', which is the equivalent of today's 'Mullet'. I was incredibly stylish ... as you can imagine!
I remember being worried during the whole concert, that the Jacksons would fall off the stage and into the pool, but I only have one vivid memory of the concert and that is of them dancing to, and singing 'ABC'. Sharon and I looked at each other like it was the most exciting moment of our lives and we would clearly remember it forever more! Obviously, we were correct ... although, I haven't seen Sharon for 35 years, so who knows if she remembers this moment like I do?
At the end of the concert, as we piled into the car to go home, Sharon's mother suggested that we drive to the airport to see the Jackson's flight off. I think that they were flying to Adelaide for the next leg of their concert. We all agreed that it may be a hell of a fight through crowds of screaming teenagers, but we also agreed that it would DEFINITELY be worth it, so off we went.
Surprisingly, when we arrived at the airport, it was suspiciously quiet. The car park was quite empty and there was not a screaming teenager to be seen.
As we entered the terminal, a man in a security uniform asked if he could help us. Sharron's Mum told him why we were there and he walked off stating that he would return shortly. Fifteen minutes later, as promised, he did return and asked us if we wanted to meet the Jackson 5!
My heart is skipping a beat as I remember my heart skipping a beat!
We followed him through a long wide hallway until we reached a door that had a 'VIP' plaque stuck to the front of it. He knocked softly and we heard a muffled sound respond. He turned the handle of the door and slowly opened it inwards. There, sitting on a chair on the opposite wall, was none other than the man of my dreams, Jermaine Jackson!! Oh my!! My legs could barely hold me up and with every step towards him, I thought I was going to collapse!
Sharon's mother had rifled through her bag to find paper for us to get autographs, so as I reached Jermaine, he handed me a champagne glass full of something bubbly and said "Would you please hold my drink while I sign your paper?" I nodded wide-eyed, incapable of uttering a sound.
I heard the door open behind me, and as I glanced around, I saw Michael walk through the same doorway that we had entered. He smiled at us and said "Hi!". He came over and sat in the chair beside me and reached for Sharon's paper to sign it.
We shuffled along the back wall of the room, where each member of the Jackson 5 were sitting and got their signatures, one by one, on our paper, too shocked to speak.
I can't remember anything else from that night. I may well have gone into shock immediately after the experience, and my brain has blocked the rest out!
Sadly, sometime during my many moves to different houses in different states of Australia, my piece of Jackson 5 paper disappeared. I am certain, with all five signatures of the Jackson 5, it would have held quite some value these days, but alas, it is gone forever!
I have no proof to show for a night where one of my girlish dreams came true. Just some faded memories and a great little story to tell!
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