On this day in 1965, what was then called the Harris County Domed Stadium opened to the public. These days the Astrodome sits mournfully overlooking the empty lot that was Six Flags Astroworld, a testament to the fact that no one can think of what to do with an enormous structure that has outlived its original purpose.
Still, for me and millions of others the Dome remains a place of power and memory.
I saw my first concert there as part of the rodeo celebrations, and shared many great concerts later. Though I didn't attend, it warmed my heart to watch Wrestlemania XVII filmed live from the Astrodome. My heart went out to the older stars as they were forced to walk the enormous path to the ring in the Gimmick Battle Royal. My best friend in high school and I were avid baseball fans that would take advantage of discount seats at every opportunity.
The Astrodome has also been mentioned more than once in the world of pop music. Today's playlist is dedicated to the old girl, with hopes that one day in the future there will be some way for her to contribute to the lives of Houstonians once again.
Rewind:
Digging Around the All-But-Abandoned Astrodome
Neil Young, "Pocahontas" This track from Rust Never Sleeps was inspired by the fact Marlon Brando refused to accept the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Vito Corleone in The Godfather.
Instead, he sent an Indian rights activist in his stead to address how Native Americans are portrayed in film. "Pocahontas" is a lament of the ever-expanding commercialism of America that recognizes the achievement of things like the Astrodome and the first TV, while never letting us forget what we've crushed to get here.
The Lonely Island, "We Like Sportz"
As far as songs satirizing bros and their obsessions with sports and manliness you will never do better than... "Thank God I'm a Man" from Richard O'Brien's Shock Treatment. "We Like Sportz" is good, too, though. Using lame white guy rapping certainly adds another level to the ridiculousness of it all. Only three sports institutions get name-dropped in The Lonely Island's little ditty; The Super Bowl, Wimbledon, and our own Astrodome. That's good company to be in.
30footFALL, "Urine Nation": Let's have some local color... and that color is a healthy yellow. 30footFALL opens their punk anthem about having a shy bladder in line at the Astrodome waiting to relieve some pressure.
I personally never felt that having eight-year-olds peeing into a trough next to drunken middle-aged guys high on the anger of a botched double play was necessarily the best setup for a restroom, and apparently 30FF's Butch Klotz agrees with me.
