One more in light of September 11th.
I've discussed it here before, but I lost a friend from high school on that day. Without re-telling that long tale, the late Mike Armstrong was an insatiably affable, gregarious and popular guy in our class — quite literally a big-hearted friend to all of us — even the scowly malcontents like myself.
Class president. Party-thrower. Joker. Confidant. Smooth operator. Mike was all of those things and way more. That he chose to spend any time in the company of twitchily argumentative dweebs like myself always befuddled me, but we were fast friends — bonded over a mutual love of music that was largely low of brow and high of decibel.
It was Mike that spearheaded nights tucked just within the gates of Central Park at 79th and Fifth Avenue — a secluded patch re-dubbed “Club 79” where several of us would furtively consume contraband beers while listening to boomboxed airings of Rush, Iron Maiden, U2 and Run-DMC.
It was Mike that routinely pumped the volume up on the stereo in the student commons’ senior section when favorite selections came on.
And it was Mike I went with to Madison Square Garden to see AC/DC on the Flick of The Switch tour (the show in question captured above by Lynn Goldsmith). I will never hear this and not think of him.
Rest in peace, my friend. You remain sorely missed by all who knew you.
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