Afterimage: The Concert That Stayed With Her
Part of the Music & Memories Collection by DeElla Hoberg
I have a confession to make.
I never really liked Rush.
Don't get me wrong. They're incredibly talented musicians. But I've always preferred my rock and roll with a little more grit and soul.
So naturally, when I asked one of my oldest friends about her favorite music memory, she told me about seeing Rush.
Figures.
Three California Girls
Rachel, Lisa, and I met in high school in Elk Grove, California.
We were all smart girls who found each other in our AP classes. I was on the drill team, while Rachel and Lisa ran track.
They always seemed a little more socially comfortable than I was. I was shy, and things at home were complicated, so I spent as much time away from the house as possible.
Once I got my driver's license and a car, the world opened up.
The three of us went to concerts, parties, and on road trips. Sometimes we'd head to Santa Cruz or Davis. We even made it all the way to San Diego.
We had music, a car, and the freedom to go somewhere.
What more could three teenage girls want?
Those friendships were an important part of my life, and even though decades have passed since we've seen each other, those memories are still vivid.
So when I began working on my Music & Memories collection, I called Rachel.
I wanted to know about her favorite musical memory.
And I have to admit, I was a little surprised that Lisa and I weren't in it!
It Was Totally Awesome!
Rachel told me about going to see Rush with her older brother, Jack.
Now, Jack has always been an important person in Rachel's life. I think he's probably still her best friend.
They both loved Rush, and getting to see their favorite band together was something special.
As Rachel told me the story, something wonderful happened.
She started sounding like the California girl I remembered from high school.
"It was totally awesome!"
And suddenly, there she was again.
Never mind that we were Sacramento girls, not Los Angeles Valley girls. We all talked like that back then.
Rachel was animated and excited, remembering the sound, the lights, and the sheer spectacle of the concert.
But what stayed with me wasn't just her description of the show.
It was how happy she sounded remembering that she'd experienced it with Jack.
The concert was incredible.
But sharing it with her brother made it unforgettable.
Lasers, Fog, and Rock and Roll
Now, while Rush was never really my band, I have seen them perform.
And I'll give them this: they knew how to put on a show.
The 1980s and early 1990s were an era of enormous concert productions. Lasers, fog machines, dramatic lighting, and all kinds of theatrical effects transformed arenas into otherworldly spaces.
Rush embraced that spectacle.
The lights seemed to explode across the stage and into the audience. Beams of color cut through the fog, illuminating the crowd and filling the space with movement.
It was an experience that went far beyond simply listening to music.
You could feel it.
And when Rachel described her concert, I knew exactly what visual elements I wanted to explore.
Turning Light and Sound into Paint
I had an absolute blast making Afterimage.
One of my favorite things to do as a painter is splatter paint.
Seriously.
There is something ridiculously satisfying about loading a brush with color and letting it fly.
It's physical. It's unpredictable. It's messy.
And it's FUN.
For this painting, I wanted to capture the sensation of an enormous concert light show.
The stage sits at the center of the composition, with beams of light radiating outward. Below it, the audience becomes a dark silhouette, surrounded by bursts of color and movement.
I worked with dramatic contrasts, energetic marks, and plenty of splattering to suggest the lasers, lights, and atmosphere of a live performance.
I wasn't trying to recreate Rachel's concert literally.
I wanted to capture the feeling she described.
That moment when the lights come up, the music hits, and you're completely immersed in the experience.
And maybe you're standing beside someone you love, sharing something that will become a memory you'll carry for the rest of your life.
What Remains After the Lights Go Out
The title Afterimage came from the idea of something remaining visible even after the original image has disappeared.
You know that sensation when you look at a bright light and then close your eyes, but you can still see its shape?
That's an afterimage.
And I think musical memories can work the same way.
The concert ends.
The lights go out.
The crowd goes home.
But something remains.
For Rachel, it's the memory of seeing her favorite band with her brother.
For me, it's the memory of three teenage girls piling into a car and heading off on another adventure.
Different concerts. Different music. Different experiences.
But the same wonderful ability of music to transport us back to a moment in our lives.
And sometimes, all it takes is a phone call with an old friend to bring the whole thing rushing back.
Even if she did pick Rush.
About the Artwork
Afterimage is an original 20 × 20-inch mixed-media painting on watercolor paper mounted to canvas. Part of my Music & Memories collection, it captures the energy of live music and the memories that remain long after the lights go out.
I'd love to know: What's a concert you'll never forget? Was it the music, the spectacle, or the person you shared it with that made it special? Tell me about it in the comments.
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