On May 31, I saw the Mellon (nee Civic) Arena for what may be the last time. I was leaving soon to return to my home in Sacramento, Calif. The arena would be leaving soon, too. But I would never forget the Dome.

Magical things happened under the Dome. On April 30, 1978, I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor's degree in social work. The commencement exercises were held at the Civic Arena. I still remember the excitement I felt, walking into the arena, knowing I would be walking out as a college graduate.

As I sat in a chair on the floor of the cavernous hall with the rest of my classmates, I could see my cousins seated above the floor to my left, in the loge section. When I walked up to the stage to accept my facsimile degree from the dean and the chancellor, I heard a loud cheer. It was one of the happiest days of my life.

But my encounters with the silver, saucer-shaped building had begun long before 1978. It was a landmark I always looked for whenever I was in Pittsburgh. I passed it every day on the bus on my way to and from Pitt. In the winter, it was the Igloo, home ice for the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was the venue for the Ice Capades, the circus, and most concerts that came to Pittsburgh, including these memorable ones:

July 30, 1971, Section B24, Row H, Seat 13

I saw my first concert there when I was 14. It was the Jackson 5, at the height of their dancing, singing, gigantic-Afro'ed power. In 1971, they were the name on every little black girl's lips and the vinyl on every cheap, plastic phonograph.

As soon as the concert was announced, I begged my father to let me go. Daddy convinced his best friend, Mr. Pete Jones, and his wife Miss Baby, to take me. The tickets were an expensive $6 each, but I was willing to give up my allowance for a couple weeks to see my teen dreamboats.

Unfortunately, thousands of other little black girls had the same idea. I could barely hear the music for the screaming and I could barely see them because everyone was standing. But I was there, and that was the most important thing.

July 28, 1976, General Admission

Graham Central Station, the funk band started by former Sly and the Family Stone bassist Larry Graham, was my first "grown up" concert and first general admission show. Everyone was dressed in his or her sharpest party clothes, because going to a concert was an event for black people in Pittsburgh.

As soon as the lights dimmed, the weed came out. I had never smoked pot, but I had been around friends when they were smoking, so I recognized the aroma. There was a thick haze in the air by the time GCS hit the stage. The show was fabulous.

Feb. 24, 1985, Section B15, Row G, Seat 13

My first hard rock show was Deep Purple. For rock concerts, getting the best seats possible was a priority, because all of the action was on the stage. For some shows, we would be in line at 6 a.m. to get tickets. People used to sleep in front of the Civic Arena, waiting for the box office to open.

My friends Mary and Kathy were going to the show with me, and we all decided to wear purple. The show was in February and we prayed that there wouldn't be any snow or bad weather. Even though it was too cold for the dome to be opened, it was a magical night. It is still one of the best concerts I have ever attended.

Nov. 5. 1987, Section 8F, Row MM, Seat 6

My last Civic Arena show was in November 1987, a month before I left for England and three months before I relocated to California. It was Aerosmith and Dokken, two of my favorite bands. I enjoyed the show, but I didn't know that it would be my last show at the Dome.

I have seen lots of shows in Northern California, but the Cow Palace, Oakland Coliseum, and Arco Arena will never compare to the Grand Dome of Downtown Pittsburgh. Nothing was better than walking out of the arena, satisfied after a perfect concert, with the lights of the city sparkling around you and the sound of expensive guitars buzzing in your head.

I still have many of my ticket stubs, some of my concert T-shirts, and I will always have my memories.

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