It was 30 years (and one day) ago when I was witness to one the most amazing spectacles ever. The city of Houston has hosted some pretty big events in its day including Super Bowls, Final Fours, World Series games, as well as numerous festivals and concerts, but none compare to what took place at the foot of downtown.

The city was literally shut down by a concert featuring Jean-michel Jarre. For a period of time, it held a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest outdoor “rock concert” in history, with figures varying from 1 to 1.5 million in attendance.

Freeways were jammed by cars whose passengers simply stopped where they were and got out to watch the show, some even climbing highway exit signs to get a better view. The low hanging clouds provided a ceiling for the light show and fireworks that added even more drama.

It is hard to fathom the technology available to Jarre to pull off such an extravaganza in 1986. Computers were in their infancy and nobody had heard about the worldwide web, but after a blistering rain storm the day before which tore down equipment, threatening to have the concert canceled, Jarre enthralled an entire city with lights, fireworks, video displays and of course, music.