Your First Concert...

[unleasHell]

I've been to hundreds of gigs, seen untold number of bands, but like a girl, you never forget your first time...here's mine:

I was 15 and won two tickets and a bus ride from a local radio station to the concert hall, I took a buddy of mine, I'm sure we were the youngest guys on the bus, and the older dudes were passing joints around, we might of had a few minor hits but like Clinton we didn't inhale (much).

The band: Hawkwind, for those that know them, it was their The Space Ritual Tour, they had all the band members from the early days, Dave Brock, Nik Turner, I am pretty sure Robert Calvert was there too, Lemmy (later of Motorhead), Del Dettmar and DikMik and others. Openning for then was Timothy Leary's wife blabbering about him, don't really remember much of her...

it was pretty friggen' wild, they have this psychedelic light show, huge band set up, it was pure cosmic bliss and then comes out this large breasted topless dancer, Stacia, I remember thinking: "Are all concerts like this?" They played the entire (double album) Space Ritual and it sounded awesome, everyone in the crowd was rockin', loving these guys, loving the sounds...

So what was your first time like???

[poppachubby]

Well, technically it would be BB King with my dad at Ontario Place in Toronto. However the first show I went to on my own accord was INXS on the Kick tour. My parents let me go with a couple friends down to the old Grandstand. I think I was 10 or 11.

The first "really cool" show I went to was The Cure w/ The Pixies as an opener. I was about 12 or 13 at the time and begged my parents to buy me a ticket. I was dumbfounded by all the Robert Smith wannabes in the crowd. "No lighters please" The hairspray was a collective bomb waiting to be lit.

[Slosh]

1982. Madison Square Garden. Iron Maiden opening for Judas Priest. Number of the Beast/Screaming for Vengeance tour. I was 14.

[JohnMichael]

Maria Muldaur back in the early 70's. Tom Rush was the opening artist. Small intimate stage. Great time and memories and I was young and in love.

[Mr Peabody]

My very first a friend got tickets for his birthday to see REO Speedwagon. The band Missouri opened up the show. I was still in high school and REO was on the 9 Lives tour. As usual the opening band sounded bad, we inhaled several roll your owns, quite a different concert atmosphere in those days from today. I remember my friend made arrangements for his sister to take us but it some how eluded him to arrange a way home. i remember standing there in the middle of the night thinking about I'd rather walk home than call the house and wake up my old man and have to explain the stupidity. I wonder if he would have believed all the glowing red eyes were from the bright lights. Luckily my friend was able to call some one.

The Hawkwind concert would have been the best you probably ever heard them, disappointedly I have never heard an acceptable sounding recording, not sure why unless the engineer was hard of hearing. It's a shame too, decent stuff when you are in the mood.

Poppa, I didn't realize you were such a youngster. :)

Iron Maiden & JP that would have been a "1", "2" punch. Hard to imagine Iron Maiden an opening act but that was Priest's pentical era.

[Swish]

...Black Oak Arkansas, and I'd just as soon forget it! 'Yes they call me, hot and nasty...'. Oy vey. I can't remember the year, but it was likely about '73 or '74, after they released Raunch and Roll.

[Mr MidFi]

Emerson Lake & Palmer with a full orchestra in Madison Square Garden, on 7/7/77. I was 14. My buddy brought a 6" bong and a quarter-bag. A good time was had.

[3LB]

Judas Priest w/ Dokken
The Tacoma Dome, 1987

It was JP's Turbo Tour. Got there early, watched a cop car get turned on its side, watched a port-o-potty get turned over on its side, with a dude inside it.

Concert was great though.

[frenchmon]

Parlament Funkadelic. 1973.

[ForeverAutumn]

the old Grandstand.

That was such a great venue. I miss it. So many great concert memories from that place. My brothers are quite a bit older than me and they used to work there when I was just a tot. My Mom would take me to shows there and one of my brothers or one of their friends would sneak us in for free. I remember seeing Neil Sedaka, Captian and Tennille and Andy Gibb there...I'm sure that there were other shows that I don't remember. Sedaka and Captain and Tennille were my mom's choices. Andy Gibb was mine. Those were the days when I was too young to go on my own.

My first real rock concert that I went to on my own was either Styx or REO Speedwagon in 1980. Styx was the Cornerstone Tour and REO was the Hi Infidelity tour. They were both at the Grandstand and both in the same summer. I can't remember for sure which one was first. I'd have to go and dig out my old ticket stubs which are in a box in the basement somewhere.

[GMichael]

My first was to see Rush as the warm up band for Kiss. It was at the Civic Center in Poughkeepsie NY. The place had the acoustics of a huge bathroom. Our heads hurt for a week, but it was worth it.

[poppachubby]

Parlament Funkadelic. 1973.

So, so lucky. '73 Cosmic Slop, GREAT year.

[MasterCylinder]

October, 1968 -- Dallas, Texas -- CREAM, farewell tour.

[Hyfi]

1975
Outlaws and Steve Marriot & the All Stars opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd at the Spectrum in Philly.

The Outlaws blew LS off the stage both with the opening act and when the 3 guitarists came out and jammed with LS at the end of the night.

[Mr Peabody]

LOL, Swish daddy didn't dig the Jim Dandy :)

[frenchmon]

So, so lucky. '73 Cosmic Slop, GREAT year.

PoppaC...when I was a youngster, I saw about 3 or 4 Parlament concerts and another 2 or 3 Frank Zappa Concerts....My ultimate dream was for Zappa and P-Funk to come togeather but it was only a dream.

Oh by the way...when the "Mother ship Connection" came to town, it was more than just Parlament. They also gave a set with all Funkadelic music, and "Fred Wesly and the Horny Horns" music, and "The Brides Of Funkenstiens" music, and Bootsys Rubber Bands Music. So it was an outstanding show. It was all fun back then.

I've seen many concerts.

Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Count Basies last tour, Maynord Ferguson, James Moody, Prince and many more. John Hicks just to name a few.

[Troy]

Elton John, 1975. About a week before Rock of the Westies was released. I was 15, but my friend was 16, so we drove to the show. He won tix off the radio a day or 2 before the show. 8th row, center. Giant band, epic 3 hour show. They played almost all of GYBR. The moron in the row behind us puked on the poor girl sitting next to me. Yes, it was a very memorable night.

[Swish]

The moron in the row behind us puked on the poor girl sitting next to me. Yes, it was a very memorable night.

It could have been worse though, if she were your date.

[luvtolisten]

1964 or 65 I think. I was 12 or 13. My older brother took me and my brother a year older .
It was a Beach Boys concert,(Brian Wilson still toured back then). The opening bands were Steppenwolf , and Tommy James & the Shondells. It was great.

[poppachubby]

PoppaC...when I was a youngster, I saw about 3 or 4 Parlament concerts and another 2 or 3 Frank Zappa Concerts....My ultimate dream was for Zappa and P-Funk to come togeather but it was only a dream.

Oh by the way...when the "Mother ship Connection" came to town, it was more than just Parlament. They also gave a set with all Funkadelic music, and "Fred Wesly and the Horny Horns" music, and "The Brides Of Funkenstiens" music, and Bootsys Rubber Bands Music. So it was an outstanding show. It was all fun back then.

I've seen many concerts.

Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Count Basies last tour, Maynord Ferguson, James Moody, Prince and many more. John Hicks just to name a few.

You got to see Funkenstein walk down from the Mothership upon landing? In his pimped out pose?

Frenchie, then you must have seen Glen Goins perform with the mob?!? The Mothership Connection tour he would call the ship to earth. His voice was amazing but so was his guitar playing, a funk legend. What else can I say....so lucky.

[3LB]

It could have been worse though, if she were your date.

he's not saying it wasn't...:ihih:

[02audionoob]

KISS. Shreveport. 1976.

[Worf101]

First concert was a "Free" show, Peter Paul and Mary, opening for Robert Kennedy, 1967/68 at the Jamaica Amory. First pay concert 1970, Madison Square Garden, Rare Earth and other Sly and Family Stone headlined. "I want to take you higher!"

Worf

[Mr Peabody]

Aw, the young Worfster with flowers in his hair singing Puff The Magic Dragon, what a picture that is :) Rare Earth live would have been a blast though.

[ForeverAutumn]

Aw, the young Worfster with flowers in his hair singing Puff The Magic Dragon, what a picture that is :)

Oh, that was good for a coffee spewed on computer monitor moment! :lol:

[Worf101]

Aw, the young Worfster with flowers in his hair singing Puff The Magic Dragon, what a picture that is :) Rare Earth live would have been a blast though.
You sir, can bite me!!!! :p :p :p :devil: LOL. "Captain I must protest, I am NOT a merry man"

It was funny, that's the only reason I'm not eviscerating your carcass as we speak!!!! And unlike others round here, I laugh at myself all da time!!!!!

Worf

[Worf101]

Oh, that was good for a coffee spewed on computer monitor moment! :lol:
And you're no better, stop encouraging him like dat!!!! Hrumph!!

Worf

[Rae]

Most of these are amazing shows to have seen at all, let alone first shows. I'm showing my age by admitting that my first concert experience was in 1995-- Tripping Daisy, Local H, and Scatterbrain at First Avenue in Minneapolis.

~Rae

[Swish]

1964 or 65 I think. I was 12 or 13. My older brother took me and my brother a year older .
It was a Beach Boys concert,(Brian Wilson still toured back then). The opening bands were Steppenwolf , and Tommy James & the Shondells. It was great.

One, you are older than dirt, and two, I'm in awe that you saw that show. Man oh man.

[Swish]

And unlike others round here, I laugh at myself all da time!!!!!
Worf

You have no idea how much I laugh at myself. Not as much as others do, but quite a lot.

[bobsticks]

You have no idea how much I laugh at myself. Not as much as others do, but quite a lot.


That's true. He laughs at himself not nearly as much as others do.

[Mr Peabody]

Did you know that if you give a Stromboli octopus it's prey in a jar it will unscrew the lid?

[Javier]

Yes Talk tour 1994, a gig at San Antonio´s Sea World, it was fantastic.

[luvtolisten]

One, you are older than dirt, and two, I'm in awe that you saw that show. Man oh man.

Yeah, I guess I am an old b@$tard, but I do feel fortunate to grow up in that era. Concerts were cheap, less than $10, and always had at least 2 bands, and being a minor league town, got to see a lot good ones before they became big stars. It stayed that way till the late 70's.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Eric Capton - 461 Ocean Blvd. tour; the Montreal Forum. Opening act was Richie Havens. I was 13 years old or so.

[Rael Imperial Aerosol Kid]

My first show was Pink Floyd in 1977. The Animals tour at Montreal's Olympic stadium. Gilmour yelled at the crowd to shut the f@ck up when he was trying to play "pigs on the wing". Waters spit on someone in the first row. Apparently, as I found out later, this concert was a major factor for the band writing The Wall, (with it's theme of alienation). I thought it was an amazing show though. There was a giant inflatable pig floating above the stadium. Cool times!

[ForeverAutumn]

My first show was Pink Floyd in 1977. The Animals tour at Montreal's Olympic stadium.

Niiiiiiice. :yesnod:

[Rae]

Eric Capton - 461 Ocean Blvd. tour; the Montreal Forum.

I hope Eric Capton is a cheap Slowhand rip-off artist, a la Noel Young or the Monkeys. "With special opening act Richie Heavens."

http://www.thetunnelsbristol.co.uk/itemimages/011081061e993b9c47b110a95544ce38.jpg

"Good evening, I'm Eric Capton."

~Rae

[Swish]

I'm a lot older than I claimed to be, and my first concert was Cab Calloway at the Cotton Club back in '56.

Sorry for the obfuscation.

[Swish]

Yeah, I guess I am an old b@$tard, but I do feel fortunate to grow up in that era. Concerts were cheap, less than $10, and always had at least 2 bands, and being a minor league town, got to see a lot good ones before they became big stars. It stayed that way till the late 70's.

It's all relevant. I would gather we're paying slightly more these days for the average shows, adjusted for inflation of course, although some of those big names on their reunion tours or whatever are asking for crazy money, not that I have any interest in seeing the Eagles or another of that ilk.

[Slosh]

I hope Eric Capton is a cheap Slowhand rip-off artist, a la Noel Young or the Monkeys. "With special opening act Richie Heavens."

http://www.thetunnelsbristol.co.uk/itemimages/011081061e993b9c47b110a95544ce38.jpg

"Good evening, I'm Eric Capton."

~RaeSold at the show:

[ForeverAutumn]

It's all relevant. I would gather we're paying slightly more these days for the average shows, adjusted for inflation of course, although some of those big names on their reunion tours or whatever are asking for crazy money, not that I have any interest in seeing the Eagles or another of that ilk.

I agree that it's all relevant and that big concerts cost a lot more these days even factoring in inflation, time value of money, and all that crap. I remember seeing top name shows as a teenager that were $10 or $12 for the best seats (Rush, Supertramp, Elton John). I had a part-time job and I don't recall that price being a hardship for me. To see a current band of that same popularity today (say Muse or Coldplay) would cost about $80+. I'm not sure that a part-time job at McDonald's would earn me enough to want to pay for those tickets.

[Mr Peabody]

Yeah, I saw Tool in June, for two tickets I believe it was right around $130.00, the sound quality sucked and the show was sold out, they didn't even do an encore. I'm hoping Rush is a better experience later this summer as their tickets were even more expensive. I'm becoming less and less interested in seeing big concerts any more.

[ForeverAutumn]

You won't be disappointed in Rush. Can't comment on the sound quality because so much depends on the venue and where your seats are. But the show itself will be AWESOME!!! I have not seen one bad review from this tour.

Geddy's bass playing will blow your mind.

[luvtolisten]

Just my guess, and that's all it is.,but back in the old days , late 50's and 60's, I think most artists that signed a recording contract, also signed for tours for the record company too, to promote the music. which meant a good portion of the gate went to the recording industry. Today, I don't think that's no longer the case, at least with the established artists.

[luvtolisten]

I'm a lot older than I claimed to be, and my first concert was Cab Calloway at the Cotton Club back in '56.

Sorry for the obfuscation.

Your not older, you're a classic, like 56 T-Bird or Corevette!:)

No need to apologize, we all know you have granddaughter that's a rock star.:smilewinkgrin:

[Stone]

Most of these are amazing shows to have seen at all, let alone first shows. I'm showing my age by admitting that my first concert experience was in 1995-- Tripping Daisy, Local H, and Scatterbrain at First Avenue in Minneapolis.

~Rae

DON'T CALL ME DUDE.

My first was the Beach Boys in 1977 or 1978. My dad took me and my best friend to see them at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. I still have a program from that show.

Edit: First show without a parent or other adult guardian there was probably The Verandas in 1985. They were a fairly well-known regional act back then out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the show was 19 and older, but my buddy and I somehow got in at age 16 and 15, respectively.

[Swish]

DON'T CALL ME DUDE.

My first was the Beach Boys in 1977 or 1978. My dad took me and my best friend to see them at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. I still have a program from that show.

Edit: First show without a parent or other adult guardian there was probably The Verandas in 1985. They were a fairly well-known regional act back then out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the show was 19 and older, but my buddy and I somehow got in at age 16 and 15, respectively.

Now that's one happening town. Lucky guy.

[Mr Peabody]

Speaking of concerts I just heard on the news Kings Of Leon who were in concert tonight in StL came out did like 3 songs and cancelled the show. They babbled something about being in fear for their life. This should be interesting if any more details come out.

[Swish]

Speaking of concerts I just heard on the news Kings Of Leon who were in concert tonight in StL came out did like 3 songs and cancelled the show. They babbled something about being in fear for their life. This should be interesting if any more details come out.

Seriously. I thought I was reading the Onion at fist, but this is totally true.

Three songs into their St. Louis concert Friday night, the Kings of Leon had to shut down the show on account of some unexpected accompaniment that CNN pins on "pooping pigeons."

"Jared [Followill, the band's bassist] was hit several times during the first two songs," said Andy Mendelsohn of Vector Management. "It's not only disgusting – it's a toxic health hazard. They really tried to hang in there."

The dirty birds were reported to have been lurking in the rafters of the Missouri city's Verizon Amphitheatre and launching their aerial attack during the band's opening number, "Closer." Followill, 23, got it in the face.

"I was hit by pigeons on each of the first three songs," said the musician and self-professed germophobe. "We had 20 songs on the set list. By the end of the show, I would have been covered from head to toe."

Nor did he feel safe gazing skyward to see who his attackers were – or how many of them.

"The last thing I was going to do was look up," he said, "but if that was only a couple, we must have caught them right after a big Thanksgiving dinner."

After the cancelation – and, presumably, a good, hot shower – the band said in a statement through its manager, "We want to apologize to our fans in St. Louis and will come back as soon as we can." Added the band's publicist, "No fans got pooped on as far as we know."

Though comments were sought, CNN received no word on the matter from reps for the Verizon Amphitheatre or the concert promoter Live Nation.

[Stone]

"They really tried to hang in there."

One of the funniest things I've read in a long time.

[Rael Imperial Aerosol Kid]

Bands have gotten pretty soft over the years... Geez, the Stones kept playing at Altamont even though their lives were in danger while the hells angels beat people with pool cues. Keef would scoff at a little pigeon poop!

[Mr Peabody]

I'm amazed the birds tolerated the sound. I guess KOL rocked the **** out of even the pigeons.

[C-Z]

Kenny Rodgers and the 1st Edition at my older brother's college in Indiana (Valparaiso). Next was Black Sabbath at the Auditorium in downtown Chicago between their Paranoid and Master of reality albums, also with my brother. Boy was that an education for a barely teenage kid!

CZ

[Swish]

Kenny Rodgers and the 1st Edition at my older brother's college in Indiana (Valparaiso). Next was Black Sabbath at the Auditorium in downtown Chicago between their Paranoid and Master of reality albums, also with my brother. Boy was that an education for a barely teenage kid!

CZ

...lest he give away his age and likely geezer status.

[Stone]

Amazing as it may seem, he doesn't tell us the year...


between their Paranoid and Master of reality albums

1971?

[unleasHell]

Bands have gotten pretty soft over the years... Geez, the Stones kept playing at Altamont even though their lives were in danger while the hells angels beat people with pool cues. Keef would scoff at a little pigeon poop!

Not sure if your facts are correct, I remember hearing the Hells Angels were HIRED to be the Bouncers and knifed (killed) a guy at some show..

[unleasHell]

My first show was Pink Floyd in 1977. The Animals tour at Montreal's Olympic stadium. Gilmour yelled at the crowd to shut the f@ck up when he was trying to play "pigs on the wing". Waters spit on someone in the first row. Apparently, as I found out later, this concert was a major factor for the band writing The Wall, (with it's theme of alienation). I thought it was an amazing show though. There was a giant inflatable pig floating above the stadium. Cool times!

Saw this Tour in California (at Angels Stadium), they blow the pig up at the end of the show... The sound sucked, it was too large of place the the speakers were out of phase for where we were sitting, horrible...!

Glad to see this thread still going...!

[Swish]

"They really tried to hang in there."

One of the funniest things I've read in a long time.

Yeah, pigeon poop in the mouth. Holy crap on a crap cracker. That would probably cloud up the image of my perfect day.

[C-Z]

My geezer status! Guilty.

Actually, I wasn't sure of the year, but it must have been the summer of 1971 because Paranoid and Master of Reality were both released in '71.

[Jimmy B]

First concert for me was Genesis in the philly Spectrum in 1980. I ended up with the ticket when another guy got in trouble for destroying mailboxes.
The hells angels deal was at Altamont Raceway park in Tracy, Ca.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altamont_Raceway_Park
Funny deal looking at the link, my XGF is in the picture at the far left on track with white suit. Yeah Gramma works for Nascar lol
Jimmy B

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

My first concert was Patty Labelle at the Apollo Theater in Harlem in 1977 at the ripe old age of 10 years old. I remember like it was yesterday. It was the first time I heard the song "You are my Friend", and I remember my mother(and everyone else in the theater) just crying like babies while Patty floated and fluttered on the stage singing like a mad woman. It took about 15 minutes after the song was over before order could be restored, and she could go on with the concert.

After the concert was over, my mother said we were going backstage, but she didn't say why. It turns out my mother knew Patty very well, and since she was my favorite singer, she wanted to surprise me by introducing her to me. Boy, I was speechless, wide eyed, and completely flustered until she ask me did I like "You are my Friend". I started singing it to her, and both her and my mother started to cry, and then she said I had to leave "because there was no way this little boy was going to upstage her singing, not even after the concert was over"!! Later that year during an open mike night at the Apollo, I sung that song again with my cousins backing me up, and won the amateur night competition.

Man, those were the days!

[JohnMichael]

My first concert was Patty Labelle at the Apollo Theater in Harlem in 1977 at the ripe old age of 10 years old. I remember like it was yesterday. It was the first time I heard the song "You are my Friend", and I remember my mother(and everyone else in the theater) just crying like babies while Patty floated and fluttered on the stage singing like a mad woman. It took about 15 minutes after the song was over before order could be restored, and she could go on with the concert.

After the concert was over, my mother said we were going backstage, but she didn't say why. It turns out my mother knew Patty very well, and since she was my favorite singer, she wanted to surprise me by introducing her to me. Boy, I was speechless, wide eyed, and completely flustered until she ask me did I like "You are my Friend". I started singing it to her, and both her and my mother started to cry, and then she said I had to leave "because there was no way this little boy was going to upstage her singing, not even after the concert was over"!! Later that year during an open mike night at the Apollo, I sung that song again with my cousins backing me up, and won the amateur night competition.

Man, those were the days!



That must have been an incredible experience.

[poppachubby]

Yes incredible. My Aunt lives in the Bronx, I know about the Appolo. What's incredible is that he survived amateur night at all!! What happened to those chops Terrence? I bet you got some really smooth moves to go with them. You're the right age, you could have been a New Kid On The Block if you played your cards right.