what was your first concert experience?

[Bastille Dave]

Rush-June 18, 1981....and yes, it totally ruled.

[Imaginos]

Probably some local rock band such as Gaskin or Limelight. The first gig with bands that some people in the rest of the world might have heard of

was Theakston's Festival at Nostell Priory in 1982 with Jethro Tull headlining. It was also my first time seeing Marillion live. I can't remember the full line up but Lindisfarne and The Paul Jones Blues Band were also on the bill.

[Maverick]

Late 70's, early 80's my parents took me to a John Denver concert.

[deathlikesilence]

some badass bands being reported here - don't just tell who you saw, describe the whole experience!

[metaldad]

Alice Cooper Aug 1980 N. Y. C

[Tombstone Mountain]

QUOTE (metaldad @ Jul 25 2012, 12:37 PM)

Alice Cooper Aug 1980 N. Y. C

wow that must have been the shiznit! Who opened?

[HemispheresserehpsimeH]

Metallica in 2004 at the JLC here in London. I loved it. As a university student, I had to scratch together the money to see it and I barely got a ticket, but my first concert launched me into a love of concerts that has exploded over the years.

 

Setlist:

 

Blackened

Fuel

Harvester of Sorrow

The Four Horsemen

Leper Messiah

Turn The Page

The God That Failed

St. Anger

Fade To Black

Sat But True

Damage Inc.

Disposable Heroes

Nothing Else Matters

Master Of Puppets

One

Enter Sandman

 

Hit The Lights

Seek & Destroy

 

Awesome show!

[Rushman14]

1976 Jethro Tull/Robin Trower at the LA Coliseum.

 

but I would rather brag about my 2nd concert experience: 1977 Led Zeppelin at the LA Forum.

 

and my 4th" 1977 Rush/UFO at the Santa Monica Civic

[Queslington]

QUOTE (Rushman14 @ Jul 25 2012, 01:22 PM)

1976 Jethro Tull/Robin Trower at the LA Coliseum. but I would rather brag about my 2nd concert experience: 1977 Led Zeppelin at the LA Forum. and my 4th" 1977 Rush/UFO at the Santa Monica Civic

What was your third?

[Powderfinger]

September 30, 1990, Dubuque, Iowa, Five Flags Center:

 

KISS

Winger

Slaughter

 

I was fourteen years old, and attended with two friends. The experience completely blew me away. I had pored over MTV and my cassette collection of hair bands since second grade. But this was my first concert! When I was five years old my parents bought me a plastic KISS guitar. I used my father's belt for a guitar strap and a nickel for a pick, while trying to strum along with my Quiet Riot Cum On Feel the Noize 45 that I played on a Fisher Price record player. I also regularly listened to KISS's Double Platinum on said player. Point is, KISS was entirely appropriate for my first real concert. And I had been digging Hot in the Shade.

 

But my two friends were more excited to see Slaughter and Winger. Slaughter, in particular, was really blowing up at the time. Up all Night had already stormed the airwaves and Fly to the Angels was making its climb. And one of my friends, a burgeoning guitarist, was also a huge fan of Reb Beach, lead guitarist for Winger.

 

It all went by so fast. But a few things stuck out to me. I remember how exciting it was when they began cranking AC/DC's Back in Black to season our ears for concert-level volume. House lights were still on, but everyone was rocking out and I was mesmerized by the rocker chicks and the party atmosphere. Before long Slaughter took the stage and ran through their debut album material. All I remember is that Blas Elias performed a drum solo with glow-in-the-dark sticks, and that Dana Strum's vocal harmonies were terribly off key. But still, I thought they ruled.

 

I wasn't so excited about Winger. I wasn't a big fan of their album, although my friends were. The crowd ate up Seventeen, of course. But I was amped for KISS.

 

So finally the house lights go down and the giant Hot in the Shade Sphinx is unveiled, to roaring applause and cheering. I remember laser lights shooting out of the Sphinx as the mouth opened and KISS clamored out. I'm a little confused because before composing this post I checked the KISS setlist database and it claims they opened with I Stole Your Love the entire tour. But I've always remembered them opening with Detroit Rock City. I don't know, must have been all the second-hand weed smoke in the air.

 

So I'm totally digging KISS and hoping to hear all my favorite cuts. But after the opening song, my friends tell me they want to leave, that they don't even like KISS, and that they want to go outside to try to meet members of either Slaughter or Winger. You have to be f&*$ing kidding me, I pleaded! Outvoted, I had no recourse. They were my ride, and I was honestly a little overwhelmed by the whole experience and didn't want to stay in the arena alone. So we left... I eventually managed to catch KISS a few times on subsequent tours.

 

Notwithstanding my disappointment, the three of us ventured to the back alley where the tour buses were parked. And sure enough, Kip Winger and Rod Morgenstein ambled out of the back door. Rod had a beautiful blonde on his arm, but Kip one-upped him with a girl on each arm!!!

 

At that moment, I forgot everything I had expressed about not caring for Winger. To my fourteen-year-old self these were now the two coolest dudes on the planet, because they were right there in front of me! I was taken aback by how short Kip Winger was. But I thought he was cool because of the girls and the fact that he was sporting aviator shades at like 10:30 at night in a dark Dubuque, Iowa alley.

 

We quickly mustered the courage to approach them. Rod was really nice. I had been playing drums for two years by that point and I remember asking him for advice. He told me to practice my ass off, and he autographed my ticket stub for me, which I still keep to this day. I think I shook Kip Winger's hand. And my friend Phil asked him if he gets a lot of girls, and I'll never forget his response, verbatim: "Girls? Pffssshhh, I had three at the same time last night." The two girls currently on his arm didn't bat an eyelash. These dudes were officially my new idols.

 

So I essentially missed KISS, but I met real life rock stars! I was sold! And never looked back.

 

I don't care for any of those bands today, but my first concert experience is forever etched on my mind. My appetite only grew as I caught tons of shows going forward, and eventually became an accomplished musician myself. And I did indeed heed Rod Morgenstein's advice: I practiced my ass off, every day...

[fritz44]

[deathlikesilence]

QUOTE (HemispheresserehpsimeH @ Jul 25 2012, 01:13 PM)

Metallica in 2004 at the JLC here in London. I loved it. As a university student, I had to scratch together the money to see it and I barely got a ticket, but my first concert launched me into a love of concerts that has exploded over the years. Setlist: Blackened Fuel Harvester of Sorrow The Four Horsemen Leper Messiah Turn The Page The God That Failed St. Anger Fade To Black Sat But True Damage Inc. Disposable Heroes Nothing Else Matters Master Of Puppets One Enter Sandman Hit The Lights Seek & Destroy Awesome show!

my setlist was:

 

 

That Was Just Your Life

The End of the Line

Ride the Lightning

No Remorse

One

Broken, Beat & Scarred

Cyanide

Sad But True

Welcome Home (Sanitarium)

All Nightmare Long

The Day That Never Comes

Master of Puppets

Blackened

Nothing Else Matters

Enter Sandman

 

 

Encore:

Last Caress

Hit the Lights

Seek & Destroy

 

[Rushman14]

QUOTE (Queslington @ Jul 25 2012, 12:20 PM)

QUOTE (Rushman14 @ Jul 25 2012, 01:22 PM) 1976 Jethro Tull/Robin Trower at the LA Coliseum. but I would rather brag about my 2nd concert experience: 1977 Led Zeppelin at the LA Forum. and my 4th" 1977 Rush/UFO at the Santa Monica Civic What was your third? 1977 YES (going for the one tour) LA Forum

[J2112YYZ]

QUOTE (deathlikesilence @ Jul 25 2012, 12:02 PM)

some badass bands being reported here - don't just tell who you saw, describe the whole experience!

I would love to describe the whole experience but we're talking about 20 years ago and a few hundered concerts later. Details aren't exactly fresh in my head anymore

[deathlikesilence]

QUOTE (J2112YYZ @ Jul 25 2012, 05:49 PM)

QUOTE (deathlikesilence @ Jul 25 2012, 12:02 PM) some badass bands being reported here - don't just tell who you saw, describe the whole experience! I would love to describe the whole experience but we're talking about 20 years ago and a few hundered concerts later. Details aren't exactly fresh in my head anymore yeah you're right, my first show was just 3 years ago so i dont have to search back too far

[Xanadu93]

My first concert of any kind was seeing The Marshall Tucker Band in a park in my hometown in 2005. I don't remember much of it, just that my dad and I left early because I was getting bored.

 

My first true concert experience (i.e. thousands of people, loud music, etc.) was Rush in Atlanta on June 13, 2007. It went pretty well for an opening night show, too - there was only one major issue I remember, Alex's guitar not being on at the beginning of "Between the Wheels". I remember going nuts at seeing Geddy with the Rickenbacker bass during "Bangkok" after a lengthy absence. Yeah, it was a pretty great show

[deathlikesilence]

ah, fellow georgian!

[goose]

Pablo Cruise, CalExpo at DelMar Fair Grounds (1975, '76?)

 

Funny thing, I just saw them again two weeks ago for free. I was suprised at how many of their sings I remembered.

 

What'cha Gonna Do?

 

 

Love Will Find a Way

 

 

Find Your Place in the Sun

 

 

and of course...I Go to Rio

 

 

[micgtr71]

QUOTE (Gompers @ Jul 25 2012, 07:30 AM)

I was a senior in HS. It was also my first ever concert. Syracuse, NY - May 13, 1981 at the War Memorial Some dude took some pics I just found. Link

I was 10. That would have been phenomenal...I live about 40 minutes from the War Memorial. Saw a lot of shows at that venue.

[Super Phil]

QUOTE (Xanadu93 @ Jul 25 2012, 06:22 PM)

My first concert of any kind was seeing The Marshall Tucker Band in a park in my hometown in 2005. I don't remember much of it, just that my dad and I left early because I was getting bored. My first true concert experience (i.e. thousands of people, loud music, etc.) was Rush in Atlanta on June 13, 2007. It went pretty well for an opening night show, too - there was only one major issue I remember, Alex's guitar not being on at the beginning of "Between the Wheels". I remember going nuts at seeing Geddy with the Rickenbacker bass during "Bangkok" after a lengthy absence. Yeah, it was a pretty great show

Ahhh...I had tickets for that Atlanta show in 2007...wasn't able to make it out there, though. Damn.

[J2112YYZ]

QUOTE (goose @ Jul 25 2012, 08:47 PM)

Pablo Cruise, CalExpo at DelMar Fair Grounds (1975, '76?) Funny thing, I just saw them again two weeks ago for free. I was suprised at how many of their sings I remembered. What'cha Gonna Do? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uNG0IG7fbw Love Will Find a Way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9sbA2gnWHI Find Your Place in the Sun http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaOtcwI_BjU and of course...I Go to Rio http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zbSnoQHLDM

I have never heard of this band or any of these songs until now

[Super Phil]

QUOTE (Powderfinger @ Jul 25 2012, 02:38 PM)

September 30, 1990, Dubuque, Iowa, Five Flags Center: KISS Winger Slaughter I was fourteen years old, and attended with two friends. The experience completely blew me away. I had pored over MTV and my cassette collection of hair bands since second grade. But this was my first concert! When I was five years old my parents bought me a plastic KISS guitar. I used my father's belt for a guitar strap and a nickel for a pick, while trying to strum along with my Quiet Riot Cum On Feel the Noize 45 that I played on a Fisher Price record player. I also regularly listened to KISS's Double Platinum on said player. Point is, KISS was entirely appropriate for my first real concert. And I had been digging Hot in the Shade. But my two friends were more excited to see Slaughter and Winger. Slaughter, in particular, was really blowing up at the time. Up all Night had already stormed the airwaves and Fly to the Angels was making its climb. And one of my friends, a burgeoning guitarist, was also a huge fan of Reb Beach, lead guitarist for Winger. It all went by so fast. But a few things stuck out to me. I remember how exciting it was when they began cranking AC/DC's Back in Black to season our ears for concert-level volume. House lights were still on, but everyone was rocking out and I was mesmerized by the rocker chicks and the party atmosphere. Before long Slaughter took the stage and ran through their debut album material. All I remember is that Blas Elias performed a drum solo with glow-in-the-dark sticks, and that Dana Strum's vocal harmonies were terribly off key. But still, I thought they ruled. I wasn't so excited about Winger. I wasn't a big fan of their album, although my friends were. The crowd ate up Seventeen, of course. But I was amped for KISS. So finally the house lights go down and the giant Hot in the Shade Sphinx is unveiled, to roaring applause and cheering. I remember laser lights shooting out of the Sphinx as the mouth opened and KISS clamored out. I'm a little confused because before composing this post I checked the KISS setlist database and it claims they opened with I Stole Your Love the entire tour. But I've always remembered them opening with Detroit Rock City. I don't know, must have been all the second-hand weed smoke in the air. So I'm totally digging KISS and hoping to hear all my favorite cuts. But after the opening song, my friends tell me they want to leave, that they don't even like KISS, and that they want to go outside to try to meet members of either Slaughter or Winger. You have to be f&*$ing kidding me, I pleaded! Outvoted, I had no recourse. They were my ride, and I was honestly a little overwhelmed by the whole experience and didn't want to stay in the arena alone. So we left... I eventually managed to catch KISS a few times on subsequent tours. Notwithstanding my disappointment, the three of us ventured to the back alley where the tour buses were parked. And sure enough, Kip Winger and Rod Morgenstein ambled out of the back door. Rod had a beautiful blonde on his arm, but Kip one-upped him with a girl on each arm!!! At that moment, I forgot everything I had expressed about not caring for Winger. To my fourteen-year-old self these were now the two coolest dudes on the planet, because they were right there in front of me! I was taken aback by how short Kip Winger was. But I thought he was cool because of the girls and the fact that he was sporting aviator shades at like 10:30 at night in a dark Dubuque, Iowa alley. We quickly mustered the courage to approach them. Rod was really nice. I had been playing drums for two years by that point and I remember asking him for advice. He told me to practice my ass off, and he autographed my ticket stub for me, which I still keep to this day. I think I shook Kip Winger's hand. And my friend Phil asked him if he gets a lot of girls, and I'll never forget his response, verbatim: "Girls? Pffssshhh, I had three at the same time last night." The two girls currently on his arm didn't bat an eyelash. These dudes were officially my new idols. So I essentially missed KISS, but I met real life rock stars! I was sold! And never looked back. I don't care for any of those bands today, but my first concert experience is forever etched on my mind. My appetite only grew as I caught tons of shows going forward, and eventually became an accomplished musician myself. And I did indeed heed Rod Morgenstein's advice: I practiced my ass off, every day...

Ha...I saw this tour too. I missed Slaughter because we showed up a bit late. But I saw Winger and Kiss. I remember that Sphinx head with the lasers and the band walking out. It was awesome!

Haven't seen Kiss again since then. Seen (and opened for) Slaughter a few times, and have seen Winger a few times since. I am much more of a Winger fan now than I was back then. They are all amazing musicians and Kip still sounds great vocally.

 

Good story!

[Tommy Sawyer]

QUOTE (Rushman14 @ Jul 25 2012, 06:00 PM)

QUOTE (Queslington @ Jul 25 2012, 12:20 PM) QUOTE (Rushman14 @ Jul 25 2012, 01:22 PM) 1976 Jethro Tull/Robin Trower at the LA Coliseum. but I would rather brag about my 2nd concert experience: 1977 Led Zeppelin at the LA Forum. and my 4th" 1977 Rush/UFO at the Santa Monica Civic What was your third? 1977 YES (going for the one tour) LA Forum

[Union 5-3992]

QUOTE (deathlikesilence @ Jul 25 2012, 01:02 PM)

some badass bands being reported here - don't just tell who you saw, describe the whole experience!

I'll give you guys a much better laydown later. It'll be fun to describe.

[DDOZZY]

My first was rush, GUP, in toronto, we were in high school, just got our drivers licence. We lied to my friends parents were we were going, put 8 kids in a car. took 1 hour to get there to maple leave gardens, my friend then says he can't park the car because there to many cars in the parking lot, he was not good in parking, nearly hit every car, till we found a big enough space, they charge us 10 dollars for parking, there goes my money, go to the show, FM is the opening act, we forgot to buy a pack of smokes to look cool, rush comes on with lasers , blows our minds . we got high just from the pot smoke. my brother bought a tour book, not enough money for t-shirts, somebody stole my leather jacket from my chair. we left all excited, got into the car, we nearly hit a row of parked cars, but we got out, found the highway, and made it home, explained to my parents that my jacket was stolen at the arcade. Memories