In 1975, I attended, on different nights, live shows by Roger Whittaker and Stompin’ Tom Connors at the National Art Centre in Ottawa, Canada.
The same year, I also attended a show at the Exhibition at Lansdowne Park, however, I can’t be sure if I remember the performer, I think it was Julio Eglesias.
My first rock concert was The James Gang, in 1970. I sat in the front row, right in front of Joe Walsh. The concert was excellent, but mind - numbingly loud.
Led Zep, August 19, 1971, Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
I was ten; my best friend’s dad worked for the Vancouver Sun and was given tickets which he passed on to us. He drove us to the concert and waited outside to grab us after it was over. We had great seats, less than ten rows back (but no backstage passes, unfortunately).
I think it was about four days before I could hear right again…
August, 1969. Carter Barron Amphitheater. Washington DC suburb.
Peter, Paul and Mary–the headliners. That’s why we went.
We got there early, knowing the place would be packed.
Warm-up act was a Canadian guy I’d never heard of. Gordon Lightfoot. He got panned in the reviews locally. He was pretty good for a warm up act.
Late in the set, PPM said something like “our next song is one we like and was written by a guy that we’re happy to have on stage tonight. So, come on out John Denver and sing it with us.” Leaving on a Jet Plane. This little twerp came out and sang it with them.
I know this is an old thread, but I ran across something about the Vanilla Fudge and the first concert I went to was Vanilla Fudge and the Amboy Dukes at the Atlanta Municple Auditorium so I was Googling when exactly that was and came across this thread. It was Aug 17, 1968. But Jimi Hendrix was not on the bill, but apparently that was the next day. I don’t even remember Hendrix being associated with that concert. And there may have been a third group though.
I saw many there at the Municipal Auditorium. Besides those, Ten Years After, Deep Purple, Steppenwolf, (I missed the Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon concert there but I had friends that went) and I can’t remember any more because it’s been too long.
Someone earlier mentioned Steve Martin at The Great Southeast Music Hall. I saw him the first time he was there I believe, and he was the backup, not the headliner! It was billed as the Steve Martin Mull show, and Martin Mull was the headliner and Steve was his backup. That’s when Mull had the living room setup and sat in a chair with his guitar and played and did jokes. Later, I saw Steve headline there.
oh man, that’s so awesome. Was Innagoddavida awesome live, or was that just drugs talking?
My first concert was shared by 60,000 close friends and IIRC anotherer doper maybe Tammerland? Led Zeppelin at Day on the Green in 1977. I attended the first day. Henry Rollins photo albumn of zep has a photo of Robert Plant with his “Nurses Do It Better” shirt on. That was the show I attended, which was the first of two. Plant’s son died suddenly a few days later and the tour cancelled. It may have ben about the last show Lep ever played. I laughed at those old farts that were dying to go to the reunion shows. “Ha, you old fucks, already saw 'em.”
First concert (and first event with the person I ultimately married) was The Who performing for a very small audience in a round tent in a Cleveland, Ohio suburb. This would have been around 1968 or so. Lots of eye contact with Keith Moon since I was perhaps 20 feet from him.
Buffalo Springfield 68? Neil Young, Steven Stills , Richie Furray, , Jim Messina, Dewey Martin. At the old Crystal Ballroom Portland Oregon. Another one The Yardbirds in 68 with Jimmy Page on lead in Tacoma Wa. Same Year the Byrds with Gram Parsons and Clarence White. Also Big Brother with Janis in Portland around 67-68?
I mentioned this thread (ZOMBIE!) to my mom, and she reminded me that we saw My Fair Lady on Broadway. Must have been 62 or so, since it closed in September of that year.
My dad took me to see The Sylvers at The Apollo when I was around 7 or 8. There were other acts there but all I remember is The Sylvers. Especially Hot Line and Boogie Fever.
Oh the memories, they’re all rushing back now. I had a MAJOR crush on Foster Sylvers-- the little guy in the video.