# What was your first rock concert? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 21, 2003, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528 "2003-05-21T11:58:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/21 "2003-05-21T14:03:02Z")
Oh God, here we go… **Hall and Oates - 1982, War Memorial, Syracuse, NY**. I was 12 and my brother was 7. They were his favorite band (he had been into pop music since he was 4) so my mother took us to see them. Wanna hear something scary? I’m going to see them next month, too, which will make a total of three times. (I can’t believe I just said that out loud). :o ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/22 "2003-05-21T14:05:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by twickster \* > \*\*You can guess my age when I tell you it was the Who, the Who’s Next tour. > > Damn, I’m old.\*\* You think _you’re_ old? Mine was Cream, Chastain Park in Atlanta. October 1968. ---
**Author:** ![meow\_meow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@meow\_meow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meow_meow)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/23 "2003-05-21T14:08:47Z")
The Born in the USA tour in 1985, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at the Meadowlands, once known as the Brendan Byrne Arena. Now, like most arenas, it’s named after a bank or airline or something. I like the small venues now. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/24 "2003-05-21T14:11:10Z")
**Biffy** – mine was San Diego Sports Arena, winter of 1970-71. (Point Loma High School, class of '72 – where’d you go to HS?) **Labdad** , okay, since I’m 48, I’m guessing you’re about…50? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/25 "2003-05-21T14:11:26Z")
Styx, Rupp Arena, 1978. Yeesh. ---
**Author:** ![Foolonthehill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Foolonthehill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foolonthehill)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/26 "2003-05-21T14:17:36Z")
Before Rock concerts there were “shows.” I went to the Brooklyn Fox Theatre in ‘60 to see Murray the K’s "Swingin’ Soiree" This show included the Shirelles, the Crystals, the Drifters, (w/C. McPhatter), and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. First real Rock Concert was the Doors, with the Who opening, in '66 at the Singer Bowl, (built for the '64 Worlds Fair). ---
**Author:** ![ptr2void](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ptr2void/32/3406_2.png) [@ptr2void](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ptr2void)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/27 "2003-05-21T14:18:49Z")
Kansas/Molly Hatchet, Boston Garden, around 1980-81 (Audiovisions Tour) ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/28 "2003-05-21T14:26:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by twickster \* > \*\ ***Labdad** , okay, since I’m 48, I’m guessing you’re about…50? 😉 \*\* Yeah, and change.☹ Incidentally, I also saw the Who on the _Who’s Next_ tour. Tuscaloosa, Alabama, aroung spring of '72 I imagine - it _was_ an excellent show! But that wasn’t the first time I saw the Who. It was the summer of 1970 at the old Atlanta Municipal Auditorium. The van carrying their gear broke down and they were about and hour and a half late. To make up for it, in addition to doing their _Live at Leeds_ set, they also played _Tommy_ in it’s entirety! Now **that** was an excellent Who show!! ---
**Author:** ![Convict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Convict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Convict)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/29 "2003-05-21T14:34:07Z")
Whitesnake, with Great White opening. Feb. 11, 1988, Rosemont Horizon. Still have the shirt I bought at the concert. ---
**Author:** ![Breezy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Breezy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Breezy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/30 "2003-05-21T14:43:30Z")
My mom took me to see Paul McCartney in 1995 (I think). I believe the year after that we went to see the Eagles in the Hell Freezes Over tour. My mom is cool. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![cleops](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@cleops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cleops)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/31 "2003-05-21T14:46:52Z")
When, exactly, did “rock concerts” come into existence? In high school, we used to go to dances where the Crystals, or The Four Seasons, or Chuck Berry for that matter, performed, in the early sixties. But these were as much dances as concerts. My first attendance at a gig where you had stay in your seat was a Beachboys show in '64 or '65. Naturally, the “kids” were dancing in the aisles. There was no dope usage, however. That I did not see until attending…hmm…I guess it was…can’t really remember…so many…so much… ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/32 "2003-05-21T14:58:40Z")
I must have seen the Beach Boys on the same tour that **RealityChuck** did because it was in 1967, but my memories are entirely different. They were the headline act over Tommy James and the Shondells and the Buckinghams. It was in an 8,000 or so seat auditorium and every seat was filled. The girls all screamed exactly like they do in all those Beatles clips you see from the Ed Sullivan show. The Beach Boys did a million hits. It was only a few months after “Good Vibrations” hit number one, so I can’t imagine they were seen as hasbeens even though that the was last of their superhits. A great concert. I’ve seen the Beach Boys two or three times since and they always put on a terrific show. The last time I saw them there were huge numbers of kids in the audience younger than I had been in 1967 and they sang along knowing all the words. Hard to imagine that will happen on Whitesnake’s 2017 reunion tour. :dubious: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/33 "2003-05-21T15:19:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by twickster \* > \*\ ***Biffy** – mine was San Diego Sports Arena, winter of 1970-71. (Point Loma High School, class of '72 – where’d you go to HS?) > > **Labdad** , okay, since I’m 48, I’m guessing you’re about…50? 😉 \*\* Summer of 1966. **The Beatles, The Cyrcle** and **Bobby Hebb**. There was thunder and lightning, but no rain, the tickets cost $5 and it was a _great_ concert. I still remember it clearly though I can’t tell you what I did yestderday. Can somebody please help me up? **Twickster** we are the same age. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/34 "2003-05-21T15:19:33Z")
**Madness** at the Palais in St Kilda. Early 80s. Great show. The bass player jumped into the orchestra pit to stop a fight. I wore a skinny, knitted tie (amongst othe things). ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/35 "2003-05-21T15:36:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by twickster \* > **Biffy – mine was San Diego Sports Arena, winter of 1970-71. (Point Loma High School, class of '72 – where’d you go to HS?)** Crawford, class of '73. (Also went to summer school at Patrick Henry one year.) And I was at that Who concert, too! Remember how, when they did the taped electronic parts in “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and “Baba O’Riley” the lights simply went out? That was before the days of the laser light effects… ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/36 "2003-05-21T15:54:53Z")
Fourth of July, 1994, New Orleans. Stone Temple Pilots. Absolutely fantastic show!! A lot of good things happened on the Fourth of July. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/37 "2003-05-21T16:11:06Z")
Santana, for my birthday, 1970. Rockin’ good time. And for those of you that actually saw the Beatles, I’d be willing to have sex with you just for the osmosis-contact-high thing. Really. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/38 "2003-05-21T16:20:47Z")
My first concert was to see Van Halen on their _1984_ tour in, well, 1984. David Lee Roth was still with the band then. I was fourteen at the time. We were in the nosebleed section and therefore a long ways from the stage. Still had a good time, though. ---
**Author:** ![Peg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Peg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peg)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/39 "2003-05-21T16:22:25Z")
a-ha, August 1986, I think. Do they count as rock? If not, a couple of years later I saw Oingo Boingo. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/40 "2003-05-21T16:23:59Z")
> [@](#): > > Remember how, when they did the taped electronic parts in “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and “Baba O’Riley” the lights simply went out? That was before the days of the laser light effects… The main thing I remember is when they turned all the lights around and shone them on us and we all jumped up and down and screamed. During “Behing Blue Eyes,” perhaps? (I was with my stepsister, a short blonde, on the floor on the left, about halfway back. You might have seen me – long dark brown hair, silver-rimmed glasses…) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528.md?page=3)