# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/41 "2003-05-21T16:30:25Z")
OK I missed a bunch of responses became I jumped ahead to the end when I saw this: > [@](#): > > Styx, Rupp Arena, 1978. > > Yeesh. **ME TOO!!** Hi **Frankd6**! Get this: in our marching show in band we played “Come Sail Away.” I was a sophomore in high school. My next concert was a year later, same place, Billy Joel. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/42 "2003-05-21T16:39:13Z")
You think the Beach Boys were washed up in 1967? I saw them as my first show sometime in the summer of 1984. ---
**Author:** ![Rapunzel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Rapunzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rapunzel)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/43 "2003-05-21T16:50:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nutty Bunny \* > \*\*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 \*\* Nutty, I went to see them a few weeks ago in London, and they were GREAT! Mind you I have been playing their records since I was 15 and know every nuance of every song. It’s so good this place is anonymous. :o Oh and my first gig was George Benson, Wembley Arena, 1985 ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/44 "2003-05-21T16:56:16Z")
**The Untouchables** at the Tulare County Fairgrounds in 1985. Great show but the oddest thing was that they played after the **Timex Social Club** (they sang “Rumors”). I figure that the fair had paired them but it made for an odd, and hostile, crowd. ---
**Author:** ![epeepunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f19dbf/32.png) [@epeepunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epeepunk)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/45 "2003-05-21T16:59:25Z")
**Billy Idol** at the **Spectrum** in **Philadelphia** on the **Rebel Yell** tour, in 1983 or 1984. General admission on the floor. Almost caught a drumstick. I wore my Union Jack sleeveless shirt. I was badass baby yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/46 "2003-05-21T17:01:25Z")
KISS, Dynasty tour at the Chicago (International?) Amphitheater in 1979, with Judas Priest opening! I’d never heard of Judas Priest, and I actually thought a catholic priest was going to come out and give a sermon before the show. I was 10 years old. My first concert sans parents was Ozzy Osbourne at the San Diego Sports Arena around '83 or '84, with Ratt opening. I’d never heard of Ratt either, but I’ve never been blown away by an opening act like I was that night. The biggest fistfight I’ve ever seen took place inside the arena that night too. At least 30 people involved. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/47 "2003-05-21T17:02:16Z")
Simon & Garfunkel’s free show in Central Park, in… 1981? Just me and 499,999 of my closest friends! ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/48 "2003-05-21T17:06:45Z")
1974, Anaheim Stadium (now Edison Stadium, home of the _World Champion_ Anaheim Angels) Chicago and the Beach Boys. Festival seating, the guy driving took a wrong turn, we ended up an hour late and had to sit in the nosebleed seats. I’ve made up for it over the many years since by attending every Chicago concert I can in Los Angeles (last count: 13). And I’ve seen several incarnations of the Beach Boys 5 times since then. ---
**Author:** ![Morgainelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Morgainelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgainelf)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/49 "2003-05-21T17:07:16Z")
Berlin opening for the Thompson Twins in Boston Common. Probably 1983? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/50 "2003-05-21T17:08:11Z")
I’m going to seem like _such_ a lightweight for this… Whitney Huston, Neal Blaisdell Arena (Honolulu, HI), 1987. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/51 "2003-05-21T17:09:48Z")
Sparks, who had recently hit the charts with “Popularity” and “Cool Places”. I probably could have seen them performing at an amusement park the previous or next year. The opening band was the Bangles. Does anyone else remember any of this? Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/52 "2003-05-21T17:20:42Z")
David Cassidy. It was 1971. I was 7. My mom was so poor she used rolled pennies and my baby brother’s birthday money to pay for the tickets at the last minute. She brought my twin sister and me to the place, left us there and told us to call her when it was over. We were too short to reach the pay phone so we walked home the 2 miles. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/53 "2003-05-21T17:20:54Z")
My first concert that I want to that was MY concert (I went to see Grand Funk, Uriah Heep and ZZ Top w/ my brother when I was 11 or 12) was KISS on the Destroyer tour in 1976 at Barton Colossieum in Little Rock. I was pissed because the fire marshall wouldn’t let them use pyrotechnics. One of my friend’s moms took a vanload of us 13 year olds to Little Rock (80 miles away). She was one of [The Browns](http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/0,,409070,00.html?artist=The+Browns), so she was cool about letting kids go wild at rock concerts… ---
**Author:** ![CreaseMunky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@CreaseMunky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CreaseMunky)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/54 "2003-05-21T17:36:13Z")
Billy Squier and Foreigner, Nassau Coliseum, 1981 and still have the shirt. Can’t fit in it anymore, but still have it. ---
**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, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/55 "2003-05-21T17:53:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by twickster \* > \*\*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 “Behind Blue Eyes,” perhaps? > \*\* I have a strong feeling that was during the “Listening to you, I hear the music…” finale of “Tommy.” Another memory of that show: Pete Townshend, using a lot of highly colorful language, haranguing the audience on the floor for crushing the people at the foot of the stage. Meanwhile, Daltrey and Moon scampered backstage and came out with a crown and robe for Townshend, who bellowed, “Don’t you recognize **authority** when you hear it?” ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/56 "2003-05-21T18:27:14Z")
I’m so sure I’m going to admit to this… **Rick Springfield**. Whaddya want from me? I was 12. About six months later, that was followed up by **Journey** , with **Bryan Adams** opening. Since then, I’ve seen about a million bands. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/57 "2003-05-21T18:29:49Z")
Jackson Browne - Running On Empty tour. Actually, that’s not rock so lets go with The Rolling Stones with ZZ top at the Cotton Bowl. That my friends was a show. ---
**Author:** ![Mars\_Horizon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mars_horizon/32/2804_2.png) [@Mars\_Horizon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mars_Horizon)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/58 "2003-05-21T18:41:14Z")
**RUSH** March 11, 1985 at the Lakeland (Florida) Civic Center ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/59 "2003-05-21T18:48:03Z")
**WOODSTOCK, MAN!** I can’t believe no-one’s tried to pull off this lie yet! Okay, the truth is Tom Petty with The Fabulous T-Birds opening, at the Reno Collosium (or Convention Center?). Would have been the tour for one of Petty’s first couple of albums, before he started sucking. * * * Fagjunk Theology: Not just for sodomite propagandists anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528/60 "2003-05-21T18:49:33Z")
Faith No More, Roseland Theater, Portland, OR, 1995. That was a lot of fun 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-first-rock-concert/176528.md?page=4)