Guy, not only am I not laughing, I’m envious.
Odd man out here… I’ve never been to a concert that was larger than a band playing in a bar.
That’s pretty bitchin’. And I say as someone who knows how awesome Iron Maiden is live, even though I didn’t see them untill 2003.
As for my first real concert, it was when I was 14. I went with two of my friends, my brother (two years younger than me) and one of my friend’s brother (one year younger).
Radio 104, a local station, held this big-ass show with three stages. The two non-main stages were facing each other, so when the band on one finished everybody just turned around to see the next one. The headliners were Greenday and Blink 182. We all left before Blink 182 come on stage. Even my 12 year old brother could tell they were gonna suck.
I feel so lonely and forgotten! 
You deserted us to go to California, pal.
Either that, or I need caffeine.
But I’m back! And I do think the Louisvillians of the board ought to get together sometime. Perhaps the Lexingtonians could wander over this way as well. I dunno. I should, like, start a thread or something.
Yeah, you do.
Get started, already!
My teen years were a smoky haze, but I think my first concert was John Cougar, as he was called at the time.
Second was Rush though, no doubt about it. Grace Under Pressure.
Um…in Memphis…sometime in the mid-eighties.
Boston on the Don’t Look Back tour. Actually, a pretty good show. They were still fairly new, they hadn’t grown old and tiresome yet, and I got a contact high from the people smoking next to me.
The next show was better, though: RUSH on the Hemispheres tour.
Now…THAT was a show. They opened with the entire 2112 suite (not just the beginning). Did Cygnus X-1 and Hemispheres back-to-back.
Double-necked guitars, hair down to their waists, Geddy could still shriek like a banshee, radio fame was still in the future.
Beautiful.
I’m not sure what “real” means in this context, but I’m pretty sure the answer is Janet Jackson in 1990. No reflection on my current musical tastes, but hey, I was eight. My first rock concert was Aerosmith, four or five years later.
Elvis’ touring Las Vegas Show sometime in the late 60’s (complete with Sweet Inpiration, the gospel quartet and some comedian).
It was a family thing – My mother and aunt and all us kids. I still have super 8 footage somewhere.
Well, that means you have to create a webpage and make it available for us fellow. I had the chance to go see Elvis back in like '72 and didn’t, one of the biggest mistakes in my life. Other was to go see Tricky Dick Nixon about the same time, another big mistake, heh. I was lazy back then s’pose. :smack:
My first was Godsmack at the Santa Barbara Bowl in 2003. About ten minutes into the show, a guy got knocked unconsious in the pit.
Pretty good show overall.
Graham Parker and the Rumour in some pub (Maybe the New York Hotel) Brisbane 1978. Ferocious gig, just ferocious. I was seriously underaged and remember right up until the music started almost peeing myself with fear I’d be caught out.
mm
Ozzy Osbourne in 1982 on his Diary of a Madman tour. The incredible Randy Rhodes playing guitar (one and a half months before his tragic death), Rudy Sarzo on bass (before he got into Cheese Metal), Tommy Aldridge on drums (damn! he’s good!), Don Airey on keyboards (nice atmospheric synthesizer whooses, not to mention “Mr. Crowley”). And, of course, the Madman himself.
I was 15. Charleston, WV Civic Center.
Being me, I have to mention that I later saw RUSH
…(sorry about that, borrowing someone else’s computer)
later saw RUSH at the same venue on their Signals tour.
Good times.
Procol Harum March '73.
I thought it was fine, but the next gig I went to was Captain Beefheart, who was awesome; totally changed music for me!
KISS got my cherry, too. International Amphitheater, Chicago, 1979, with Judas Priest opening. I was ten years old and my parents took me. I had never heard of Judas Priest and don’t remember much of them. Now when I listen to Unleashed In The East I think, “Shit, this is probably exactly what they sounded like that night.”
First concert without parental supervision was Ozzy Osbourne in 1984 at the San Diego Sports Arena with Ratt opening. The biggest fight I’ve ever seen in my life broke out inside the arena between acts. At least thirty people going at it in the seating area.
Hey! Procol Harum for me too, though I think it was '71 or '72. The Opening acts were Eagles, first tour, and Cold Blood. (Mmmm. Lydia Pensch!)
I hate you. Of course at that time I was 10 and dind’t know who they were.
My first concert was Eric Clapton in 1988 or 89 on his 25th anniversery tour. The only reason I went was because Mark Knopfler was playing with him. It took me until last summer to see Knopfler by himself.