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What was your first concert?

9K views 135 replies 76 participants last post by  t_law 
#1 · (Edited)
Just wondering, since we often talk about music here, what was everybody's first concert?

Mine was Dick Dale at Huntington Beach High School.
It was a long time ago.
:)
 
#5 ·
Peter, Paul and Mary, 1962, Eugene, Oregon. They overnighted at the house of my sister's friend, so we got to talk with them backstage before the concert. Peter Yarrow knew about my high school, 60 miles away, collecting an amazing amount for the United Way and talked enthusiastically about that. Mary, who was a statuesque woman with that incredibly beautiful hair took my hand and started talking to me. I had just turned 14 and all I could do was stammer and turn bright red. She finally had to pry my fingers loose. Paul Stookey just looked like he wished we would go away.
 
#12 · (Edited)
I used to live in Tripoli, Libya. On our way back to the USA, we stayed a couple days in London. As our taxi neared the hotel, I saw a venue only 2 blocks away "DAVID BOWIE TONIGHT!" I asked my parents if I could go, and they said sure. It was the last show of his Ziggy Stardust tour, and he came out on stage with a big gold sun with lightning bolt across it on his forehead, fishnet stockings, a gold lame one-piece, with plastic hands reaching around from the back to grab his chest. Many/most of the attendees were dressed similarly. It was an eye opener. Mick Ronson was amazing, but really, the whole show was. Supposedly, Boy George, Sid Vicious, Johnny Rotten, Johnny Marr, Polly Styrene, and many other of the soon-to-be punk explosion were there, too.

Just a month after that, back in Portland, I saw Elton John at the Portland Coliseum, my first show in the USA. Although he hadn't released Goodbye Yellow Brick Road yet, he played many of the songs from that album. Bad Company opened for them. I smelled my first weed, as a couple in the seats just in front sat down, opened a small cardboard box, proceeded to roll, then smoke, about a half dozen joints during the course of the show. Wildly different crowd, far more tame than at Bowie. (Edit: Nope, it was Sutherland Brothers and Quiver who opened for Elton John. Bad Company opened for Rare Earth, seen shortly after that).
 
#22 ·
The Eagles at the Coliseum. 1974. My second concert would have been The Rolling Stones, i think in 1976. But i sold my tickets to my boss for $40, i believe they cost $8 each. I'm still mad i did that. (Never have seen The Stones.)
Well..."You can't always get what you want..."
:)
 
#20 ·
My first was the Jeff Beck Group, Argent and Foghat, who were on their first American tour, for $3.50. Wasn't Jeff's most productive period but I still remember a version of 'Plynth (water down the drain)' that was deafening even in the balcony.
My 2nd was Pink Floyd doing stuff from 'Dark side...' before the record was released. That one set me back $4.00.
 
#25 ·
Randall's Island Jazz Festival NYC, 1959. If you dug jazz back in the day you will recognize every name on this list. A Tour de Force of the jazz giants of the day.
Dizzy Gillespie
Sarah Vaughn
Horace Silver
Dave Brubeck
Jimmie Smith
Max Roach
Duke Ellington
Dinah Washington
Chico Hamilton
Ramsey Lewis
Chris Conner
Art Blakey
Thelonious Monk
Miles Davis
Ahmad Jamal
Modern Jazz Quartet
Dakota Staton
Stan Kenton Orchestra

The same week I went to Birdland and saw Miles playing with Cannonball and Coltrane but I forget who was on bass and piano. An embarrassment of riches!
 
#34 ·
I own a Kate Wolf album - Safe at Anchor on vinyl! Played it over and over. Saw her perform at a tiny venue at The Engine House No. 9 back in the early 1980's. You are the only person i know who also likes her.

Too bad she died so young.
 
#44 ·
I know my aunt saw them opening for Vanilla Fudge in Portland very early in the process.

LZ I was completely and LZII was mostly recorded using his Telecaster. Listen to that shimmering guitar on "How Many More Times" off of LZI; that is a classic Tele sound. You can only get that from a guitar with 25.5" scale (vs his later Les Paul's 24.75" scale).

Fender re-issued his original Tele recently.
 
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