First Concert Stories

[Reverend Mayhem]

This topic has probably already been discussed previously somewhere on the boards, but I'm too lazy to go through and search so I'm gonna throw it up here anyway:

 

Tell me about your first major concert experience.

 

I don't mean some orchestra or glee club performance you were made to attend in grammar school -- I'm talking about the first arena or club concert where you paid money to go see a recording artist perform. (I suppose a festival of some sort would count, but I'm more interested in your experiences with concerts designated by a headliner and maybe an opener or two.) Let me hear your memories of the event.

 

Here's mine to get things started:

 

My first concert was Judas Priest in 1981 (the Point of Entry tour) at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon. I was 16 years old. This was back when general admission seating was still an accepted practice at arenas here in the States, and all you had to do was purchase a ticket beforehand, then arrive on the day of the show and wait for the doors to open before rushing the floor to grab the best seat you could find. I think the tickets cost about $8 per.

 

My buddy, his girlfriend and I took off after school and stood around with the throngs for about four or five hours outside the arena. There was a promo van from a local rock radio station blazing tunes to the crowd. At some point a handful of religious protestors showed up with huge, haranguing signs that read, "If you listen to this band you will go to HELL" and such. This drew massive boos and hearty "FUCK YOUs" from the bulk of the concert horde. Not too long before the doors were opened, a loudspeaker announced that belongings would be searched (to keep out alcohol and illicit drugs, etc), and that no "flying objects" (specifically frisbees) would be allowed inside -- to which a group of dudes in front of us said, "Oh shit." They'd taped their weed around the underside lip of a frisbee, trying to sneak it in that way. We ended up with seats in the first row up off the back of the floor area, about 175 feet from the stage.

 

I don't remember too much about the concert itself (sadly), other than a few things like the blinding strobe lights underneath the drum platform flashing like crazy during the beginning of the opening song ("Solar Angels"), and Rob Halford riding out on the Harley to begin the encore set. And that the whole concert was incredibly loud. Glenn Tipton was wearing his trademark red leather pants; Ian Hill head-banged his way through the entire show. The opening band was Savoy Brown, which looking back seems like a helluva strange match-up -- an English blues-rock dinosaur with a premier Metal band? -- but we didn't know anything about them and didn't really pay much attention to their set. We wanted The Priest.

 

And we had a GREAT time. It was all pretty mind-blowing to a 16-year-old concert newbie -- I went on and on about it to my parents the next day. I had a souvenir tour shirt for quite a few years before finally pitching it from wear, but I still have the concert program stashed away somewhere....

 

Now hit me with your stories!

[Glen]

My very first gig was Gillan at the Cliffs Pavilion in 1982 when I was 12.

 

Having survived that my parents then bizarrely trusted me to travel to London with my brother at the rip old age of 13 to witness Iron Maiden, MSG & Dio at Hammy Odeon in the space of about 2 months. God I was a metal head lol.

[Reverend Mayhem]

Iron Maiden, MSG & Dio at Hammy Odeon in the space of about 2 months.

 

WOW -- I would've practically killed to be able to see a show like that at Hammersmith back then.

 

Thanks, Glen!

[KarpetRydOFunk]

At some point a handful of religious protestors showed up with huge, haranguing signs that read, "If you listen to this band you will go to HELL" and such. This drew massive boos and hearty "FUCK YOUs" from the bulk of the concert horde.

 

I'm a Christian, but even I would have smashed some heads. I can't stand those 'religious' types that spew such bullshit.

 

My first show was at a music fest in my home town. I can't remember all the acts there, but I do recall DC Talk, Whiteheart, and, most importantly, Petra. Five years old and rocking out to Petra! It would be a long while after that before I saw another show, and I believe it was Petra, again.

[Reverend Mayhem]

I'm a Christian, but even I would have smashed some heads. I can't stand those 'religious' types that spew such bullshit.

 

Well, it was a pretty tame confrontation, overall -- no brawls or violence. Just a bunch of pissed-off metalheads (who VASTLY outnumbered the protesters) giving fingers and screaming obscenities.

 

Thanks for the story, Funkster.

[Fat Freddy]

My first-ever concert was Judas Priest's Turbo tour at the Meadowlands Arena (New Jersey) in the summer of 1986. I was sixteen years old and had the time of my life. Dokken kicked ass in the opening slot, and Priest were, well... Judas Priest!! They were total quality, of course, even if their hair was a little more feathered and their costumes were more "glam" than I would've liked. I remember flippin' out when they played "Headin' Out to the Highway" cuz that was the song that got me into Priest years earlier, that was a nice treat.

 

All these years later, the Turbo album hasn't aged very well at all (and I'm glad that they didn't continue that direction on subsequent releases) but it's still a sentimental fave of mine because of the memories it brings back.

 

That said, a couple of years ago I bought Priest's Electric Eye DVD which features a complete Turbo tour gig on it... and to this day I have not been able to get through that entire portion of the DVD. Gack! The hair! The outfits! Utter CHEEZ OVERLOAD!!! Haha. I treasure the memories of being at that show, but reliving it on video was more painful than I expected.

[Reverend Mayhem]

...to this day I have not been able to get through that entire portion of the DVD. Gack! The hair! The outfits! Utter CHEEZ OVERLOAD!!! Haha.

 

The '80s, cousin -- others only read about 'em and see 'em on TV, you and I lived 'em.

 

I'd pretty much given up on Priest by the time Turbo came out -- they did some better stuff later on, thank goodness.

[Fat Freddy]

I'd pretty much given up on Priest by the time Turbo came out -- they did some better stuff later on, thank goodness.

 

I was very thankful that they were back to their "old" look when I saw Priest again on the Ram It Down tour in '88 -- and that they opened the set with "The Hellion/Electric Eye."

[glam_junkie]

My first show was Poison 'Open Up & Say Ahh' tour about July 1989, Jubilee Pavilion @ The Adelaide Showgrounds. Support band was Roxus. I woulda been 12 at that time and my Aunty took me and another friends so. My first ever gig impression was the 100+ meter line to get into the grounds. I remember it being super loud, and remember the marathon guitar solo, and the poor write up the got in the papre a few days later. But i love it from start to finish.

 

I think i even have the tour advert folded up inside the cover of my Open Up cassette tape.

 

 

The first gig with friends was only a few months later , November 11 1989, Bon Jovi at Memorial Drive, Adelaide - New Jersey tour. That was the whole deal of lining up from early morning witnessing the whole scene of drugs, groupies, etc... and was a compeltely different experience than the gig with my Aunty.

[66 mustang]

my first was .38 Special with Honeymoon Suite opening. It was great from what I remember. I was so high because of the smoke in the air. I had never been like that before so a lot of the show is fuzzy to me but it did start me out on the concert cirucit. this was the Strenght In Numbers tour probably late 86. I have a note book somewhere here that all my ticked stubs in them and a page or two write up from that I remember about the shows and if crazy stuff happened before, during or after. I could go on about some crazy stuff but that was starting with the 2nd concert I made it to.

to this day 38 is still my fav band

[Reverend Mayhem]

I have a note book somewhere here that all my ticked stubs in them and a page or two write up from that I remember about the shows and if crazy stuff happened before, during or after.

 

What a great idea -- I wish I'd had the presence of mind to do something like that.

 

I haven't listened to .38 Special in a long time, but I used to really like them.

[Reverend Mayhem]

I was so high because of the smoke in the air.

 

Yeah, at the Priest concert I described above I remember going into the arena to grab some seats and seeing a great green haze wafting up from the floor seat area. Despite all the "security" that had been in place, it apparently wasn't very effective.

[5150]

Night Ranger with Van Zant opening for them. It was spring of 1985 and they were supporting the 7 Wishes album. I got in free.

 

My older (21) sister partied with the band the night before. She and her best friend met the band the night before the concert. She partied on their tour bus and in the penthouse that they were staying in. She mostly hung out with Jeff Watson. I really don't know the details of what they did or really want to know. She is my sister and the thoughts would creep me out. Although whatever she did it got her and me free tickets.

 

When we got there she went "backstage" while I started out on the floor of the arena. I started to get crushed and lots of beer thrown on me (by the band) so I moved to the upper seats.

 

Oh, by the way I was only 12 years old at the time. Pretty frightning being on the floor with a bunch of drunk adults and alone at that age. I never saw my sister until the end of the concert. I was a miracle she even found me.

[Grey]

My first real concert would have to be Great White at Harpos in Detroit in 1987. It was an all-ages show so I had no problem getting in at 17. I think I overestimated their popularity at the time since I was the only one buying tickets for the show the morning they went on sale. "Rock Me" had barely gotten any serious airplay yet. Plus, I'd never bought concert tickets before.

 

There were a few other GW fans there, apparent by few "Stick It" t-shits I saw around, but I think more people were there just for the cheap ticket and $1 pitchers. Toward the end of the show the front of the stage wasn't all that crowed and Jack even yelled at the crowd saying something like "Get off your asses. This ain't a fuckin' Madonna concert or New Kids bullshit". I just stood there in front of the stage in awe. Those guys were like hard rock royalty to me.

 

They played practically every tune from the "Shot in the Dark" album, a few from the self-titled album and featured a few from their new CD, "Once Bitten". I still have the t-shirt that I see someone was selling on eBay for $89. It's still in decent shape and I'd wear it if it weren't too small. Same goes for my '89 Mista Bone shirt. I was kinda runty back in high school, so I bought 'em small.

[cdjunky41]

My oldest brother took me to Madison Square Garden to see Van Halen-Fair Warning tour. We partied on the train, Smoked pot for the first time (didn't like it ). I remember going inside and hoping the opening band was Twisted Sister (So many kids that day wearing their TS shirts). The band that opened up was THE FOOLS, and they sucked big time.

[Reverend Mayhem]

Toward the end of the show the front of the stage wasn't all that crowed and Jack even yelled at the crowd saying something like "Get off your asses. This ain't a fuckin' Madonna concert or New Kids bullshit"

 

That reminds me of the SECOND real concert I attended: Y&T opening for Molly Hatchet in 1982 at a club called the Starry Night in Portland. This was probably the low point in Hatchet's career (even though Danny Joe Brown had just rejoined the band), as they were kind of "Spinal Tap-ping" a tour (no longer in arenas and could barely fill clubs), and Y&T was pretty unknown. The place was DEAD. Seems like only a handful of people knew who the hell Y&T was, and Hatchet was really out of style. My buddy (the same guy from the Priest concert) and I went with a couple other people from school, and he made a big "Y&T" banner to hold up in front of the stage, like it was an arena show. I remember Y&T kinda sucked -- Meniketti sounded good, but the drummer (Leonard Haze) was awful, and the band really sloppy, which was disappointing to me, since I really liked their albums.

 

Anyway, during Hatchet's set the crowd was really sparse and not into it at all, so at one point Dave Hlubeck grabbed the mic from Danny and started cursing at the crowd, saying, "I've had enough of this fuckin' shit!!" and such, trying to get everyone into the show -- and even though they launched into a blistering version of "Beatin' The Odds," Dave's rant sorta backfired -- people were kinda like, "What the fuck?" It doesn't help your cause to start berating the audience just 'cuz you can't entertain 'em.

 

[JamesEagle]

First concert was Scorpions supported by Winger at Wembley Arena on the 'Crazy World' tour. Winger were really good, but we weren't familiar with the songs, so just wanted them to hurry up sp we could see the Scorpions. The headliners put on a great show, one highlight that stands out was when Klaus picked up a guitar and started playing, so there were 4 guitar players (including bassist) playing together. (For all I know, they might do this at all their shows, but I've only seen them once.)

 

At the end of 'Crazy World', Klaus kept repeating the chorus line, getting the crowd to join in. Then the band went quiet and left the crowd singing. My overriding memory is standing next to a tall black guy, who was singing along passionately and punching the air. It seemed really cool, but also strange to me, as I hadn't known any black people who liked rock music before. Really good gig, great night, happy memories.

[Glen]

What year was that?

 

Looking back at Fat Freddys first year 1986, I only saw Iron Maiden, Magnum, FM, Bon Jovi, Marillion & Queen at the HEIGHT of their awesomeness that year so must have been awful lol

[Dark Star]

Ok My first concert?? Was.. Ummm.. Rick Springfield back in 1986..... Now My first METAL Concert?? That would be Aerosmith and Dokken in 1987!! Great show!!!!

 

Oh and Keith?? I also have that Electric Eye DVD?? AND I had the Priest...Live concert on VHS when it came out!! Yea it IS painful to watch I admit.. The music IS good,but MAN that hair and those outfits.....

[FredGarvin]

My first concert was Dolly Parton at the Montana State fair in about 1976...but my real rock first concert was Billy Squier/Molly Hatchet at the Lloyd Noble Arena, Norman, OK, in December 1984. I was 15 and my sister was 24 and she just loved Billy so much she just had to go. But she was scared to drive through Oklahoma City so our parents drove us there. The thing that struck me the most about the show was how LOUD it was! I really wasn't familiar with Molly Hatchet at the time despite having listened to a few of their older albums that my brother owned, but they put on a pretty good show. I remember them having a huge grand piano on stage at one point. I was definitely more familiar with Billy Squier since his songs were all over the radio in those days, and he rocked! The light show was awesome and I'd never seen anything like it before.

 

An interesting side note: my sister saw a guy there she knew and we sat and talked with him for a while before the show. Two years later they got married and they are still married to this day and have three grown kids.

 

Fat Freddy, I also saw Priest on the Turbo tour and thought they were great! I still listen to that album a lot and love it.

[martinsane]

Man I remember the ones that got awa before my first show, I was in junior high in the early 80's and missed Blackout era Scorp's, Diary era Ozzy, etc...

 

My first show was AC/DC on the FLick Of The Switch tour. 2 unknown bands opened the show Fastway and Quiet Riot! I should rephraze, Say What You Will was getting regular airplay and I of course had the tape and LOVED it, does anyone else remember those sleeveless checkerboard t-shirts from that tour? And Quiet Riots Metal Health was already radio friendly at the time too...

AC/DC's show was arena splendor to the Nth degree. With the 21 gun (canon) salute, the "hell's" bell and Angus mooning everybody, Brian also gave Angus a shoulder ride through the dome at one point.

I was an innocent sophomore in high school, 15 years of age and I was loving every second and the show obviously warped my little brain.

I remember during the title son"Flick Of The Switch" during the chorus/line "It will blow you sky high." Some army guy from Fort Lewis, the show was at the Tacoma Dome in Washington State, shot a flare into the air and the thing stuck/caught the insulation/roof of the building on fire! Of course we all thought is was part of the show until the news the following day...

 

2nd show and now I can't remember which was first, pretty sure it was, Ozzy during the Bark At The Moon tour, with a severely drunk and poorly sounding Motley Crue opening in support of Shout and I can't recall the first act, but I do recall that Waysted was on the bill and cancelled...

OR

It was Twisted Sister supporting Stay Hungry with openers Y&T (FUCK YA!!!!) and again a third act that I can't remember, maybe Culprit or TKO (I want to believe it was a "local" band.

Both of those shows were at the Seattle Arena.

[Gibbo]

My first gig was supposed to be Ozzy at Hammersmith (with Ratt supporting) in 1986, but my mate lost the tickets ...

 

Instead, I saw Iron Maiden at Hammersmith, touring the 'Somewhere In Time' album later the same year ... Paul Samson (RIP) was the support ... they didn't play anything from 'Piece Of Mind', much to the disgust of the bloke standing behind me, who spent most of the night shouting for 'The Trooper'

 

Sadly, my lack of funds as a teenager meant that I had to wait a year before my next gig (Marillion at Wembley) ... then in 1988 I went a bit nuts ... the highlight of that year was the Monsters Of Rock Festival at Donington - Helloween, Guns n' Roses, Megadeth, David Lee Roth, KISS and the mighty Maaaiiiiiden ... although the whole thing was overshadowed by the deaths of two guys in the crowd ... RIP.

[Glen]

My first gig was supposed to be Ozzy at Hammersmith (with Ratt supporting) in 1986, but my mate lost the tickets ...

 

Instead, I saw Iron Maiden at Hammersmith, touring the 'Somewhere In Time' album later the same year ... Paul Samson (RIP) was the support ... they didn't play anything from 'Piece Of Mind', much to the disgust of the bloke standing behind me, who spent most of the night shouting for 'The Trooper'

 

Sadly, my lack of funds as a teenager meant that I had to wait a year before my next gig (Marillion at Wembley) ... then in 1988 I went a bit nuts ... the highlight of that year was the Monsters Of Rock Festival at Donington - Helloween, Guns n' Roses, Megadeth, David Lee Roth, KISS and the mighty Maaaiiiiiden ... although the whole thing was overshadowed by the deaths of two guys in the crowd ... RIP.

 

Ozzy - missed that but my bro went - great gig.

 

Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time @ Hammy - was at that.

 

Good to see another Marillion (Fish era) fan - Im sure I saw them that year but cant remember if it was Hammy or Milton Keynes....memories not what it used to be. On a side note you should really try to catch Fish on his solo tour this year - he plays stuff from Fugazi and Ive heard he's been playing Grendel again which would be just amazing.

 

Donnington 88 - yep was there too. Was a great gig and you are quite right that the whole thing was overshadowed by the deaths. It was during the guns n roses set. We were sensible enough to stay way back - just sitting on the grass behind the main part of the crowd. What was literally terrifying was when their set ended and about 10,000 people just turned and headed towards us, covered in mud, shit, piss, blood, you name it and we had to just grab all out belongings and leg it! Also, at the time a woman I worked with at the local cash n carry said that she actually trod on a body under the crowd during the moshing, which is just grim. On a side note that was the era before mobile phones and we got home at about 6am in the morning to very worried parents who had read that 2 people had died at the gig and obviously thinking that it must have been us as we were AWOL. We had absolutely no idea what had happened!

[Gibbo]

My first gig was supposed to be Ozzy at Hammersmith (with Ratt supporting) in 1986, but my mate lost the tickets ...

 

Instead, I saw Iron Maiden at Hammersmith, touring the 'Somewhere In Time' album later the same year ... Paul Samson (RIP) was the support ... they didn't play anything from 'Piece Of Mind', much to the disgust of the bloke standing behind me, who spent most of the night shouting for 'The Trooper'

 

Sadly, my lack of funds as a teenager meant that I had to wait a year before my next gig (Marillion at Wembley) ... then in 1988 I went a bit nuts ... the highlight of that year was the Monsters Of Rock Festival at Donington - Helloween, Guns n' Roses, Megadeth, David Lee Roth, KISS and the mighty Maaaiiiiiden ... although the whole thing was overshadowed by the deaths of two guys in the crowd ... RIP.

 

Ozzy - missed that but my bro went - great gig.

 

Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time @ Hammy - was at that.

 

Good to see another Marillion (Fish era) fan - Im sure I saw them that year but cant remember if it was Hammy or Milton Keynes....memories not what it used to be. On a side note you should really try to catch Fish on his solo tour this year - he plays stuff from Fugazi and Ive heard he's been playing Grendel again which would be just amazing.

 

Donnington 88 - yep was there too. Was a great gig and you are quite right that the whole thing was overshadowed by the deaths. It was during the guns n roses set. We were sensible enough to stay way back - just sitting on the grass behind the main part of the crowd. What was literally terrifying was when their set ended and about 10,000 people just turned and headed towards us, covered in mud, shit, piss, blood, you name it and we had to just grab all out belongings and leg it! Also, at the time a woman I worked with at the local cash n carry said that she actually trod on a body under the crowd during the moshing, which is just grim. On a side note that was the era before mobile phones and we got home at about 6am in the morning to very worried parents who had read that 2 people had died at the gig and obviously thinking that it must have been us as we were AWOL. We had absolutely no idea what had happened!

Same here ... my Mum had been awake most of the night, worrying I remember DLR telling the security guys to get off his stage (they were trying to get people out of the crowd) ... and Axl telling the crowd not to kill each other ... me and my mate headed for the back of the crowd when everyone started to push forward ... not good. Not good at all.I love the Fish-era Marillion ... they lost something when Hogarth joined ... I hope to see him again this year (maybe he'll play Riga again?)

[Glen]

Not on the list of venues this time round - we are going to O2 Islington & I do hope it's electric this time (not saying that the acoustic wasn't awesome, cos it was!) - just wanting Grendel & can't see that being played acoustic lol