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What was your first concert and how old were you...

Featured Replies

My first concert ever was probably a Willie Nelson 4th of July picnic, when I was 3 or 4.  My folks have pictures of me there, so that's what I'll go with, although it could easily have been another similar outdoor festival event, or even some show at the Armadillo World Headquarters.

 

My dad was the General Manager for KOKE FM in the 70s and early 80s, and KOKE was the promoter for pretty much any and every country/western concert in Austin that wasn't a Nashville band, so I went to a ton of Willie, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon, etc. growing up.  Tons of Aquafest acts, too, in all of the various genres that played there back in the day.

 

The first concert I ever pushed to go to on my own without my folks being involved was The Police Synchronicity at Southpark Meadows.  I went with my older brother.  My parents later declined my request to go see Van Halen's 1984 tour, I guess they thought Sting was a better influence than Diamond Dave.  They were probably right.  

First concert with mom and dad: Journey & Loverboy at Reunion in November 1981 (just after my 11th birthday). My mom taught high school in Cedar Hill and trusted one of her student to take me to the Iron Maiden/Saxon/Fastway show at the Dallas Convention Center in 1983 (Piece of Mind tour).  First "underground" show would have been COC at the Metroplex in Atlanta in 1987 (16).

Edited by zlavydra

Dang, y'all are old. 

2002: Blink 182, Green Day and Jimmy Eat World with my dad and brother in San Antonio. I was 13 and remember the distinct smell of pot.

On 3/27/2018 at 10:50 AM, 3adays said:

Black Crowes in Palmer Auditorium. It was early 90’s and I was 13 or 14. 

Ha, I went to the same high school as the Robinson bros (or maybe just one of them) in suburban Atlanta.  Their band was called Mr. Crowe's Garden.  Saw them one day at Waterloo Records when I was a freshman at UT (1989 or 1990) and let them know that I remembered when they were covering REM. "Dude, that was a long time ago...we're the BLACK CROWES now!" 

On 4/3/2018 at 1:05 PM, BadgerMeyer said:

‘89 The Cult - Sonic Temple Tour with Bonham and Dangerous Toys. I was 16   Good times  

 

Saw that tour as well. Great show. Cool story bro: former lead singer of Dangerous Toys works at the School of Rock on Burnet and Anderson lane where my boy takes guitar. We talked about this tour recently. Fond memories for that guy.

Edited by wreckatx

Led Zepplin, May 3, 1969  Rose Palace,  Pasadena

I was 15. The Rose Palace is a large corrugated steel building where they (still) build floats for the Rose Parade.  Tickets were $3.50. Elvin Bishop and 'Brian Auger, Julie Driscoll and the Trinity' were the opening acts.

When Jimmy Paige whipped out his violin bow on his guitar on 'How Many More Times?'  the place went wild. Pretty fricking amazing first concert.

Edited by otisdog
wrong info

Cypress Hill and some others came to Austin on my friend's birthday, in August. We rented a limo and took XTC, our first time taking it. Probably 110 degrees outside, dumb as shit. I went into a mosh pit, ended up puking my fucking guts out. Anyway, the night ended well, sitting on the hill outside the park, watching the whole place go up in smoke

  • 2 weeks later...

The Doobie Brothers, I was 20, Hemisfair Arena
opening act Pablo Cruze

On 3/27/2018 at 10:57 AM, Onboard 2.0 said:

Doobie brothers and Pablo Cruise, 1976 or so probably.

I think it was '77, I had just gotten divorced.

54 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

Shit I thought I was old

Hey, I was in Jr. high school, and I'm still feeling old(er).

8 hours ago, SHOOTER12 said:

I think it was '77, I had just gotten divorced.

Well, whatcha gonna do since she said goodbye? Just go rockin' down the highway .

8 hours ago, Mr.Hovis said:

Well, whatcha gonna do since she said goodbye? Just go rockin' down the highway .

Damned right brother, damned right.

On 4/19/2018 at 7:24 PM, utee94 said:

My first concert ever was probably a Willie Nelson 4th of July picnic, when I was 3 or 4.  My folks have pictures of me there, so that's what I'll go with, although it could easily have been another similar outdoor festival event, or even some show at the Armadillo World Headquarters.

 

My dad was the General Manager for KOKE FM in the 70s and early 80s, and KOKE was the promoter for pretty much any and every country/western concert in Austin that wasn't a Nashville band, so I went to a ton of Willie, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon, etc. growing up.  Tons of Aquafest acts, too, in all of the various genres that played there back in the day.

 

 

Abuela Gringa and I were at Willie's first also with our 5 yr. old son and 3 year old daughter (her first).  It was his second as he made the first night of the Texas International Pop Festival outside Dallas on Labor Day weekend in 1969.  He spent the other two nights at his grandma's.

KOKE FM was on at our house or in our car much of the time for its existence.  I think it helped shape my son's musical taste. Not so much the daughter's.

My first was either Pete Fountain or Ray Charles.  I won the tickets to Fountain and took my mother.  The Ray Charles concert was my first unattended by an adult and was in 1961, 1962, or 1963. Mom dropped me and a date off and picked us up afterwards.  I thought it was the State Fair Music Hall, but could have been the Dallas Memorial Auditorium. 

As was common in that time and place, mom was worried our safety, as most of the audience were "not like us."  Much of Dallas was still openly racist in those days.  It didn't bother me or my date and we had a great time.  People were dancing in the aisles and their seats, unabashedly enjoying the music.  Ray was great. Few concerts I have been to since have lived up to that one.

My old company hired ray Charles once to play a Corp gig for about 100 people.

I hated that he was playing a Corp gig, but you know, I was in the front row for ray fucking Charles so I got over it.

i once saw lenny kravitz at a law firm retreat in boca rotan. after he performed at the super bowl. this is the thread for saddest concert, right?  

Night Ranger with Van Zant as the opening band. 7 Wishes tour. 1984 or 85. 14 years old. 

First big show without any parents was Billy Idol with Faith No More opening at the Erwin Center. Around 1990 so I was around 14. Billy was good, but Faith No More killed.

Doobie Brothers with Bob Seger opening. 1976, Lakeland, FL. The only tour with Tom Johnston and Michael McDonald together. Later in tour Johnston dropped out for health reasons.

Matchbox 20, Frank Erwin Center,  I was a sophomore in high school. 

13 years old, 1977 The Eagles Lloyd Noble Arena. Norman, Ok. My friends and i snuck in through an exit door

Judas Priest in 1983 or 1984 at the ECTOR. COUNTY. COLISEUM!

I was either 12-13 and went with my buddy, Mike, and his kick-ass parents.

Rush for the Signals tour - San Antonio when I was in 7th grade.

zjgwUT.gif

 

George Harrison during the Dark Horse tour...Ravi Shankar was the first act and Billy Preston was part of the band. 

November 1974, Jr. High....7th row center.  

acdc.jpg

 

15. Drove to the show in my '68 Camaro, raced a dude down I-10, ditched the cops, then rocked the fuck out.

No clue what my first concert was with parents, but I was little.  The first show I went to sans parents (god I hate to admit this) was Alanis Morissette at South Park Meadows when I was 13.  I bought tickets for my girlfriend and me for her birthday, then we broke up but the ex still wanted to go to the show.  By the time the show came around, I had another girl that wanted to go with me, so I took them both. 

First show I drove myself to was OzFest in San Antonio a few years later

nine inch nails - 10/30/1994, at the Fair Park Coliseum in Dallas.  I was 13, so my dad chaperoned me & my buddies.  Marilyn Manson opened (before he was a thing).

Bad-ass concert.  Still will remember it 'till the day I die.

  • 2 years later...

Elvis.  In Conroe.  August 1955.  Louisiana Hayride Tour.

Elvis.  March 27, 1977.  Taylor County Convention Center Abilene, TX.

I was 5.  I vaguely remember it.  Mom took me so I could say I saw Elvis.

Dad saw Elvis out in Cheyenne, didn't think he'd amount to much.  

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