Your 1st Concert-Best Concert

My first concert was Rick Springfield. 

I won the tickets off the radio. I couldn't stand his music, but figured the place would be packed with women. ( I was right!)

Best concert,  too many to list...

Judas Priest screaming for vengeance  tour. I was 2 rows back from the stage.

Ted Nugent , can't remember which tour ( 1985?) Left before the show was over, couldn't walk right because my ears were ringing so bad.

Ozzy Osbourn. Seen him 3 times

Def Leppard.  I didn't have tickets, so I snuck in backstage somehow ( don't remember much ,   lots of substances were available and I remember meeting the band .... I think they were the band ?.?.?)

Worst concert,  Blue Oyster Cult. They were drunk, and it sounded like they had not rehearsed in months.... wanted my money back !!!

There were many, many more, bu I won't fill up the thread.

Two that I missed because of having to work the mid shift, Little Rock Philharmonic doing their Space concert.  It consisted of some classic music from Holst's Planets combined with Star Wars.  They even had a laser show with the music which was a brand new idea at the time.  The other was E.L.O., I coiuldn't get anyone to switch days with me for either show.

Then eventually came the concert version of Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds.  I have the CD set he made in the mid 70s which must have cost a futrune to produce since the Moody Blues provided music and some singing and Narration by Richard Burton.  During the live show they lowered a Martian fighting tripod onto the floor near the orchestra.  It was equipped with lasers, a flame thrower, and a smoke generator.

I do remember him. I saw them at the Student Union around 1975 when they first formed up. Basically Santana without Carlos. Small show, Neil Schon must have been 16 years old.

Bill

wpwar11

Its really cool to be up front and that close at a concert.  Especially after what you went thru.  Glad you got to enjoy that.  

Thanks Paul.  The show I missed was in a much bigger place that has a well-known reputation for being a terrible place to see a concert due to local noise ordinances...you can barely hear the band over the crowd, without the crowd really being all that loud.  Heh...and I might have been able to see the band through binoculars.  I guess its not such a bad thing that I missed it that year.  The recent venue and show had MUCH better conditions. 

Anyone remember Gregg Rolie? Journey's other vocalist... guy was great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88T131rQCUc

My first concert was Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult and Black Oak Arkansas in College Park, Md back in '72.

The best concert I ever went to was Elton John back in the 80's at the Civic Center in Baltimore. He had the audience up on its feet the whole concert. I went originally because the wife wanted to go, but ended up having one of the best times ever.

Eaglecash867

I haven't been to very many concerts in my lifetime, but I have to say that I saw my best concert in September of 2022 when Berlin played at the PACE Center in Parker, Colorado.  They have been one of my favorite bands since 1982, and I finally got to see them live this past September.  I was really looking forward to seeing them, the B-52s, and OMD when they all played Fiddler's Green (or whatever they call it now) in August of 2019...had a ticket and everything...but just a couple of weeks before that, I got the bad news from my doctor that I had cancer.  My first of 6 surgeries had to be scheduled pretty much immediately, the same week the concert was supposed to be.  Heh...luckily I decided to buy the extra insurance on my ticket when I bought it in May.  I was already in a lot of pain and feeling pretty awful, so I wasn't sure what I would be feeling like by August, and still didn't know what was going on. 

Some time in July of 2022, after all of that crap was behind me, I went on their web-page to see where I would have to fly to see them.  I was ecstatic to see that they were playing 2 places, IN COLORADO, and Parker is less than 10 miles from where I work.  Paid 75 bucks for a ticket, and my seat was practically on the stage.  No lie, the way that place was set up, there were times during the show when Terri Nunn (my dream girl since I was 11...hehehe) came over and stood in front of me while she was singing, and I could have leaned forward just a tiny bit and put both hands squarely on her shoulders...she was that close.  She was there with 2 of the original band members, John Crawford (the founder, bassist, keyboards) and David Diamond (guitar, keyboards), and they were all REALLY tight.  Amazing vocals (Terri has a fantastic voice) and energy from everybody.  I think the only time the crowd wasn't on its feet was during the acoustic set they played in the middle of the show where the 3 original members were all sitting on stools.  I vowed to NOT be one of those people who watches the whole live show on my celphone screen, but when I heard a familiar guitar riff and they were starting their cover of AC/DCs Highway to Hell?  I just had to try to get it on video.  Heh...forgot to press the record button until the last 30 seconds though.  LOL.  But, even that last 30 seconds of video is awesome.  

 

WillysMB

I guess I'm from a different era. First concert was Neil Diamond at Red Rocks with a special unannounced number from Judy Collins. Loved all his later shows as well. Honorable mention is Moody Blues at Red Rocks and also at Boston Garden. Not a concert per se, but another favorite was always Victor Borge at Elitch Gardens.

 

Not a different era,just different genres.I liked a lot of Neil Diamond's stuff in the 70's

I guess I'm from a different era. First concert was Neil Diamond at Red Rocks with a special unannounced number from Judy Collins. Loved all his later shows as well. Honorable mention is Moody Blues at Red Rocks and also at Boston Garden. Not a concert per se, but another favorite was always Victor Borge at Elitch Gardens.

Allman Brothers in Columbia, SC sometime late fall 1970. I really don't know if I could pick a favorite

Beach Boys, Hollywood Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, Florida in 1974.

Another that I enjoyed was Jimmy Buffett outdoors at the Garden State Arts Center,they used to allow tailgating which was half the fun hanging out with all the Parrot Heads.

Any Parrot Heads out there 

I haven't been to very many concerts in my lifetime, but I have to say that I saw my best concert in September of 2022 when Berlin played at the PACE Center in Parker, Colorado.  They have been one of my favorite bands since 1982, and I finally got to see them live this past September.  I was really looking forward to seeing them, the B-52s, and OMD when they all played Fiddler's Green (or whatever they call it now) in August of 2019...had a ticket and everything...but just a couple of weeks before that, I got the bad news from my doctor that I had cancer.  My first of 6 surgeries had to be scheduled pretty much immediately, the same week the concert was supposed to be.  Heh...luckily I decided to buy the extra insurance on my ticket when I bought it in May.  I was already in a lot of pain and feeling pretty awful, so I wasn't sure what I would be feeling like by August, and still didn't know what was going on. 

Some time in July of 2022, after all of that crap was behind me, I went on their web-page to see where I would have to fly to see them.  I was ecstatic to see that they were playing 2 places, IN COLORADO, and Parker is less than 10 miles from where I work.  Paid 75 bucks for a ticket, and my seat was practically on the stage.  No lie, the way that place was set up, there were times during the show when Terri Nunn (my dream girl since I was 11...hehehe) came over and stood in front of me while she was singing, and I could have leaned forward just a tiny bit and put both hands squarely on her shoulders...she was that close.  She was there with 2 of the original band members, John Crawford (the founder, bassist, keyboards) and David Diamond (guitar, keyboards), and they were all REALLY tight.  Amazing vocals (Terri has a fantastic voice) and energy from everybody.  I think the only time the crowd wasn't on its feet was during the acoustic set they played in the middle of the show where the 3 original members were all sitting on stools.  I vowed to NOT be one of those people who watches the whole live show on my celphone screen, but when I heard a familiar guitar riff and they were starting their cover of AC/DCs Highway to Hell?  I just had to try to get it on video.  Heh...forgot to press the record button until the last 30 seconds though.  LOL.  But, even that last 30 seconds of video is awesome.  

First concert: Stones in 1966 ($2 ticket)  (second concert was the Beatles, but...)

Best?  Maybe Cat Stevens in 1974 in Memphis or maybe Fleetwood Mac in 2010 or so, in Seattle, which my son took me to.

Tcoat

Agreed on the age thing though.

"Dude, the Stones are always good, but man, the chicks are old".

"Dude, look in the mirror!".

Bill

We have switched to music festivals. I can usually squeeze in five or six bands and a headliner in a day.

Bill

Real G

 

 

Tojo72

So many great shows and memories thst we all have,it's just a shame that many acts have just about priced themselves out of the amount that I want to spend.Plus they just do make bands like they used to anymore.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, $85 for the lousy seats is just too much.  Plus all of my favorite bands are either retirement-home aged or deceased.  Some can still make it to the stage, but others not so much.

 

Meh it is all in perspective. I paid something like $12 for my Alice Cooper tickets in '75 but I only earned $30 a day. So $85 or even $100 now does not take almost half my daily income.

Agreed on the age thing though. My wife saw Meatloaf in one of his last concerts and came home crying he was so bad. 

Tojo72

So many great shows and memories thst we all have,it's just a shame that many acts have just about priced themselves out of the amount that I want to spend.Plus they just do make bands like they used to anymore.

 

Yeah, $85 for the lousy seats is just too much.  Plus all of my favorite bands are either retirement-home aged or deceased.  Some can still make it to the stage, but others not so much.

First- Beachboys Kitchener Ont. 1966

Best - Alice Cooper Vancouver BC 1975 (this was the cencert where he fell off the stage and broke some ribs but still carried on)

Of note:

Mettalica "Blind Date" show 1996. This was a radio station promotion where 500 people won tickets to see Mettalica in a small club in Toronto. Was awesome!

Heart 1975. Was a Sea Cadet and we were in Seattle. Small(ish) bar and Heart played some of their stuff from Dreamboat Annie. The album wasn't even released for a couple of months after that. Talked with the band for quite a while and I made a horriblly failed attempt to flirt with Nancy.

Weird Al 1996. My son's friend (they were 11 at the time) was the nephew of the guitar player so we all got to go back stage and hang out with Weird Al and the band for a bit after the show. 

Hi:

    Two complete opposites. "Pink Floyd"(Hollywood Bowl-Darkside of the Moon"}

 "Henry Mancini"(Moon River concert, Chicago.) All in the early 70s.And lastly Micheal Flatly and the "Irish Dance troupe" San Antonio

Absolute best: Warren Zevon at Virginia Tech in 1977 or 78.

It was just before "Werewolves of London" hit the charts, so almost no one in the 'real world' had any idea who he was. I was an FM DJ at the college radio station, and I'd been playing his stuff for years. ("Werewolves" came off of his 3rd album.)

It was a tiny (relatively) 1,001 seat venue, so we were all pretty much close enough to catch the sweat every time the musicians moved. Warren was at the top of his form, and both he and the band seemed to be having a ball.

Rock and roll heaven!

So many great shows and memories that we all have,it's just a shame that many acts have just about priced themselves out of the amount that I want to spend.Plus they just dont make bands like they used to anymore.

Three Dog Night.

Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC Saturday May 29, 1971.

Near the end of the performance they had a pie fight on stage, whipped cream every where.

I was on the second or third row from the stage.

keavdog

The best concert was OMD opening for Depeche Mode in the 80s.  

 

That must have been great!

Saw Depeche Mode a few years ago at the Boston Garden. A very good show!

Love the drum opening in Rosanna.  I posted this in the other thread - one of my first concerts.  Great lineup

Regarding my first concert, I was 10 years old and it was my 5th grade music recital. Continuing on a personal level, around 11 years later, my best concert was either winning the "battle of the bands" in West Germany during Octoberfest in 1981 or playing as the front band for Joe Dee Massina at the Columbus Jazz and Ribs Fest, 1998, in front of aprox. 30,000 people. In both instances you could feel the music energize the crowd while their response fed and energized the band, it was magical.

Now on a completely different level, my most favorite concert was anyone of the times when helping my special needs son (Jarrod) march (push his wheelchair) on the football field (and playing) as a drummer in his highschool band, or during various parades while marching with him playing in the band. I think in many ways nothing can touch any of that!

As an observer, my first concert I can remember was Ted Nugents Cat Scratch Fever tour with Golden Ear Ring and Thin Lizzy at Vets Memorial in Columbus Ohio, 1977. And my favorite concert I ever attended is too hard to pick, but it is either Toto, Tears for Fears, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, Journey, Sticks, REO, Kenny Loggins, Phil Collins, Peter Frampton, Richard Marx, Heart, Keith Urban, Pat Benetar, Jefferson Starship, Charlie Daniels (he gave Jarrod, my son, the fiddle bow), The Eagles, Carrie underwood, YES, Brooks and Dunn, Alan Jackson, Green Day, Chicago, etc. ... you get the idea.

My favorite all-time band is Toto.

Ben 

The first concert that I attended was The Beach Boys in 1964.

The next concert that I attended was The Beatles when they performed at Comiskey Park (original home of the White Sox) in Chicago. The girls were screaming so loud that I could not hear The Beatles perform. Paul walked up to his mike and said, "We love you girls". The girl in back of me screamed super loud and passed out. She fell on top of me and was hauled away by the ushers. The girl in front of me was so overcome by the experience that she sat sideways in her chair and cried for the entier concert. The concert lasted for about 30 minutes.

My best friend took me to this Summer Jam   My first ever concert.  We didn’t have them in New Guinea.  It was awesome, and I was totally overwhelmed.  

Sons of Champlin played at our prom. Not really a concert. We saw Chicago last year. It was in the top 5 I've seen.

Bill