YOUR FIRST CONCERT

[Strider]

Tonight, March 17, was the 40th anniversary of my FIRST rock concert:

Black Sabbath

Yes

Wild Turkey

March 17, 1972 @ Swing Auditorium, San Bernadino, California.

This was the concert that lit the fuse, that began my expanding thirst for live rock n roll.

There are primarily two modes of experiencing music: 1. Via a recording through a stereo or some music playing device; and 2. A live performance, either given by yourself or some other musicians. Each method has its benefits. A recording is usually the benefit of optimum acoustic conditions and pristine clarity of sound. Mistakes can be fixed in the studio through mixing or recording another take. In concert, the sound is subject to the whims of the equipment and the acoustical limitations of the venue. The sound is generally louder and rawer than what you hear on a recording, even a recording of a live show. But what you may lose in sonic perfection, you gain in the knowledge that the musicians are making music right before you at that very moment in time. A concert, by its very nature, is more spontaneous and visceral than a recording...even with bands that don't deviate much from their studio records in concert.

There are some who prefer listening to music via recordings than in concert. Others prefer the live concert experience to records. Some like both equally.

Up until 40 years ago tonight, I hadn't had a chance to form an opinion one way or another. I've ruminated a couple times before how my early passion for music, and rock n roll in particular, was inculcated, largely through my father. There was no question I loved music, was even a sort of music geek. And after seeing the films "Woodstock" and "Monterey Pop", and hearing albums such as "Get Your Ya Yas Out" and "Live at Leeds", I started to get the yearning to see a concert...especially Led Zeppelin, who by 1971 had become my favourite band.

My parents decided that I was too young to subject my ears to a rock concert, decreeing I would have to wait until I was 10 years old. Which wouldn't happen until 1972. All thru 1970 and 1971, bands came to Southern California to play concerts, including Led Zeppelin, and I would have to sit in my room and suffer not being able to go, and wishing 1972 would hurry up and get here.

Fortune, in a way, smiled on me though, for my dad divorced my stepmother soon after Christmas 1971. At this time in 1972, we were living in Tustin, California, which is in Orange County. My father had me for the weekend of March 17-19, Friday thru Sunday night. He picked me up after school that Friday and said he had a surprise for me.

Now, one quirk about my dad's music tastes is that he loved those early prog bands: Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Yes, King Crimson.

He didn't like the 50s rock n roll he heard growing up, preferring jazz and classical. He didn't even like the Beatles until "Sgt. Pepper's". Rolling Stones, Dylan, Cream, Hendrix, the Band, CCR, Joni Mitchell, The Who...those are the bands I grew up hearing.

But he didn't like Led Zeppelin. No matter how I tried...he just couldn't get past his dislike of Robert's singing style. And this is a guy who liked Alice Cooper!?!

Anyway, back to the prog. By 1972, thanks to my dad, I had learned to like some prog myself. I didn't much care for ELP's "Tarkus" but I did like the first album and parts of "Pictures at an Exhibition".

An embarrassing moment of my life happened in junior high. Our home room teacher would allow us to listen to music on Fridays and when it was my turn to bring a record of my choosing to class, I brought the first "Emerson, Lake & Palmer" album.

We didn't make it to the second side as everyone seemed to hate it and complained until it was replaced by Elton John's "Don't Shoot the Piano Player". I never lived that day down...I was a weirdo in the eyes of my classmates after that.

But enough of ELP...the two prog albums I probably listened to most in 71-72 were King Crimson's "In the Court of the Crimson King" and Yes " Fragile". So when my dad picked me up from school on St. Patrick's Day in 1972 and told me the surprise he had for me was that he was taking me to see my first concert, I almost cried on the spot. In fact, I probably got so emotional that it took a while before it registered with me what bands we were going to see...Black Sabbath and Yes. Two bands I liked...not as much as Zeppelin or the Stones, but certainly more than Deep Purple and Grand Funk Railroad.

Then on Sunday afternoon, we were going to the King Crimson show at the Santa Monica Civic.

The catch was that I wasn't to tell my stepmom about going to the shows, as since I wasn't officially 10 yet, he wasn't sure she would approve of me going. I assured him I could keep a secret.

The Black Sabbath/Yes tour had already played the LA Forum a couple days prior to the March 17 date...but it being a school night and being that the Forum was farther away from Orange County than San Berdu, the Swing Auditorium show was just more convenient, even if it lacked the glamour and cachet of a Forum gig. The Swing Auditorium was a fading, ugly barn of a building with wooden benches around the floor area and a weird tinsel ceiling. It was on the same locale as the National Orange Show Center and, while not as large as the Forum or even Long Beach Arena, it held about 8,000 or so...maybe up to 10,000. The Swing was razed in 1981 after a plane crashed into it.

The sound wasn't great, but it was better than some other venues I experienced that year...it was probably most similar to the Hollywood Palladium's sound, perhaps slightly better. My dad provided me with earplugs to wear and I put them in as we finally made it into the Swing. It definitely was a trip being amongst a crowd that size for the first time...10,000 isn't as large as a Forum crowd but it's still a lot of people in an enclosed space. All breathing on you it sometimes seemed.

Oh, and let's just say Black Sabbath drew some interesting fans, particularly in the Inland Empire, which is far different than LA or Hollywood. Since there were tickets still being advertised in the paper in the days leading up to the show, I don't think the concert was sold out. But it was still a good-sized crowd.

In fact, it was probably good for box office when they added Yes to the bill...as popular as Yes had become, there was probably a sizeable segment who came just for Yes.

The first band was Wild Turkey and I had no clue who they were...only finding out later that it was an offshoot of sorts from Jethro Tull. The original bass player from Tull, Glenn Cornick(the dude who always seemed to wear a headband) left in 1971 to form Wild Turkey. Cannot say I remember much about the band one way or another. Never got one of their albums and their music didn't strike me as being out of the ordinary. I suppose they were a passable hard rock band with a tinge of Tull about them. I bet if I dig thru my archives I'll discover they were the opening act for several concerts I saw in the 70s.

Here's an interesting interview with Glenn Cornick about Jethro Tull and Wild Turkey:

http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com/2011/12/glenn-cornick-interview-about-jethro.html?m=1

There was probably the usual impatience of the crowd wanting to see Yes or Black Sabbath, but I don't remember anything too violent. I know me and my dad were anxious for them to finish so Yes could take the stage. Yes was definitely the band he came for...he was only tolerating Black Sabbath for my sake.

At this time in 1972, Yes was exploding..."Fragile" had been out for a few months and the FM rock stations were playing "Roundabout" constantly, along with the earlier "Your Move/I've Seen All Good People". But the song I really loved most from "Fragile" was "Heart of the Sunrise". I could have done without some of the things like "Cans and Brahms", but "Heart of the Sunrise" was great enough for me to overlook the flaws of the album. Plus, there was "Mood for a Day".

Now, to me, the classic Yes line-up will always be the Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman and Bill Bruford era. The group that recorded "Fragile" and "Close to the Edge". So I consider myself lucky that I got to see the last tour with this line-up. Bill Bruford would soon leave Yes for King Crimson.

Since Yes was second on the bill, they couldn't do their whole show, but at least I got to hear them do "Heart of the Sunrise"(all hail the mighty mellotron!) and "I've Seen All Good People". Not to mention their famous "Firebird Suite" intro music, which pleased me and my dad immensely, both of us being Stravinsky fans.

Yes didn't move around much or put on a "show" per se, but then, as this was my first concert I didn't have much to compare them to, haha. As far as I knew, all bands played like that.

But what Yes lacked in showmanship they more than made up for with musicianship. Even with the less than pristine acoustics, you could sense the band's musical prowess. The whole enormity of being at my first rock concert was such that the entire night was a blur rushing by...so much that I don't remember anything that was said or much in the way of song details for the most part.

Just that it was louder than anything I had heard or felt in my life...even with the earplugs...but that it also gave me this warm glowing feeling inside. Watching a band play and hearing the music they were playing immediately come forth from the speakers in a massive tidal wave of sound was thrilling beyond words.

And it was about to get LOUDER! For after Yes and a bit of a wait while they changed the stage setup, it was time for the headliners, Black Sabbath to take the stage. Touring behind "Masters of Reality", my favourite Black Sabbath album, this was a lean and mean Black Sabbath. My dad wasn't liking it so much, but I was in headbanging heaven.

Obviously not as diverse or as much finesse as Yes, the music of Black Sabbath was all brute force and power riffs and crushing volume. Bones and things rattled in your body as you felt the bass vibrations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq1tmbnAkn4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Again, I couldn't tell you much about the setlist other than there were a few from "Masters...". Oh, and with the exception of Ozzy(who came off as odd more than scary, despite what the Bible-thumpers said), the band barely moved around...just like Yes. It seemed odd as well watching Tony Iommi playing guitar left-handed. You are so used to seeing a guitar pointed a certain way that it kind of jars your senses when coming across a lefty.

What really jarred the senses though, was the way a guitar sounds live in concert coming through the amplifiers and PA stacks. The hum and buzz and the harmonic overtones...it really knocked me for a loop. I might have let out a few cheers and claps, but I think for most of the set...hell, for most of the night I was just silently taking the whole experience in and not let it overwhelm me.

Even with snacks and a bathroom break, my stamina was fading about the time of the drum solo. I barely made it to the end of the concert.

But make it I, and my dad, did. My first rock concert was under my belt. My ears were ringing, my head was pounding, my body felt like it had been punched by every one of Bill Ward's hit of the drum. Yet I felt so alive, so giddy. If this is what a concert did to you, I wanted more.

Of course, more was about to come...as a couple days later we were going to the King Crimson concert.

Anyway, that was my first concert. Now it is your turn...what was your first concert?

[BlackandGold]

I don't know how you remember concerts in such detail. I always enjoy reading your posts and am amazed at your recollection. I believe that you said once that you had kept a journal, I wish that I had done that. My recollections of set-lists fade within days. I've actually believed that an artist has performed a song that they didn't. I'll admit that I was under the influence of something for many shows, but for others have been completely sober and still do not have a clear memory. I will remember "flashes" from the evening very clearly though.

My first concert was Boston and Eddie Money at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh on March 26, 1979. I had to look that up online, because I no longer have the ticket stub. I was 15 and my mom agreed that I could go since my friends very responsible uncle would take us. He immediately ditched us at the door, after giving us a handful of little airplane bottles of booze. I was not an Eddie Money fan, but I do know I enjoyed his set. I really wanted to see Boston. I was a big fan of their first two albums and had even done a silk screen t-shirt of their first album cover in art class, I remember that we were sitting really high up and that I had brought my grandfathers binoculars which I left at the concert and am still sad about. I'm sure they did all their hits, but no clear memories except what a great voice Brad Delp had and that Tom Schutz was really tall. I do remember how very loud it was and how my ears were ringing after the show.

Uncle met us after the show and we went home.

[mickey g]

Speaking of March 17th anniversaries, it was St. Pat's Day 1981 that I went on a first date with a woman that I am still married to, after all those years.

Now, first comcert : July 16(?) 1969 @ Madison Square Garden, NYC.

Blind Faith

Delaney & Bonnie

The Free

What I can remember thru the haze of my brain & the pot smoke of the Garden was Free opened up. I wasn't familiar with them at all, but I remember Paul Rodgers swinging the mike cord around like he was in a rodeo. And, of course Paul Kossoff's wailing Les Paul. Deleney & Bonnie ? I dunno, I guess Clapton was more impressed with them than me. I think Blind Faith opened with Had to Cry Today, and that's pretty much all I can recall. I didn't have the album yet, so I wasn't familiar with ther set, either. Just seeing Clapton was enough. He was wearing a black shirt & white pants on stage & of course I immediately adopted that as my "look" for that summer. There was also some type of commotion on stage that night too. I'm sure Ginger Baker was in the middle of it somehow ! Also, the stage was a round revolving one that always seemed to be facing the wrong way all night. To top the evening off, on the way out of the city, I got stopped by a cop for going the wrong way on a one way street. No ticket, but it sorta kill the buzz I had going........

[ledzepfilm]

Bruce Springsteen and the Seager Sessions at Nissan - Late 2004.

[Glyn]

Motley Crue and Aerosmith at the Hyundai Pavilion in Devore, California 11-11-06

I have a dvd of Aerosmith...definitely a great first concert....

[april_lynn]

Lollapalooza 2005 in Grant Park, Chi-Town

Lollapalooza pales in comparison to Bonnaroo, but for a first concert it was alright.

The Kaiser Chiefs were probably the best to see bc the singer guy threw up, yelled at Liz Phair, climbed the side of the stage and lost his voice. Pixies and Primus were also highlights.

It's where I got my first memorabilia. I got Louis XIV guitar pick and Ben Kweller's setlist.

I'm not a great fan of any of them to be honest though.

[dazedcat]

My cousin Eileen who was a hippie goddess at the time brought me to Tanglewood to see The Who with Jethro Tull and It's A Beautiful Day opening for them in July 1970. I was 15 at the time. Tull were very very good and the Who totally killed. Both sets can be streamed via Wolfgang's Vault in fact for those interested in hearing how it used to be.

I've never quite gotten over it either to this very day either.

[2bitnogoodjive]

Stones at Citrus Bowl, Oct. 25, 1981 with opening acts Joan Jett and Van Halen.

Shidoobee.

[reswati]

Kiss

Grugahalle Essen, Germany

11-11-1983.

Due to somebody with a camera who recorded this concert I can remember what was actually played at the concert.

Since I never was at any concert and I was the only member in the family who liked Kiss, I decided to go with my best friend at the time, the boy next door who shared the same infatuation.

Only problem was that the concert was in Germany, and that we had to get there somehow. Since my father lived near Essen he bought the tickets and brought us there.

The opening act was a band called Helix, and they put down a very energetic show, even though that most people might have never heard from them (Before and after).

After what seemed to be a long break a big curtain came down to reveal the new Kiss stage for that tour...........a big tank with the drumkit mounted on the rotating canon tower.

Behind them was the censored Kiss logo, they were forbidden to use the original SS letters since some people might think it was a fascist thingy. They also were forbidden to use too much pyrotechnics due to safety reasons, so they couldn't fire the tank.

They opened with Creatures Of The Night followed by Detroit Rock City.

What did beat me was how ugly they actually are in real mask-less life. This was the first time we ever saw the guys behind the make up.

What really stuck to my mind was the immense heaviness put down by the drumming of Eric Carr, he made the band sound darker and more aggressive than Peter.

Ace's replacement Vinnie Vincent was a nice shredder, but just wasn't Ace (Always loved Ace and his vibes most of all members).

I can't remember much of that night except the part where Paul divided the audience into a left and a right part and let them shout at one another.

What also struck me was the reactions Gene could get by......well just standing and looking mean during his bass sole before I Love It Loud.

Thanks to some complete unknown who had the idea of taping the entire thing I was able to watch the entire concert about two years ago for the first time since.

Here's the first part:

[ally]

Attended this in 1969

and many of the free concerts that were held in various outdoor locations around Vancouver during the spring/summer of that year. My first real concert..one that required a ticket,, was Led Zeppelin March 21/1970 at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver

[april_lynn]

My first real concert..one that required a ticket,, was Led Zeppelin March 21/1970 at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver

Lucky!

[DAS]

I'm very jealous of some of the concerts you guys have been to. I was 13 and the line up was:

Sarah Harmer

Five For Fighting

The Pretenders

Barenaked Ladies

I became a big classic rock fan when around 2003-2004 there was a huge wave of major classic rock songs that I remember my Mom listening to in the car when I was little being remade by crappy bands and played to death by the stations I listened to. I started remembering the songs and listening to the real bands playing them and liked it ALOT more than the music I had been listening to. Then the radio played Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 3 by Korn. I turned off the new rock station and never listened again. I can still listen to some of it but nothing compares to my parent's rock.

[Jahfin]

The Allman Brothers Band in Savannah, GA in December of 1975. This is when my Grandfather on my mother's side of the family had passed away. All of my brothers and my sister and I went to the concert. Pretty unique because that's the only time that ever happened. Little did any of us know at the time but we would lose my sister only a short time later in '77. The opening band was the Allman Brothers Band's roadies, I don't think they had a name. Prior to the Allmans taking the stage I remember everyone yelling, "Shit!!! God damn!!!! Get off your ass and jam!!!!" I also recall whiskey bottles breaking across the top of Gregg Allman's grand piano as this was during the time he was dating Cher and his fans apparently weren't too happy about it. It's been a very long time ago now so it's hard to remember but I think my Grandfather's funeral was the next day so we left around midnight. As we walked out the door they were still playing "Whippin' Post". The concert is documented on the Allman Brothers' site but there's no setlist. I still have my ticket stub somewhere.

[zepscoda]

The Kinks - Eisenhower Hall, West Point NY, 1985

[Strider]

I don't know how you remember concerts in such detail. I always enjoy reading your posts and am amazed at your recollection. I believe that you said once that you had kept a journal, I wish that I had done that. My recollections of set-lists fade within days. I've actually believed that an artist has performed a song that they didn't. I'll admit that I was under the influence of something for many shows, but for others have been completely sober and still do not have a clear memory. I will remember "flashes" from the evening very clearly though.

My first concert was Boston and Eddie Money at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh on March 26, 1979. I had to look that up online, because I no longer have the ticket stub. I was 15 and my mom agreed that I could go since my friends very responsible uncle would take us. He immediately ditched us at the door, after giving us a handful of little airplane bottles of booze. I was not an Eddie Money fan, but I do know I enjoyed his set. I really wanted to see Boston. I was a big fan of their first two albums and had even done a silk screen t-shirt of their first album cover in art class, I remember that we were sitting really high up and that I had brought my grandfathers binoculars which I left at the concert and am still sad about. I'm sure they did all their hits, but no clear memories except what a great voice Brad Delp had and that Tom Schutz was really tall. I do remember how very loud it was and how my ears were ringing after the show.

Uncle met us after the show and we went home.

Funny how things can look differently to different people. When I was writing that in my post-St. Patrick's Day fog, I was thinking I wished I could remember MORE details about the concert. To me, my post didn't seem as detailed as some of my other concert posts.

I mean, if it wasn't for the fact that the setlists were listed at some of the respective band's websites, I couldn't tell you all the songs they played either. It was only the fact that "Heart of the Sunrise" was my favourite Yes song, and "War Pigs" my favourite Sabbath tune, that helped me know they played these songs that night. Since you always go to a gig hoping the band will play your favourite song, you tend to remember it when they do.

As for Wild Turkey, that band has been long forgotten for the most part...only the fact that their name is on the concert ad I have allowed me to remember them. It's amazing what you can find on YouTube, though. Just now, before coming here to post, I discovered some Wild Turkey clips...nothing from the concert, but a few "Battle Hymn" album tracks.

Of course, being young and sober certainly helped...the concerts I was sober at are clearer than the ones where I was drunk or stoned. I would write about some concerts in my journal, but sometimes I would forget...and by 1982, I had pretty much stopped keeping journals.

Another thing that helps is the number of times I have seen a band. The fewer times you see a band, the easier it is to keep the setlists clear in your head. I saw Yes and Black Sabbath less than 10 times each in concert, and each time I saw them it was tied to a certain album. For instance, this March 17, 72 show was the "Fragile" Tour for Yes and "Masters of Reality" for Sabbath. The next time I saw each band, it was "Close to the Edge" for Yes and "Sabbath Vol. 4" for BS...and so on.

Contrast that with bands, especially local bands, that I saw 30 or 40 times or more...bands such as Jane's Addiction, Thelonious Monster, Fishbone. Since those shows were often club shows, and they were playing songs that weren't released on an album yet, it's harder to keep the details of those gigs straight...they all tend to be one big blur until about 1988 when they started to release actual albums and tour nationally.

Before then, it was just another drunken night at the Scream or Raji's.

Hey, about the Boston show you saw: was Tom Scholz wearing those goofy gym shorts when you saw them?

My cousin Eileen who was a hippie goddess at the time brought me to Tanglewood to see The Who with Jethro Tull and It's A Beautiful Day opening for them in July 1970. I was 15 at the time. Tull were very very good and the Who totally killed. Both sets can be streamed via Wolfgang's Vault in fact for those interested in hearing how it used to be.

I've never quite gotten over it either to this very day either.

I have the Wolfgang's Vault app on my phone and I often use it to listen to shows during my commuting, and that Tanglewood Who show is a beast! You're one lucky dude to see the Who then, as I consider the 1970-71 Who to be the prime era. Unfortunately I didn't get to see them until 1973, when they were still somewhat potent, but the lifestyle was beginning to affect Keith Moon.

I am curious what you recall about It's a Beautiful Day's performance, dazedcat? I was always curious about this band...I only had that one album with the great cover art...but they had pretty much ceased to exist by the time I started to going to shows. Were they any good live?

My first real concert..one that required a ticket,, was Led Zeppelin March 21/1970 at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver

That is wicked cool, Ally! So that means every time I listen to my "Pb" bootleg I am hearing your voice among the crowd...I can say, "That's ally screaming!"

[Virginia]

Boston, with Sammy Hagar opening. Sometime in '78-79 (?)

[dazedcat]

Strider, we got there halfway into their opening set and to be honest with you, what they were playing was way over my head at that time. All I remember really is the violinist was pretty good and he sang on everything. It was a pretty short set, people we sat next to said they only played for 40 minutes, of which we only caught the last 15 or so.

Jethro Tull was pretty good but the drum solo one one of their tunes was endless and Ian Andersons' banter went on forever in between tunes. That's one thing about The Who that I loved most, nobody ever took a solo. Townshend did prattle on at times between songs but it was bearable. The music though was freaking epic. They did a "new" song at that time called Water.....they flattened the place with that.

[Anjin-san]

Hi all,

I think my first true concert was Aerosmith in the fall of '73 at my high school,Beverly,Ma,before their first record came out.

KB

[Stargroves Tangie]

First concert- Robert Plant at MSG, 9/12/83.

Having never got the chance to see Zeppelin live (only got into them in '79), this was a must-see for me. The day that Pictures At Eleven was released the year before, I was at the record store right after school ready to buy. The first thing I noticed about the album was his haircut- that disappointed me, but what I heard on the record certainly did not disappoint! I loved the whole album & played it constantly, hoping that soon Robert would be doing a tour to support the record.

But that didn't happen- he released The Principle of Moments in '83, and then....finally! His first solo tour was announced in the summer, and there was a date at Madison Square Garden for Sept. 12th.

I was listening to the Long Island rock station WBAB when the DJ announced that tickets for Robert Plant's show at MSG were going on sale in 10 minutes. 10 minutes!! Woo Hoo!! But wait-- the nearest Ticketron outlet, which was in a Record World store was more like 20 minutes drive. No time to spare- I yelled to my mom something that probably sounded like a bunch of gibberish & ran out the door.

Luckily there were no cops around on the way, as I (literally) sped there, pulled the car into the first spot I saw & raced into the store. Totally out of breath, I said to the guy behind the counter "twoticketsforrobertplantplease".(everyone was laughing but I didn't care) It was only a few minutes after the sale started & I was very happy to score 2 tix in the Loge section (although ANY seat would have made me happy).

Finally the big day arrived... me & my best friend Sue (who also never got to see Zep) took the train into Penn Station & went upstairs to the Garden. We tried to eat something there but couldn't because we were too excited We had heard that Robert wasn't going to do any Zeppelin songs, but that was okay because we both loved his 2 albums & were psyched to see him do his new songs.

The lights dimmed.... we were all on our feet screaming as In The Mood started.... and THERE HE WAS!!!!! My friend & I turned to each other & said "OOOOHHHHHH" Robert was wearing a blue/gray jumpsuit, with a blue scarf around his neck, 2 belts (1 with a scarf attached) and white sneakers & he looked GREAT!

setlist (I actually had brought paper & a pen just in case we got to meet him LOL & saved it all these years)

In The Mood

Pledge Pin

Messing With The Mekon

Worse Than Detroit

Moonlight in Samosa

Fat Lip

Thru With The 2 Step

Other Arms

Horizontal Departure

Wreckless Love

(intro of band)

Slow Dancer

Just Like I've Never Been Gone

Big Log

Burning Down One Side

Little Sister

Stranger Here...Then Over There

[redrum]

Holy Crap! Goin' back a ways.

Summer of '66, Janis & Big Brother at the Avalon Ballroom in SF along with the Sir Douglas Quintet.

Man, that whole building was vibrating and I was hooked after that.

[ledzepfvr]

I was 17 when my parents finally let me go to concerts. My boyfriend and I got tickets to got the The California Jam on April 6, 1974 at the old Ontario Motor Speedway. That anniversary is coming up in a couple of weeks for me. The speedway is no longer there but I have some of the memories of that day. A couple of my girlfriends from high school and my boyfriends brother also went.

We took off early in the morning in my boyfriends Bonneville and the closer we got to the speedway, the more chaotic traffic became. We ended up parking on some front road along the freeway and walking a long way in. Staked out a spot about halfway between the stage and the first tower of speakers. It was quite a ways back but could have been worse as 200,000 attended there we a lot of others much further back, and this was before concerts came equipped with big screens in strategic spots so everyone could at least see the show.

I remember it was hot, hot, hot. They passed out empty jugs so people could fill them up with water and keep everyone hydrated. Someone brought a big bag of oranges, which I ate a few and ended up with canker sores a few days later from all the citric acid.

My girlfriends ended up disappearing and doing their own thing for the day.

First band was Rare Earth. Don't remember too much about them but I did like some of their songs. Get Ready, Losing you, and I Just Want to celebrate were the popular songs being played on the stations back then.

Second band was Earth, Wind and Fire. Ok but not memorable to me.

Third band, this new and upcoming band, Eagles. Don't remember a thing about them. I have always thought I must have gone on the long trek to the outhouse then. Long lines to deal with and the trek back took a long time. For years I didn't even realized the the Eagles were there and have no memory of them, which disappoints me, as I really do like them.

Forth up was Seals and Crofts. Great musicians, but the music was slow and really put me in a lul. Diamond Girl (which I heard on the radio last night and took me back to this time) Summer Breeze, and Get Closer were the popular tunes of theirs at the time.

Next up was Black Oak Arkansas. I really enjoyed this band as their was a real energy that woke me up after the previous act.

Next, Black Sabbath. I had been listening to their music for awhile on my 8 track and was looking forward to seeing Ozzy and the band. Did not disappoint. Just wish I was closer. By the time they came on the sun was starting to set behind the stage.

Next was Deep Purple. Good show. At that time it was the 3rd version of the band with Glenn Hughes and David Cloverdale. Of course Smoke on the Water was the best song for me to hear.

Last was Emerson Lake and Palmer. This was the highlight of the day for me, and remember clearly the levitating piano, because I really couldn't beleive I was seeing right. The day had been one long hot, pot smoking day and thought maybe my mind was playing tricks.

Fortunately the whole day was taped by ABC for their in concert series, so there are numerous youtube videos of the show to help jog my memories. I still have my ticket stub from that day.

It was a great concert for my start in the long string of concerts I went to in the late 70's and early 80's. Just wish I had better memories of some of the other stubs I have.

[Cletus]

PInk Floyd - July 5th, 1994. CNE Stadium, Toronto. The Division Bell Tour.

I was way at the back of the stadium and needed binoculars just to see the musicians and what was happening on stage, and even then, they looked real tiny and blurry. Although on the plus side, I did get a really good view of the light show from where I was.

[mhotter74]

The Firm

Nassau Coliseum

3 April 1986

I was 11 years old, and had started getting heavily into Zeppelin the year before. up to until that point, I liked rock, but mostly listened to Top 40.

I was actually a fan of Plant's song "Little by Little" when it came out June of '85 - then my interest was piqued, when I foudn out that Plant was the singer in the very nysterious Led Zeppelin. I watched Live Aid mostly for their performance and, though I could tell it was a bit rough, I enjoyed it.

Then I started buying the albums, all on cassette - first 'Zoso', which blew my mind - then I went through buying the catalog. I longed for them to reunite (like all of us), but the next best thing, Jimmy was coming close to town! I was thrilled to see and hear my hero in the flesh. Its the only time I've got to see him perform live (I was away in the Air Force when Page/Plant toured, otherwise I surely would have gone). Great way to start my concert going experience, though, with the cream of the crop - Jimmy!

[chillumpuffer]

Budgie in 1976 ( i was 14) at The Free Trade Hall, Manchester. I have a feeling that next door (The Lesser Free Trade Hall) in a weeks time was an up and coming combo called The Sex Pistols. I am sure that before the gig people were saying "don't go and see that long haired shit" and flyers were handed out cos on the bus home we thought about going! Nah the long haired hippy shit was the life for me. After that I lost count of the bands we saw.

[jabe]

My dad took me to see the Monkees when I was in fourth or fifth grade. Peter Tork had left the band by then. Lots of screaming girls, but I had a great time.

Next concert sans adults was Badfinger, Saturday April 1, 1972. I was 13.