Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What was your first big Music Concert?

Frank Zappa early 1970s at the Capital Center - Largo MD. I saw a lot of concerts there.

Two interesting memories from my concert going experiences:

First was from a ZZtop concert around 1975. Kiss was the opening band. During intermission they played the song Okie From Muskogee. I had never heard the song before but considering what I was smoking at the time it got my attention. At the time I hated the song and now it one of my favorites.

Second was around 1981-82. A couple of friends got me to go to see a band I never heard of called U2 at one of the smaller venues in Washington DC. Now my attitude had changed a bit from the 1970s and it wasn't the concert that was interesting, it was what happened when we were in line waiting to get in. Well some commie was passing out communist literature and we had a discussion. I don't recall everything that was said but I remember closing the conversation by informing him that if there ever was a revolution you could count on me to be ready to shoot him and his commie buddys dead. I do not think the guy expected to run in to someone like me in line at a U2 concert.

Not much of a concert guy but I saw willie Nelson and cris ledoux at a small bar in my home town and the only super big name was Bon jovi at American Airlines Center. I don't like Bon jovi but the sweet thing I was with did, and the scenery at the show was good too.

You suck. Animals?

Savoy Brown, early 70's at the aragon ballroom in Chicago.

First - The Who, early '70s @ Cow Palace in San Francisco.

Most Recent - George Strait, Reba McEntire & Lee Ann Womack, 2010.

Stones, Hollywood Bowl,66

Three Dog Night, Rod Stewart...Cotton Bowl/summer/mid seventies. Discovered I was a small venue guy pretty fast.

Scorpions/Quiet Riot, 1983.....Pueblo Colorado

First was Alice Cooper...biggest was Cal Jam...

Canned Heat, Albert Collins and Sweetwater at the Shrine Auditorium 1969. Fun times.

I don't know if it would be considered "big" or not, but I saw Dickey Betts play at a little bingo hall here about 5 or 6 years ago. Not too many good acts come through our area, and when I found out Dickey was going to be here, I just had to go. He's been one of the main influences on my guitar playing since I was 14 years old. I'm glad I was able to watch him up close and personal. His son Duane is an amazing guitarist in his own right as well.

Brian.

Fats Domino and Bill Haley and the Comets about 1956 or 57 at the Coquille Community Building. Someon "popped" my Moon Beam Hub caps! Never forget it.........Dick

I was there, at both US Festivals too, some good fun memories. Spent one day back stage at the second one. Climbed under the stage and sat on the scaffolding between the crowd and the stage till my butt couldn't take it any longer. Great seats just not very comfortable.

Took to the wife to see that short singing cowboy... Garth Brooks, Somewhere areound Salem NC, 1992 I think.

That was before he lost his damn mind and went all cowboy/warhol.

Dave tell the truth, yer 1st Concert was the Village People. We all know ingwe is a Leif Garret fan.

Is that where he caught the gay?????

Aerosmith. AC/DC opened for them.

BMT

I remember going to a concert as a little kid in 73. My parents took us with them to see Roy Orbison and Charlie Rich. The first one I went to on my own was Heart with the one hit wonder Autograph.

I'm kind of corrupted on this topic because of working with a guy who acted as a consultant for a lot of the Kiel Auditorium and Opera House shows and the Busch Stadium Super Jam deals. We were there some but never really watched a show as a part of the audience.
First soon to be big name was this guy named Ted with a band called the Amboy Dukes that played a small venue in St. Charles.

First paid-for tickets for a big named band was Kansas - maybe in 1977? One of the best performances I've ever seen, certainly one of the best sounding. The beautiful young gal who accompanied me was the icing on the cake.

Possibly 2nd best sounding would have been Star Castle.

Any of you southerners hit the Electric Cowboy festival? Three days of some of the hottest weather know to man. Good bands. Blackfoot stole the show. Or Steve Marriot.

Best value for my buck - every one of the Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jams that I had the good fortune to attend. Ruined that when they moved it to the Star Wood.

My Dickey Betts story - attending a pre-jam party at the Bull Pen Lounge in Nashville. Grinderswitch was on the stage and I was standing at the bar trying to get a beer. Some guy standing next to me made a comment about the guitar playing taking place and I responded with what I knew about the topic. The guy said something to the effect that I sounded like a guitar player and I allowed that I dinked around with it a bit. He kind of chuckled and said something like "yeah, that's at about the same level I am."
We talked a bit more till my beer arrived.

I walked on off and joined up with the couple of buddies I was with and we sort of invited ourselves to join a like number of unescorted ladies that were partially occupying a large table that sat center stage, no more than 3 feet out.

There was a personnel change on stage a bit later and one of the new guys was wearing the same shirt as the guy who was bending my ear at the bar - and had a Les Paul strapped on. In the bright lights of the stage I realized that the guy I had been talking to at the bar was Dickey Betts. At a break he walked over to our table and sat down and talked with all of us for quite a while. Me and my buddies knew who he was but the gals were clueless. When he went to return to the stage he turned to me and thanked us for making him feel welcome.

Pretty down to earth, I thought.

Apparently he has not seen your request, so I will reply for Ken.

Ferrante (Italian) and Teicher (German) - duo pianists who mostly played light classical and show tunes, often with orchestra - excellent pianists and very good taste

Jose Greco (Spanish) - world class flamenco dancer

William Warfield (Negro) - excellent basso profundo; sang operatic and concert roles, deep/strong voice and first Negro to hold such sawy

Jan Peerce (Jewish) - excellent operatic tenor who also sang concerts and did some light classics/show tunes

Ken saw/heard some good stuff in those days