First 5 gigs you saw

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Sep 20, 2004 5:05 pm

re steve harley.

Yeah, don't get me wrong I agree that its a great pop record.

Thanks to hearing it in those circumstances I'm now able to enjoy it again. It'll go down as one of the most memorable records that i've ever heard played before a gig...

My problem was that I'd just heard it too many times over a period of two or three years and it had started to annoy. I have a similar problem with songs like brown sugar and soul man. I guess I just need to hear them by surprise again as opposed to be expecting to hear them...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Sep 20, 2004 7:48 pm

Started going to gigs in early 93 so can only really recall the first couple :-

1. Jesus Jones - Glasgow Barrowland
2. Airhead - King Tuts
3. Milltown Brothers - King Tuts

First time seeing Spirtualized was on the Electric Mainline Tour at Glasgow QMU. Went with some mates but i hadn't heard any of their stuff before.

An excellent night with an added bomb scare thrown in for good measure.

Best festival experience was the Phoenix Festival in 95. Verve and then Spirtualized closed out the Saturday night in one of the tents.

Worst ever has got to be the Stone Roses at Reading. Wished i'd never seen this as it totally shattered my illusion of a great band.

purespace · Post by **purespace** » Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:21 pm

Gonna really date myself here:

KISS w/sg Cheap Trick at the Pontiac Silverdome, Michigan circa 1978-79???
I was 10 YEARS OLD and my mom made my uncle take me. It was AWESOME for a 10 yr old.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:38 pm

eric b n rakim 89
public enemy 90
nirvana 92
neil young n booker t..9?

AGENTUGLY · Post by **AGENTUGLY** » Sun Sep 26, 2004 7:45 pm

1. The Turquoise Tear..Rugby 1977.. St Andrews youth club. A young Pete Kember was there and stole the Iggy/Velvets fixation.

2. the Jam Cov Tiffanies

3. The Clash as above

4. The Undertones as above

5. Bo Diddley Coventry General Wolfe. Me modboy in suit surprised at the high turn out of Hells Angels and Rockers. Mods are dumb closed minded idiots when it comes to music.

burdman72 · Post by **burdman72** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 12:43 pm

u2, lou reed, lone justice and the pogues - wembley 87
gaye bykers on acid and thee hypnotics - manchester 88
crazyhead - manchester 88
nick cave and world domination enterprises - manchester 88

cant remember what came next order wise, couldve been loop, house of love, jesus jones, spz, too many too remember!

just to add a new question: what were the worst gigs you ever saw, something you expected to be good but wasnt?

mine have got to be ride in stoke circa 91, good job they were supported by verve or i would have wanted my money back! also the cure at some radio 1 sponsored thing at wembley arena, truly awful!

TheWarmth · Post by **TheWarmth** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 5:46 pm

I completely forgot to mention that one of my first shows was Nirvana and Mudhoney at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago for In Utero ... can't remember what year that was. That was an intense gig.

vigil · Post by **vigil** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 6:46 am

i started going to shows on the late train, so i can remember most...

-- madonna blonde ambition--11 yrs. old watching her masterbate with my parents at each side--gross.
--. janet jackson during her bone vest stage--free tickets
--G-Love and special sauce at greek in berkeley
-- depeche mode--free tickets
--some show with KRS-1 and tribe called quest and big punisher...he'd come out for 3 mins. then take a 8 min breathing break..so sad.
--cornershop, plastalina mosh, and los amigos invinciables..the singer had polyester pants on and his sweaty sack was all bleeding through-nasty as fuck!....but cornershop's bongo guy busted out a 30min continuous set!
--next show would've been Rolling Stones but i bought some weed with the last of my funds instead...mistake! but ain't it real
--black crowes at shoreline...so high i saw a beautiful sunset, then my eyes focused and it was a fence!
--black crowes at warfield
--lauryn hill
--spiritualized at filmore
--primal scream at fillmore
--311
--death in vegas at bimbos--could-should-woulda, but i was so high i couldn't make it through the door...got the fear like never before!
--spiritualized at warfield
--311
--primal scream
--spiritualized
then it all gets a bit foggy...but i just saw stereolab and gay ass AIr

paz.

spaceman3 · Post by **spaceman3** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 12:10 pm

first five:

1. Inspiral Carpets - Temple Park Leisure Centre, South Shields 82
2. Neds Atomic Dustbin - Mayfair, Newcastle 82
3. Nirvana - Riverside, Newcastle 82
4. Senseless Things - Riverside, Newcastle 83
5. Mega City Four/Back To The Planet - ?, Middlesbrough 83

Rock never tasted so good

Post by **BzaInSpace** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 4:35 pm

NIRVANA in '82? Weren't they called FECAL MATTER in those days ?

PAZ - lay of the fucking drugs. Death in Vegas gave you the fear???

Richard Fearless?

Wise up - go and see SLAYER instead. Or VADER...

veiko · Post by **veiko** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 5:44 pm

BzaInSpace wrote: Wise up - go and see SLAYER instead. Or VADER...

Vader????

besides Vader, i can say you better dig out your old "... In The Woods" demos and maybe Ulver too. Ved Buens Ende was THE best tetsuo-act. still thrills me.

Barry, my Predators mix-disc will damage you if you talk on about Vader and such stuff.

spaceman3 · Post by **spaceman3** » Sun Oct 03, 2004 11:09 am

Sorry BzaInSpace....should read:

1. Inspiral Carpets - Temple Park Leisure Centre, South Shields 92
2. Neds Atomic Dustbin - Mayfair, Newcastle 92
3. Nirvana - Riverside, Newcastle 92
4. Senseless Things - Riverside, Newcastle 93
5. Mega City Four/Back To The Planet - ?, Middlesbrough 93

otherwise i would have only been 5 years old when i went to these gigs!!!

B-Z-A · Post by **B-Z-A** » Sun Oct 03, 2004 12:56 pm

1992 is long ago now anyway...i was 12!

And VEIKO - bring it on

g.spaceman · Post by **g.spaceman** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 8:16 pm

spaceman3 wrote:Sorry BzaInSpace....should read:

1. Inspiral Carpets - Temple Park Leisure Centre, South Shields 92
2. Neds Atomic Dustbin - Mayfair, Newcastle 92
3. Nirvana - Riverside, Newcastle 92
4. Senseless Things - Riverside, Newcastle 93
5. Mega City Four/Back To The Planet - ?, Middlesbrough 93

otherwise i would have only been 5 years old when i went to these gigs!!!

The Riv was an amazing venue - I couldn't say which band I saw there first but it was probably someone like Kingmaker or Mega City 4 or possibly even Radiohead...all of my first 5 gigs would have been there, around 1991. I don't remember Back to the Planet from those days, saw them somewhere in Sheffield 1994...don't remember much though.

vaporizerlbp · Post by **vaporizerlbp** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 7:58 pm

Michael Jackson 87 Bad tour GÃ¶teborg: It was a really hot day and I had to sit and wait for hours without anything to drink wich resulted in quite a severe case of dehydration that kicked in during Kim Wildes warmup gig. I remeber that all the colours except green, red and yellow dissapeared and I started throwing up. I still remember the horrified looks I got from adults standing around, probably wondering what kind of drugs this kid was on(I was only thirteen at the time). Anyhow after a cup of refreshing pepsi (that cost me about a whole weeks allowance mind you) I was back on track again and fit enough to enjoy the whole two hours of wackiness. Maybe it was this rather psychadelic experience that led me in a more healthy musical direction?(then again the next three gigs sort of speak against this theory).
The following four are harder to remember, it was probably on somekind of a festival around 1990-91. I have a vague memory of watching the Pouges with Joe Strummer instead of Shane Mcgowan. The Levellers and was also playing that day. Oh and Danish cowboyrockers DAD. all pretty horrific acts but at least things could only pick up from there on! I guess number five could have been Union carbide productions wich was a total blast!!!

spliffboy · Post by **spliffboy** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 12:23 pm

1) - In Tua Nua - the Fairways, Dundalk......went to see them the night i got my inter cert results (that o levels to the English)....Setember 87 I think
They weren't very good though the singer was very sexy!!!!
in Tua Nua means in a new country in irish!

2) the Hothouseflowers, landsdown Road Sept 88
they were supported by Suzanne Vega, Deacon Blue and Aswad
I still shudder when I think of Aswad.

3) Something happens, Dundalk RTC, sometime in 89/90.....another irish band

4) The Wonder Stuff, Summer of 90, Brixtion academy
supported by Ned's atomic Dustbin and Spirit of the West

5) Mercury Rev, Clapham Grand, summer 92
They smashed up a piano at the end and i took a couple of keys home with me, dunno where they are now.
I think i also had part of the microphone stand.
A massive punk stagedived on me that night....his DMs landed right on my head!!!

Best ever gigs are: in no particular order:

The Polyphonic Spree - NME awards tour 2002....grinning like a drugged idiot after their show
Pulp @ glasto 98....fantastic show, brillant encore!
Mogwai @ Leeds 0....don't really remember much expect that it was awesome
Underworld @ V2001.......bloody brillant
Spiritualized.......I've seen them 6 times now and couldn't pick between any of them
RFH this year sticks out, if only becase i'd never heard let it flow live before

Post by **runcible** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 1:09 pm

spliffboy wrote: 5) Mercury Rev, Clapham Grand, summer 92
They smashed up a piano at the end and i took a couple of keys home with me, dunno where they are now.

I was at that gig. It was incredible. Only thing is they smashed up the piano at the START of the set before they'd played anything! A remarkable introduction! Was that the gig where Jason played for a couple of songs?

spliffboy · Post by **spliffboy** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 1:39 pm

I was at that gig. It was incredible. Only thing is they smashed up the piano at the START of the set before they'd played anything! A remarkable introduction! Was that the gig where Jason played for a couple of songs?[/quote]

really don't remember......wasn't into Spiritualized at the time.....I do remember Jonathan Donague 'thumb wrestling' with a woman in the front row for about 5 mins before they started to play anything........so the piano was at the start eh?...bloody hell, don't remember it like that!!!!........then my brain has never worked properly!

herman · Post by **herman** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 6:43 pm

There used to be a festival in Belgium at the end of the 80's called Neurorock where I had the chance to watch bands like: Gun Club, The Ex, Fuzztones, Jesus and Mary Chain, Claw boys claw, Cosmic Psychos, even the early Soul Asylum and so many others I forgot trhu the years. Anyway those who were there will remember the festival as being tiny, but then again great!

Gruff · Post by **Gruff** » Fri Dec 17, 2004 4:17 pm

sadly, my list include bands/people I HATE. I saw them purly by accident when they were in the zygotic stage and played in what was then the only little hellhole of a place bands played in kent. It was called the Penny Theatre and was in Canterbury. I digress;

1 Radiohead c199something
2 reef (I'm sSO sorry...) c199something
3 Super furry animals c199something

...if anyone gives a shit (which I very much doubt) I'll look up the dates next time I return to that humblest place of my incarnation as a child. If the stubs haven't long ago been thrown away.

4 Spiritualized Let it come down tour (portsmouth pyramids)
5 Jack dejohnette et al at Southampton turner simms concert hall 2002ish

Last two were exciting, first three were horrible, follow your friends to a gig cos your underage and can't drink anywhereelse types I'm afraid!

Geoff · Post by **Geoff** » Fri Dec 17, 2004 4:45 pm

My first five gigs, all aroung 1971/72 were:

Van Der Graaf Generator/Lindisfarne/Genesis - Manchester Free Trade Hall
John Martyn - Holdsworth Hall Manchester
The Who - Belle Vue Manchester
Yes - Apollo Manchester
Deep Purple - Belle Vue Manchester

The triple bill of VDGG, Lindisfarne and Genesis was a Charisma Records promotional tour special, tickets at 30p plus 8% vat, no booking fee (ah, the good old days!)

The last five have been

Nick Cave, Spiritualized, Primal Scream, Brixton Academy
Zero7 - Manchester Academy
John Martyn, Preston Guildhall
Primal Scream, Apollo, Manchester
Spiritualized, Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool

Post by **spzretent** » Fri Dec 17, 2004 8:35 pm

spliffboy wrote:I was at that gig. It was incredible. Only thing is they smashed up the piano at the START of the set before they'd played anything! A remarkable introduction! Was that the gig where Jason played for a couple of songs?

I was at that gig too. I never knew Jason and Kate were onstage until years later. They were in the furry animal costumes. So you would never have known it was them. Kevin Shields was walking around telling anyone who would listen that the show's sound was in quad.
I had landed in the UK that morning. So I was nearly hallucinating and alternately fighting off jet lag at the same time. What a show

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 24, 2004 9:27 am

I was at that gig too. I never knew Jason and Kate were onstage until years later. They were in the furry animal costumes. So you would never have known it was them. Kevin Shields was walking around telling anyone who would listen that the show's sound was in quad.
I had landed in the UK that morning. So I was nearly hallucinating and alternately fighting off jet lag at the same time. What a show

[/quote]

there were furry animals on stage??????????
kevin shields was wandering around???

I remember I bought a big bag of grass on the way to the gig......this might explain why I remember little else!

Starfish · Post by **Starfish** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 5:16 pm

Gruff wrote:sadly, my list include bands/people I HATE...

At least you stayed honest and loyal to the original thread. Some people on here I suspect embellished their lists to hide their shame...

Chapter Two · Post by **Chapter Two** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 10:35 am

1. Billy Bragg, Thornaby Pavilion, 1988
2. Pink Floyd, Maine Road, Manchester, 1988
3. Nuclear Assault / Acid Reign, Middlesbrough Town Hall, 1988
4. Iron Maiden, Whitley Bay Ice Rink, 1989
Dunno about five. Probably some metal crap.

ash · Post by **ash** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 12:54 pm

Ooh, nice thread to revive.

Mine were, in no particular order:

Pink Floyd
Dire Straits
Eric Clapton
and two John Farnham concerts

all in the mid 80s some time.

Post by **spzretent** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:29 pm

i just re-rread the whole thread. this is a great thread that is worth reviving every now and then. even if it makes me feel like the elder board member.

gimperella · Post by **gimperella** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:46 pm

spzretent wrote:i just re-rread the whole thread. this is a great thread that is worth reviving every now and then. even if it makes me feel like the elber board member.

yeah, i bet it makes you feel down with the kids doesn't it, grandad?!

Post by **spzretent** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:51 pm

gimperella wrote:
yeah, i bet it makes you feel down with the kids doesn't it, grandad?!

yep!

gimperella · Post by **gimperella** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:54 pm

spzretent wrote:yep!

will this do? · Post by **will this do?** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:59 pm

Personally, I'm just agog to hear what Superstar's first 5 gigs were.

Post by **spzretent** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 3:11 pm

i 'spose if I really wanted to be w/the kids i'd actually know what some of the NME bands sound like. I dont. They all look the same. Kooks, Razorlight, Kasabian, Editors, Died Pretty Things, Kaiser Ferdinand, Franz Chiefs and on and on.....

will this do? · Post by **will this do?** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 3:12 pm

spzretent wrote:Kaiser Ferdinand, Franz Chiefs...

I see what you did there!!

Laz69 · Post by **Laz69** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 3:51 pm

i have no shame...

1. Ride (Going Blank Again tour)

2. Carter USM

3. Smashing Pumpkins (Siamese Dream tour - with support from The Verve!)

4. Neds Atomic Dustbin

5. Teenage Fanclub

Indie-tastic!

Post by **spzretent** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 3:54 pm

will this do? wrote:
spzretent wrote:Kaiser Ferdinand, Franz Chiefs...
I see what you did there!!

sorry

Superstar · Post by **Superstar** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 3:59 pm

Haha, I can barely type as my hands are trembling with mortification. First ever gig was, (I have the grace to lower my eyelids with shame) New Kids on the Block in 1990 when I was young whippersnapper of fourteen. There may have been tears before bedtime as the swooning, screaming and frenzied dance routines all became too much...
Aged fifteen, had brief dalliance with lo-impact Rock outfits and enjoyed attending, dare I admit to it, veritable wealth of Stadium-based gigs (I shan't name any names but am sure you get the picture). Aged sixteen, um, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and the Smashing Pumpkins. Then aged seventeen, became obsessed with Verve after seeing them in Southampton and shortly afterwards, Spiritualized after reading about them in the NME and buying LGM. Think I probably saw them live for the first time in '94 or '95 (in Bristol??) but memories are hazy. Am most impressed that some of you can remember dates, venues and so on from so long ago. I can barely recall the LAST gig I went to...

will this do? · Post by **will this do?** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 4:13 pm

It's because we are all men - with the attendant low-spectrum autism (those of us who can 'just remember'), or acute OCD (those of us with neatly filed scrap books of ticket stubs and flyers).

I looked the for the details of mine on the internet.

Superstar · Post by **Superstar** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 4:22 pm

Thank you old chap, that is most reassuring. Was beginning to think I was losing my marbles...

Superstar · Post by **Superstar** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 4:33 pm

Um, I'm pretty sure that sort of conduct in an arena full of teenage girls would have got him arrested. However I do recall Jordan's sheer white shirt causing something of a stir...

Post by **BzaInSpace** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 6:54 pm

Come on BAZ...what was your first five gigs then?

Take That?

Bros?

......Tom Jones?

PS...by looking back over this one, it seems almost everybody saw Pink Floyd at some point. I guess no-one will see them again...unless in the 'tribute' style

Post by **BzaInSpace** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 6:57 pm

spzretent wrote:...They all look the same. Kooks, Razorlight, Kasabian, Editors, Died Pretty Things, Kaiser Ferdinand, Franz Chiefs and on and on.....

Worse still Spz, they all sound the same!

Well, just with varying degrees of crapness. And fucking bad ties

Post by **spzretent** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 7:18 pm

BzaInSpace wrote: PS...by looking back over this one, it seems almost everybody saw Pink Floyd at some point. I guess no-one will see them again...unless in the 'tribute' style

Not me! Happy to say! Sorry. Unless they were gonna play most of Meddle and See Emily Play(which they wouldn't) there was no interest on my part what so ever.

Chapter Two · Post by **Chapter Two** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:18 pm

spzretent wrote:
BzaInSpace wrote: PS...by looking back over this one, it seems almost everybody saw Pink Floyd at some point. I guess no-one will see them again...unless in the 'tribute' style
Not me! Happy to say! Sorry. Unless they were gonna play most of Meddle and See Emily Play(which they wouldn't) there was no interest on my part what so ever.

Nick mason mentions in his book about 'dave's acoustic idea'; this is before the four of them did Live-8. Whatever bad shit is between them they know they can play together again now. It would be nice to see them play some of that old stuff. Some acoustic gigs in nice places. The first pink floyd is a special thing on its own but of the second for me it's about ummagumma, atom heart mother, meddle and obscured by clouds. Nice songs and a band enjoying being good. They're all still alive so they should do it.

Post by **runcible** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 10:19 pm

will this do? wrote:It's because we are all men

Unless we are Devo.

Greeny · Post by **Greeny** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:42 am

Hmmmm - searching the old memory banks, and I don't think this will make pretty reading!

First ever - Afrika Bambaataa & His Soulsonic Force - Hammersmith Palais, 1984. Travelled from Gt Yarmouth to London for that, 16 years old!

No. 2: U2 - Wembley Stadium on Joshua Tree Tour 1987 - ditto

No. 3: Genesis @ Wembley Stadium again (!!) 1987 - ditto (ended up sleeping rough at Liverpool St Station after that one!)

Then it gets more interesting after I moved to the Smoke...

No. 4: Swans @ Town & Country Club 1987

I'll have to check my stash of old tickets for number 5...

P.S. Runcible, I saw you mentioned Gary from Wiija Records in your first post - I went to school with him!

ro · Post by ro » Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:48 pm

the police- hartford civic center, 1983?
duran duran duran duran (that's twice) 84?
U2 U2 (twice again) 85-87?

haha! big arena shows.
and yes, pink floyd 1987.

Post by **BzaInSpace** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:15 pm

See! I told you...

It possibly explains why a lot of you have all ended on a Spiritualized vibe...a few years ago an aged-before-his-time muso tried to explain why there was "no point in listening to Spiritualized" as Pink Floyd "had done it already...only much better."(!)

I disagreed...heartily.

His evidence was...tremeloed & slide guitar, deathless vocals and gospel choirs a la 'Dark Side of The Moon'. He believed this was the blueprint for 'Ladies & Gentlemen...' - bullshit! This guy hated Barrett-era Floyd by the way. If anything, the mad noise within 'Interstellar Overdrive' was maybe a link. But they never had the soul of Spiritualized..did they?

PS - 'Fearless' sounds like The Beta Band, which is why I like it.

spooks · Post by **spooks** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 8:57 am

the buzzcocks and subway sect portsmouth 78
the undertones portsmouth 78
the stranglers portsmouth 78
joy division buzzcocks bournemouth 79
numan soton 79
and the best 5 are
bowie rotterdam 2004
spiritualized salsibury arts center date?got a gig poster somewhere,and the pyramid centre portsmouth pure phase tour
stereolab spiritualized portsmouth south parade pier early 90s,
stone roses south parade pier
theartre of hate portsmouth neros niteclub early80s
wedding present portsmouth basins,pwei at same venue mid 80s
loop reading festival early 90s
ramones brixton 90s

Chapter Two · Post by **Chapter Two** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 2:33 pm

BzaInSpace wrote:'Fearless' sounds like The Beta Band, which is why I like it.

I can't listen to Burning Bridges without thinking of Super Furry Animals.

ash · Post by **ash** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:19 am

Chapter Two wrote:I can't listen to Burning Bridges without thinking of Super Furry Animals.

Not that that's a bad thing at all!!

andyblacktoo · Post by **andyblacktoo** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:35 am

ash wrote:
Chapter Two wrote:I can't listen to Burning Bridges without thinking of Super Furry Animals.
Not that that's a bad thing at all!!

ash, are augie march quite big these days? i saw one of their first gigs in 1998 in melbourne

ash · Post by **ash** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 12:30 pm

andyblacktoo wrote:ash, are augie march quite big these days? i saw one of their first gigs in 1998 in melbourne

As did I! They played the Big Day Out around that time, and the organisers underestimated their popularity, putting them on the smallest stage and causing a near-riot from people not being able to see their show.

They're getting a much larger profile these days, especially with their latest (third) album getting a fair bit of airplay on commercial radio (which thankfully doesn't seem to be affecting their songcraft). They're not entirely my cup of tea, sometimes a bit *too* wistful and fey I feel, but boy do they know how to write a good melancholy indie pop song, and I have bought all of their albums...

andyblacktoo · Post by **andyblacktoo** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 2:56 pm

i got introduced to their lead singer, oddly on a melbourne tram in st kilda in dec 1998 / jan 1999. i couldnt avoid them when i was in oz and saw them at the meredith music festival, the big day out, i think the tote in richmond? as well.

ash · Post by **ash** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 1:58 am

They're quite a good band, despite my few misgivings about them. If anyone is interested:

http://www.myspace.com/augiemarch

sunray · Post by **sunray** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 2:33 pm

Whilst searching for something else I stumbled upon this thread, so here goes:

Queen, Slane Castle, June 1986, aged 13. Slane is seven miles away from where i live and has a big natural amphitheater on the banks of the River Boyne that holds 100,000. It pissed rain and i got carried out of the crowd, over the barrier, up the front but The Bangles were supporting (they were great) and everything was cool.

Also enjoyed Queen.

U2, Croke Park, Dublin June? 1987. The Joshua Tree tour. Hadn't liked U2 up til then (Still don't) but I was into that album and went along with a mate, his older sisters, and a bunch of other people. Pretty good.

David Bowie, Slane Castle, Aug? 1987. The Glass Spider Tour. First time I got drunk!

Enjoyed it but subsequent reports suggested that it was poor. It was still bright when Bowie played so you couldn't get the full effect of the whole stage thing he had going on. Big Country supported and stole the show, which leads me to....

Big Country, RDS, Dublin Oct? 1987. Don't remember much except that i know i had a good time.

Don't think I was at any more until The Sugarcubes, SFX, Dublin, Oct 1989. My first hip, cool concert

Very good gig. This was the start for me really: 2 weeks later i saw the Marychain and 2 weeks after that was The Wonder Stuff. I've never looked back, average about 30 gigs plus three festivals every year.

shalloboi · Post by **shalloboi** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 1:13 am

hmmmm... the first two are easy, but after that it gets a bit foggy. i used to be a metalhead.

1. megadeth/pantera/white zombie- sandstone amphitheater- kansas city- 1993. i was 14. my best friend won a free pair of tickets to this show and it was pretty fantastic. also very terrifying show to be at when you're only 14 and going to your first show. a really drunk girl puked in front of me and my friend and dave mustaine convinced a woman in the crowd to show her breasts on the jumbotron. probably the most stereotypical first metal show one could see.
2. rush/primus- kemper arena- kansas city- 1994. this is pretty embarrassing, i have to say. primus were my favourite band at the time and i'd just gotten into rush, so it was perfect. a friend of mine was supposed to get tickets to smashing pumpkins in return for me getting these tickets, but it sold out before he could. i kind of wish that had worked out and this hadn't.
3. stone temple pilots/meat puppets/jawbox- sandstone amphitheater- kansas city- 1994. i remember jawbox being quite impressive and completely out of their element. i loved the meat puppets at the time and was really disappointed that they only played stuff from 'too high to die' which had just come out. as embarrassing as it is to admit that i paid money to see stone temple pilots they did actually put on a really great show. they covered 'andy warhol' by bowie prompting me to buy 'hunky dory' a few years later.
4. metallica/suicidal tendencies/candlebox- sandstone amphitheater- kansas city- 1994. at least i got to see metallica before they released 'load.' they played more encores than the cure (i think three or four, possibly). i've seen candlebox twice i just realized.
5. the cure- riverport amphitheater- st. louis- 1996. this is the one that springs to mind. i honestly don't remember seeing much of anything else inbetween then- i think mostly just local band shows at this great punk club in kansas city called the daily grind. this one was a huge deal because the cure were my favourite band ever and my dad was the one who noticed that they were playing when he was reading the paper on a business trip in st. louis. he offered to drive me and a few of my friends to st. louis and put us up in a hotel as well. it was a great show- they played for at least three hours and i think it only cost $25.

redcloud · Post by **redcloud** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 4:22 am

Ok, here are the first six. Somewhat hazy on actual order but I know the first two are correct:

KISS (1979) - I was 10 years old and my folks took me to see my heroes that I had loved since my uncle gave me Kiss Alive in '75/76. Shame they were touring such a shit album tho ('Dynasty'). Even then I hated that record. But, a Kiss concert isn't about the music is it? I can still feel the heat from those flames and it felt like my retinas were burned from the bright lights.

Neil Diamond (1979) - Bit of a come down after Kiss. But, yea...we took my mom for her 33rd birthday. She loved Neil. Still does.

Genesis (1981)-'Abacab' Tour and my parents let me and my friend go to the gig on our own. They drove us there and picked us up afterwards. Probably the first feeling of independence and trust I ever felt.

April Wine (1981)- Canadian rockers who rocked the venue. Well, to this 12 year old at least. First time I had seen lasers too (they were all the rage in early 80's)

Aerosmith (1982) - No Joe Perry, no Brad Whitford. I was devastated because when I was 9, Aerosmith 'Rocks' absolutely rocked my world and even beat out Kiss 'Alive' as my favorite album. Four years later and I finally had the opportunity to see them and they were utter shite. Bitterly disappointing but from what I have read their 70's gigs were even worse.

Iron Maiden - (1982) 'Number of the Beast' Tour. I actually met Bruce Dickinson earlier in the day (at a shopping mall of all places). Later that night my friends and I went and saw The Irons and they blew me away. After that crap Aerosmith show this is exactly what this 13 year old needed to restore my faith in rock musicians.

nickh · Post by **nickh** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:05 pm

1. The Guanabatz / Restless - Hammersmith Clarendon Broadway bar â€“ April 1984

2. The Cure / And Also the Trees â€“ Hammersmith Odeon â€“ May 1984 (had CSE Geography next day â€“ passed). This was around the time of The Top album.

3. Simple Minds â€“ Hammersmith Odeon â€“ May 1984. This was around the time of New Gold Dream and I have to say I didnâ€™t enjoy very much. Jim Kerr did the set perched on what looked like a stepladder, sort of a crap version of the thing Julian Cope used to stand on.

4. Echo & the Bunnymen - September 1984 â€“ Ocean Rain tour

5. The Guanabatz / The Stingrays / Thee Milkshakes / Restless â€“ Hammersmith Clarendon Ballroom - September 1984

6. Could have been The Meteors or maybe the Guanabatz again, I did spend quite a lot of 84 and 85 at the Clarendon although I busted my foot and missed the Legendary Stardust Cowboy (with Congo Powers) which still annoys me to this day.

BillK · Post by **BillK** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 6:19 pm

1. The Jam '78 at the Rainbow, I was only 12 and sat bang infront of PW in the front row, until the band came on and the front few rows of seats were ripped out, awesome first experience!
2. The Jam '79 at the Rainbow.
3. The Jam '80 at Bracknell Sports Centre.
4. The Jam '80 at Guildford Civic Centre.
5. The Jam '81 at Hammersmith Palais.

Ended up doing 9 Jam gigs before seeing anyone else.

1st Spacemen at Dingwalls with MBV in support, only stayed for one song!
1st SPZ at The Marquee.

bbbhenko · Post by **bbbhenko** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:14 pm

not easy to remember, really... but here's four of the most important early ones (all venues in gÃ¶teborg, sweden):
1. inner circle @ liseberg amusement park, '92 - first gig ever, was 11 years old and had just discovered reggae

2. paul mccartney @ scandinavium, '94 - went with my mom, was an absolute beatles fan as a kid, this was on the "off the ground" tour and it was really really good
3. spiritualized @ kÃ¥ren, '98 - my first spz show, remains one of the best gigs i've ever been to! awesome setlist, including an early "stop your crying" as an intro and ending with cop shoot cop chaos

4. lee perry @ kÃ¥ren, '99 - one of my greatest musical heroes; i was standing at the front row and when he passed by, touching the hands of the audience with his hand, i caught his hand and refused to let go... he had to pull it back with force! i was so amazed by being that close to the right hand that accomplished so many incredible things in the black ark...

Post by **runcible** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:16 pm

BillK wrote: 5. The Jam '81 at Hammersmith Palais.

With The Ruts as support? I was at that if so...

BillK wrote:1st SPZ at The Marquee.

Was at that too...

BillK · Post by **BillK** » Tue May 01, 2012 8:00 pm

Mark, you were at most of the Sp3 and Spz I was at!

Supervim · Post by **Supervim** » Tue May 08, 2012 4:37 pm

The Stones Leeds Roundhay Park 1982 ( I was 12)
The Police, Leeds Queens Hall 1983
The Smiths Leeds Uni 1984
Jesus and Mary Chain, Leeds Uni 1984
The Smiths Bradford St Georges, 1985

Being still at school getting funds together to go to gigs wasn't always that easy and required working a fair few saturdays at my local shop..

By the 1987-88 I was attending gigs by the likes of Big Black, the Nephilim, Wedding Present, MBV, Buttholes, Sonic Youth, The Fall. So a real lightening up of my musical tastes

plastic37 · Post by **plastic37** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 8:54 pm

Found this thread while doing a search. Great confessional idea. The first thing resembling a rock concert was actually at school months before any of these. A lunchtime gig by lads two years above. Sex Pistols and Motorhead covers...

1 - The Stranglers/X-mal Deutchland, Wembley Arena 2nd November 1986. With my elder sister. We had really good seats. I vividly recall the experience of coming into the arena as Xmal played and the assault on my ears.

2 - Ultravox, Oxford Apollo a few weeks later. It was a ticket/coach journey deal.

In 1987 i started going to local gigs in pubs etc too... but that's not why we are here.

3 - Frankie Goes To Hollywood/Berlin, Wembley Arena, January 1987, on a day when the school bus hadn't shown up due to snow. Funny how we skived off school (5miles away) but it didn't stop us making the journey to London for the gig.

4 - The Stranglers, Hammersmoth Odeon, March?? 1987 I am sure the lad i had arranged to go with hadn't actually told his parents so on the day he backed out. This left me with the prospect of going alone but i was able to find someone else to attend with me.

5 - Genesis, Wembley Stadium, July 1987 At the time, following Live Aid in 85 and Queen in 1986 the notion that a gig at Wembley was the pinnacle of the rock experience was strong. I felt i had to go to such an event. The other options that summer were U2 or David Bowie. Loads of people at school were going to see U2 but i wasn't that into them. No one else was interested in Bowie so when another lad mentioned that he was keen on the Genesis option i went for that. It was not the pinnacle of the rock experience.

and I have included a 6th as i'd appreciate your thoughts on the circumstances.

6 - Echo & The Bunnymen, Wembley Arena, 3rd November 1987 - aged 15.5. I'd be interested in any Dads comments on this. I lobbied friends but no one else wanted to go so I didn't buy a ticket. On the day I came home from school, wrote my Mum a note and set out on my own. Bus into town, train to London (45mins away), ticket from a tout (for less than i would have paid with a booking fee i should add), then walking five miles home from the train station at 1am. Home by 2... Up at 6 for the paper round. I don't recall it being a big deal.

... and that's when things started to get cool. Although i would say that The Stranglers as a first gig is a cool badge.

Spiritualized

First 5 gigs you saw

am old too

well well well...

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