Friday OT #1 - Long Live Rock

[Angie]

@cyclones500 PMed me this great idea after a recent post by @deadeyededric -

What is the first live show you saw? Did you like it then? Do you still like the same band now?

My first live show was Cinderella opening for Bon Jovi at the Iowa Jam. I was maybe 7 or 8 years old, tops. I loved it. I don't know that I'd likely spend money to see either these days, but I'm not mad that I went.

 

[SCyclone]

1975 - Saw J. Geils Band and Jo Jo Gunne at Vets. Jay Ferguson knew how to get a crowd wound up.

 

[Clonefan32]

In high school we'd go watch a local band regularly at Hairy Mary's in Des Moines. No idea if that place is even there anymore. Dumpy little bar/concert venue that had some all-ages shows.

I think my first real concert was Kenny Chesney (was drug there by my girlfriend). Would not have been my choice for my first real concert.

 

[mapnerd]

I am pretty sure my first live concert was The Descendents with The Suicide Machines opening for them. It was at the Ranch Bowl in Omaha (RIP). I still like both the bands. Even though I think the Descendents have quite a few crap songs. (Sorry old school punks).

The only other option for my first live concert was Live. No joke.

 

[CtownCyclone]

My hometown had a 4th of July festival every year for a long time, and they would usually get a few Aging Classic Rockers and Fresh New Country (That Doesn't Want Too Much Money). You could buy the whole festival pass for like $15, included demo derby, tractor pull, carnival, and all the rest of the Stereotypical Rural Festival stuff that went along with it.

So I've gotten to see (off the top of my head):
Peter Frampton
George Thorogood
Bad Company (well, like 1 original member and a bunch of plug-in guys)
Ted Nugent (although he kept referring to our festival by the name of the town down the river. Jerk)
ELO
Big and Rich
Brad Paisley
Trace Adkins

 

[cycloner29]

My 16 year old son's was Styx here in Ames for Ragbrai in 2008. He was so close that security let him sit on the stage.

 

[urb1]

Alice Cooper, Welcome to My Nightmare Tour, 1975, at Vet's Auditorium.

 

[cyclones500]

Not counting "club" shows, my first arena show was .38 Specialm with Eddie Money as opener, 1983. I liked Money better, mainly because i was more familiar w/ his material.

A fun aside, I saw Money perform about 35 years later, part of a nearby show I reviewed, and I swear the set list was exactly the same, possibly in the same order. It was deja-vu all over again.

 

[CYCLNST8]

Pink Floyd's Division Bell Tour in JACK TRICE 1994

 

[jcyclonee]

I saw Cheap Trick and REO Speedwagon in the mid-80's.

A sorta interesting side note - My wife's uncle was friends with the members of REO Speedwagon when he was in college at Illinois. A couple members of the band sent him care packages when he was being treated for cancer recently.

 

[FarminCy]

My first true concert was the first EdgeFest in Omaha at Aksarben. 311 was the night cap and The Urge, Violent Femmes, Phunk Junkeez, and Nixons were part of it as well amongst others. It was one hell of a fun but very long day.

Other than that I saw the Oak Ridge boys in Branson with my grandpa when I was 8.

 

[drlove]

Sting was the first concert for me, just after The Police broke up at the Five Seasons Center in Cedar Rapids. He closed with "Message in a Bottle". Outstanding!
Still a fan of Sting, but haven't seen him live since beyond The Police reunion tour.

 

[VeloClone]

My parents took us all to The Statler Brothers at the Jones County Fair. It was 1973 and I was 6 years old.

 

[CloneFan4]

Lazerfest in 2014. Was amazing to see Pop Evil live. Had a great time even though my girlfriend (ex now) was being a ****. So much so that I had no issue paying $10/beer.

 

[Trigger]

Van Halen in 1984 at the old Omaha Civic Auditorium - the original "last" tour with David Lee. Saw them again in 1986 - the 1st tour with Hagar. The 1986 show was so much better since Sammy is a much better singer/performer even though I like the older material more.

I did see them again up at Hilton maybe 10-15 years ago? It was OK but they just need to call it a career. Still like VH music but the band has become a caricature of themselves over the years.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

Pink Floyd's Division Bell Tour in JACK TRICE 1994

That was a great show that I don't remember walking to or from.

 

[Al_4_State]

Weezer at Hilton in 2002. I was 16.

 

[harimad]

@cyclones500 PMed me this great idea after a recent post by @deadeyededric -

What is the first live show you saw? Did you like it then? Do you still like the same band now?

My first live show was Cinderella opening for Bon Jovi at the Iowa Jam. I was maybe 7 or 8 years old, tops. I loved it. I don't know that I'd likely spend money to see either these days, but I'm not mad that I went.

Def Leppard Hysteria Tour at the Five Seasons Center in Cedar Rapids in 1987. I loved it then. I don't even know if they're still making new music. I assume they aren't.

I saw them again in the early 00s at the Mississippi Valley Fair. They had lost a step, for sure.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

My first concert was the Beach Boys in Sioux City when I was maybe 15 or 16. There was a bunch of sand in the auditorium and there were girls in bikinis all over the place in the crowd. I'm pretty sure they played music, but teenage me didn't care at that point.

 

[AgronAlum]

OAR at Toad Holler in Des Moines in 2003.