What Age Were You At Your First Live Gig?

14 years old, Police Synchronicity tour. The Fixx and Flock of Seagulls opened. I went with my sister and her boyfriend.
First show I went to with just friends was Ozzy Osbourne Boston Garden "Bark at the Moon" Tour. Motley Crew opened.

 

Phish; I was 14. Three weeks later, I saw Bob Dylan and Phil Lesh and Friends.

 

Thirteen, and believe it or not, the Beatles at Candlestick Park -- my parents took me. I couldn't hear anything of course, but it was exciting!

 

Whoa, that's cool.

 

I had a very nice big sister (16 at the time) who took me with some of her friends. We had excellent box seats and it was very exciting. My sister had all of Dylan's albums and we loved his new electric stuff. A few things that struck me at the time were that in his first, acoustic set, most of the songs had been recorded with electric guitar and other backing, while in the second set with the Hawks, he performed some rocking versions of acoustic songs such as I Don't Believe You and It Ain't Me, Babe. A standout for me was an electrifying version of Ballad of a Thin Man, probably my favorite song from Highway 61 Revisited at the time. Another clear memory, which I have not been able to substantiate, is that Rick Danko did not appear, despite being listed on the programme. I know this because the bass player was African-American (Bill Lee?). All references to that concert I've been able to find online mention Rick Danko as the bass player. You can see the programme and set list at the following link:

Bob Dylan 1965 Carnegie Hall Concert Programme

 

I think i must of been 12 or 13 when is saw Aussie superstars Sherbet down in Hobart Tasmania. I believe they changed their name to 'Highway' for the American audience?

 

15, when I went to see Manic Street Preachers support by Super Furry Animals in 1998. Not a bad gig at all for a first gig.

 

My daughter was six weeks old when we took her to the Grateful Dead at the Greek Theater in Berkeley 1987. She was not the youngest person there.

 

Too young to remember first performance I attended. But probably I was not as young as my daughter I brought to a Dr John show at 2 weeks.

First performed a live gig with a band at age 15.

 

I was there too.

 

9 ? -- The Cyrcle at the Steel Pier -- Atlantic City NJ.
First show I went to with a buddy (his mom dropped us off) -- The Chambers Brothers at Villanova Fieldhouse -- probably 12 years old

 

Reacting to my burgeoning interest in music at a young age, my mother once laughingly remarked that I had been indoctrinated properly - apparently within the week after conception while she still asymptomatic and without reason to suspect pregnancy, let alone look for a "+" sign on the stick - with attendance at a rousing performance of the Boston SO at Tanglewood in mid August '84 featuring Yo-Yo Ma guesting on Strauss' "Quixote" . She never forgot a playbill.

Once outside the womb, my earliest memory is of seeing Dylan with my father, at age 5, performing the Kentucky State Fair (1989, for those of you who haven't yet memorized my biographical details). Mother and I were accompanying him to a series of speaking engagements at a medical conference in Louisville and, much to my delight, the open schedule provided rare access to the man during what otherwise would have been a typical workweek back in Boston comprising 10-12 hour days between Hospital and University. It was all a lark: father and I were at the fair alone (my mother elsewhere, perhaps shopping), he inquired about tickets as we passed a booth outside the convention center, apparently they were available at gate time, and he said, "we're going to see a legend". I remember little else, of course: my first smell of marijuana from some loud, denim-clad men in front of us who left after the Steve Earle opener (I had to look that particular fact up on the archives) and my father singing - singing! - to Dylan's tunes. I'm certain we left at, or perhaps even before, intermission. Sadly, my parents passed a few years ago, certainly long before 'their time', else I'd love to talk with them about such things. But, they're good memories nonetheless.

 

11 years old. Cheap Trick/Moon Martin, Heaven Tonight era.

 

I was 15. I saw Wishbone Ash,Climax blues band and Vinegar Joe at the Alexander Palace in 1973.

 

Around 15. First real concert that I chose was
Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam opening for the Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magic tour. Smashing Pumpkins ripped it up and Pearl Jam was booed.

 

Just turned 15 and Ozzy Osbourne played the Sports Arena with UFO opening it up. Ozzy, Rudy, Tommy and Rhandy. And a keyboardist behind a curtain. Changed my life forever. . .

 

Not gonna be able to beat that.

There was a family legend that my folks took me to see Hank Williams (Sr.) before I could walk, but I don't think it's true.

 

12 years old
October 2, 1985
Motley Crue with Y&T
Reunion Arena in Dallas, TX
$14.50

 

Paul McCartney & Wings, Chicago Stadium 1976.
I was 17. Not a bad one to start out on, I'd say...

 

12- UFO opened for Cheap Trick, Int Amphitheater,Chicago.
Lights Out/In Color Tour. It was awesome

 

I was there too. Remember me? The guy with the Wings t-shirt.

 

Age 7, in tow with the parents to do some suburban middle-class groovin' with The Association at the 1967 Ravinia (Chicago) Summer Festival.

 

Hi Hilo,
Apologies for not messaging you privately -I'm a new member, haven't got the hang of it yet. I saw a post where you mentioned you had worked at the upstairs food stand at the Avalon Ballroom in 66-67. My father, Isak Zaidlin, and my mother ran that food stand during those years..He also ran the A-1 deli on Haight\Masonic with his brother Ben during that time. I spent a lot of time with them at the Avalon. I must have met you - did you work at the A-1 deli too? I remember a young man, who was about 18 at the time -was that you?
Best
Mike Zaidlin

 

You’re really Rodney Crowell aren’t you.

 

1965 @ 13 yrs old I watched The Animals perform in a high school gymnasium w/ future 13th Floor Elevators AKA The Spades open up in Dallas TX...

General admission was 1.50