OMG...I was there! Seriously!

[Sean Malone]

http://www.heavymetalparkinglot.com/

Largo MD, 1986. Judas Priest at the Capitol Center. I had just graduated high school. My friends and I averaged two concerts a month at the Capitol Center (it was the arena for all events for D.C. hockey, concerts, basketball etc). Arena rock shows are what we did. Every other week we skipped first and second period to go down to Hechts in the very back of the store to buy the tickets for the next Cap Center show. I'll never forget the disgusted look on the moms shopping at Hects when dozens of Iron Maiden t-shirt wearing teens navigated through the underwear department on route to the Ticket Center window.

Largo MD is just outside north east DC. Your basic bedroom community suburb. We always laughed when the bands front men would say something like "Let me hear you scream, Largo!" and "We love you Largo!". We were like, "Largo, where's Largo?". I can just picture some short, fat band manager handing a mic and a shot of bourbon to the singer on the way to the stage and telling him not to forget they were in Largo.

We usually went in a small convoy from northern VA, about a 40 minute ride around the eastern side of the beltway. Each car filled with at least five. We didn't tailgate like the yokles in this movie though. We were too busy looking for people and 'things'.
I have to admit, of all the dozens upon dozens of times I was the driver on these rock and roll adventures, it never ceased to amaze me how I always found my way home afterward as the exit spun you around in circles and we were never in the same state of mind leaving as we were when we started the trip if you know what I mean.

My first concert ever at the Cap Center was in 1981, Black Sabbath with Ian Gilliam singing. I went with my best friend and my dad dropped us off and waited in the parking lot. During the song 'Disturbing the Priest', a giant upside down lighted cross lowered from the ceiling and I remember both of us looking at each other with these huge grins and saying "holy &***!". It was the start of a fantastic adventure.

Then came the 90's and areana rock died and the club band scene hit. Doc Martins with flannel shirts tied around our waists...but that a different blog.

:D


"Videotaped in a concert arena parking lot before a Judas Priest show in '86, HEAVY METAL PARKING LOT is truly the most magnificent portrait of dirt-rockin', headbanging, booze guzzling, dope smokin', trailer trash America has ever seen. It's truly an ingenious masterpiece, made complete with the vast display of bare feet, muscle shirts, bare-chested guys, bleach blonde frizzy perms, Mullets From Hell, BIG hair, bad teeth, scar tissue, and by far, the largest collection of late '70s Camaros ever seen in one location. Kudos to both John Heyn and Jeff Krulik for putting together this quintessential '80s magnum opus."

[extramundane]

I have to admit, of all the dozens upon dozens of times I was the driver on these rock and roll adventures, it never ceased to amaze me how I always found my way home afterward as the exit spun you around in circles and we were never in the same state of mind leaving as we were when we started the trip if you know what I mean.


Ah, PG County. The Crown Jewel of the People's Republic of Maryland. :rofl:

A couple of return trips from that general area resulted in unfortunate (and completely accidental) side trips to the lovely & talented Kenilworth Ave area of SE DC. Ain't no party like a 3am Sunday Kenilworth Party. Not many places have outright scared the bejeezus out of me, but that detour certainly did. :saywhat:

I never made any shows there, largely because my former PG County-resident mother wouldn't let me. Probably for the best. :D

[Ankf00]

hey you, surrounded by spoiled private school dude. let's exchange beer bombs

[datachicane]

Yikes.
First concert, 15 years old, Oregon Jam '80, outdoor show with Riot, Molly Hatchet, Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult.

Tickets cost me all of $13 each, bought one for my best friend who promptly started a 10+ year tradition of bagging out at the last moment. I saw a help wanted ad for concession workers the day before the show, got hired, and sold both tickets for face (lucky). I worked about twenty minutes into the first opening act before disappearing into the crowd. Apparently there was some dispute between Sabbath and BOC as to who was headlining this particular show, and Sabbath took 45 minutes to finally show up on stage before playing a marathon set. Near the end Dio started yelling at his roadies not to let BOC's guys near the equipment :saywhat:.

Shirt's still in my closet. :tony:

[chop456]

Rush at the Rosemont Horizon. June of 1984. Gary Moore opened. $13.00. My friend's dad went with us. "Think he'll know what those guys are smoking?" :laugh:

I WISH I still had the shirt, though it might fit on my leg at this point. :gomer: Glow in the dark, baby! :thumbup:

[Indy]

First show, Van Halen, MSA. Damn, that was great.

[tllips]

Rush at the Rosemont Horizon. June of 1984. Gary Moore opened. $13.00. My friend's dad went with us. "Think he'll know what those guys are smoking?" :laugh:

I WISH I still had the shirt, though it might fit on my leg at this point. :gomer: Glow in the dark, baby! :thumbup:

I was there, but it was my second time seeing Rush. :cool:

[rosawendel]

Whenever we play the "what was your first concert" game, I always answer "AC/DC, Madison Square Garden. I win."

I conveniently leave out that it was for the "Flick of the Switch" tour.

I saw them two more times, at Dayton's Hara Arena. If you've ever been there, you'll know why that's no place to brag about. My most distinct memory from those shows: guys using the lavs as urinals because they didn't want to wait. Just nasty.

Still, they were all great shows.

[datachicane]

The summer I was 17 I was driving a '63 Galaxie 500 coupe that I'd rescued from a barn where it had sat since my uncle went to Viet Nam in '65. Guy in a truck ran a 4-way stop and nailed me hard in the driver's rear quarter, spun me a full 270. Insurance gave me $2200 :eek:, I bought a '62 Mercury S-55 for $400, and blew the rest on concerts.

Saw the first of many Dead shows, the Moody Blues (some pimply-faced kid named Stevie Ray Vaughan opened, played a staggering 'Bold as Love'), Eric Burdon and the Animals (woulda been cooler 15 years earlier), two Yes shows, including my first backstage party, the Who, CSN, Neil Young, Bobby Shew and Bud Shank, B.B. King, Devo :tony: and some others I'm probably forgetting.

[oddlycalm]

My first was The Who at the Southfield, MI high school gymnasium :gomer: Never imagined a three piece band could sound so huge. Opening act was the Amboy Dukes which the band Ted Nugent was in. Ted was 16 at the time and didn't sing. No idea what the ticket price was, but probably $4 or so.

oc

[dando]

I caught a few shows @ the Ohio State Fair back when that was a big deal. My first real show was Pink Floyd in The Shoe. Seeing that pig fly over the stadium was just plain awesome. :thumbup:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/entertainment_enl_1209547040/img/1.jpg

-Kevin

[RusH]

ELO@MSG `78 at 14years old. Missed Zeppelin by a year, and Pink Floyd at the Nassau Coliseum because I didn`t drive yet... damn Generation W(X-minus) :shakehead

The following 18 months I also saw through the grace of the NYC subway system and a good friend.... The Who@MSG and The Police@CapitalTheater, The Cars@MSG, Rush@MSG, Yes@MSG, Jeff Beck@ThePaladium, Eric Clapton@MSG, Queen@MSG, Kiss@MSG...etc. But I`ll always cherish The Knack at Radio City...:gomer:...great chick concert.

[Methanolandbrats]

Madison Wi...........grew up with Reggae and Da Blues in late 60s and 70s
Peter Tosh, Sly and Robbie, Black Uhuru,... Koko Taylor, BB King...they came through madison and played at a little firetrap called Merlin's. Damn, brings a tear to my eye.

[chop456]

My first was The Who at the Southfield, MI high school gymnasium :gomer: Never imagined a three piece band could sound so huge.

:saywhat:

[Ankf00]

Filter at Bayou Place

[tllips]

My first was The Who at the Southfield, MI high school gymnasium :gomer: Never imagined a three piece band could sound so huge. Opening act was the Amboy Dukes which the band Ted Nugent was in. Ted was 16 at the time and didn't sing. No idea what the ticket price was, but probably $4 or so.

oc

I saw the Rolling Stones at Alpine Valley (Outdoor theater in WI) on their Steel Wheels tour from the 8th row right in front of a PA Stack. Then, 2 weeks later, saw The Who from the 35th row at the same venue. My ears were still ringing the next morning after The Who. They were still LOUD. Townsend had a plexiglass wall shielding himself from his own amps.


My first concert was KC & the Sunshine Band at the WI State Fair in 1980. :laugh:

The first concert I chose ;) to go to was Cheap Trick at Chicagofest in 1981 at Navy Pier (Long before the Pier was renovated). MTV used to play a video of them playing "I Want You to Want Me" from this show.

[KaBoom21]

I was there, but it was my second time seeing Rush. :cool:
Also there, 3rd Rush show for me.

First concert was AC/DC (w/Bon Scott), Cheap Trick, The Babys and Molly Hatchett in '78 or '79.

[tllips]

Also there, 3rd Rush show for me.

First concert was AC/DC (w/Bon Scott), Cheap Trick, The Babys and Molly Hatchett in '78 or '79.

My cover band opened for Molly Hatchett at Biddy Mulligan's in Rogers Park around 1990 or 1991. The place didn't really have much of a dressing room (it was about an 8X8 room with a ratty old couch), so they stayed on their tour bus until it was time to play. Then walked in the front door and right up to the stage. I'm not sure how many of the bands members (if any) were original by that time.

[extramundane]

My cover band opened for Molly Hatchett at Biddy Mulligan's in Rogers Park around 1990 or 1991. The place didn't really have much of a dressing room (it was about an 8X8 room with a ratty old couch), so they stayed on their tour bus until it was time to play. Then walked in the front door and right up to the stage. I'm not sure how many of the bands members (if any) were original by that time.

A friend's band opened for them at one of those midweek office-park has-been concert things, probably 2001-ish. Same deal, they did a very brief soundcheck, but otherwise stayed on their bus the whole time. At that point, there was only 1 original dude (guitar player, I think), but he had left the tour for medical reasons.

I was shocked to find that, in the 21st Century, Molly Hatchet fans still existed. :eek:

[Sean Malone]

My cover band opened for Molly Hatchett at Biddy Mulligan's in Rogers Park around 1990 or 1991. The place didn't really have much of a dressing room (it was about an 8X8 room with a ratty old couch), so they stayed on their tour bus until it was time to play. Then walked in the front door and right up to the stage. I'm not sure how many of the bands members (if any) were original by that time.

I think every band opened for Hatchet in the mid 90's. Zacks in Farifax VA = where old bands go to play even if they don't have any original members. We opened for Hatchet, Fog Hat, and a bunch of c level metal acts like Dirty Looks, Trixter, SteelHeart ad nausiam.

My daughter was playing Rock Band on our 360 yesterday trying to get through Green Grass and High Tides on expert. I had that Outlaws album as a kid and never knew until yesterday they were from FL. Actually, the big 3 were from FL, Skynyrd, Hatchet and Outlaws. They lead singer/guitar player for Outlaws died last year in Brooksville FL which is a one horse cracker town five minutes down the road from me.
I always just assumed as a kid that southern rock came from Alabama. Must have been the song.
Yesterday at the grocery store a FL cracker in a primer gray mid 70's Ford F150 did a huge smokey burnout in the parking lot. He had a large confederate flag flying in the bed of the truck. I would bet a large sum of money that he had at least one cassette tape of Skynyrd, Hatchet or Outlaws in there with him. That would make a funny game show! :D

[chop456]

Chicagofest in 1981 at Navy Pier.

I'd pay good money for one of those bootlegged "Mayor Byrne's Honkeyfest" t-shirts. :laugh:

[Andrew Longman]

Bruce Springsteen at Jadwin Gym at Princeton in 74 or 75.

Last concert ever there because he broke the building, literally.

People jumping up and down on the mezzanine did structural damage to the building.

Saw Boston in the fieldhouse at Rider in 77. Snuck in through a window (I did a lot of that)

First stadium show was Zeppelin at the Silverdome about 78. It was horrible. They hadn't figured out how to handle the echo off the bubble. Sounded like mush

I saw Nugent at Arrowhead about four years later. My ears bled :D

[extramundane]

Zacks in Farifax VA = where old bands go to play even if they don't have any original members.

Jaxx! As in "Jaxx Roxx!" :vomit:

I've been in some sh**ty clubs, but that's one of the top-tier of awfulness.

[nrc]

A friend's band opened for them at one of those midweek office-park has-been concert things, probably 2001-ish. Same deal, they did a very brief soundcheck, but otherwise stayed on their bus the whole time. At that point, there was only 1 original dude (guitar player, I think), but he had left the tour for medical reasons.

I was shocked to find that, in the 21st Century, Molly Hatchet fans still existed. :eek:

Dood, their first two albums are essential to any southern rock library. :gomer:

Lynyrd Skynyrd, One More from the Road
Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Essential Lynyrd Skynyrd
Molly Hatchet, Molly Hatchet,
Molly Hatchet, Flirtin' With Disaster

All required. But there was no Molly Hatchet without Danny Joe Brown.

I also like Canucistani Hard Rock.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41QZHS4GNAL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

My first concert (excluding when my family went to see Herb Alpert, or when Mom took a friend and I to see Blood, Sweat, and Tears) was Alice Cooper in March 1979 at Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati - "festival seating" in Cincy 9 months before The Who concert tragedy. Great show, terrible date.

My second Alice Cooper show in '81 at Hara Arena in Dayton was a much better date. Beautiful girl who was actually into the music. The kind of girl you'd be lucky to marry. ;)

[tllips]

I think every band opened for Hatchet in the mid 90's. Zacks in Farifax VA = where old bands go to play even if they don't have any original members. We opened for Hatchet, Fog Hat, and a bunch of c level metal acts like Dirty Looks, Trixter, SteelHeart ad nausiam.



Yeah, we opened for Foghat too. Although there were 2 Foghats playing that night in the Chicago area. Supposedly, we were opening for the one that only had the drummer as an original member at Biddy Mulligan's and another Foghat with only the Lead guitar as an original member was playing out in Arlington Heights (A blues bar used to be on Rand Road between IL-53 and Dundee). :shakehead

We had to drop My Babe from our setlist even though I thought we did it better than they did. :D

[dando]

My second Alice Cooper show in '81 at Hara Arena in Dayton was a much better date. Beautiful girl who was actually into the music. The kind of girl you'd be lucky to marry. ;)

Dude, I hope Missy doesn't read this thread... :gomer:

-Kevin

[KLang]

How do you folks remember the dates on these shows. :confused:

I attended most rock shows in Des Moines and Ames from about 75 to 90. No way I can remember which one was when. :D

[cameraman]

No kidding. I remember a couple of shows like Jethro Tull at MSG but was it in 1977 or 1978? And if you are looking for a true 1970's NYC experience there was the Renaissance concert in 1978(?). Never in my life, before or after have I seen so much cocaine being used at one time:rolleyes:

[oddlycalm]

You want hard rock, here's a bunch of hard rock. :D It's the Gorge Ampitheater which brings big name acts to the middle of nowhere. :gomer: Seriously, the stage hangs over the lip of the Columbia River gorge and it's 4hrs from Seattle, 5hrs from Portland and 2hrs from Spokane. Every big name tour plays there and it holds 20,000 people and no neighbors to complain about the noise... Bring a tent and beer. Last show we were there for was Tom Petty.

http://images.google.com/url?q=http://www.hob.com/pics/corporate/040322/gorge.jpg&usg=AFQjCNGEXllUyJuGxDC5l-opYipbRfl5ww

http://pearljam.com/i/tourphotos/20060722/2.jpg

[Gnam]

How do you folks remember the dates on these shows. :confused:
They bought the t-shirt? :p

[RusH]

You want hard rock, here's a bunch of hard rock. :D It's the Gorge Ampitheater which brings big name acts to the middle of nowhere. :gomer:

I saw Yes in Argentina in 1984...............so there!!!,and Kansas at Club Bene on Route 9 in New Jersey :gomer:

Also speaking of nowhere, John Paul Jones at Ibor City brought down the house in 2000.
:thumbup:

[KLang]

They bought the t-shirt? :p

I had a ton of them. All got thrown away many moves ago.

A little research found one date. One of my more memorable early shows was Boston opening up for Black Sabbath back in 1976. :thumbup:

[Sean Malone]

I saw Yes in Argentina in 1984...............so there!!!,and Kansas at Club Bene on Route 9 in New Jersey :gomer:

Also speaking of nowhere, John Paul Jones at Ibor City brought down the house in 2000.
:thumbup:

I saw Guns and Roses at the Bayou in DC before anyone heard of them. They were horrible. 6 Months later they were on top.

[Andrew Longman]

Dood, their first two albums are essential to any southern rock library. :gomer:

Sorry, and this is surely my old fartdom speaking, but Southern Rock includes the Macon GA mafia, et al of Allman Bros, Lynard Skynard, The Outlaws, Marshall Tucker, ZZ Topp, etc.

Molly Hatchet, 38 Special, Georgia Satallites, etc, are poor wannabe imitations. I enjoy but they sit on a different shelf :)

[datachicane]

:tony:
I saw the Satellites play twice in two nights, at the old Starry Night and the next night opening for Robert Plant at Memorial Coliseum. Used my usual Secret Technique™ to get in to the backstage party at the Coliseum hoping to meet Plant, who bagged out right after the show to drive his son around town. I had to settle for having a wobbly Dan Baird spill his beer on my jacket and apologize for what seemed like twenty minutes.