Your First Concert was.....

The first concert I went to was the Yardbirds with Jimmy Page on lead. This was right at the end before Jimmy took off for other more interesting musical adventures. They were playing in a small civic center in a hick Florida city and I think I was the only person there who realized what a great group was in front of them. Most of the crowd was interested in getting drunk and rowdy. I sat on the side of the stage by Jimmy's Fender Twin Reverb amp and proceeded to get my ears pummeled for two hours. I think they rang for a day afterwards. Jimmy was so pissed at the stupid crowd he stormed off the stage at the end of the show, muttering invective and looking dour. He was nice enough to give the geeky kid at stage right (me) a string of his love beads and a guitar pick.

The Cure at Dodger Stadium 1989. Love and Rockets and the Pixies opened. Talk about a show. That was the first time i smelled that "funny smell". I was 16.

Santana, in Isla Vista (UC Santa Barbara) free concert. Before they went to Woodstock and became famous.

Lynryd Skynrd, 1974, Ft. Wayne Memorial Coliseum. I was 14. The band had just finished a marathon tour opening for The Who. Imagine being an unheard of band from nowhere and opening for The Who every night in 1973-74! Sweet Home Alabama was getting tons of airplay, they were now headlining their first tour, and they were now rock stars. And rock they did! I've never seen anything quite like that. It was a great night!

Rolling Stones -- Steel Wheels Tour at Carter Finley Stadium in Raleigh, NC.