No, not that!
The other day, while dusting off the cobwebs on some memories of life in the 1970's (the ZZ Top post), I got to thinking about my first time. My first 'real' rock concert experience, that is. Mine was back sometime in the winter of 1977. The place was the Augusta Civic Center, Augusta, Maine. The band was Blue Oyster Cult. Looking back on it, the experience was both funny and surreal. Funny because I couldn't drive yet. So my parents had to drop me and my friend Cindy off in front of the place (I think they spent the next four hours hanging out at a Howard Johnsons). Surreal because, for some insane reason, the Civic Center staff opened only one set of doors off to the left of the main entrance. The result was predictable: a huge crowd smoooshing up against the wall near those doors. Surreal because me & Cindy got pinned between the crowd and that wall. I got a little freaked out. Cindy got a sprained arm. Funny because I had never seen so many freaks assembled in one location. Gees, it was like a circus. Funny and surreal because I'd never seen guys peeing in bathroom sinks before. Surreal because this was the first time I'd experienced rock music at that volume. The first time you hear a kick drum through a big PA like that the resultant 'slam' is a little bit nauseating. Funny because, when they announced the warmpup band (Be Bop Deluxe), I thought that Blue Oyster Cult wasn't able to make it and this was our substitute. Hey, nobody ever told me about this warmpup act stuff! Surreal because this was the first time I'd ever smelled pot smoke...and let me tell you, back in the 70's they used to spark up a whole lotta the demon weed at concerts! Surreal because Blue Oyster Cult was touring on the Spectres album. This meant that they had an enourmous light show with wrist-mounted lazers, lazers shooting up from the stage and, coolest of all, a lazer show (during "Godzilla") that literally filled the volume of the arena with white lazer beams. I remember having to look straight down with my eyes protected by both of my arms. (It wasn't too long after that that they had to tone down the show for safety reasons). Funny because me & Cindy got up to leave when the band left the stage for the first time. We actually did leave...and never heard them play "Don't Fear The Reaper". Hey, nobody ever told me about this 'encore' stuff! So that's it. Mom & dad were waiting outside. They drove us home while we marvelled at the ringing in our ears, that amazing (and somewhat painful) light show and just how bad our clothes reeked of pot smoke. So, do you remember your first time? (First posted on Mark Is Cranky)…
Article comments
26 - Lisa
Mark, I have to admit that those pit tickets came at the cost of spending way more time online at Ticketmaster than is seemly for a grown-up. They were, however, worth it.
27 - A Halifax Mooseheads Hockey Fan
I did a search for "talk about sports" as I am looking for information on where Halifax Mooseheads players lived and the history about them and their culture. We have and have had hockey players from all over the world play with the local hockey team here in halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. I am researching anyone who has played in the past and the present for the Halifax Mooseheads hockey team. As I was web surfing, going from one topic to the next I came upon your website as I was researching "my first blog", as I thought about creating a blog on the Halifax Mooseheads hockey team. Anyways I read about this being your "first time" and thus I read your whole blog to see if you had any information on how to operate a blog. I did find some of your information usefull and I thank you.
I will be back, as you seem to know what you are talking about, to see if you added anything new that might help me.
Anyways, good luck with your website.
Take care and God Bless
Steve A Halifax Mooseheads Hockey Fan
28 - Eric Olsen
And all this time I have been laboring under the misconception that this post was about first concerts.
29 - Mark Saleski
gee, me too.
lessee...what can i say that's related to halifax?
uh...i know! when i was in high school i used to see ads on the tube for rock concerts at the Moncton Colliseum.
weak, but dat's all i got.
30 - Tina
I can't believe I found this site. The first post being in Jan.04'. That was great reading. I was only 10 yrs old in 77' but the memories of the music back then are great. Im so sentimental it kinda bums me out it was so long ago. I am still enjoying 70's music today. Also read the post about Chet Atkins and Boots. I think my mom's husband knew Chet and knows Boots. He works with a bunch of music artist right now. He has become friends with most of them and goes to their house often for parties. Mark that was really great that your parents were nice enough to take you to the concert. I couldn't go in high school. I went to my first in 1986 when I was 18 and I believe it was either General Public or may have been Monsters of Rock concert in L.A. I use to have all my stubs but over the years they disappeared thru moving. I hate moving because of that. I also lost an awesome Kiss shirt I had Along with Oingo Boingo, David Bowie and who knows what else. The only thing at the Monsters of Rock concert I wasn't expecting was the food fight. I had to put my jacket over my head to keep from getting food in my face or hair. Well, I wish I had seen BOC they are great!!! Tina