Friday Feature -- Remember Your First Rock Concert?

No, I didn't go to Woodstock.  But I did see Canned Heat at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in 1970--the first of many concerts I attended throughout the years.  I enjoyed the "Bear" and hippies who could "boogie."  Too bad the drug use that went with hippie culture killed two of these guys--the Bear (Bob Hite) and the lead guitar player (Alan Wilson).

I've always wondered how much in chiropractic bills the bass player ran-up over the years.

Comments

[Brian Davilla]

My first concert was also in 1970. Saw Neil Diamond at the New Orleans Municipal Auditorium! His lead-in comic that night was a young comedian by the name of Albert Brooks! Great show!!

[RubeRad]

I can't remember my first rock concert. But maybe someday I'll be able to -- after I go to my first rock concert.

[Herb Grimaud]

My dad took me to my 1st concert (The Rolling Stones) when I was 7yrs old on July 26th 1978 for the "Some Girls" tour at Anaheim Stadium.

Thanks Dad!

[Kim Riddlebarger]

Brian:

You'll certainly catch some flack over whether or not Neal Diamond counts as "rock."

Herb:

Never saw the Stones. I can listen to them, as long as I don't have to look at them.

Rube:

There are few people I'd pay to see anymore . . . I catch some of the old has-been rock bands once in a while, but nothing worse than guys my age acting like "rock stars"! Baseball players retire at 35ish for a reason. Somehow an aging Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend singing "My Generation" loses something.

[Zrim]

Brian, I'll back you up. Diamond was my father's music so it's part of the soundtrack of my childhood. 1970 was not only the year I was born, it's when Diamond joined Johnny Cash to sing a tune this web site should appreciate, "Brother Loves Traveling Salvation Show." And if Cash can call Diamond one of the best songwriters around in his day then maybe he can get a little slack on the slippery term "rock"--heck, he wrote UB40's "Red, Red Wine."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCgeWUKcumA&feature=kp

[Brian Davilla]

Thanks, Zrim:

I actually wondered if I should count Diamond as "rock" as he was very much a crossover guy. My dad took my sister and me to the show and he loved it. Dad was a Jazz musician performing on Bourbon Street back in the 50's and 60's. ( I have a pic of my parents with Louis Armstrong!) He enjoyed most genres of music from the Beatles to Sinatra.

[George]

As an aside, for some reason this post got me to thinking about "My Candida" performed by Tony Orando and Dawn, a pop not rock group from the early 70's. I wonder how many aging Boomers who listened to that song (shudder) or even bought the record (cringe) back then now suffer from the symptoms of the real "candida" fungal infection now. My, oh my, how the times change.

[Bob Reese]

Ahhh.... brings back such good memories when people when actually willing to stand up and fight against corrupt Government leaders.

[Robin]

My first big rock concert was Jethro Tull.

Wow! Ian Andersen is still touring today - holding up great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMPXBNnWu5Q

Some of those bands are STILL the best out there today!

[reg]

My first concert was the Who. I still remember being speechless when they trashed their instruments at the end. It was unheard of and seemed so wild. My most interesting concert was seeing Country Joe and (I believe ) Quicksilver at the Fillmore East shortly before it closed. That was a true "sixties" experience.

[Pat Morgan]

Nice post. Canned Heat is now largely forgotten but they were a fairly big act in those days. "Blind Owl" Alan Wilson was one of the greatest harp (blues harmonica) players ever - many of the old black blues players attested to that. I weep for those, like him, who left life, too early and very talented, and without God.