Yesterday Feministing and Matthew Yglesias asked the more general questions “what is the first concert you ever went to?”, which elicited numerous cool and a multitude of embarrassing and amusing answers.
I figured this would be a good question to steal borrow for my blog, but since my blog is about Portland, I’ll ask:
What is the first concert you ever went to in Portland?
I’ll go first.
Back in 1987 I saw Arlo Guthrie perform at the seminal, though now defunct, Pine Street Theatre. The version of Alice’s Restaurant he sang at that show included snarky verses about the Iran Contra scandal.
Throughout high school I saw several shows at the Pine Street, and then later at the legendary X-Ray Cafe (most notably my friend Ryan’s band Hog Wild).
How about you?
(I guess readers who have never been to Portland or have never seen a show in Portland can share their first concert ever.)
36 responses so far ↓
1 Jonny // May 28, 2008 at 9:13 am
Hey Dave — Looks like you mean Arlo Guthrie, not Woody!
My first Portland concert was probably either Liz Phair at the Aladdin or R.E.M & Sonic Youth at Memorial Coliseum — the show that made me never want to go to another arena show.
2 Trevor // May 28, 2008 at 9:13 am
Lionel Richie with tina turner as opening act, 80’s
3 Dave // May 28, 2008 at 9:18 am
Jonny - Thanks - fixed!
Trevor - Quintessential 80s; awesome!
4 Anna in PDX // May 28, 2008 at 9:24 am
The Crazy 8’s with New kids on the Block as opening act, also in the 80s, on the Waterfront.
5 alley // May 28, 2008 at 9:28 am
My first concert was Tori Amos at the Schnitz in 1994 (I was 13) but my first LOCAL show was that December when I saw Hazel and the Third Sex. It was life-changing…
6 Dave // May 28, 2008 at 9:37 am
Anna - I used to have one of the Crazy 8s albums (i.e. a cassette tape) and I *think* I also saw them live at the Waterfront during some festival once . . .
alley - Hazel is one of my favorite bands; I saw them play a few times in college . . . a long time ago (eek, before you were 13)
7 Shane // May 28, 2008 at 9:38 am
Testament, Propane, and Green Jello @ The Roseland - What GJ lacked in musically quality they made up in a great performance
Or maybe it was Sonic Youth, what ever drunk girl band, and a wanna be rapper opened for them @ La Luna. It was horrible, both bands were too drunk to play anything… the sad thing is the rapper was the best performance of the night.
Johnny - Arena shows with the arena being completely general admission (Oregon hardly has) are way better. The crowds are more electrified which means the bands feel the energy and put on a better show.
Portland usually sucks when it comes to bands and performances. Don’t get me wrong there is great music here, but when I go to a concert, I also want to be entertained not just listen to what is basically the same thing that is on the cd.
8 Heather // May 28, 2008 at 9:38 am
I was deep in the woods of Massachusetts for my first concert. It was 1987, Aerosmith on New Year’s Eve at the Worcester Centrum. Actually, it was more like an armpit than the woods.
9 Kristie // May 28, 2008 at 9:55 am
Neil Diamond baby
10 Cotrane // May 28, 2008 at 10:07 am
Heart with Stephen Bishop back in late 1977. The Wilson sisters were wonderful. I had a crush on both girls….oh la la
11 Kiala // May 28, 2008 at 10:17 am
I saw Hazel and Sweaty Nipples at La Luna. I think it was 1993? Or 94? I’m not sure.
Hazel was awesome.
12 Taj // May 28, 2008 at 10:22 am
Butthole Surfers at the Pine Street in 1989, my first year in Portland. Went with my much hipper freshman dormies.
13 Dave // May 28, 2008 at 10:26 am
Shane - I’ve not heard of any of those bands except Sonic Youth.
Heather - They have woods in Massachusetts?
Kristie - Is he that dude in Saving Silverman?
Cotrane - The Wilson sisters were kinda cute in a 70s kinda way. Stephen Bishop, not so much.
Kiala - I saw the Sweaty Nipples once. They were horrible. They did that stupid band joke where they said “Hello Seattle!” despite being in Portland.
14 Shane // May 28, 2008 at 10:47 am
Is Hazel the band that had “dave” (not sure of his name) that would dance up on the stange and do crazy sh*t?
Dave - Testament and Propane are harder metal bands. Green Jello is most known for the ‘3 little pigs’ song and their crazy cartoon/claymation/animation video.
15 Dave // May 28, 2008 at 11:04 am
Shane - yeah, Hazel had the “interpretive dancer”; his name was Fred Nemo according to Wikipedia.
Taj - Ah, the good ol’ days at Reed . . . that’s where I saw Hazel a few times.
16 Shane // May 28, 2008 at 11:15 am
Kiala - I was at that Hazel show too. That was a great show.
17 steve // May 28, 2008 at 11:56 am
I remember begging my mom to let me go to the Beastie Boys/RunDMC concert back in ‘86 (88?) but my first concert in Portland ended up being Public Enemy in ‘91 I think. “The Afros” opened up for them. The crowd was mostly white kids.
18 Dave // May 28, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Steve - I saw Public Enemy play with Anthrax at the Salem Armory in 90 or 91. The crowd there, too, was mostly white kids.
19 Dave // May 28, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I remember seeing the band Quarterflash playing at local clubs before they made it big…my 1st concert i ever went too(years and years ago) was in Boise ,Idaho at Les Bois park…Molly Hatchet, Cheap Trick ….my 1st big concert in Portland was in mid 90’s when Van Halen(Sammy Hagar version) played at the memorial coliseum…knows the 1st concert i took my sister to(sort of a family “tradition”..was also in Boise, ID …Faith No More and Metallica.
20 beerick // May 28, 2008 at 1:48 pm
I think the very first was me happening upon Shredded Lettuce at Reed lower commons, but I think the first I bought tickets for was Jethro Tull.
21 Shane // May 28, 2008 at 1:48 pm
My first concert was Bon Jovi and Skid Row in the Bay Area with my dad. He went to all the concerts with me when I was in high school. People laughed at me going in and always said they would see us at the new concert going out. They were impressed that he enjoyed the music, knew the songs and was down in the pit.
So what is everyone’s best and worst concert?
Best Shows
80’s Motley Crue - Dr. Feelgood tour, nothing like an arena going silent to listen to two Grand piano’s playing Home Sweet Home
90’s Everclear - Saw them opening night of the World of Noise tour under Capital Records at La Luna. I was the promotions director for KBVR, didn’t know who they were and was requested to interview them. I was probably the worst interviewer that they ever had. Art came out all alone with his Les Paul and played American Girl. They played an amazing show. I have seen lots of unknowns, few have made me go out and buy more than one of their albums.
00’s Rob Zombie - Possibly the best concert ever. He knows how to perform and put on a show.
Worst Shows
Sonic Youth - too drunk to play the noise that they make.
Pearl Jam - Yield tour. I have seen videos of these guys and excellent performances. But when they played at the Rose Garden, it sucked. They basically just stood there and played the whole night with a few images being displayed in the background.
KISS – Gene, Paul, Ace, and Peter reunited… WAY TOO choreographed.
22 bikergodess // May 28, 2008 at 2:57 pm
1995-alice donut &seven year bitch @ la luna back when all I could go to were all ages. Thank the gods for alcohol. The best ever was Gwar with Neurosis opening. My ears are still ringing to this day!
23 Ethan // May 28, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Wednesday the 17th of November, 1999
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy & Blue Hawaiians @ The Crystal Ballroom. That was the first time I felt the sprung floor - lots of fun!
24 Bruce // May 28, 2008 at 4:55 pm
First: Men at Work at the old Paramount Theater (now the Schnitz) in 1982.
Best: Talking Heads at the Civic Auditorium (now Keller) in 1984 or Dire Straits at same Civic in 1985.
Worst: The last Built to Spill show with Camper Van Beethoven at the Crystal. God-awful sound and not enough energy to light one of those environmentally friendly bulbs.
25 Kevin // May 29, 2008 at 8:35 am
Oh wow…
My first concert was Black Sabbath at the Memorial Coliseum. That was the immediately post-Ozzy line up featuring ex-Rainbow singer Dio as lead singer. Dio of course went on to a brief solo career which produced the seminal heavy metal hit “Holy Diver.”
The Outlaws were the opening band for Black Sabbath. Let me see… that would have been 1980 or 81, I can’t remember which. I was either 16 or 17.
26 chris // May 29, 2008 at 10:26 am
Front242 at the Pine Street (LaLuna by that time?) in ‘92. The bummer was that Front242 never showed.
27 Amy // May 29, 2008 at 11:26 am
Depeche Mode in 1993 (or was it 1994?)
28 Patrick // May 29, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Non-native to PDX but saw a goodie.
Souls of Mischeif in 03 at Roseland.
93 til infinity……………
29 Andrew // May 29, 2008 at 12:52 pm
KNRK’s Snowball in about 6th grade:
Bush
Foo Fighters
Filter
Lit
It was awesome.
30 Shane // May 29, 2008 at 3:30 pm
6th grade! oh I am old. Where did I put that cane.
31 Kiala // May 29, 2008 at 3:35 pm
I am old too. Reading that hurt my hip.
32 Eric Berg // May 29, 2008 at 8:04 pm
First concert in PDX: KISS at the Memorial Coliseum, 1977. I was ten.
Best: Way too many to say.
33 Diane // May 31, 2008 at 7:33 am
Hmm… those years are a little foggy. Suicidal Tendencies in 83 or 84… REM at Starry Night (now Roseland) in 84. I also remember seeing the Wipers at Satyricon around that time too.
34 VeganFabulous // Jun 2, 2008 at 5:48 am
Neil Young and Pearl Jam at Portland Meadows
35 McAngryPants // Jun 4, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Twisted Sister. Great White opened for them.
*shudder*
36 Don // Jul 1, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Billy Squire and Queen, I think 1983, Memorial Coliseum
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