Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Friday Music: The First Time

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  • nzlemming,

    First gig doubles (trebles) as first international and first stadium (sort of): 1973 The Sweet (and Daniel Boone) at Bowl of Brooklands, New Plymouth, with a mat and his older sister.

    First "I paid for this" was Split Enz in Dunedin (unless my brother did - not sure). They were on the Dizrythmia tour, so 1977, I think. I remember they had a magician for a warm up, which was not an inspired choice for Dunedin yoof and he got heckled quite badly, even though he was rather good. Also of note was an apparent fight between Mal Green and Neil Finn, who had only recently joined the band. Green left the stage and I can't remember if he came back.

    Enz gigs at the Wellington Town Hall in the 80's are also fond memories.

    First festival was the first Sweetwaters.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Julian Melville, in reply to Hugh Wilson,

    I think Toni Childs played before Stevie Ray Vaughan. Amazing show. And Dave Dobbyn did an excellent solo turn in between the very slow set changes, just him and an electric guitar that cut out mid song. All the roadies were busy switching the set around so he was running around the stage in between singing each verse, trying to find what was wrong. Didn't miss a beat.

    Auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Alan Perrott,

    first local gig: Fourplay at the Papatoetoe Community Hall. was all rather exciting for a young fulla having one of his first nights out on the turps. they played Who covers and such like Brit beat pop. As I recall, I ended up dancing among the band - not too much damage was done.

    first proper local gig: Spilt Enz with Penknife Glides at Logan Campbell - Waiata tour maybe? So impressed with the Glides I got my grandma to knit me a jersey just like the singer's.

    first international gig: Siouxsie and the Banshees at Mainstreet with Jon Zealando. most exciting moment - band aside, incl Robert Smith, who rocked - was sidling up with a mate till we ended up standing next to Michael O'Neill from the Meemees - bit of a squee moment that was. then we parked outside and waited for the Banshees to leave. we followed them until we realised what dickheads we were being, then slunked back to Mangere before anyone noticed.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 438 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler,

    I'm young enough that the details of the first couple of international bands I heard are available online as an aid to memory, no doubt due to the efforts of a few geeky fans: Supergrass at Wellington Town Hall and The Gurgs at the VUW Student Union, both in 2000. I would have been 17.

    I'm pretty sure I had been to local gigs earlier (I'm not counting Smokefree Rockquest), but I can't remember what. I heard the Clean reunion at the old Bodega whenever that was, and that wasn't the first gig I went to there (anyone know when it was pulled down?).

    Of course the first proper concert I went to was the Orpheus Choir singing the Bach Mass in B Minor when I was 9 or 10.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Dave Patrick,

    Never got taken to a concert by my parents – Dad was in to jazz and there wasn’t a lot of that around (or that he could afford on a minister’s stipend with 4 kids). We did see Godspell at His Majesty’s in (I think) 1978 or possibly 1977 – and it was pretty damn good too.

    Oh! You’ve reminded me. Mum took me and my sister to see the touring Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar (with Jon English as Judas). I can’t have been older than 13.. Made a big impression on me – I got a tape of the OST album off my mate and played the heck out of it. I normally passionately hate stage musicals, but I still have a soft spot for that one.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to nzlemming,

    First gig doubles (trebles) as first international and first stadium (sort of): 1973 The Sweet (and Daniel Boone) at Bowl of Brooklands, New Plymouth, with a mat and his older sister.

    Didn't that make scandalising headlines when lots of drunk people got in the water and tried to get to the stage?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Gary Steel, in reply to Simon Bennett,

    Hi Simon,
    Hate to be pedantic (oh, okay, I don't) but the Numan Majestic Theatre gig was 1980.
    Hence: http://www.witchdoctor.co.nz/index.php/2011/05/barely-numan/

    Auckland • Since Aug 2009 • 4 posts Report Reply

  • kiwicmc,

    First international concert: Alice Cooper: Welcome to my Nightmare - Western Springs, 1977 so age 16

    Loudest gig: A tie between the Gordons at Reverb Room 1981 (where the two guitarists exchanged instruments mid song and I couldn't hear a bit of difference) and the Swans at the Astoria, London 1988 - the first time I could feel my rib cage reverberate in time to the music. Remember kids, wear those ear plugs, they might look dorky, but my ears are shot now...

    If school counts: Citizen Band at Rangitoto College in 1978 - I collared Mike Chunn a couple of years ago to tell him how much I enjoyed it, but alas he couldn't remember the event as clearly as me.

    I remember that Clash concert at the Logan Campbell Centre, I even had the cassette of the gig, where did that go?

    Auckland, New Zealand • Since May 2008 • 88 posts Report Reply

  • Gary Steel,

    First (free) gig: Howard Morrison Quartet in a Sound Shell, possibly in Rotorua, or New Plymouth in the mid-'60s.
    First rock gig: A "happening" on Sunday afternoon at the Lake in Hamilton featuring various hippy bands, including Ticket, around 1970.
    First international gig: Daddy Cool, Founders Theatre, Hamilton, 1971.

    Auckland • Since Aug 2009 • 4 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Bennett, in reply to Gary Steel,

    Hi Gary that would be right. It was still a thrilling 1st gig for a 14 (or maybe 15) year old!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 174 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington, in reply to Mike O'Connell,

    Talking of Christian rock, two bass players + drums Youth For Christ from Christchurch were anything but!

    Ha yes, saw them a bunch of times. Good noisy fun!

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • Samuel Scott,

    First gig; Crowded House at the Wellington Town Hall aged 11 (I think). I met Neil the day before the show and he was really nice and gave us tickets so the whole experience seemed completely deluxe. Crowded House were great. I think the support band was the Dead Flowers. I did not like them.

    First gig without parents; The Breeders & The Smashing Pumpkins in 1994 again at the Welly Town Hall. The Breeders were amazing, life changing. The Pumpkins were grumpy and hilarious. Billy Corgan tried to get the audience to call Kim Deal a bitch and he got booed. It was great.

    South Wellington • Since Feb 2008 • 315 posts Report Reply

  • Ross McA., in reply to Russell Brown,

    Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar (with Jon English as Judas).

    Hells bells! I'd forgotten about that one too. Doesn't count as a gig tho. I thought Jon English was the bees knees for a while.

    First Concert David Bowie, QEII, 1978. Was it Station To Station? Big train stereo sound effects anyway. I was 15 and had a school cert science exam the next morning- thanks for letting me go, mum.

    Loudest Ramones at the Chch Town Hall. 1980?

    Since Mar 2010 • 51 posts Report Reply

  • Ross McA., in reply to Hebe,

    Next life-changer was The Cure at the Theatre Royal (think it was underpopulated) in 1980

    Pretty sure this gig was at the town hall. A fantastic gig and right after their first album, with 'A Forest' on Ready To Roll every week.

    Since Mar 2010 • 51 posts Report Reply

  • Ross McA.,

    The Cure pre goth and kinda what we got in 1980.

    Since Mar 2010 • 51 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Peter Darlington,

    Talking of Christian rock, two bass players + drums Youth For Christ from Christchurch were anything but!

    Ha yes, saw them a bunch of times. Good noisy fun!

    Oh, well. I have a story about this.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Didn’t that make scandalising headlines when lots of drunk people got in the water and tried to get to the stage?

    Yep. There's a lovely moat (deeper than it looks) in front of the sound shell. I don't remember that it was a huge amount of people, probably only a dozen or so, but memory's a little tricky 40 years on. Hell, it's not so flash 40 minutes on!

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • JacksonP,

    Attachment

    My first recollection was seeing Screaming Meemees in the Whakatane Town Hall in 1981, but I’m starting to wonder whether I dreamed it. I did apparently see Dave McArtney and The Pink Flamingos, with the Newmatics supporting, in January 1982, at the Ohope Primary School grounds. Aged 13.

    Anyway, did we answer the question whether Uni Orientation counts? Cause then it would be Hunters and Collectors in 1985, followed by New Order and then Elvis Costello at His Majesty’s.

    That link of yours was very helpful, especially as my memory fades.

    ETA: Our family diarist found the above.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 2450 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Andre,

    My parents dragged us along to see Patsy Rigger and Suzanne Prentice at the Tomarata Hall when I was 10.

    Fortunately blanked from my memory.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    My first concert was, I believe, not really a concert. Sweetwaters when I was about 18 or 19. So around 1982/3? The best concert I ever went to though was around the same time – Dire Straits at Western Springs (fooled you! you thought I was going to say Elton John. Ha!) I have always loved them, and no-one can tell me otherwise. We went in our flatmate's little Triumph, and he was a bit drinky I think driving us home, but sobered up when we came across a car in flames on Ponsonby Rd.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Harry Musgrave,

    First school concert - we had the Happen Inn singers come to school sometime in the late seventies.
    First concert - Auckland university orientation 1980 headline was scheduled to be Split Enz but then they started becoming popular and decided to do their own proper shows and we had to settle for Citizen Band and some others (probably including Spelling Mistakes). Citizen Band released a 'bootleg' LP not long after that which I snaooed up as a memento (and I named my oldest daughter Julia).
    Concert I regret missing most - Simple Minds (probably 1982) when they were touring with New Gold Dream. Though I like their newer stuff it would have been great to see the old stuff where the mix was not so drum and bass heavy.

    Since Jul 2009 • 28 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to kiwicmc,

    Loudest gig

    Ramones, Powerstation. Only time I've ever seen people with bleeding ears.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Harry Musgrave,

    drum and bass heavy

    not that there's anything wrong with that

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Hooton, in reply to Che Tibby,

    Same. Dire Straits in 1986, aged 13 - although I remember it as being at Mt Smart.
    First at Western Springs was Eurythmics in 1987.
    First gig would have been the the Psychodaisies in about 1988 at some dodgy Queen St nightclub. The guitarist , Dave Graham, was in some of my classes at school. The contrast between the kid in the Auckland Grammar uniform Monday to Friday and on stage for the Psychodaises on Friday night was bizarre. The sock-drinking was a particular highlight.
    Violent Femmes in Auckland Town Hall in late 1989 or 1990 was the best though.

    Auckland • Since Aug 2007 • 195 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Andre,

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bands_from_New_Zealand</q>

    Doesn't seem to include The Lads, which I won't include as any kind of first because I attended the same church as them in my teenage years.

    Nope, I think I would have to say Cliff Richard in the very late 80s or very early 90s in I think the Wellington Town Hall, or perhaps the Michael Fowler Centre, would be my first.

    I would like to note that my taste in music has changed drastically since then.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

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