Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
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Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
The Loverboy thread sent me down a rabbit hole and I discovered that their first ever gig was opening for Kiss at Pacific Coliseum, and their second gig was opening for Foreigner at Madison Square Garden.
Lore was always that Bon Jovi's first gig was opening for ZZ Top at Madison Square, but I'm pretty sure they played at least a club gig or two beforehand.
Any other examples? This is obviously going to be mostly limited to artists who came out of the gate with hype/good management, etc.
I'm thinking mostly rock bands, but I imagine there probably some bands in the manufactured pop star/boy band vein who immediately got sent out on the road opening for a big star.
Lore was always that Bon Jovi's first gig was opening for ZZ Top at Madison Square, but I'm pretty sure they played at least a club gig or two beforehand.
Any other examples? This is obviously going to be mostly limited to artists who came out of the gate with hype/good management, etc.
I'm thinking mostly rock bands, but I imagine there probably some bands in the manufactured pop star/boy band vein who immediately got sent out on the road opening for a big star.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Autograph opening for Van Halen?
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
After just 2 warmup gigs, WOLFGANG VAN MAMMOTH was playing HERSHEYPark STADIUM in HERSHEY Pennsylvania. Thanks, Axl! Thanks, Pops!
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Blind Faith was playing an hour-long set at stadiums and festivals.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
I know there was an article in Kerrang! BITD (late 80s) about some woman whose rich parents booked Hammersmith Odeon for her band's debut show. Unsurprisingly it wasn't very well-attended. Can't recall her name though.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young at Woodstock.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
The Band at Winterland. Yes, they were Dylan's band earlier, but this was their first show where they weren't a backing band.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
I’m pretty sure both Slaughter and Winger were created in the studio.
Slaughter because of VVI.
Winger because of Kip and producer Beau Hill.
And they both opened for Kiss on the Hot in the Shade tour.
Slaughter because of VVI.
Winger because of Kip and producer Beau Hill.
And they both opened for Kiss on the Hot in the Shade tour.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Hyde Park, London
The rock band Blind Faith, composed of Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Rick Grech played a small number of gigs in England, Scandinavia and the United States between June and August 1969. The first gig, on 7 June at Hyde Park, London was witnessed by 100,000 fans.
The rock band Blind Faith, composed of Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Rick Grech played a small number of gigs in England, Scandinavia and the United States between June and August 1969. The first gig, on 7 June at Hyde Park, London was witnessed by 100,000 fans.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Their first major public gig was on August 16, 1969, at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago, with Joni Mitchell as their opening act. They mentioned they were going to someplace called Woodstock the next day, but that they had no idea where it was.
"I'm just here for the irony and the dancing."
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
There you go again dropping some knowledge.Turner Coates wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 9:48 amTheir first major public gig was on August 16, 1969, at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago, with Joni Mitchell as their opening act. They mentioned they were going to someplace called Woodstock the next day, but that they had no idea where it was.
Was that opening for the Stones after Brian Jones had just passed away gig?Turner Coates wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 9:44 am Hyde Park, London
The rock band Blind Faith, composed of Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Rick Grech played a small number of gigs in England, Scandinavia and the United States between June and August 1969. The first gig, on 7 June at Hyde Park, London was witnessed by 100,000 fans.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Blind Faith played Hyde Park about a month before the Stones. It was their big supergroup kickoff gig.eddie lee roth wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 10:28 am Was that opening for the Stones after Brian Jones had just passed away gig?
And just think; in those days, before the internet, it was advertised mostly through radio, posters, newspapers, magazines and word of mouth.
Same deal with Woodstock.
"I'm just here for the irony and the dancing."
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Cant be her. They played all the shitholes. I remember her being in Kerrap! all the time, but never heard the band. Finally saw a vid in the last year or so. Damn, she couldnt sing a note!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJXFjRk33nE
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Remember the dead Dixie Chick nobody knew thread?Turner Coates wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 10:53 amBlind Faith played Hyde Park about a month before the Stones. It was their big supergroup kickoff gig.eddie lee roth wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 10:28 am Was that opening for the Stones after Brian Jones had just passed away gig?
And just think; in those days, before the internet, it was advertised mostly through radio, posters, newspapers, magazines and word of mouth.
Same deal with Woodstock.
Wasn’t that when the Bad Company debuted in Austin Texas with ZZ Top story started between us or had they already played back home? Or do I need to lay off the weed?
I think I need to get something to eat I’ve got the munchies.
Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Haha, great replies, guys. There's def going to be a lot of "played a handful of small gigs and then opened for someone huge" stories.
I was actually wondering if anybody's first gig was Woodstock.
I suppose there might be some examples from the pay-to-play Ozzfest era. Nu-metal band forms in the studio, records major label, label immediately pays to have them play the third stage at 3pm at Ozzfest.
And obv a lot of "supergroup" types where the individuals have the hype before the band is even formed.
I was actually wondering if anybody's first gig was Woodstock.
I suppose there might be some examples from the pay-to-play Ozzfest era. Nu-metal band forms in the studio, records major label, label immediately pays to have them play the third stage at 3pm at Ozzfest.
And obv a lot of "supergroup" types where the individuals have the hype before the band is even formed.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Wasn't Santana's first show Woodstock? Or was it just that they played before releasing their first album?
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Winger's first tour was opening for the Scorpions in 1988 and unless there were any undocumented club shows the first one was at the Peoria Civic CenterDonJuanDeMarco wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 9:23 am I’m pretty sure both Slaughter and Winger were created in the studio.
Slaughter because of VVI.
Winger because of Kip and producer Beau Hill.
And they both opened for Kiss on the Hot in the Shade tour.
https://www.setlist.fm/search?page=3&query=winger+1988
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
It wasn't their first gig, but I saw Loverboy in the summer of 1980 opening for Cheap Trick, and I think it was their sixth ever live performance. Saw them as openers four more times over the next 2-3 years.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
That's right. I stand corrected.Turner Coates wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 9:48 amTheir first major public gig was on August 16, 1969, at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago, with Joni Mitchell as their opening act. They mentioned they were going to someplace called Woodstock the next day, but that they had no idea where it was.
Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Seriously, we come here to talk smack and he brings actual historical content. Libraries are for knowledge.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
There was no more chocolate left after the concert.Psychobolia.com wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 4:36 am After just 2 warmup gigs, WOLFGANG VAN MAMMOTH was playing HERSHEYPark STADIUM in HERSHEY Pennsylvania. Thanks, Axl! Thanks, Pops!
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
That joke band assembled around Paul Stanley’s kid that had never done a live show before being shoehorned into the last fifty EOTR dates.
Had Glenn Frey’s kid ever done any shows before he got shoehorned into The Eagles for a feel good story and to legitimise going out on a scab cashgrab tour?
Wolfgunt in 2007 with VH obviously. Bit of a theme here.
Had Glenn Frey’s kid ever done any shows before he got shoehorned into The Eagles for a feel good story and to legitimise going out on a scab cashgrab tour?
Wolfgunt in 2007 with VH obviously. Bit of a theme here.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
The first Damn Yankees show was probably on that tour with Bad Company.
This thread skews heavily toward supergroups.
This thread skews heavily toward supergroups.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
They even threw Under My Thumb into their set.Turner Coates wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 10:53 amBlind Faith played Hyde Park about a month before the Stones. It was their big supergroup kickoff gig.eddie lee roth wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 10:28 am Was that opening for the Stones after Brian Jones had just passed away gig?
And just think; in those days, before the internet, it was advertised mostly through radio, posters, newspapers, magazines and word of mouth.
Same deal with Woodstock.
And yes Woodstock got so crazy that if they didn't open the gates it would've been an even worse disaster.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Manowar's first show was opening for Ted Nugent in 1982. Setlist.fm has their first show at the 5k+ El Paso County Coliseum, it's maybe not 100% the first but it must have been the type of venue Nugent played at the time.
Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Not Lisa or anyone you've heard of. It was some no-name band with a trust-fund singer. I'd post it if only I had enough hours to dig through the cupboard that's got all my 80s Kerrang!s in.HueyRamone wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 11:19 amCant be her. They played all the shitholes. I remember her being in Kerrap! all the time, but never heard the band. Finally saw a vid in the last year or so. Damn, she couldnt sing a note!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJXFjRk33nE
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Kerrang reviewed it?!?GoodJudge wrote: ↑Sun Mar 03, 2024 10:40 amNot Lisa or anyone you've heard of. It was some no-name band with a trust-fund singer. I'd post it if only I had enough hours to dig through the cupboard that's got all my 80s Kerrang!s in.HueyRamone wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 11:19 amCant be her. They played all the shitholes. I remember her being in Kerrap! all the time, but never heard the band. Finally saw a vid in the last year or so. Damn, she couldnt sing a note!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJXFjRk33nE
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
Was just listening to a Leleand Sklar interview. His sixties band, WOLFGANG got Bill Graham as their manager. Their first gig ever was opening for Zeppelin at Winterland.
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Re: Bands whose first gigs were at huge venues.
My high school band's first gig was in an auditorium. 1500 people.
It was a talent show involving several high schools.
It was a talent show involving several high schools.
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