Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The first concert I ever attended was Buck Owens and The Buckaroos when I was 6 years old. After the show the band all lined up along the front of the stage and signed autographs. I shook hands with Buck and Don Rich.

Don was killed the following year.

Just this past January my wife and I drove out to Bakersfield to see Mike Campbell's group The Dirty Knobs at a juke joint on the outskirts of town. We arrived a day early to catch Buck and at The Crystal Palace. Unfortunately, Buck wasn't feeling well and did not perform that evening.

Buck died several weeks later.

The ONE I missed was back in.....1977... I think.

I had 3rd row center seats for ELP. IF memory serves me correctly, they were touring with a huge symphony at the time. I only had one ticket, and my buddy had the other.

I sold the ticket to my friend so I could take a girl I really liked out on a date. I NEVER had a chance to see them again, they broke up shortly after.

I still have the girl, so I guess I made out ok

Tony, I saw ELP with symphony in '77 and again six months later in January '78 sans symphonie! They blew me away completely. I quickly became a fan. Carl Palmer's rotating turntable of drum kits was... er... impressive!

The one I missed and regret to this day was Queen in '76.

...Dean

Tony, that's a great story, you did do OK. I saw ELP once at Illinois State University in '78 or so and again at U of I in '79; they were both good shows, although I remember Greg Lake playing a Gibson bass through about eight Fender guitar amps; all I heard in the cheap seats was the click of the pick. Fantastic Hammond sound, though.

Dean:

I HEARD ENDLESSLY about those drums from my friend John, I've NEVER seen that set up before!

I'm glad SOMEONE got to go to those shows! Man, and you were lucky enough to see them TWICE!

I LOVE ELP, and I know some of the younger guys may not think they were anything to write home about, but I'm STILL amazed when I listen to them.

Lindsay:

Yes, I did ok for sure! Every once in a while I'll joke about those tickets and that show, and the wife just says "and who was it that bought you that FIRST Rickenbacker?" as she smiles and raises her eyebrows.

When I think of Greg Lake, I think of his Scorpion 8 string Alembic. Oooooh, goose bumps....
There's a bass I'd get if I hit the lottery, then a new spine. Man, you too? TWICE?

SIGH....

I couldn't talk my wife into going to Grand Rapids (60 miles north) in the later 80s to see Yes outside - that evening it was a southwestern type sunset, and of course Yes was on. Next day at work I found out 2 other guys I worked with went and I was really ****** I didn't know and didn't go.

You used to be able to take a camera in and I have really great slides of Yes in Kalamazoo, ELO B&W pics that are really nice (Eldorado tour) - one is of the celloist and violinist leaning in towards each other and the projected genie fawning over them - a beautiful coincidence I didn't realized happened until in the darkroom. Also Jethro Tull, Jefferson Starship in the very beginning, Gary Wright, REO Speedwagon, there might be more I can't remember. Great times. All in the mid 70s.

I skipped Bowie (Ziggy days) for Loggins and Messina. Doh!

Oh, I bet that one hurts, Jerry!

Damn! My Chemical Romance are in Plymouth in March & it's already sold out.....continue the search.....

Tony, I got to see them before their breakout (last) album. Great show!

Well, the big one missed for me, of course, is the fact that I left Woodstock way too early (Sunday afternoon).
In the 70s, I relied on friends to get me tickets to two shows - Incredible String Band and Bruce Springsteen (both at the Academy of Music I believe) and they didn’t come through. I still think about that.
Afterwards, I’ve pretty much seen every act I’ve ever wanted to see (except maybe the Allman Brothers).
Last week I saw Clapton for the first time. (Pretty bad.)
And next month I’m going to see Mr. Zimmerman for the first time.

NOTE: Yikes, 400 posts in ten months! That's more than one per day.

Well, traffic caused me to miss the opening act for the Pretenders in the '80's - Iggy Pop. Grrrr.

I saw Clapton twice, great both times. What was wrong, Mark?

I didn't go to see the Pixies back in the early 90's. "We'll see'em next time" I told my wife. Well, next time was over 13 years later, but I did eventually get to see them.

Early one fine Saturday morning, I was 200+ miles away from home,going camping, when I heard that Roger McGuinn was playing in SLC that evening.That was the first I'd heard of it and I nearly turned back.

Does this count? The Stones are playing about a mile from my house this Sunday and I'm not going.