There’s something unforgettable about a first concert, your first time feeling the electric energy in the air, the movement of the crowd, and the feeling of finally feeling like you belong somewhere.
For many, those first live shows become lifelong memories, forever tied to youth, freedom, and discovery. Whether a stadium packed with screaming fans or a smoky club with an underground band on the rise, that first concert sets the stage for how we experience music for years to come.
15 folks from Ask Reddit share their very first concert memories. Their answers capture both the nostalgia and the magic of seeing live music for the very first time.
1
The Beatles in the 1960s
Too young to remember (11 months old!), but technically the best brag ever.
2
Blue Öyster Cult with Be-Bop Deluxe, 1970s
Crushed in general admission, planted right by the massive speakers, still the loudest ever.
3
Motley Crue, Lita Ford & Faster Pussycat, age 14
Big hair, loud guitars, and a crash course in glam metal.
4
Ozzy Osbourne, 1992
A heavy metal baptism into the Prince of Darkness.
5
Metallica, Aragon “Brawlroom,” Chicago, May 1986
Thrash at its fiercest.
6
Led Zeppelin, Earl’s Court, London, 1975
The gods of rock, live and loud.
7
Humble Pie, Madison Square Garden, 1973
Smokin’ in more ways than one.
8
Run-DMC, Whodini, Grandmaster Flash, Fat Boys & Kurtis Blow, 1985
A hip-hop hall of fame lineup for one first concert.
9
The Cure, 1986
A first show for someone’s parents, drenched in post-punk.
10
New Kids on the Block, around 1990
Tween pop hysteria, camera in hand at age 11
11
Prince, Birmingham, England, 1986
A purple reign in full swing.
12
Elton John, Boston Garden, 1973
Surprise cameo: Stevie Wonder joined for a couple songs.
13
Paul McCartney & Wings, The Spectrum, Philadelphia, May 12, 1976
A Beatle reborn on his own stage.
14
ZZ Top, Oklahoma City Music Hall, 1973
Beards, blues, and boogie at their finest.
15
R.E.M., 1995
Bonus brag: the opener was an unknown little band called Radiohead.
