It was in the fall of 1994 in Cincinnatti, at the Reds Stadium. My wife and I had been anticipating the concert for several months and were very, very excited. I had always wanted to see the Stones in person but had always been hesitant to go alone, as I was single at the time. In preparation for the concert, I had listened to every record they had ever made. When the Stones were announced, a roar pulsed through the crowd. I was impressed how skinny and small they were and at how well Jagger danced and controlled the crowd. They put on a great show.

The man in front of me passed out a few minutes after the Stones had been announced.

38 years ago today Seattle Coliseum. Got there at 0600 to ensure a space right up front. First sight of Mick he was fanning himself w/a piece of paper. Reaction? It was too visceral... nothing like it... to see him in the flesh for the first time.

"The wonder of Jimi Hendrix was that he could stand up at all he was so pumped full of drugs." Patsy, Patsy Stone

They looked like they were about three inches tall.

1973............first time for me so I din't know what to expect, as tatters mentioned "They looked like they were about three inches tall", it was great........... but for me.............. live concerts ...............I can't remember them well.

__________________________

Honestly, my first time was very disapointing. It was in Paris in 82, and at least in Europe it was the beginning of the big stadium shows. So, the security was not very professionnal. I was there with one friend at 6 or 7 am, one entrance only, and when they opened it, 10000 people behind us began to push very hard. I remember some people were hurted. At 1 pm, everybody stood up suddenly, it means that we spent the whole afternoon standing in a very packed crowd with bad vibes, under a hot sun.
When the Stones came on stage, we were exhausted and this crowd went absolutely wild, with very violent moves. The guy who felt down was dead for sure. I was happy to see them for real for the first time of my life, but i didn't appreciate the concert as much as i expected because of those conditions.
After the concert, i thought "never again". But i've seen them 53 times since that.

What I remember is how the moment the first notes rang out, everybody, even high up in my section of the nosebleeds, was instantly on their feet and dancing - and so was I.

1981 - seattle kingdome from the upper reaches. my reaction? OMG - they are so TINY!!!!

seeeing the stones for the 1st time well i almost wet my pants

Feel The Fear
And Do It Anyway

For me like Nicos 1973 as well. Before the show a violent atmosphere, guys running after each other with big sticks, Hells Angels looking threatening at me, being a 18 years old small boy in a pink t-shirt. But when the Stones entered the stage it was fantastic. Very loud indeed, but everyone kept sitting on their seats, so it was easy to hear and watch them play. And they played majestically, Taylor being the star of the show. I still can hear his guitar when I close my eyes. It was thrilling and sensational in every aspect.

.......Geeeeeeeeeeeez gagi the lines in ya forehead sure deepened when ya saw The Stones .......



ROCKMAN

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kleermaker
For me like Nicos 1973 as well. Before the show a violent atmosphere, guys running after each other with big sticks, Hells Angels looking threatening at me, being a 18 years old small boy in a pink t-shirt. But when the Stones entered the stage it was fantastic. Very loud indeed, but everyone kept sitting on their seats, so it was easy to hear and watch them play. And they played majestically, Taylor being the star of the show. I still can hear his guitar when I close my eyes. It was thrilling and sensational in every aspect.

I was 19 back then Kleermaker............the song I remember the best was Midnight Rambler.

__________________________

October 1997. Nashville, TN. To this day it is one of the great thrills of my life. As good as or better than losing my virginity. It was big, loud, and beautiful. To all the older fans who say things like "Aww, you'll never know what it was like to see them in the 70's when they were really great", etc. etc., you'll never be able to take the joy of that night away from anybody in that stadium. While it was the older Stones I grew up with, at least I had a Rolling Stones to grow up with, a badn that still toured, still made albums, and still thrilled. I feel bad for kids who grow up 50 years from now, when they're gone, and they'll never know what people from our century knew.

I stood there for the whole concert spellbound Cardiff Bigger Bang tour

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theimposter
To all the older fans who say things like "Aww, you'll never know what it was like to see them in the 70's when they were really great", etc. etc., you'll never be able to take the joy of that night away from anybody in that stadium.

wasn't planning on taking it away - but i'll give you 20 bucks for it. that's a great deal in today's economy - joy is overrated, anyway.

July 26,1978 Oakland....It's about time you @#$%& came on. 2 hour wait from the previous band.

"It's just some friends of mine and they're busting down the door"

My initial reaction was, "the guys I've seen in pictures on magazines and on the albums are right in front of me!" I also remember thinking how odd it was that they looked just like I thought they wood...forgive me but it was 1978 and I was the youngest brother of a brood of Stones fans...one of which took me to the concert cause I liked the song Shattered....

the shoot 'em dead, brainbell jangler!

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NICOS
1973............first time for me so I din't know what to expect, as tatters mentioned "They looked like they were about three inches tall", it was great........... but for me.............. live concerts ...............I can't remember them well.

I can't remember either, saw them 21 yrs ago in '89. Don't know why I didn't try to see them again, busy getting married and having kids.

First show was opening of 81 tour at JFK in Philly, and I was about 50 feet from the stage, and the crowd was totally doped. Musically they were very sloppy, but I was totally mesmerized by the Mickster and how damn skinny he was and how young they looked. It's funny, but even in 81 they were already being targeted by the media as the old men of rock, and being 19 at the time, I thought I was going to see old guys come out, and he wasnt going to move much. Boy was I stupid. LOL

35 years ago last Friday at the Cow Palace, San Francisco. Having waited all night in line and gotten right up front, I proceeded to do something stupid that partially ruined it for me. I had never been actually stoned before -- meaning that though I had smoked pot before a few times, it failed to get me high. But this time it did. Some hippie was passing around a hash pipe and I think it was pot laced with hash oil. The ground began to move during the Meters set, first I was uphill, then I felt like I was standing downhill. It got to the point where I literally could not understand what people were saying to me. And part way through the set, I left the front of the stage and went out to the exits where I could get some fresh air and try to recover myself. Watched the rest of the show from a distance away.

But I will never forget the trumpets from Fanfare for the Common Man, then the strobe lights coming on as you could see the outline of Keith and Ronnie with their hairdos strapping on their guitars. Then a white light hit the far point of the star, something rolling like a log down toward the center of the stage and up jumps Mick, preening, strutting, teasing with an Indian headdress on making bug eyes at the crowd. All this to the tune of Honky Tonk Women.

I could say more but I once before wrote a full account of my first Stones concert in this forum.


plexi



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-07-19 05:22 by timbernardis.

My first Stones show was JFK Stadium 6/17/78, possibly the worst of the 22 shows of theirs that I've seen. Waiting all night in the parking lot, nearly getting crushed getting through the ridiculously narrow gates, waiting some more through Peter Tosh (out of his element in the stadium) and Foreigner (awful corporate rock), and waiting even more for the Stones. When they finally appeared, their performance was a major disappointment that has been well-documented elsewhere.

Well, it was august 15 1994, Ney York. So, 27 years old, New York, Rolling Stones....
It was the first of 63 concerts...so, yes, I was impressed by the lads. Back then, I had no idea the ride I was going to make with them.

I attended this .......

[www.ukrockfestivals.com]

It wasn't so much a case of SEEING them, it was a case of HEARING them, there were no screens in those days and my friends and I were way way back.

First time I SAW them was 25th June 1982. I had a great seat in the lower tiered seats on the right hand side of the stage, the opened with Under My Thumb, and I nearly f***ing died with excitement. And pretty much EVERY show I've seen since then .... the old excitement has rarely been much less. They just manage to do it to me EVERY time.

[ I want to shout, but I can hardly speak ]

It was July 1972, the old Boston Garden...it was a surreal dream, one that I didn't wake from for weeks....awake or asleep, I was still at that show for a very long time after the show was over. I can still go back there, and I often do, to tap into that feeling....beyond description.

MSG 1972.....life changing event for me

It was the Sixties. In the audience, first time I saw boys wearing make up.

"They're here. I'm here. This is the best thing happening anywhere on the planet right now."

1st time LA Forum 1975 TOTA. The build up was insane. I thought July would never come. Anxiety further enhanced by the Stones coming on 3 hours late. I will never forget seeing that pedal of the front of the stage gradually lower with Mick hanging on the edge, and Keith right behind him with the first chords of HTW. never, ever forget that feeling. Probably the most exciting concert moment I have ever experienced.

Disappointed. Liked the Osmonds better.

WTF? Awesome - ain't that everybody's answer?

"Holy Sh*t!" And I'm in the front row (Keith's side) for 2 nights at Alpine Valley '89.
So close to the stage...had trouble seeing Charlie.

Couldn't believe I was sharing the same oxygen with them.

Had it been before the MTV era I may have sh*t myself.........MTV/VH-1 (obviously)
made bands more visible..made us aware of the staging & setlist etc....
Prior to MTV-era & internet, there were so many more surprises...because
we were sort of in the dark.


IORR............but I like it!