I tried to do a Top 10, but mine went to 11. And I still had to eliminate so much. Not even a Slayer show! This is chronological.
1980- Black & Blue Tour- BOC is my all-time fave band and this was my 3rd concert. 15 year old me was terrified of all the giant Sabbath fans with leather and chains chanting "Sa-bbath!"
1981- Judas Priest/Iron Maiden- Point of Entry tour for Priest; Killers for Maiden. This was back when metal was still ugly, so I don't think there was a single female concertgoer at this show.
1982- Scorpions/Iron Maiden- after HS graduation many people backpack around Europe. Me and a friend took a bus to Cleveland to see this show. We ended up in the same hotel as the bands.
1986- Bad Brains- at D.C.'s 9:30 club, my favorite venue ever. One of the girls who went with us had only been to a single concert: Crosby Stills & Nash. After the show I peed on the FBI building.
1988- Jimmy Page- we had a friend with connections who was getting us Led Zep tix in 1980 and then Bonham died. I saw Plant and Page at separate shows in '88 but nothing beats a violin bow on a guitar for sheer noise.
1995- Ace Frehley (w/Peter Criss opening)- at Hammerjack's in Baltimore. 2nd loudest show I've ever been to. MBV at 9:30 club in 1989 was the loudest.
1999- Black Sabbath- somehow ended up with 3rd row seats at a pavilion/outdoor shed show. Tony Iommi nodded at me playing air guitar.
2000- Ozzy/Pantera- plus a bunch of others at an Ozzfest. The second that Pantera came on a giant electrical storm erupted and the rain went sideways under the pavilion. It ended right after they were done. Creepy. Ozzy had a cool stage set that had connections to the then-current Adam Sandler movie Little Nicky.
2009- Bolt Thrower/Sigh- Maryland Deathfest Night 3. Lots of bands, like Krallice, were great, but Bolt Thrower and Sigh are 2 of the best individual performances I've ever seen.
2011- Melt Banana
2015- Electric Wizard
1980- Black & Blue Tour- BOC is my all-time fave band and this was my 3rd concert. 15 year old me was terrified of all the giant Sabbath fans with leather and chains chanting "Sa-bbath!"
1981- Judas Priest/Iron Maiden- Point of Entry tour for Priest; Killers for Maiden. This was back when metal was still ugly, so I don't think there was a single female concertgoer at this show.
1982- Scorpions/Iron Maiden- after HS graduation many people backpack around Europe. Me and a friend took a bus to Cleveland to see this show. We ended up in the same hotel as the bands.
1986- Bad Brains- at D.C.'s 9:30 club, my favorite venue ever. One of the girls who went with us had only been to a single concert: Crosby Stills & Nash. After the show I peed on the FBI building.
1988- Jimmy Page- we had a friend with connections who was getting us Led Zep tix in 1980 and then Bonham died. I saw Plant and Page at separate shows in '88 but nothing beats a violin bow on a guitar for sheer noise.
1995- Ace Frehley (w/Peter Criss opening)- at Hammerjack's in Baltimore. 2nd loudest show I've ever been to. MBV at 9:30 club in 1989 was the loudest.
1999- Black Sabbath- somehow ended up with 3rd row seats at a pavilion/outdoor shed show. Tony Iommi nodded at me playing air guitar.
2000- Ozzy/Pantera- plus a bunch of others at an Ozzfest. The second that Pantera came on a giant electrical storm erupted and the rain went sideways under the pavilion. It ended right after they were done. Creepy. Ozzy had a cool stage set that had connections to the then-current Adam Sandler movie Little Nicky.
2009- Bolt Thrower/Sigh- Maryland Deathfest Night 3. Lots of bands, like Krallice, were great, but Bolt Thrower and Sigh are 2 of the best individual performances I've ever seen.
2011- Melt Banana
2015- Electric Wizard
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