What was your first concert? Chicago musicians share theirs

With Taylor Swift mania in town this weekend, and with it, the probability of young music fans going to their first show, I asked Chicago musicians, producers and others:

What was your first concert?

I’ve always loved this question, with its chance of embarrassment, and its possibility of awe. Some answered quickly. Others heard layers of poignancy: Did I mean the first concert they saw without a parent in tow? A first concert in an arena or stadium? Do county fairs count? How about the concert where they first connected to live music?

My answer was: Yes. All of that. Replies were edited for clarity and length.

Lili Trifilio, founder of Beach Bunny; playing the Salt Shed on Aug. 24: My first show was in fifth grade and I was 11 years old and it was at the House of Blues in Chicago. It was my friend’s birthday and I remember we all got ready at her house, and the performer was not Hannah Montana, but a co-star, Mitchel Musso. He had like one song. Disney was insistent on making him a star. It was also affordable and had this big swoop of hair. I remember feeling overwhelmed. Music started and I’m thinking: This is just like on “Hannah Montana!” He signed autographs later, and then we all went to Ed Debevic’s wearing Mitchell Musso merch and got fully roasted by the servers. I also remember there were only like 100 people in House of Blues, but it felt like a stadium.

Seth Dodson, event director at Pitchfork: The ‘90s alt-rock dream pop band Belly in 1995 at a now-defunct venue called Metropolis in my hometown of El Paso, Texas. Their biggest track was “Feed the Tree,” and they had ties to The Breeders and Throwing Muses but were their own special thing I was completely obsessed with. I was 13 years old and my slightly older brother took me. I was ecstatic, in disbelief that singer Tanya Donelly was in front of me. I remember an audience member yelling: “Tanya, marry me!” And I was aghast, thinking: “How could someone propose marriage to someone who was clearly supposed to marry me?”

Patrick Stump, lead singer of Fall Out Boy; playing Wrigley Field on June 21: The first show I ever went to was Midnight Oil, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, Paul Westerberg and Hot House Flowers in Tinley Park. I was about 8 years old and loved Midnight Oil. They were tight. My dad said that: “Man! They’re tight!” I had no idea what it meant but it sounded like a good thing to be. I had to go to the bathroom during Paul Westerberg and the line was massive. I missed almost all of his set. I regretted it for years. As we were coming back to our seats, he was playing “Alex Chilton” and my dad and I looked at each other and said “Man! We should have stayed for him!” It was totally formative. Every time I’ve come back to Tinley Park, I think of that show.

Farley “Jackmaster” Flex, Chicago house music producer and DJ; playing a free show at Dan Ryan Woods on June 18: I was a DJ at WBMX and (Madonna producer) Jellybean Benitez was a friend, and when Madonna put out “Lucky Star,” she would call and ask me to play more, and this continued for years. I was breaking her music in Chicago, so my first big concert was Madonna, in Rosemont. She invited me! It was incredible. Pop music then was across the board. You saw every generation, every color. It felt special. It still does. I was about 23. I had been to small shows. But I didn’t truly understand the power of music until that show, out near O’Hare. Then afterward I went backstage and hung out with Madge!

Josh Condon of the Chicago band Glyders; their latest album is “Maria’s Hunt”: Dwight Yoakam in Indiana. We had lawn tickets since they were the cheapest and my mom wanted me to get closer so she told me: “I’m gonna ‘talk’ to the security guy and when he turns away, run up to the front!” I didn’t realize she was flirting, but I did what she said and got right up to the stage. It was the coolest — tilted black cowboy hat and the shiniest rhinestone jeans I’ve ever seen.

Glenn Kotche, drummer for Wilco, composer and sometime collaborator with artists including Kronos Quartet: REO Speedwagon, with Survivor opening. It was Sept. 11, 1982. My older brother had four tickets and took a girl but he was also cool enough to bring his 11-year-old brother and 13-year-old sister. We shared a bedroom and he was 9 years older and because this was the late ‘70s, I heard a lot of Styx, Journey, Kansas. We grew up in Roselle. The show was at Poplar Creek in Hoffman Estates. It was a Saturday. I was well versed in REO by that point, and already drumming and trying to start bands. Later, my high school graduation was (at Poplar) and I thought: I’m walking across the same stage REO played. To this day I won’t turn them off if they are on the radio.

Kaina, Chicago singer-songwriter; her latest album is “It Was a Home”: My very first concert was something like “Sesame Street.” But one of the first shows I remember going to by myself was The O’My’s, with Noname opening, at the Metro. It felt kind of life-changing. One of those classic Chicago sold-out show nights where everything felt so electric and you were watching everyday people become heroes.It was so impactful on my own art and creativity. It showcased life in our community but made it larger than life. I later interned for and collaborated with The O’My’s. I remember being squished at the Metro, but also being so happy to be there that it didn’t matter.

Aaron Cohen, Chicago-based music historian; his latest book, “Gentleman of Jazz: A Life in Music,” was co-authored with the late pianist Ramsey Lewis: My first concert was the reunited Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel at Comiskey. This was the summer just before I started high school. My mom and dad took my brother and me. The performance itself was a gateway for sounds I would delve into later: Gospel, Latin rhythms, ‘50s vocal groups. Reviewers mentioned Simon and Garfunkel’s harmonies were better suited to small clubs. That showed me not to take reviews at face value!

Bruce Finkelman, venue owner of Thalia Hall, Salt Shed and Empty Bottle: The Loop’s Day in the Park festival. Journey, Aerosmith, Thin Lizzy, Santana. My mom dropped me off and I wore my Black Sabbath T-shirt. I think my sister got me stoned.

Bobby Rush, blues legend playing at the Chicago Blues Festival June 8: Big Joe Turner, in Pine Grove, Arkansas, about 1950. He was with Fats Domino at a community center and it fit about 350 people but it felt like 10,000. I had been to juke joints before that, in places that fit 100 but they would be packed. I was about 15 and too young and would paint a mustache on my face and say I was 18. They didn’t ask for ID. But Big Joe Turner, then Little Richard — I saw what I would do for the rest of my life.

Joe Shanahan, founder of Metro: I’ll never forget the feeling of purchasing my very first concert ticket, making plans to hop in the back of my neighborhood friend’s Buick and heading to the Back of the Yards neighborhood and the International Amphitheatre to see Black Sabbath, February of 1974. The Amphitheatre, originally built in the ‘30s to showcase the meatpacking industries, was massive. This was where The Beatles made their Chicago debut. I saw a mushroom cloud of marijuana rising as Sabbath kicked into “Sweet Leaf.” The camaraderie of this crowd sharing joints, while we sang along to an ode to weed, I couldn’t help but take notice. I knew then I was drawn to the bond between artist and audience. This sound and vision was what led me to the path that I’m currently on today.

Kara Jackson, Chicago-based singer; her debut album “Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?” was released in April: My first real concert was Bruce Springsteen. I saw him play at Wrigley Field when I was in sixth grade. I had only known a handful of songs, mainly hits, but I remember studying more of his discography in preparation. It was definitely a formative experience. He played almost four hours. I left thinking that was the standard for all shows but I realized later I was just lucky to witness a legend like that as my first concert. I’ve never seen anyone else play that long since. The experience marked me as a Bruce fan for life.

Jenny Pulse, musician and singer performing with husband Tim Kinsella: A few years ago I recall my father saying “I didn’t know you sing.” This is first of all confusing because he is my father. Secondly, because he must remember driving me and my fifth grade best friend to Milwaukee’s Marcus Amphitheater for the Spiceworld Tour in 1998, specifically to sing along. I can confirm I still know all the words to every song. I remember seeing the Spice Girls singing “Naked” naked straddling chairs. I remember being overwhelmed by the crowd. I remember how it seemed stressful to be a parent. How selfless it is to say “yes” to a child who wants to see a concert at age 10. To rent a hotel to stay the night and drive your child back home the next day. My dad might not remember I sing, but I remember he did this for me.

Tim Kinsella, musician, founder of Joan of Arc, performing with wife Jenny Pulse: The first show I ever went to that connected me to my destiny was Sludgeworth, Gear, 8 Bark and Ivy League at McGregor’s in Elmhurst in 1990. I remember feeling complete identification with every element: the energy, the different ways each band approached a tradition, the attitudes, the salty punk girls from different high schools. That night was like I woke up from a dream into my real life for the first time. But my first concert was Def Leppard, summer of ‘88. I remember feeling very inspired to demonstrate my aloofness as loudly and frequently as possible — while also kinda enjoying the show.

Robert Lamm, founding member of Chicago; playing at Ravinia June 18: I was attending Roosevelt University as a music major but had not been to an actual concert until 1965 or 1966. I went to see (jazz pianist and organist) Jimmy Smith and the Oliver Nelson Orchestra at the Arie Crowne Theater. You heard the band jamming a bit then kind of rise out of the depths of the stage. They were totally killing. I’m sure my jaw dropped. He was at the top of his game. But my first rock show was the Byrds somewhere on the Near Northside. They sounded bigger and louder, though not necessarily better.

Vic Mensa, Chicago rapper and activist: My first show I remember was rapper Immortal Technique at DePaul. I guess ultimately that was impactful. It was conscious rap, issue-driven, and I have gone on to perform like that. I was like 12, and it felt big, but there is no way that could have been a big show — he is not a big rapper. I was with Nico Segal, the trumpet player who went on to form Kids These Days, which I played with later. We were young hip hop heads, and it’s interesting because though you don’t set out to make music specifically for children, I often remind myself not to underestimate an audience. As 12-year-old kids, we grasped the weight of what he was talking about.

Marty Lennartz, morning host on WXRT-FM: My first live concert experience was The Byrds in the gym at Notre Dame High School in Niles, my freshman year. It was the fall of ‘67. David Crosby had just been fired from the band and I remember we were disappointed it wasn’t the full band but looking back: Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman and Gene Clark, playing all The Byrds’ hits on a Sunday night in a high school gym when I was 13 remains pretty great. It was the first time I saw hippies wearing Neil Young fringe leather jackets, shooting each other the peace sign!

Julia Steiner of the Chicago band Ratboys: My first concert, I was 6 years old and my parents took me to see ‘N Sync. It was like 1998, Louisville, Kentucky. My biggest memory was we were literally in the last row, my back against the wall of the nosebleeds. I remember how loud and bright it was. I was also more of a Backstreet Boys fan. But I was out of my mind with joy.

Steve Albini, founder of Electrical Audio recording studio, producer of Nirvana, PJ Harvey, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page: The Edgar Winter Group, Sept. 27, 1975, in Missoula, at the University of Montana. I was a precocious 13-year-old and had been lobbying my parents for weeks to allow me to go. My otherwise intelligent father firmly believed nobody really liked rock music, and the reason concerts like this existed was the sale of illegal drugs. In fact, I bought my weed and occasional Black Beauty from kids at school, where he insisted I go every day. I got quite high in the parking lot prior to the show and as a result several details are burned into my consciousness: Winter’s synthesizer solo during “Frankenstein” took up all of 20 minutes, but the thing I remember most vividly is the dead-eyed gaze of Johnny Winter, blues purist, navigating solo breaks in this tumultuous excess like Ahab resigned to his fate in a dinghy, tossed by the sea and pernicious corpus of his brother’s prog rock white whale. I’ll never forget the “Why me Lord?” in his eyes.

Isaac Lowenstein, Kai Slater and Asher Case of Chicago band Lifeguard; playing with Horsegirl at Thalia Hall Aug. 13:

Issac: My first important concert was Parquet Courts, in like 2018. It was my first mosh pit, I was with my sister and in the fifth grade. There was like no control and we were tiny and people were, “Hey! Kids in the pit!” It was beautiful and everyone was caring.

Kai: My first big show was Green Day at Wrigley Field. It had the worst sound. My first punk show was the Thee Oh Sees at the Empty Bottle, in the dead of winter, when they hold an outdoor show. My dad was there and bracing me and it was electric and people were throwing water on us and it was snowing but everyone was overheated.

Asher: My first show was the Breeders and Melkbelly at the Vic. I got the Breeders record and was really into it and knew all the songs. But I was at that Parquet Courts show, too. At the Riviera. When they started, some guy just blew smoke in our faces.

Issac: It’s hard to put into words that first show.

Kai: It’s a physical reaction.

Asher: You’re looking up at a stage and the band shows confidence and I think it demonstrated for me what being a live band was about. The second it ended, I do remember thinking to myself: OK, I think I need to go to more shows.

cborrelli@chicagotribune.com