Read more about the challenge here. My first real concert was actually the concert to end all concerts of the mid 90s: Hanson and Backstreet Boys. I went with my mom and my sister. My first real concert that I really wanted to go to was Korn in 2000. I was in 8th grade and it was at the Allstate Arena. It was a stadium show. I've got a few blurry photos from that day, which I included in this post.
Mindless Self Indulgence opened. At the time they were a no-name band. And they were TERRIBLE. The audience was doing whatever they could to boo them off the sage (me included). To the band's credit, the went on playing and told us they didn't care if we thought they sucked. Here's a song from Frankenstein Girls, the album they were promoting at the time, released just a month earlier.
Next was another sucky band, Staind. God I don't know what the appeal was with this band. It was so fucking popular in Illinois at the time. Something about this band just SANG to the sentimental, suburban white-trash loser. This fan was the same guy who thought Tool was musical genius. Was a "really smart guy" but worked at the fucking gas station. stupid tattoos, some pot-related. ICP fans liked this band. Nuff said. Staind was so stupid and boring, the wallpaper of the nu-metal scene. Every time i think of this terrible band I think of strip malls and McDonalds and cars with too many fucking bumper stickers. I think I fell asleep at the concert at this point.
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| Staind...kind of a cool pic for such a shitty band. |
After the shitty opening acts, finally Korn came on. They put on a pretty awesome show. Not Metalocalypse awesome (THAT would be the Rammstein/Slipknot show I'd see a year later). But it was awesome. My and Jon Davis's eyes met and we shared a special moment. Just kidding. Stadium shows are pretty interesting because of the thousands of people who come...it's like a little city of music fans. The party continues into the halls and there's chaos all around. You can't really see the band, which kind of sucks, but it's still pretty fun. I don't think I've gone to a stadium show since I saw NIN in 2005.
I actually made a journal entry that day (when i actually kept a journal). I mentioned a hot guy with white contacts and neon yellow hair. I forgot I saw this dude at the concert, but he definitely showed up in my teenage writing later. In the journal I also mentioned how the guys behind us had really sweaty long hair that kept splashing us with sweat (gross). Apparently there was also a "sick and twisted animation film festival" between sets.
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| Korn |
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| still have the ticket stub. 5.50 convenience charge. and this was BEFORE you bought tickets online. |
What was your first (real) concert?
