Everyone remembers their first. (First concert, that is.) Here, five marie claire editors reminisce on the first band they ever saw live and what they wore to the gig. Spoiler alert: denim skirts, glitter tank tops and Dr Martins ahead…
SARAH GRANT, FEATURES DIRECTOR
Red Hot Chili Peppers
“It was 1993, I was 14 and in the midst of the grunge obsession that had gripped the world, so when the Red Hot Chili Peppers announced they were coming to town (Perth) there was no way my friends and I were going to miss it… We weren’t allowed to “sleep out” for tickets, so we set our alarms for 4am and our very dutiful parents dropped us and our sleeping bags at the centre where the tickets were going on sale. Oh the days of pre Internet! I think this exercise was almost as exciting as the concert itself to be honest, but when they finally arrived in little old Perth, Anthony Kiedis and the flame-breathing Flea blew us away. Best.Night.Ever.”
ISABELLE TRUMAN, SENIOR DIGITAL FASHION AND FEATURES EDITOR
Pink
“I went to – drumroll, please – Pink for my first concert (with my mum, of course) at age 12. She was playing in Wellington, New Zealand so we drove for four hours in the car to get there, probably playing ‘Get the Party Started’ on repeat.”
LUCY E COUSINS, WELLNESS EDITOR
Pearl Jam
“I grew up in Canberra and no one EVER played there. No one. Ever. But when I was 14, Pearl Jam – my favourite all-time band – came and played a massive concert in our only stadium in town. I had to convince by parents to let me go (which took ages), work double shifts at my afterschool job ($3.25 an hour!) and agonise over my outfit (denim skirt, glitter tank top and Dr Martins). It was worth it. Listening to Eddy Vedder’s smooth-as-honey voice nearly blew my little teenage mind.”
ALLEY PASCOE, ENTERTAINMENT AND NEWS EDITOR
Paul Kelly
“I saw Paul Kelly at the Alice Springs Convention Centre when I was 10. Seeing him play ‘To Her Door’ was a life-defining moment for me. No joke, I broke up with my first boyfriend on the school oval by quoting the lyrics, “Shove it Jack, I’m walking out your f***ing door.” His name really was Jack though…I only became a journalist on the off chance that I’d get to interview Paul Kelly one day. It hasn’t happened yet – not through lack of trying/begging his agent. Paul, if you’re reading marieclaire.com.au, please let me interview you.”
JESSICA BOSCO, SENIOR DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR
Destiny’s Child
“The year was 1999, I was 13 and ‘Say My Name’ and ‘Bills Bills Bills’ was my jam – despite the fact that I was legally too young to have worked a day in my life. My friends and I – all in matching outfits of course (I remember a hat but can’t remember specifics) – were so excited we didn’t even care about the fact that we were in the second row from the back.”
