So what is the earliest concert you can remember going to

Its not quite the same, (being too young or at the time poor for the last of the 70's/80's rock band performances) but my first concerts I performed at. In rural America, High School band was a significant event. I performed in Lincoln, Omaha, Saint Louis and Chicago with our band at Concert halls with about six songs completely memorized and perfected. This doesn't include the HUNDREDS of miles we marched in parades or football fields (in gawd awful shoes).

We were very talented, always put into competition, and people paid to watch our performances for the concerts. I am old enough that the parades that we performed at were still popular with society-people came out in droves to watch parades back then. I am not sure if these practices are still prevalent in rural America as they were an established part of the Midwest Culture.

The only nervousness I had was that my lip muscles for my trumpet would fade out from rehearsals and then the concerts. The Marine band asked me to join them yet I did not want to join the Marines. The amount of effort that we put into preparing a performance, and the work the conductor/director/gig-coordinator/bus-coordinator/kid shepherd/instrument manager/etc. had to do aged that man three years for every mortal year. Anyone one of us could have ruined things for all of us which employed pressure and built camaraderie. Actual performing was an elevated level of living, but like drag racing, was over too soon. What a wonderful preparation for life. I would do anything for our director Mr. Dale Duensing - would fight through the seventh circle of hell to rescue him. What a selfless, dedicated man.