What Was The First And Or Best Concert You've Been To In The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Area? (Philadelphia: sales, hotel)

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

I was just watching VH1 classic concerts and fond memories flooded my mind. My first concert was KISS, argueably not the most talented band; but they put on one hell of a concert.

It was at King's College Gym in Wilkes-Barre and the place was sold out and really hopping. Although I have seen better bands(Rennaissance); I'll always love that first KISS concert in 1976.

[shoegal111]

There are two best concerts that I went to in NEPA. One wasn't actually a concert but more of a 3 hr lecture with Billy Joel. The other was Stevie Ray Vaughn at the Kirby Center.

My first concert in NEPA was Cheap Trick and it was good but not the best.

The best show I have ever been to anywhere was actually Ertha Kitt and it wasn't here. Boy could she put on a performance.

[W-B proud]

AC/DC at Wachovia Arena. I like AC/DC, but I'm not a die hard fan by any means, but I'll tell you what, they where the loudest, and the best concert I have ever seen. I didn't even buy tickets to the show. I was driving taxi at the time... I picked up a couple of drunk, biker looking guys from Binghamton, NY at the local W-B Red Roof Inn. They wanted to "get primed up" at the closest bar( for the concert). They were already pretty loaded when I picked them up at the hotel. On the way to the bar they told me, "listen...three of us came to town to see the show, one of our buddies couldn't make it, and we have a free ticket left". They had no transportation to and from the show. I told them I was getting off duty at six o'clock PM from driving taxi. They told me "if I would pick them up from the bar (after I got off work) and took them too the show, and gave them a ride back to the Red Roof Inn after the show, that they would give me the extra ticket for free. I had nothing else to do that night, so I said "yeah, why not!" Anyway, after work, just as predicted, I went to that East End bar and picked them up in my regular car, and sure enough, they were true to there word. They were pretty drunk, but they gave me the extra ticket as promised. So we drove up to the arena (they were loaded). We tailgated. I had a few beers (they had a few beer's and a little bit more). We went to the show, and it was the best damn show I had ever seen in my life!!! I'm not even a die hard AC/DC fan. I hung out with these three biker guys all night. We (at first) were in the nose bleed section...all the way up top. But the one guy "Will" that I was there with decided we should sneak all the way to the front, bottom row. At first I thought "No! we can't do that!" but I was a little tippsy, and he talked me into it. Anyway, we were able to sneak all the way up to the front stage, but totally to the left. We were at the very front of the show (but like I said, to the left) were the roadies were working the sound board ect... At one point in the show everyone was thowing bra's, headbands, whatever up on stage. I threw a bandana I was wearing up onto the stage, and wouldn't you know it, Brian Johnson himself (the lead singer) picked it up and wiped his sweat away with it! I kid you not! It was something else, and I didn't pay a dime for any of it! Anyway AC/DC was awesome. They were very loud, but in tune and good sound. They were louder then any other band I have ever seen live, and I have seen more (heavy medal) bands then them like Tool, Stone Temple Pilots, God Smack ect. AC/DC was by far the loudest, and the best live show I have ever seen, and I didn't pat a dime to see the show. I got to go for free, and I made some good friends from Binghamton, NY that night that I'll never forget. Anyway, even if you are not the biggest AC/DC fan on earth, i suggest you go see them if they come back to the area. They are awesome live in concert!

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

Originally Posted by W-B proud

AC/DC at Wachovia Arena. I like AC/DC, but I'm not a die hard fan by any means, but I'll tell you what, they where the loudest, and the best concert I have ever seen. I didn't even buy tickets to the show. I was driving taxi at the time... I picked up a couple of drunk, biker looking guys from Binghamton, NY at the local W-B Red Roof Inn. They wanted to "get primed up" at the closest bar( for the concert). They were already pretty loaded when I picked them up at the hotel. On the way to the bar they told me, "listen...three of us came to town to see the show, one of our buddies couldn't make it, and we have a free ticket left". They had no transportation to and from the show. I told them I was getting off duty at six o'clock PM from driving taxi. They told me "if I would pick them up from the bar (after I got off work) and took them too the show, and gave them a ride back to the Red Roof Inn after the show, that they would give me the extra ticket for free. I had nothing else to do that night, so I said "yeah, why not!" Anyway, after work, just as predicted, I went to that East End bar and picked them up in my regular car, and sure enough, they were true to there word. They were pretty drunk, but they gave me the extra ticket as promised. So we drove up to the arena (they were loaded). We tailgated. I had a few beers (they had a few beer's and a little bit more). We went to the show, and it was the best damn show I had ever seen in my life!!! I'm not even a die hard AC/DC fan. I hung out with these three biker guys all night. We (at first) were in the nose bleed section...all the way up top. But the one guy "Will" that I was there with decided we should sneak all the way to the front, bottom row. At first I thought "No! we can't do that!" but I was a little tippsy, and he talked me into it. Anyway, we were able to sneak all the way up to the front stage, but totally to the left. We were at the very front of the show (but like I said, to the left) were the roadies were working the sound board ect... At one point in the show everyone was thowing bra's, headbands, whatever up on stage. I threw a bandana I was wearing up onto the stage, and wouldn't you know it, Brian Johnson himself (the lead singer) picked it up and wiped his sweat away with it! I kid you not! It was something else, and I didn't pay a dime for any of it! Anyway AC/DC was awesome. They were very loud, but in tune and good sound. They were louder then any other band I have ever seen live, and I have seen more (heavy medal) bands then them like Tool, Stone Temple Pilots, God Smack ect. AC/DC was by far the loudest, and the best live show I have ever seen, and I didn't pat a dime to see the show. I got to go for free, and I made some good friends from Binghamton, NY that night that I'll never forget. Anyway, even if you are not the biggest AC/DC fan on earth, i suggest you go see them if they come back to the area. They are awesome live in concert!

I know what you mean about loud: My ears are still ringing from that KISS concert and Aerosmith at Hershey Park Arena...LOL...What ya say.......I couldn't hear ya....LOL.

[thecoalman]

First was Motley Crue/Whitesnake, not only first here but first ever.

Best was Rush but I'm big Rush fan and have seen them at two previous shows. Actually hadn't planned on going to that show but my GF won tickets for it.

[NYRangers 2008]

There are so many....I few that come to mind

1988 Pocono Downs-Aerosmith and Guns N Roses
1989 Pocono Downs- Bon Jovi and Skid Row
2008 Toyota Pavillion- CrueFest

[Summering]

Originally Posted by PITTSTON2SARASOTA

I was just watching VH1 classic concerts and fond memories flooded my mind. My first concert was KISS, argueably not the most talented band; but they put on one hell of a concert.

It was at King's College Gym in Wilkes-Barre and the place was sold out and really hopping. Although I have seen better bands(Rennaissance); I'll always love that first KISS concert in 1976.

KISS, is going on tour again........It was just announced today.......so look up when they will be in our area!!
My best concert was, at one time, Michael Jacksons Tour.......But........the latest favorite is Rascal Flatts. Oh YEP!

[johnqpublic]

1 Billy Joel ,twice at the CYC when he was a nobody
2 Steppenwolf..Rocky Glen
3 Arlo Guthrie..The Station, W.B....actually had a beer with him after the show!!
4 Blue Oyster Cult ..Kingston Armory..good show, great riot afterward!!!lol

[SteelCityRising]

My first concert was the Trans-Siberian Orchestra at the Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township. EXCELLENT! I was going to go to Coldplay in Scranton as well before they canceled due to poor ticket sales (says something about the lack of appreciation for mellow music in our area). They put on an awesome show in Philadelphia though!

[Magritte25]

I've only been to two concerts: Reba McIntyre @ Wachovia Arena about 13 years ago and James Taylor @ Montage about 10 or 11 years ago.

I'm not a big concert goer...LOL...can you tell?