What was the very first bona-fide rock-‘n’-roll gig you ever played? Mine was with future Noise 292 guitarist David Rives and Hannes Kling (big brother of Noise 292 percussionist Wendell) in early 1980 — at a chili cook-off in the University of San Diego gym.
We played at the end of the bill; the school administrator/MC stopped us after two songs to announce the cook-off winners (compelling drummer Chris Gessel to play rolls throughout the awards); and then everybody packed up their chili and fled the building. By the time we finished our set (with “Twist and Shout”!), kids were playing basketball in the empty gym.
How rockin’ were your formative gigs?