Jon Bryant - FIRST CONCERT EVER

In this First Concert Ever segment, the alternative singer-songwriter, Jon Bryant, talks about the story of his first experience with live music. You can check out the story below:

OK, so my first concert ever was Lynyrd Skynyrd. I was 12 years old and had saved up just enough lawn-mowing money to buy a ticket. They were playing at the Metro Centre in Halifax, and the tickets were $35—which, at the time, was basically everything I had.

I got into Lynyrd Skynyrd because a few guys on my hockey team were obsessed with them. Everyone I knew loved classic rock, so when I heard they were coming to town, I had to go. At that point, there were only two original members left in the band, but I didn’t care. It was Skynyrd.

So there I was: 12 years old, wandering solo through a massive stadium—still not sure how that was allowed—and made my way to the floor to find my seat. I was surrounded by grown men, many of whom had snuck in weed and various other paraphernalia. At one point, a group of guys behind me were headbanging so hard that their sweat was literally flying through the air and landing on me. I was thoroughly grossed out and ended up moving to some empty seats closer to the stage.

I vividly remember them playing “Simple Man,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” and of course, “Free Bird.” I was especially hyped for the 17-minute guitar solo. It was unforgettable—one of those life-shaping moments that made me want to become a musician.

Pretty sure it was also the first time I got high—unintentionally—thanks to the thick cloud of secondhand smoke from the headbangers surrounding me.

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