Motley Crue,Accept - June 1984 on the Shout at the Devil Tour at the CNE Coliseum Building.
Motley Crue were opening for Ozzy on his Bark at the Moon Tour and on some off nights they decided to book a few headlining shows in some smaller venues.
For me, it all started with Circus Magazine. Each month they would have a concert listings page for the bands out on tour and scheduled for June was the Crue in Toronto. Concerts at this point were mythical illusions that were on TV, but walking to school with my friend Scott he boldly announced he was getting tickets to see Motley.
I told him, if he could get tickets that I was in. It was never going to happen, Scott never had any money and his parents were more strict than mine and besides these concerts sell out so fast it would be near impossible to even buy a ticket. Was I shocked when he appeared a few days later telling me I owed him 15 dollars and he handed me a single yellow ticket to "paradise".
In my hands was a ticket to be in the same building as Motley Crue. Adrenaline pumped through me as I realized my next problem.
Never expecting to have a ticket, I never even mentioned the idea to my parents. Now I had to inform them I was off to a rock show in Toronto! This could only be bad.
Scott and I discussed my strategy and I approached my parents. Scott's Dad was going to take us to the concert, wait for us and then drive us home. This was perfect because my Dad would never have done that. So I pleaded my case and ensured them that Scott's Dad was taking us to the concert (not a lie). I just may have neglected to mention that he was waiting outside and not actually attending the show(details, details). To my surprise it was a go.
The show was a Sunday. It was worse than Christmas as we counted down the days and hours before we would see the Crue. Sunday morning I was over at Scott's house ridiculously early and we sat in his backyard listening to the music we would soon hear played live.
I remember driving along lakeshore in Toronto and seeing the marquee sign read "Tonight Motley Crue/Accept" Accept? what was that? Our tickets said that Saxon was the opening band? That was actually good news as neither of us was excited to hear Saxon, but Accept had a pretty cool song (Balls to the Wall) that we were familliar with.
The concert was general admission so by the time we rolled up to the lineup at 2 in the afternoon we were quite a ways back in the que. Wow what a site. Spandex, leather studs tattoos. We were not in Kansas anymore toto. We spent the afternoon attempting to fit in and look as cool as two 14 year olds (and Scott's younger brother Glenn who was all of 12) could.
When they opened the door we made our way into the building deciding to get a decent. Vantage point up in the stands as the floor seemed a little too scary of a concept. Grabbing some good seats we sat down as excited as I have ever been.
When the lights went out and Accept hit the stage it was LOUD. Ear splitting, oh my god that hurts kinda loud. It took the better part of the first song before my ears adjusted and I witnessed Accept burn through a blistering metal set. It was all unknown music except the last song but it was raw, powerful and loads of fun.
Motley took to the smoking stage after Alister Fiend finnished the "In the Beginning.." Intro smashing their way through Shout at the Devil. The smoke, the lights, the pryro and all the tunes we knew and loved, the next 90 minutes was spent banging our heads, screaming along with every word and air guitaring along with our heroes.
Nikki Sixx became my guy. The way he owned the stage and beat on his bass he was soooo cool. I made up my mind that day that I wanted to play the bass.
By the time we got home plans were underway to form our own band and take on the world!!! One thing was for sure, a concert was ten times the rush of a new album and I was looking forward to seeing as many as I could get to. Next up...Ratt!
