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Guns N' Roses -

The band's live debut was on June 8, 1985 at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California.

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Oasis -

The band first hit the stage on August 18, 1991, at the Boardwalk club in Manchester. Noel Gallagher, however, was not part of the band just yet. He later joined his brother Liam, and the rest is history.

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Eminem -

Marshall Mathers got booed during his first gig in Detroit in 1996 and found the experience to be quite traumatic. "I just remember it being so traumatic, and I think I went home and I was like, man, I quit.”

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The Beatles -

The Beatles made their live debut on February 9, 1961, at The Cavern Club in Liverpool, England. Back then, Pete Best was on the drums.

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Foo Fighters -

The band first played live for a group of friends and family above a boat house in Seattle on February 19, 1995.

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Foo Fighters -

Their first 'official' show, however, took place a few days later, on February 23 at the Jambalaya Club in Arcata, California. "It was a weight off my shoulders," recalled Dave Grohl.

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David Bowie -

Bowie played a few shows under the name Davie Jones, but his first gig as David Bowie was on  October 8, 1965 at London's Marquee Club.

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AC/DC -

The Aussie rockers played their first gig in 1973 at Chequers Nightclub in Sydney. The story goes that they played so loud that the club manager cut off their power every 20 minutes.

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U2 -

The band's first ever live performance was actually during a talent contest in their school canteen in Dublin, Ireland. U2 played at St. Fintan's High School in 1977.

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Mötley Crüe -

The Crüe first stepped on a stage as a band on April 24, 1981, at the Starwood in West Hollywood, California. "I remember walking down the stairs onto the stage and hardly knowing Tommy and Vince and Mick, but at the same time feeling like I’d known them my whole life," recalled bassist and songwriter Nikki Sixx.

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Led Zeppelin -

On September 7, 1968, The New Yardbirds (as they were called before changing their name) played their first gig at Gladsaxe Teen Club in Gladsaxe, Denmark (pictured).

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Led Zeppelin -

According to guitarist Jimmy Page, the band had only practiced for "about 15 hours" before playing their first show. "It was sort of an experimental concert to see if we were any good, I guess," he added.

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The Rolling Stones -

The first official Rolling Stones live performance was at the Marquee Jazz Club in London, on July 12, 1962.

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Kiss -

Kiss' live debut was on January 30, 1973, at the Popcorn Club in Queens, New York. They performed for about 10 people.

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Aerosmith -

Guitarist Joe Perry's mom got her kid's band their first show at Nipmuc Regional High School in Mendon, Massachusetts, on November 6, 1970.

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Joy Division -

The post-punk outfit, then called Warsaw, played their first show at the Electric Circus in Manchester on May 29, 1977.

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The SexPistols -

On November 6, 1976, the punk rock band played their first gig at Saint Martin’s College, in London.

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Pulp -

Entry to the band's first show at Rotherham Arts Centre in July 1980 only cost 60p (less than US$1)!

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The Smiths -

The band's first gig was on February 4, 1983, at Manchester's historic nightclub and music venue The Haçienda.

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The Smiths -

"Morrissey had started yodeling by then, and he’d get down on his shoulders and put his legs straight into the air… None of this was rehearsed. I remember watching the faces of the people at the front. It was just shock: 'What the hell is this?'" drummer Mike Joyce recalled in an interview.

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Blur -

The Britpop band first hit the stage in June 1989, then under the name Seymour. The gig was actually a birthday party of one of Damon Albarn's relatives. It took place at East Anglian Railway Museum in Wakes Colne, England.

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Blur -

"We were extremely energetic, pushing the drum kit over and smashing guitars. We went down very well, they absolutely loved us," recalled the band in an interview.

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The Doors -

The Doors played their first show at the London Fog on LA’s Sunset Strip in 1966.

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Depeche Mode -

Founding members Dave Gahan and Martin Gore met at James Hornsby School in Basildon, England. In May 1980, the group played their first show there.

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Pixies -

The alternative rockers played their first show in 1986 at Jack's in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "No-one was there and they got our name wrong. We were advertised as the Puxies. That was a bummer," they recalled.

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The Cure -

The Cure's first show was actually under the name of Easy Cure. The group was then fronted by vocalist Peter O'Toole (not to be confused with the actor). The show was in 1977 at Saint Edward's Hall in Crawley, England. A few months later, front man Robert Smith joined them and The Cure as we know them was formed.

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Muse -

Matt Bellamy pulled the classic rock 'n' roll move of smashing his guitar at the band's first ever gig in February 1994. This was during a battle of the bands show at Broadmeadow Sports Centre in Teignmouth, England.

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The Velvet Underground -

The New York art rockers fronted by Lou Reed played their first gig in 1965 at Summit High School in New Jersey. The band was paid US$75.  Drummer Angus MacLise quit after the gig.

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Ed Sheeran -

Ed Sheeran played live for the first time in 2001 at his school concert when he was just 11 years old. "I often think that if I hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’m not saying I was great but I had a good reaction. I remember [...] being at home and crying to my dad: ‘I don’t want to do it!’," he recalled.

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The Police -

Sting and his bandmates first hit the stage on March 1977 at the Alexandria Club in Newport, Wales.

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Arctic Monkeys -

English indie rockers Arctic Monkeys played their first show in their hometown, Sheffield. The gig, which took place on June 13, 2003, was at the Grapes Pub. They played two covers during their set: 'Hotel Yorba' by The White Stripes, and 'Teenage Kicks' by The Undertones.

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Kings of Leon -

Front man Caleb Followill described the band's first show as "one of the scariest moments" of his entire life. The gig in question took place at Smith’s Olde Bar in Atlanta in 2003.

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Kings of Leon -

Caleb Followill recalls what went down that night: "We walked in and saw all the cowboy hats, and I said to the guys, ‘Tonight, these songs will be alternative country.’ We went out there and people were takin’ their cowboy hats off, goin’ ‘Whoo!’."

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Bombay Bicycle Club -

The band's first gig was at their own school in North London. Front man Jack Steadman (aka Mr Jukes) described the 2005 show as "scarring," adding that "it was a bit of a disaster, but it set us up for future disasters to come."

Sources: (The Independent) (WMGK) (NME) (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)

See also: The biggest concerts of all time

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