Don Jamieson's First Concert

In First Concert, all kinds of folks discuss their first live music experience and the impact it might have had on their life. As we've talked to dozens of creative people, we've discovered amazing stories of unhinged live performances or forgotten B-sides.

Don Jamieson is a stand-up comedian and the co-host of VH1 Classic’s heavy metal talk show series, That Metal Show. The program is a round-table talk show where legends of rock hang out and discuss their past and current projects in front of a live studio audience full of metal maniacs. He is also a co-host on Beer Money, a fast-paced, non-traditional sports quiz show, airing on SNY (SportsNet New York).

What was the first concert you ever attended? How old were you?

If you don't count The Monkees at Six Flags in Jackson, NJ it was Iron Maiden and Judas Priest at the Asbury Park Convention Center when I was 14. I couldn't hear for three days afterwards.

What do you remember about the performance?

Loud! Both stage shows were great. Iron Maiden had the Eddie Mascot on stage and Halford rode out on his Harley. It was musical perfection. Oh yeah, did I mention LOUD?

How do you think that experience affected you as an artist?

Probably just that I put a little more intensity into what I do and try to give people a solid, high-intensity show. Just once I'd like to ride a Harley on stage at a comedy club!

(Don Jamieson’s new cd Live and Hilarious on Metal Blade Records is currently Top 20 on iTunes comedy charts and is in the top 10 on the Billboard charts. He recently performed stand-up comedy at The Orion Music + More festival where he was introduced by Lars Ulrich. He won an Emmy Award for his work on HBO's Inside The NFL.

Jamieson and comedian Jim Florentine have collaborated on the hidden-camera DVD and ComedyCentral.com series, "Meet The Creeps" as well as a series of prank call CD's, "Terrorizing Telemarketers," which get a lot of airplay on the Howard Stern Radio Show. He has been a featured “Roaster” on Howard’s “Staff Roasts” (he is also a roast joke writer for the country’s best celebrity roaster, Lisa Lampanelli) and has lent his voice to MTV2’s “Crank Yankers.” He is also a regular on HLN's Joy Behar Show.

For the last four years, he has been the regular opener for Andrew Dice Clay. His reputation as one of New York City's top comics was cemented when he was asked to perform live on ABC's Good Morning America.)