The Vaniers - FIRST CONCERT EVER

In this First Concert Ever segment, Alex Iacobellis, guitarist of the rock band, The Vaniers, talks about the story of his first experience with live music. You can check out the story below:

The first concert I ever went to was to see Rush, in 2007 on the Snakes & Arrows Tour. I was 10 years old, my Dad took me there, and it was unforgettable. Honestly, it was a really formative experience for me as a musician. I grew up hearing all of those songs; on the radio, on the way to hockey practice, and it seemed like Moving Pictures was always spinning at home - they surrounded me my whole life.

Although I was very young and a relatively new Rush fan at the time, I still remember quite a bit from that night. I remember them opening the show with my favorite song at the time - Limelight, which was a riff I had recently learned to play on guitar. I also remember getting my first whiff of weed smoke coming from the long-haired dudes sitting in front of us. Neil Peart’s iconic drum solo stands out as a highlight for the night, and also probably discouraged me from even trying to pick up the drums. I walked away from that show completely mind blown and it had a huge effect on me. Until I got the chance to experience them live, never could I have imagined that this massive sound was being created by just three guys onstage. It gave me a big appreciation for what a simple guitar, bass, and drums trio could accomplish in a rock band, and made me want to eventually put a trio together of my own.

As I dove deeper into the band, I found out that Rush was actually formed just down the street from where I grew up - no joke, Alex and Geddy lived within 5 minutes away from me. Knowing that a trajectory like theirs was a possibility for a band north of Toronto was a big realization as well. As a kid recently picking up an instrument and discovering his taste in music, Rush was a great place to start - looking up to three guys who were all masters of their craft respectively, would be inspiring to any young musician. Alex Lifeson became my favorite guitar player for many of my formative years - in fact, I still play his signature Les Paul as my main guitar both live and in the studio to this day.

Keep up with The Vaniers on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Spotify.