You've gotta start somewhere, right? This bunch of musicians truly believed in the importance of getting your foot in the door – even if the door in question actually belonged not to a club, but to a high school or a restaurant.
While more and more artists these days opt to pound the virtual pavement to grow their fanbases instead of playing live first, performing regularly in your city first and foremost has retained its benefits as a way to fine-tune both your music and band dynamic. And, of course, those early shows are where you begin to earn a spot in your local independent scene and win over all its followers and players.
But not everybody's debut show will be at an ideal venue, of course. And sometimes first shows are rocky regardless of location. The debut performances of these five bands and musicians are far from ideal – but did little to thwart their progress. Instead, they pushed on, and eventually broke into the big leagues.
If you're growing weary of open mic coffeehouse gigs, don't. Because that's how Jason Mraz got his start. In fact, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, he honed his chops at one particular spot – Java Joe's in the Ocean Beach area of San Diego – every week for about three years. He self-released a live album of his performances there in 2001, and a year later signed with Elektra Records. Let that be a reminder to anyone who doesn't believe performing at small coffee shop can lead to life-altering opportunities.
Two years ahead of releasing their iconic 1976 debut, the Ramones played before a crowd of about 30, most of whom were friends, at their rehearsal space, Performance Studios. Most accounts of the show recall a sloppy set: they were still a trio then, and bassist Dee Dee struggled on lead vocals, and Joey, not yet having discovered his strong suit as frontman, played drums somewhat ineptly. (He was later replaced by Tommy, then Marky.) It took them a short while to firm up the right lineup – Tommy took over on drums for a few years before Marky came in. But once they moved Joey up and nailed the arrangement altogether – well, you know the rest.
They're known as a pioneering hippie rock group that first performed at one of Ken Kesey's Acid Tests in the mid-60s, but before they were the Grateful Dead, they went by the Warlocks – and their debut wasn't exactly a magical one. It was on May 5, 1965, at a suburban, family-oriented pizzeria in Menlo Park called Magoo's Pizza. But the band managed to pack it out anyway, both that night and again on the 12th. They changed their name not long after; the Velvet Underground was using the same moniker in New York at that time, and it was rumored that another West Coast band had just signed a contract as the Warlocks. We know all of these details because, despite their inauspicious beginnings, they ultimately amassed a legion of worshipers who continue to meticulously chronicle their legacy to this day.
The English singer-songwriter is pretty much an international superstar now, but he had to put in plenty of work to hit that height. In the mid-2000s, when he was 14 or 15, he was playing neighborhood pubs, and not all of them were too keen on live music. At one show, young Ed borrowed a friend's PA, set it up, and soundchecked himself – and within a few minutes, the owner said he was too loud and asked him to leave. With no fans in attendance to back him up – remember, this was really early on – he gathered his gear and left. Aww.
Forget for a second that obnoxious promotional partnership with Apple, and remember that U2 still stands tall as one of the most famous bands in the world. You can love 'em or hate 'em, but you've gotta give them credit for the famed they've earned, especially considering they've been at it since they were kids. Their first show was at their Dublin high school's talent show – and no, they didn't win.
Jhoni Jackson is an Atlanta-bred music journalist currently based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she juggles owning a venue called Club 77, freelance writing and, of course, going to the beach as often as possible.