You never forget your first big concert.

Mine came on this date 25 years ago -- Dec. 7, 1982 -- when I saw The Who at the Milwaukee Arena.

The band was nearing the end of its farewell tour (they've done several since) and it was a big deal at the time. The concert, and the events that preceded it, are etched in my brain.

Like most bands of the day, The Who was ready to bypass Milwaukee. The fact that the farewell tour was sponsored by Schlitz, which was moving to Detroit, added injury to insult.

Since I was too young to travel to attend concerts, I figured my chances of seeing The Who live were non-existent. So did a lot of fans in Milwaukee.

But, we caught a break.

In one of the more celebrated stunts in radio history, "Tim the Rock n' Roll Animal," a DJ from WQFM (93.3), stepped out onto the 21st story ledge of the station's Downtown studio and vowed not to come in until The Who agreed to play a show in Milwaukee.

For two weeks, the Animal broadcast from outside, urging listeners to "Honk of you love The Who" as they passed the station at 606 W. Wisconsin Ave.

One day, Tim got the fateful phone call from The Who singer Roger Daltrey. The band was coming. A mail-in lottery was held for tickets. I got shut out, but my longtime buddy and fellow The Who fanatic, Jeff Gregg, scored a pair. It was a school night, but the folks realized how geeked we were for the show and let us go.

We went to the show and were blown away from the opening notes of the opening number "My Generation."

I've been to hundreds of shows since, but few have matched that in terms of anticipation, excitement and raw power.

You never forget your first one.

If you want to read an in-depth account of that fateful show and the history of one of Milwaukee's great radio stations, check out Scott Beddome's blog -- http://93qfm.blogspot.com.