I went to my first concerts at the Waterbury Palace in 1974. Just a young lad in high school. Quite an eye opening experience. I saw Steely Dan in April and then a week later Mott the Hoople and Queen in May. Mott the Hoople was the bigger name at the time. Concert tickets were $6 and I believe I bought them at LaSalles Music in West Hartford. Just paper tickets at the time.
Here are some other shows at the Palace. Pink Floyd was there in 1973.
As far as eating in Waterbury, the only place I frequented was Milite Bakery in Waterbury for their bread. One of my first girlfriends and dormmates from UConn were from Waterbury. And of course Blackie's for hot dogs just down the road in Cheshire.