Three come to mind; James opening for Duran Duran...the only time I've fallen asleep at a show! Shooting Gallery opening for KISS...I don't think I've every seen a crowd react so poorly to a band. Rage Against The Machine opening for U2...I wanted to rip my ears off. Special shout-out to Yesterdays Pants...I think they were opening for The Arsons. It was a special kind of bad. I seem to recall their theme song going something like "where are my keys? In yesterday pants...can't find my money, yesterdays pants"
My only memory of the crowd at the 1986 Dead/Dylan show I attended: During the break between Dylan and the Dead, I scanned the field with binoculars to scope for any topless women. Didn't see any, but I did view a fat, completely naked guy. He went through a routine as he wandered the field. He'd reach down, pick up a discarded can or cup, throw it over his shoulder, briefly handle his "package", and then repeat the process. Very, very odd. I kept wondering how this clearly HEAVILY medicated guy was ever gonna find his clothes after the show!
Yeah, they didn't do it for me, either. Bowie just thought they were awesome back then - he'd often talk about how great they were - but I didn't care for them at all. They just seemed like "Up with People" combined with a cult. IIRC, the lyrics tended to be along the lines of "Hey, it's the sun!/It's a sunny day!/I love the sun!"
She was more entertaining when she opened for the 2010-11 shows, IMO. She just played DJ - she'd spin records and dance a little. (Actually, I think he set was pre-recorded and she pretended to spin records, but the result was the same.) I didn't love the DJ thing in 2010-11, but it was better than the bland, tuneless EDM she'd churn in 2014. Speaking of Gaga opening acts, I loved Semi Precious Weapons!
Zep clones Kingdom Come,who opened the "Monsters of Rock" tour...lots of booing and cups flying towards the stage.
Kingdom Come were reasonably well-received at MoR Philly, and aside of "Get It On" (which certainly rips off a bunch of Zep motifs) they really sound nothing like Zeppelin.
Attended lots of shows in San Francisco and environs from 1967-1971. The worst opening acts I saw in that time were Chuck Berry (utter lack of professionalism and respect for audience or backing band) and Blue Cheer (no discernible talent). Don't recall who they were opening for. Most disappointing headliner was Led Zeppelin on their first tour. Never gave them a second chance. Only learned much later that on a good night they could be very good indeed.
Polkacide opening for Sun Ra at Ruthie's Inn, Berkeley 1984 (or 83?). Started late, then said "That was our sound check, we'll be back after we change" and they did two sets of awful punk polkas wearing lederhosen Sun Ra didn't even start until maybe 10:30, but they played 3 long sets and we left there at 2:30 in the morning totally elated.
Queensryche opening for AC/DC. Queensryche opening for Iron Maiden. Queensryche opening for Metallica (twice)
Cirque du Soleil opening for McCartney. What the F, Paul, can't even bring a band with you? A bunch of idiots in costumes hanging off of things?
In the early seventies I saw Sir Lord Baltimore open for ? at the East Towne Theater in Detroit. They did sound ok for the first two songs, then got booed pretty badly after that. Too bad, I really like their Kingdom Come LP.
I know there are a lot of Rush fans here, but when they opened for Rory Gallagher, I don't know, they could have played fine, but they were so loud I had to hang in the lobby.
IIRC, that wasn't actual Cirque du Soleil - that was some similar act. And I agree they were pretty awful!
Goldie opening for Jane's Addiction during their reunion tour with Flea on bass in late '97 at the Bill Graham Civic in San Francisco. Aside from Goldie, that was a really fun show, there was a bunch of rooms with different stuff going on all evening, Drum Room, Poetry Room, Dance Room, etc and my buddy and I were getting pretty solidly ripped by the time Goldie came on around 10pm, It was basically looped drum beats at ear-splitting volume for about 45 minutes and it seemed like there was no place in the venue to get away from it. Courtney Love/Hole opening for Jane's Addiction during their next reunion tour in 2001 at the Hollywood Bowl. She was alright until she decided she was going to stay on stage until *she* felt it was time to end her set. They cut the power, so she was banging away un-mic'd on acoustic guitar to the "lucky" people in the front until it got to the point stage hands were chasing her around the stage and the audience was booing her to leave. After she was literally carried off stage, she was running around backstage screaming for Perry Farrell. Supposedly, she managed to corral several record execs and industry types in the mens room and forced them to hear her band play several songs (she was looking for a new contrct/label at the time). She killed so much time, Jane's cut short their set which included a full Pornos For Pyros reunion by a few songs to beat the curfew. Amen opening for Killing Joke in 2003 at the El Ray Theater. Amen fronted by singer Casey Chaos was kind of a punky Misfits/hardcore metal band. When they opened for Killing Joke, at first the audience was fairly receptive but their tunes quickly grew tiring and Casey's self indulgent rants further pissed people off. At the end of their set, he tried to climb the lighting rig and fell off, apparently breaking his arm. He was led offstage literally bawling his eyes out. Kings Of Leon opening for U2 during the first leg of the 2005 tour. One of the more unenthusiastic bands I've seen in recent memory. Bad enough they were boring, but since I caught 3 shows in about 2 week's time and I was able to score pit access 2 of the 3 shows and was on the rail right in front of The Edges side of the stage, I had to endure their shoe gazing dreck or give up my spot in front of the stage. Now one band that a lot of people in the audience didn't like but I thought were incredible was the last time I saw The Cramps in '06 at the House Of Blues (one of the last shows they ever played in fact) in Hollywood just before Halloween, they had this Detroit band called The Demolition Doll Rods open and I felt like Robert Hilburn when he first saw Bruce Springsteen. I was seriously blown away by the sound this gorgeous chick playing guitar and her bandmate on lead guitar and this chick playing a single snare, crash cymbal and bass drum were putting out. This guy next to me is yelling at the top of his lungs for them to get off the stage and I got in his face and told him I'd f**k him up if he didn't shut up and get out of the pit. Here's a band I'm like 3 or 4 songs into for the first time and I'm ready to go Keaton/Bruce Wayne crazy on some stranger's a*s. Months later, The Demolition Doll Rods broke up....
Well it was more like they were the inappropriate opening band that I was not in the mood to see opening for those bands. And I've just seen them so. many. times. that it was tedious during the '80s. I think I've seen them more than those shows too...
