Best opening act you've sat through. *

edxactly the same answers i was there in paris too! after the alarm i went out! U2 was awful and simple minds not much better.

 

Elton John opening for The Kinks November 1970.

 

Some unsung heroes called Hustler. Saw them support Queen on the '74 tour. We were convinced they were going to be the next Free. Their debut, 'High Street', is worth hunting down for anyone with an interest in early 70s Brit-rock.

 

Possibly Ron Sexsmith opening for Richard Thompson at the Royal Albert Hall. Ron was the main reason I went though.

 

I sit through all opening acts, regardless of whether I like them or not.
That said, Loudon Wainwright III opened for Richard Thompson here some years ago, and he was quite brilliant. A talented and funny man.

 

Lenny Kravitz opening for The Rolling Stones. The Stones then blew him off the stage, but it was fabulous to hear Let Love Rule live, right after it came out.

OH! Just remembered Traffic opened for The Grateful Dead in '94, I think. Kind of impressive pairing.

 

Saturday May 6th, 1970 had to sit through Steve Miller and the Grateful Dead to wait for Jimi Hendrix at Temple Stadium in Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, although I guess the Grateful Dead were also the big draw just went on before Jimi.

July 12, 1969 Jethro Tull opened for Led Zeppelin at the Spectrum in Philadelphia

John Mayall, Turning Point Era opened for Jefferson Airplane, Volunteers Era at the The Spectrum, Philadelphia PA. on Saturday March 21, 1970.

 

The Doors (a month before their first album dropped) opening for Love at the Cinnamon Cinder/ LA 10/66

 

Linda Ronstadt opening for Neil Young in 1973. This was during the tour that produced Neil's Time Fades Away.

 

Very easy, they toured together and would alternate who would open first.

I saw Dylan open for Simon in an outdoor venue. As the sun was setting, Dylan played "Not Dark Yet", it was an amazing special effect. Not easy to duplicate. Dylan was great!

 

Saw Yes when the Yes Album was released open for Ten Years After. I though that they should have been the headliner.

 

Van Halen opening for the Rolling Stones

Cheap Trick Opening for REO Speedwagon

Blue Oyster Cult opening for KISS

Def Leppard opening for Ozzy

 

Saturday, 22/07/1972, Stevie Wonder opening for The Rolling Stones on their "STP", Civic Arena, Pittsburgh PA, to second-to-last stop of the tour.
Friday, 21/11/1986, Level 42 opening for Steve Winwood, Maple Leaf Gardens Concert Bowl, Toronto ON.

 

California Guitar Trio opening for Adrian Belew in 08 or 09

 

Not an "opening act" in the traditional sense, but at Lollapalooza 93, Rage Against the Machine came on first at noon when people were milling about and not paying attention. They were had mainly grass roots exposure at that point, no radio play or video on Mtv. I hadn't heard a single note of their music. They came out and kicked everyone's asses, and music was changed forever.

 

Seun Kuti's band opening for Red Hot Chili Peppers back in Stockholm in 2011.

It was a brilliant concert and increased my interest in African music. Flea picked them, and came out on stage and mentioned how much he loved the band. He has expressed love of Seun's father Fela Kuti's music, many times in the past.

It was my first time seeing RHCP, who have been one of my favorite bands since the mid 90s. They were ok and the setlist had some great and rarely played inclusions (Me And My Friends, Higher Ground, Sir Psycho Sexy), but as on record, they seem to have lost the energetic spontaneity that they had.

 

Two that come to mind immediately...

Trouble opening for Savatage on their Gutter Ballet tour. Up till that point Trouble was one of those bands I'd heard and read much about, but had never actually heard...and they blew my doors off! I became an instant fanboy.

Rust In Peace era Megadeth opening for Judas Priest's Painkiller tour... I was not much more than a casual Deth fan at that point but they rolled JP up and absolutely smoked'em. Once again, I became an instant fanboy.
I met Dave Mustaine at a book signing for his autobiography a few years ago and told him "I've been waiting 20 years to tell you this, you guys wiped the floor with Judas Priest." Haha

 

Cluelessly I sat through (and didn't pay much attention to) Little Feat at a couple of shows.

Saw The Eagles open for Jethro Tull -- they didn't impress me much.


The one that did impress me -- in fact blew me away -- was Rory Gallagher... I can't even remember who he opened for!

.

 

Bruce Springsteen opening for Anne Murray:
http://www.thelightindarkness.com/n...pringsteens-1974-central-park-gig-discovered/

 

It happened twice actually.

Faith No More doing the first bit before Guns n' Roses at Paris somewhere in the beginning of the nineties. (This was right after their Angel Dust album came out.)

The Almighty (Album was: Powertrippin') played the first part before Iron Maiden in Nancy. Also in the beginning of the nineties.

In both cases the headliners were no match for the hyperactive and pumped up first bands. And having seen both headliners on other occasions, I knew what they could do but those nights, it was like the "openers" swallowed duracell bateries while the "headliners" recharged their old and damaged rechargeable batteries and could only get it half filled.

Very disappointed but as it turned out, The Almighty and Faith No More on the other hand were lovely fresh, innovative and full of new original energy. And to discover bands "live" for the first time, especially at that level, is just kick-in-the-nuts-and-poke-in-the-eye-fantastic.

 

Ian Hunter opening for the Kinks. Both performers outstanding!

 

Blues Image opening for Iron Butterfly in 1969 at the Buffalo aud.

 

Vintage Trouble opening for The Who immediately stands out - they were (are!) absolutely awesome and I've said before that I enjoyed them more in some ways than Pete and Roger...

 

Rory Gallagher opening for Dave Mason @ UVM 1976: ran out and got EVERY Rory album I could find after watching an intensity hard to believe...

 

The Blues Magoos! They opened for The Who and Herman's Hermits here in 1967. They were great almost as good as The Who! Very heavy...