Opening Acts So Much Better Than Headliners that You Went Home Early

Les Dudek opening for Kansas. I couldn't physically leave, since it was a long way from home, and I came with friends, but Kansas was so bad, yet so pretentious, that I had mentally checked out by the third number. Dudek was awesome tho.

 

Much music of note. Let's see ... 29 albums. Several charting singles. "Jim Dandy to the rescue." "Hot 'n Nasty" are a couple. And if I described a Who show in the same crazy destructive manner would you say "kids playing at rock stars"?

 

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer opened for Jethro Tull in '96. Once Tull appeared on stage, I was hankering for more high speed progressive rock, but nope. So I bailed. ELP is still one of my most favorite concerts, as short as it was.

 

Another member had a reaction similar to yours, one or two pages back. I remember I wanted to catch a show from that double bill, but it was too far away. I liked Jethro Tull's latest album, and they were still playing a few songs from it in their set.

 

Can't say I blame you. I salute your choices on all four shows. Can't believe that Gabriel opened for MO ?! I would think it would be just the opposite.

 

I saw Faith No More and Soundgarden open for Voi Vod with some friends back in '90. We left around 4 songs into the headliner's set. We weren't there to see them and we simply couldn't get into them.

Shameful but true.

 

I've never left a concert early. I'm gonna get my money's worth even if it's free,

 

In 1992 or 1993. We went to see Iron Maiden in Nancy and the opener was the unknown band The Almighty. They had more energy and a better, yes, I kid you not, a better sound than Maiden. We left Maiden after three songs.

 

The WOMAD festival was Pete's baby, so it remains perplexing to me that he wasn't the closer. I don't know if he played earlier in the day to be generous or there was some other reason, but since a) it was his festival and b) he was the most popular act on the bill, it was strange he didn't close.

Area2 was Moby's gig, so that's why he closed. Actually, IIRC, Moby wanted Bowie to close but he preferred to let Moby finish off the day. Whether that was respect or an ulterior motive is unknown to me...

 

I can see that. I've never left a movie early - been tempted - and over 800+ concerts, the handful I cited are the only ones on which I bailed.

I bailed partly due to lack of interest but also due to logistics. Traffic issues were a factor - I didn't want to be stuck in traffic for hours because I watched some band I don't even like!

That wasn't an issue for No Doubt, but I partly bailed because I was exhausted. Here was my schedule that week:

Sunday: drive to NYC, see Bowie
Monday: drive to Philly, see Bowie
Tuesday: fly from Philly to Miami, stay in Fort Lauderdale, see Stones in Fort Lauderdale
Wednesday: drive to Miami, stay in Miami, see Stones in Miami
Thursday: fly from Miami to Philly, drive to Baltimore, go to concert

So by the time Garbage left the stage, I was ready to go home!!!

 

J. Geils Band opening for Mountain in Denver. Never seen so many people trying to leave a place so fast!

 

Def Leppard opened up for Billy Squier at the International Amphitheater in Chicago and just smoked so hot they blew BS of the stage. Half the audience left after Leppard and Squire was so pissed he took it out on his drummer by throwing drum sticks at the drummer. He actually stopped in the middle of a song and just started chucking sticks one after another at his drummer.

 

and I can't remember ever an opening act I've seen better than the headliner. Van Halen opening for Sabbath in 1978 on Never Say Die was close but no cigar.

 

I can think of a few. Usually I went in thinking I would like or at least didn't mind the headliner, but bailed when they failed to engage

Dictators before Buzzcocks
Etron Fou Leloublan before National Health
Mahavishnu (after Frampton's Camel) before J. Geils
Gentle Giant before Climax Blues Band
Procol Harum before Foghat. I actually didn't leave this one, just sat in the back by the door with my buddy the bouncer, drinking our choice from the 55 gallon barrel full of liquor and beer he'd confiscated from the audience on their way in.

 

I saw PJ Harvey open for the band Live in '95 and left after she played. I sorta liked that Lightning Strikes song too, but the crowd was annoying.

 

Psychedelic Furs opening for Blondie. To be fair, though, I went specifically to see the Furs and wasn't really a Blondie fan to begin with.

 

The Kinks opening for Hall & Oats. WTF ?