Billy Joel opening for the Michael Stanley Band-1976/77 at Akron Civic Theatre. Billed as co-headliners, if I remember correctly.
Charlie Daniels Band opening for the New Riders Of The Purple Sage...incredible...they blew away the New Riders...
Probably Rockpile opening up for Van Morrison. Cleveland Public Hall, late October either '78 to '79. What a fabulous set by an incredible band!
The National and Modest Mouse for R.E.M. Dawes opening for Blitzen Trapper. Willie Nelson for Bob Dylan. The best band I knew nothing about beforehand would be Man Man opening for Modest Mouse.
Marillion open for Rush 9/83 Radio City Music Hall NYC Soundgarden open for Voivod with Faith No More 1/90 Ritz NYC Joe Satriani open for Stevie Ray Vaughan 8/88 Pier NYC Zodiac Mindwarp open for Guns N'Roses 5/88 Felt Forum NYC all great shows......
I saw The Records open for Joe Jackson in 1979; it was a great surprise for me because I only went for a night out (with a free ticket) with a friend who was a Jackson friend. I'd never liked him and still can't stand his music (or voice) to this day. But as a result of that night, those two Records albums (I believe they only made two..??) hold a very dear place in my record "collection".
Ozzy's first solo tour (79 IIRC?), opening the show was Motorhead! Rockville opening for Elvis Costello Ramones opening for Iggy (Lust for Life tour)...Ramones stole the show completely for me, didn't even stay through all Iggy's set and I was a fan.
Best opening act I've seen was probably Squeeze, opening for Elvis Costello on the Trust tour. J. Geils for the Stones was good, but the venue was probably too big to really see what was going on. The Clash opening for the Who was really, really disappointing, same with Replacements opening for Tom Petty. Great bands, but both were on the downhill slide by then.
Pegboy opening for Social Distortion Tar opening for the Jesus Lizard Unrest opening for Superchunk Elf Power opening for Guided by Voices The Mendoza Line opening for Elf Power God's Favorite Band opening for Alice Donut Chokebore opening for Samiam Prong opening for Sepultera Urusei Yatsura opening for The Wedding Present Band of Horses opening for My Morning Jacket Superdrag opening for Guided by Voices
Social Distortion and Sonic Youth opening for Neil Young in 1991 (which was, coincidentally, the year that punk broke).
Stevie Ray Vaughn opening for The Who Muddy Waters opening for Eric Clapton Judas Priest Opening for Foghat
Roxy Music opening for, ugh, Babe Ruth. Roxy was great; "Country Life" was the current album. I didn't stick around for the Babe.
Metallica opening for Ozzy in...'86, i think ? Metallica in the middle of the bill during Monsters of Rock, LA Coliseum...88' ? (people on the field almost getting crushed during their set). interesting thing is i've never seen Metallica by themselves despite of it
Guns ‘n’ Roses blew the Cult off the stage, August 1997 When I saw ...Trail of Dead about 12 years back they brought along three other Austin bands as openers - Octopus Project, the Black, and The Sword. All three were great, but it was the Sword who really made an impression.
Some of the more interesting ones: Radiohead opening for Belly in 1994 The Pixies opening for U2 in 1992 The Fugees opening for Coolio in 1996