Henry Rollins opening for Red Hot Chili Pepper 02/16/1992 Le Zenith Paris France - Or how to pass for prepubertal choirboys. The RHCP were exceeded, buried! Rage Against The Machine opening for Suicidal Tendencies 10/09/1992 l'Elysée Montmartre Paris France - First concert in France for RATM 3 weeks before the release of their 1st LP. Everybody was floored... Who are the hell are those guys ??? Some weeks later, we knew !
Broadcast opening for Stereolab in Glasgow in 1996. Two very well matched bands. Broadcast were just about to release their first EP The Book Lovers. Went on to see Broadcast many times in the following years until the sad passing of their singer a few years back.
You're one lucky man. I read in Barry Fey's (concert promoter) biography that LZ's management begged and pleaded for him to add them as the third act for this show that had long since been advertised and sold as a two act gig. He relented at the last minute and included Zeppelin. I'd have to check again but they only got paid something like $250-$300 for the gig. My wife has season tickets to the Denver Performing Arts Center, which is a grouping of theaters that includes the Auditorium Theater (now the Ellie Caulkins Opera House) where this LZ show took place. When I walk by the building on the way to a show, I'll often tell the other couple we're with that this was where Led Zeppelin played their first U.S. concert. Half the time I don't think they believe me.
Blodwyn Pig opening for Johnny Winter (Fillmore East) Curved Air opening for ELP (Fillmore East) Free opening for Blind Faith (Madison Square Garden)
The Eagles opening for Procol Harum, Okeefe Centre, Toronto, 1972. Eagles first album had just been released. They were very tight. Doobie Brothers opening for T.Rex - Massey Hall, Toronto, 1972 Genesis opening for Lou Reed - Massey Hall, Toronto 1973 ................. that was weird. It was the full Peter Gabriel theatrics. The Band opening for CSN&Y, Varsity Stadium, Toronto, 1974 Huey Lewis & the News opening for Graham Parker and the Rumour, Masonic Temple, Toronto, 1982
I'm one of those types who sneaks in a drink or bathroom break. I NEVER remember the opening act, ever. I know. I suck.
Opening acts usually have the crap sound button enabled to ensure the main act sounds the best. The best opening act I think were Power of Dreams (opening for House of Love)
Here's another - Stevie Ray Vaughan opened for Robert Plant in 1988. How could I have overlooked that??
The one that springs immediately to mind is Marah opening for Steve Earle sometime in the early/mid 90's. Marah I'm pretty sure is from Philly and I had never heard of them at the time. What a great live band! Just a ton of fun and super high energy. Not a great match with Steve Earle and although I was very into SE at the time, his show was a bit of a let down after Marah lit the club on fire. Also, Jason and the Scorchers opened for J. Geils - early 80's Black Crowes (very early) opened for ZZ Top - Late 80's
Crikey I would love to hear your view & any expectations or remembrances on Free at MSG having only heared the odd rock critics brief comments!
The first one was a triple bill with REO and Starcastle opening, and the second time I saw Boston was just Starcastle opening. Amazing concerts.
I can imagine! Probably mentioned it in the past but I got into Starcastle initially because of the REO connection. I still like all their albums including the generally reviled Real Yo Reel.
Yeah, I have and like all 4. Real To Reel is more straightforward Rock and just has to be taken as that. I don't like it as much as the first 3, but I don't leave it out when I'm going through their albums.
It's just a different sound, more in the vein of Head East or Murphy era REO. The songwriting and performances are still strong.
Tony Joe White (Opening for Steppenwolf in 1970). He played his electric guitar with occasional swampy wah-wah and a harmonica in a neck rack, accompanied only by a drummer. Sailcat (Opening for the Guess Who in 1972). John Wyker and Court Pickett augmented by 2 lead guitarists and a drummer. They were friendly, folksy, and down home and they really rocked.
I had never heard of Free prior to this. There were 2 openers: Free & Delaney & Bonnie (whom I wasn't into much). Free came on first, and they played with a ton of attitude and a bit of cockiness, which worked in their favor. Each guy had his own persona and they really meshed well. Very solid playing and of course great singing. I wasn't familiar with anything they played though for some reason Walk In My Shadow stuck in my head. At the end Simon Kirke trashed his drum kit, and it was actually pretty cool. They really went for it. I became an instant fan. My friends who went were also were very impressed too. A bit of irony, a couple of years later I had tickets to see them headline at the Fillmore East. I went with a girl I was dating and when we got there, Bill Graham announced that Free would not be playing and replaced them with Delaney & Bonnie who were at the MSG show! Needless to say I was totally bummed out. My girlfriend got annoyed at me for complaining too much, a month or 2 later splitsville