One great opener that pops into mind is a pretty unknown Bon Jovi opening for The Scorpions. Rather a different style of music than the mighty Scorps but they acquitted themselves well and I really did think "these guys could go pretty far"-not imagining by any means the huge scale of their success. I've been lucky to see a lot of good opening bands, not that I can think of many of them offhand. I'm also not counting occasions where the opener was already well known. My favorite opener was undoubtedly a totally unknown Marillion opening for Utopia (and NOT Marillion blowing it opening for Rush a few years later). Accept opening for Dio was also really good, though not the first time I had seen them.* I liked Catfish and the Bottlemen opening for Green Day at the Rose Bowl, and the band that opened for AC/DC's Black Ice tour. Big Twist and the Mellow Fellows did a really good set opening for The Beach Boys. *That was actually a tour stop for Restless And Wild in a Mexican ballroom in suburban Chicago, with another really good opener Trouble. Trouble was good and fun but then the crowd started getting restless waiting. The security guard on stage snarled at the crowd to simmer down because "The show doesn't start until the lights go down!" "F you etc!!" He then grinned and asked "Do you want the lights out?!?" and the place went totally bananas. I thought the tiny Asian girl in front of me was going to blind me with her fist; it was the one show I've fought to get FARTHER from the stage!
Yes, it was basically a equal double bill. I've had never seen that many guitars at once that the Eagles had available. NOthing else i've seen comes that close to being a perfect concert. The sound was top notch as well. Not all venues have that. I saw Supertramp in their prime but the Richmond Coliseum totally ruined the experience. Thanks for that link!
Yeah (sigh) Australia is a long way away! We never even got a Clapton/Winwood tour, how did you feel when they went into Voodoo Chile?
I'll give y'all a couple: Billy Squier opening for Foreigner on the 4 tour Joe Henry opening for Wilco on the Summerteeth tour
Noel Gallagher doing an unexpected solo acoustic set before Paul Weller At the Edinburgh Playhouse in 1998: Noel Gallagher Setlist at Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh
Yes! Most of the set list was new stuff, and I didn't know it. But Machine Gun stood out in a major way. Having him do that amazing solo just in front of you was unforgettable.
Gotta be Dylan opening for Paul Simon, and Phil Lesh. Also saw Rose Tattoo open for Aerosmith. It wasn't that they were so great, but it was on the replacement players tour of Aerosmith and Tyler was so wasted that night the audience stole the microphone from him. So they won by default.
Fairport Convention (the Full House lineup w/Richard Thompson) opening for Jethro Tull at Fillmore West 1970. Been a Fairport fan ever since!
Would like to hear a record by those two, a la Summers and Fripp. But they seem like an odd combination personally, with Robin always so cheerful and Fripp not, especially at that time.
Primus opening for 24/7 Spyz in Boston 1990. We were talking to people in line and no one seemed to know who they were. Needless to say we were all blown away. Sean Lennon opening for Sonic Youth, nothing against Sean...I was just surprised at how good he was. I almost forgot I was there to see Sonic Youth. Angel Dust and Opeth opening for Nevermore at L'Amour. I remember Dirk the singer for Angel Dust being blown away by the reception for a relatively unknown band in the US. Event opening for Fates Warning at L'Amour.
The Strawbs supporting Steeleye Span (playing acoustic set) Tarantism supporting Hawkwind Sepultura supporting Motorhead
Watching Neil Young & Crazy Horse open for DMB back around 2002 didn't suck. Clive Carroll opening for John Renbourn & Jacquie McShee was also phenomenal.
Rush opening for Nazareth in Saskatoon, 1975. I had only heard In the Mood and Fly By Night on the radio. They played a good chunk of Caress of Steel, which hadn't been released yet.
Brandi Carlile opening for Vienna Teng at the 'old' Neighborhood Theater in Charlotte. I was not in a good mood and had a cold, but went anyway, knowing I could get a seat and not be around other concert goers. This was about the time Brandi's debut was released and I had no idea who she was. She and the twins came out and early in the set, my chin was on the floor in awe of the music and her voice. (She also did some songs that would be on the second album, The Story). Since I had a cold, I didn't want to go near Brandi or the guys if they had a meet and greet. But, sure enough, I ran into one of twins in the men's room. Practiced what is now known as social distancing, but was able to express my love for the show. When I got the album, I discovered all members of the trio contributed songs. l loved that first album, though subsequent albums did not connect with me like that debut.
The High Llamas opened a Stereolab tour I saw in Philly in the 90's. Don't believe they have been back since. So good -- Pet Sounds vibe,
No doubting that and do you recall your thoughts about the new sound of Jimi hooking up 4 pedals together?
