Opener beats Headliner

[ForeverAutumn]

Slumpbuster made a comment in his post on the Indie thread that I thought deserves it's own space. What are some of the Opening bands that you've seen that you enjoyed way more than the Headlining band.

A couple of fairly recent shows that I can think of off the top of my head...

The Zutons opened for Keane - The Zutons saved that night from being an otherwise very boring snoozefest.

Three Days Grace opened for Nickelback - 3DG had more energy and charisma that I ever expected them to. Chad Kreuger is a decent frontman, but 3DG brought a warmth to the stage that was very surprising for such a hard-edged band. Great stage presence and the music RAWKED. Nickelback were just pretentious.

[Stone]

What are some of the Opening bands that you've seen that you enjoyed way more than the Headlining band..

Hoodoo Gurus, opening for the Bangles. Of course, I went to see the Hoodoo Gurus and stayed for the Bangles' set.

[Stone]

The Libido Boyz opening for Neurosis (ca. 1989). Neurosis wasn't bad, but the Libido Boyz' energy and songs just blew Neurosis' show out of the water.

[Dusty Chalk]

Natalie MacMaster opening for Eddie from Ohio.
Garbage opening for two nights in a row for Smashing Pumpkins.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

The Feelies > R.E.M.
The Pogues > New Order
Richie Havens > Eric Clapton

[Hyfi]

Outlaws opening for Lynyrd Skynyrd
Joe Bonamso o/f Indigenous
Tuck&Pati o/f Eric Marienthal
Joe Bonamso o/f Greg Allman, but not by much

I'm sure there were more....

[ForeverAutumn]

Natalie MacMaster

She's fantastic, isn't she? We saw her for free up at the Casino a couple of years ago. I wasn't really expecting to enjoy the show, but it ended up being one the best shows I've ever seen. What an entertainer!

[Dusty Chalk]

She's amazing. I had never heard of her before, I was just going along for the company, and I was totally blown away. And I was too far away to know what she looked like, I just like the energy she exuded, the total love for the music she obviously had, and her transcendental technique and evocative emotion with which she played. I went out and bought every single one of her CD's immediately. She's touring again, too (that's what made me think of it -- I saw her name on the calendar the other day). I might go, except it's in the middle of the week, and I'm getting too old to be burning the candle at both ends.

[KEXPMF]

I saw the Living End and Jet opening for the Vines.

Living End almost blew away the Vines, but Jet absolutely blew them away.
And that is NO SMALL FEAT.... the Vines put on an AMAZING live show.

But no headliner should EVER follow Jet. That is a big mistake right there. WOW.

That show was the best package tour I've seen in years. It's NOT often that the openers are THAT good... let alone actually BLOW AWAY the headliner.

[musicman1999]

Early 1980s a 19 year old Bryan Adams opened for Loverboy.No one knew who he was,had just realeased his second record.He blew Loverboy off the stage and Loverboy wasn't that bad,he was that good.Even had an encore,very rare for an opening act.I went out the next day and bought both of his records.
Mid 1980's Joe Walsh opened for Foreigner,all my friends thought it should have been the reverse.They were right.

bill

[ForeverAutumn]

But no headliner should EVER follow Jet. That is a big mistake right there. WOW.


I've never seen them live, but I love their CD. Your post inspired me to give it a listen at the gym today. There's some great workout tunes on that CD!

I haven't heard anything about them in quite a while. Anyone know what they're up to? Yeah, I know, I can check out their web site. I don't have time right now, I'm on my way out. Have to wait until later.

Edit: They're working on a new album. YIPPEE!

[likeitloud]

Priest over Ozzy(Not even close) 05 ozzfest. And for back in the day..Van Halen
over Journey/Boston/Heart..82 day on the green Oakland(An even bigger joke).

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As Long As My Brain And Fingers Work I'm Cool...Edward Van Halen

[MasterCylinder]

I've seen the opening act kickass on a headliner a few times..............the most memorable example of this was in the mid-70s when I saw Stevie Wonder open for the Rolling Stones.

The Stones were the usual expected act they always were/are.

Wonder played every instrument on stage (in addition to his massive keyboard set-up and harmonica, he played guitars on a few tunes, the bass on a song and managed to pull off a pretty darn good drums solo) and did an hour of all his biggest hits, some of which are fairly difficult. His voice was in great shape.

The Stones came out and played their 3-bar stuff and sounded like simpletons.

[kexodusc]

I saw Pantera open for Skid Row back in 1990 or 1989 or so...By the end of my night I had replaced my Youth Gone Wild t-shirt with a Cowboys From Hell shirt...

Nine Inch Nails stole the show from Soundgarden in Toronto 1994.

And of course Coolio opened for Snoop Dog back in 1994...

[-Jar-]

back sometime in 1992, I saw Uncle Tupelo open for Teenage Fanclub. While I was really there to hear TF, I couldn't help but be very impressed with UT. I had their first album NO DEPRESSION so I was somewhat familiar with them, but they really came out blazing that night. TF was great too, but the fact that UT held their own and then some was very impressive. My friends weren't impressed as they thought the alt-country thing was a fad. Yes, in 1992. I had a feeling about Uncle Tupelo (at the time I liked Jay's songs better than Jeff's), but we had no idea the guys up on that stage would go on to be such a guiding force in the alternative music world for the next decade..

-jar

[-Jar-]

A couple others:

Don Caballero opening for Wig. (Euclid Tavern, Cleveland, 1995) Don Cab were so good, so totally on top of their game that we left after the opening notes of the first Wig song. I don't think anyone could have followed them that night.

Monster Magnet opening for Corrosion of Conformity (Odeon, Cleveland, 1995(?)). One of those nights when Monster Magnet was totally on fire, they played like they owned the world..(when Dave Wyndorf wailed "I'm gonna eat me a mountain, a mountain of pills" you believed him and wanted to join him) in comparison, COC sounded like confused old men. We left halfway through their set.

-jar

[ToddL]

I saw the Living End and Jet opening for the Vines.

Living End almost blew away the Vines, but Jet absolutely blew them away.
And that is NO SMALL FEAT.... the Vines put on an AMAZING live show.

But no headliner should EVER follow Jet. That is a big mistake right there. WOW.

That show was the best package tour I've seen in years. It's NOT often that the openers are THAT good... let alone actually BLOW AWAY the headliner.

I was thinking of the same show when I read the title of this thread. I was at the Toronto show.

Jet reminded me of the Ramones.

I have never walked out of a show early on my own account except for this one. The Vines were no comparison to Jet and the Vines seemed completely uninterested in their own set, I could not stand it.

[ToddL]

The Trews blew away Big Sugar. (Canadian rock fans will know what I mean)
Ash was better than Dashboard Confessional
AC/DC stole a show from the Stones

[ForeverAutumn]

The Trews blew away Big Sugar. (Canadian rock fans will know what I mean)
Ash was better than Dashboard Confessional
AC/DC stole a show from the Stones

Funny. I saw that you had replied and just knew that you were going to say that The Trews kicked a$$ as an opener. :biggrin5: I've only seen them as headliners myself, but they would beat out just about anyone that they opened for.

I was at that show that AC/DC stole. They should have just ended it there...no reason for The Stones to even show up. Which they did 20 minutes late...and were not worth the wait.

Hey Todd, how did your set at NXNE go?

[ToddL]

NXNE was fun, it is really good to see that young people will still get up and dance for a band that isn't on any charts.
Our low budge video made the Wedge on MuchMusic the same night. (sorry if I am gloating)