ADVERTISEMENT

Opening acts (bands) you've seen that stole a show.

kyboy1998

kyboy1998

All-SEC
Mar 20, 2006
9,250
8,322
113
I saw Blackberry Smoke play the Mercury Ballroom last night (and as usual they were great). They had a band open for them called Temperance Movement that blew me away. One of the better live rock shows I've seen.

What other acts have you all seen and left thinking, damn that opening band was badass.

This post was edited on 3/15 9:10 PM by kyboy1998
 
Saw Foo Fighters open for Red Hot Chili Peppers... Should've been the other way around.
 
I saw Van Halen in 1982 during their Diver Down tour with After The Fire -- of "Der Kommisar" fame --opening for them in Nashville. Rocked the house. Hard. Nobody cared to see VH when ATF finished, in fact, a lot of us left.
 
Skid Row opened for Bon Jovi at Rupp when I was about 13 It was no contest, and was quite an eye opener for this little sheltered boy.
 
Kiss opening for Aerosmith, that may have been a draw.

Foo Fighters opening for Red Hot Chili Peppers. Both were great, but in retrospect, I think Foo was better.
 
Avenged Sevenfold opened for Saliva here in Charleston back in 2010. Never saw them before. Made it a point to go to their shows if they were within a 3 hour drive of Charleston ever since!

Back in my younger days, Rick James and the Stone City Band opened for the Commodores in Nashville. Stole the show AND the audience!
 
Many years ago I went to see the J Geils Band and there was this up and coming band called U2 that opened for them.
 
St. Paul and the Broken Bones at a music festival if that counts. Black Crowes opened for Lenny Kravitz and they were clearly better. Annie Lennox opening for Sting.
 
I went to see Iggy Pop at the old Vogue Theater in louisville and Alice in Chains opened up. Man in the Box had just come out.
 
Old Crow Medicine Show really impressed opening for the Avett Brothers
 
Couple of years ago, went to my dream concert: Van Halen with DL Roth. Cool and the Gang opened. Cool and the Gang were great. Both my wife and I couldn't get over how entertaining they were...whereas VH was not what I'd hoped for, mainly due to the sound system. I've been to tons of concerts and realize how loud it can/should be, but loud and distorted are not synonymous. Very disappointed.
 
Tesla opened for KISS at Roberts Stadium in 86 I think. I am a KISS fan, but Tesla rocked the place.

Poison opened for RATT same year, killed it.

Metallica before OZZY at Mesker outdoor theatre, whew close one there, both where great. The Jake E Lee solo made have been the difference.

Cinderella and Dokken ran Bon Jovi out of Roberts Stadium, and it wasn't even close.
 
Saw KISS at Freedom Hall in 78 (I think), and a little band called ACDC was the opening act, both were great actually.
 
Originally posted by maverick1:
I saw Van Halen in 1982 during their Diver Down tour with After The Fire -- of "Der Kommisar" fame --opening for them in Nashville. Rocked the house. Hard. Nobody cared to see VH when ATF finished, in fact, a lot of us left.
Click to expand...
Even if that did happen, I wouldn't have told anyone

I have a VH story. I saw them just after Hagar became their front man. The band was playing a song intro and he came out on stage last, drunk as hell, screaming into the microphone, misjudged the end of the stage and ran full on straight into the crowd - with about a 7 foot drop.

The next 2 songs were mainly him alternating between curse words, how much his leg hurt and how he thought the girl in the hotel from the night before gave him crabs.

David Lee Roth > Sammy Hagar

I don't have a particular story about an opening act blowing people away but around 1985 a friend of mine was telling me about a band he saw called Bon Jovi opening up for the Scorpions and he said people were chanting for Bon Jovi to come back.




This post was edited on 3/16 10:45 AM by TankedCat
 
I've been lucky enough to see Clapton a few times, generally a great show. Always has a great band with guys/gals who are individually famous for being phenomenal musicians and also normally brings some pretty nice opening acts.

One show in Cincy, I think 2010, he came to town with Roger Daltrey. Wasn't expecting much from him....I like The Who but I've never been a huge fan.

He killed it, tho. A combo of Who + some covers (Did "Born on the Bayou" for ex.) + some of his own stuff. Had a great band and had a lot of energy. Also told some really cool stories in between songs.

Clapton came out after and laid a chocolate hotdog right on the stage. Uninspired and it seemed like he just wanted to get it done and GTFO.
 
I was going to list that Kiss show where AC/DC opened as well.

Not sure AC/DC "stole" the show - but damn they made sure Kiss knew they had to work their asses off to keep up.

A truly great show.
 
Originally posted by WayneDougan:


Originally posted by JDHoss:
Montrose (with some guy named Sammy Hagar) blew Peter Frampton away in 1975 in Johnson City, TN.
Click to expand...
Freedom Hall in JC?
Click to expand...
yep...back in the day when just about everybody came through here at one time or another.
 
I am jealous of a lot of you. Some great bands you all have seen. My concert going is pretty dismal. Best I have seen was Dave Matthews Band. Was like I was listening to their CD. They sounded that good. Worst I have seen was Def Leppard. Just sounded horrible in concert but their lightshow was pretty cool. I can't even remember who opened for either one of them.

This post was edited on 3/16 12:55 PM by ukalumni00
 
that's too bad - I saw Def Leppard in Cincinnati a few years ago and they had a great show.
 
Saw some great shows. Kiss 4 times, heart 3 times, Rush, Aerosmith, Hydra, Montrose, Alice Cooper which was over the top, group that did "boys are back in town", Outlaws, Ted Nugent 3 times, Sly Stone, others can remember right now. Can't remember who opened for any of them. Imagine that. FCC.
 
Originally posted by argubs2:
I've been lucky enough to see Clapton a few times, generally a great show. Always has a great band with guys/gals who are individually famous for being phenomenal musicians and also normally brings some pretty nice opening acts.

One show in Cincy, I think 2010, he came to town with Roger Daltrey. Wasn't expecting much from him....I like The Who but I've never been a huge fan.

He killed it, tho. A combo of Who + some covers (Did "Born on the Bayou" for ex.) + some of his own stuff. Had a great band and had a lot of energy. Also told some really cool stories in between songs.

Clapton came out after and laid a chocolate hotdog right on the stage. Uninspired and it seemed like he just wanted to get it done and GTFO.
Click to expand...
I've only seen Clapton once and it was far and away the most disappointing concert ever. It was 7 years ago or so at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indy. I don't know if his dog died that day or what but he had no interest in putting on a concert that night.
 
Yeah, Clapton isn't great at powering through a show if he's in a shitty mood. Doesn't hide it very well if he doesn't want to be there.

The best show I've seen him put on was Columbus 6 or 7 years ago, he had Robert Cray with him as the opener. (Who is a beast himself and was fantastic that night) Clapton's setlist was fantastic and he was just on point. Energy was high and it seemed like he was putting out the extra effort.

I believe he has / had a home in Columbus and it was also the last show of that particular tour, so that probably was what had him juiced.
 
Saw Living Colour open for Guns N' Roses and the Stones at the LA Coliseum in 1989. Living Colour absolutely blew everyone's heads off. Of course it was LA so hardly anyone was there yet. LOL
 
Originally posted by FutureCityCats:
Saw some great shows. Kiss 4 times, heart 3 times, Rush, Aerosmith, Hydra, Montrose, Alice Cooper which was over the top, group that did "boys are back in town", Outlaws, Ted Nugent 3 times, Sly Stone, others can remember right now. Can't remember who opened for any of them. Imagine that. FCC.




Was a big concert goer back in the 80's early 90's.

Kiss - 6 times
Motley Crue - 3
Ratt - 2
Poison - 3
Ozzy - 2
Cinderella
Bon Jovi
Metallica
Judas Priest
Def Leppard - 2
Twisted Sister
Queensryche
Dokken
Tesla
Firehouse
Van Halen
Guns & Roses
Warrant
Skid Row
Alice Cooper
Moot The Hopple
Foghat
Journey
Iron Maiden
Whitesnake
WASP
Rush
Foreigner
Guiffria
38 Special
Fastway
Faster Pussycat
Ugly Kid Joe
Lita Ford
Y&T
Head East
Scorpions

Those are the ones of the top of my head. Some opened up for bigger acts. Regret not seeing AC/DC, and Aerosmith among others. U2, Pink Floyd, Eagles, etc

Also went to several country concerts and a few hip hop.
Click to expand...
 
Originally posted by TankedCat:
Originally posted by maverick1:
I saw Van Halen in 1982 during their Diver Down tour with After The Fire -- of "Der Kommisar" fame --opening for them in Nashville. Rocked the house. Hard. Nobody cared to see VH when ATF finished, in fact, a lot of us left.
Click to expand...
Even if that did happen, I wouldn't have told anyone
Click to expand...
It didn't. After the Fire sucked donkey balls -- they were a one-hit-wonder-Euro-techno-pop band opening for one of the greatest rock bands in history at arguably the height of their power -- and we literally booed ATF off the stage. Dudes were throwing beer and whisky bottles at them as they trotted off the stage.

VH then put on a helluva show.
 
In Rupp Arena around 1978 or 1979, a young Australian band opened for an aging Alice Cooper. The young band was AC/DC and it was the Highway To Hell tour. After seeing them bring the house down, Alice Cooper was the most boring, and biggest letdown, of any main act I've ever seen.
 
Ive been a fan for a little while, but Ryan Bingham opened for Lucero last night at Taft in Cincy.

Ryan Bingham : UK :: Lucero : Maryland
 
Originally posted by wildcatharry:

Barbara Mandrell was warm up band to Mel Tillis. We all know what Barbara Mandrell can do.
Click to expand...
I would venture to say that most people in fact do not know what Barbara Mandrell can do.

Also,
1. Irlene
2. Louise
3. Barbara
 
I was there!! My first concert - 1978. AC/DC was >>>>> Alice Cooper but the sound quality in Rupp was/is atrocious and every one of their songs sounded very much alike ( I know, I know). Angus bouncing around for the 35 minutes or so. Bon carrying him through the crowd on his shoulders while soloing - classic. Then, Alice Cooper comes out and plays 2 or 3 songs with just the band and was great. Unfortunately, the props came out after that and we were 'treated' to dancing teeth, guillotines, etc. - just a Broadway show for the most part. Very disappointing for a first-timer.

This post was edited on 3/16 5:44 PM by gamecockcat
 
Originally posted by catsfanbgky:
Originally posted by FutureCityCats:
Saw some great shows. Kiss 4 times, heart 3 times, Rush, Aerosmith, Hydra, Montrose, Alice Cooper which was over the top, group that did "boys are back in town", Outlaws, Ted Nugent 3 times, Sly Stone, others can remember right now. Can't remember who opened for any of them. Imagine that. FCC.
Was a big concert goer back in the 80's early 90's.

Kiss - 6 times, Motley Crue - 3, Ratt - 2, Poison - 3, Ozzy - 2
Cinderella
Bon Jovi
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
So glad I missed every one of those bombs...
 
Two of these definitely topped the headliner. The other two openers were just flat out great.

Tenacious D opened for Kid Rock in Louisville in 2002 I think it was. They were awesome. Maybe one of the only times the arena was full to see the opening act.

Alice in Chains opening for KISS in Louisville on the Reunion Tour in 1996. AIC was really good, but KISS was just incredible. To this day the best rock show I have been too.

One more KISS opening for Aerosmith in 2003. Even with Peter Criss playing badly on the drums they were still better than Aero.

For a country show Garth Brooks opened for The Judds on their "Farewell Tour" It really should have been the other was around. So I guess that would be it.
This post was edited on 3/16 10:53 PM by K-mac18
 
Eric Church opened for Bob Segar in Cincy. Both were awesome live.

A band called Britney Fox (I think) opened for Poison in Louisville back around 89. Never heard of them before but they were great

Garth opened for Judds. The Judds should have stayed in Ashland that night

Worst show I saw live was AC/DC in Rupp. They just seemed to be going through the motions
 
After reading this I wish I was able to have caught Kiss in concert.

I also saw Tim McGraw open for Shenendoah at a free concert at Louisville Motor Speedway. Pretty cool when you catch someone before they become big.
 
I forgot about this show, and involves ACDC again. Back in 78 ACDC opened up for UFO at Louisville Gardens, everyone was there for ACDC, and the floor literally cleared when UFO came on, i actually felt bad for them, most of us went and sat down, then left after about 3 UFO songs.

FYI: that little band that sang, Boys are back in town- is Thin Lizzy, which i saw at the second Louisville Summer Jam in 79 which was Thin Lizzy, Foreigner, Steve Miller Band, Reo Speedwagon, and there was an opening band but i cant remember for sure but it may have been Pure Prairie League ? Help me out if anyone remembers, or it may have been the Ozark mountain daredevils?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT
Top Bottom
Back