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The best opening act you've ever seen & heard?

 

I have two:

 

In 1983 I went to see The Plimsouls (Peter Case’s pre-solo career band) at The Garage, a tiny little "club" on Ventura Blvd. The room had filled up (elbow-to-elbow tight), and the opening act started their set. My woman and I both looked at each other, our mouths agape. It was Los Lobos, and they were great! Their debut album How Will The Wolf Survive? had yet to be released, but I sure picked it up when it was.

 

I went to see John Hiatt at The Roxy Theater on Sunset Blvd. during his Perfectly Good Guitar tour, entering the room just as the opening act was starting her final song. The ads for the show listed her name, which was unfamiliar to me. As the song started and progressed, I was stunned; the song she and her band were performing was a great one, and I knew I had missed a quality set of music. It was Sheryl Crow, whose debut album had not yet been released. Damn it!

 

bdp24

Showing 2 responses by rettrussell

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rettrussell
211 posts
 

Nine Inch Nails opening for The Jesus & Mary Chain....first tour and they were "flavor of the month" per the record store guy.

I have to agree about Stevie Wonder opening for the Stones in '72... was blind-sided dumb by the genius he so effortlessly displayed, and Talking Book was released a few months later. If the Stones that night had cancelled I knew I'd gotten my $7.50 worth! (Martha Reeves & the Vandellas opened first.)

Why The James Gang (Thirds tour) picked Black Oak Arkansas to open for them is a mystery....BOA was all boogie energy and the JG was drudgy narcotic.... the vibe was confusing.

rettrussell's avatar
rettrussell
211 posts
 

Since Santana & Michael Shrieve have come up a few times I’ll relate a story told to me by a friend of Michael’s:

Carlos & Michael were friends and hung out together a lot. To see the movie Woodstock they, like everyone else, went to the theater when it first came out.

At the end of the show, when the light came on, people looked over, recognized them, and everyone there started applauding them!

I would’ve loved to have been there.

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