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

1. 25 November 1973. Mott the Hoople concert in Edinburgh. Their support act was a largely unknown bunch of theatrical, Lycra-clad rockers, who got boo’d by the audience of cool dudes when they came on. An hour-and-a-half later, Mott the Hoople got boo’d when they took over. The band? Queen 😁

2. 9 October 2011. Mark Knopfler opening for Bob Dylan at Braehead Arena, Glasgow. Knopfler was on superb form, which was just as well, as Dylan was rubbish - waited 30+ years to see the bugger, and we all walked out halfway through.

@drinaldo: I have a friend who saw the last show Jeff Beck played with The Yardbirds. It was Jeff and Jimmy Page on guitars, and Chris Dreja on bass. He saw them again the following night, and Jeff was gone. I never managed to see the band, damn it.

BB King for the Pointer Sisters in 1985 in Las Vegas.  $2 cover charge to get in.

I recall in the summer of 1980 a bunch of us rode our motorcycles across from SAFB in Illinois over to Louisville Kentucky to see the "Louisville Super Jam."  It was Point Blank, then the Rockets, then REO, and then Bob Seger played under the lights.  I really have no desire at all to hear REO anymore, but back then we considered it a great show.  I can still appreciate much of what Bob Seger did.  

India Arie opened for Sade in Seattle.