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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
taheeti's avatar
taheeti
55 posts
 

Stray Cats opened for The Rolling Stones in Cedar Falls,Ia 1981 Tattoo You Tour. Brian Setzer was incredible.

alvinnir2's avatar
alvinnir2
129 posts
 

Well not exactly the opening act but a surprise nonetheless. Santana at Woodstock.

No one out east had heard of them . They were virtually unknown as their first album had not yet been released. Before they played many were thinking who is this band. Let’s geton with it and bring on The Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, The Who, Hendrix..... and so on.

Well they played their set and the crowd and me were stunned, just standing there with their mouth hanging open. They were amazing and I only wished I could see them do another set rather than all those big names I was waiting for....except maybe Hendrix.

m3thos
23 posts
 

saw cheap trick, heart and REO Speedwagon in 84 (Honolulu)

then saw BTO open for Van Halen in Seattle in the late 80's?

jweck's avatar
jweck
4 posts
 

Fleetwood Mac and Rory Gallagher opening for Deep Purple Machine Head tour in 1973. Rory Gallagher was especially good.

allenf1963
381 posts
 

All shows at Freedom Hall Civic Center in Johnson City, Tennessee.  The 1970's were amazing years for concerts.  Almost always 3 bands playing, started at 8 p.m. and ended between Midnight and 1 a.m.  No such thing as the 11 p.m. Noise Ordinance like now.  These are the biggest upstagers I remember. 

 

April 24, 1975, a new band called Rush opened for KISS.  Blew them away.

October 29, 1976, Mother's Finest made headliner Blue Oyster Cult work hard.

July 17, 1976, Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention opened for Bob Segar and KISS.  A blunder of promoting.

December 10, 1976, Rory Gallagher opened for Kansas.  Not a blow out, but one of the best shows I'd ever seen.

July 8, 1977, Judas Priest and Black Oak Arkansas made R.E.O. Speedwagon look lame.

April 29, 1978, somebody thought it was wise to have Montrose open for Journey.

June 23, 1978, in another baffling pairing, Rainbow, touring "Long Live Rock And Roll" with Ronnie James Dio on vocals opened for R.E.O Speedwagon.  Half the crowd left before R.E.O. finished 3 songs.  Rainbow was that damn electric.

 

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