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

Jesse Colin Young lived around here for over 20 years, moving to Hawaii after losing his house & studio in the Mount Vision Fire of 1995.  I saw him do several solo sets in the 80s & 90s.  This particular time, he opened for the Rowan Brothers at the Sausalito Art Festival on 9/4/93.  He/they were just standing in a wide spot along the main path through the art exhibit, playing through their monitors.  Footnote: David Grisman Quintet played on the main stage that day.  All local groups, playing glorious acoustic music.

Through the miracle of Youtube, here's Jesse & Jackson Browne sharing a mic to Get Together at No Nukes in 1979 with Steve Stills, Graham Nash, and thousands of others: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odf1WWhAF6I

August 19, 1967 Earl Warren Showgrounds, Santa Barbara, CA

Jimmy Hendrix supported by Tim Buckley, Moby Grape and Captain Speed