Best Opening Act of a concert you attended.

I saw Katy Perry open for a Christian rock band in her nascent days as a singer. She wasn’t all that impressive.

 

OUCH

Suicidal Tendencies opened for Queensryche and their lead singer, Mike Muir, had broken his leg during the tour. He did their set on a couch and that sumbitch made it work. Somehow all the raging anthems about alienation, isolation, and estrangement worked even better. It also allowed me to see Rocky George before he joined Fishbone (attn: @PCLoadLetter ). Holy shit. If any of you play guitar, just watch/listen to this solo.

Batesville, Arkankas natives Muthas Day Out opened for King's X. Only one album and their legacy is a remix on the Mortal Kombat soundtrack, but they were young, hungry, and more than a little fucked up. Loud as hell but so much fun.

 

I’d watch the shit out of that.

 

My wife Alice saw the all-timer, when Bruce Springsteen opened for Bonnie Raitt at the old Harvard Square Theater and neither she nor the crowd wanted her to go on stage. For myself, it was probably Stevie Wonder opening for the Stones in '72, although the one I remember most is when Van Dyke and the Blazers, who did the original "Funky Broadway" were the opening act in Philly of a soul revue headlined by the Temptations in '67. I don't remember the band, mind you, but their go-go dancers made a vivid impression on my 17-year old mind, one that's lasted to this very day.

 

I went to the Area One concert as a teenager, which had a truly bizarre lineup in retrospect. The first three bands on - can't remember the order - were Nelly Furtado, The Roots and Incubus.

Then came Outkast.

And of course, to close the show, you had... Moby. There was also a DJ tent going almost the whole concert, except for Moby's set, so when that started, you had a bunch of people tripping balls transitioning from that tent back to their seats and lawn seating.

 

I liked Phil Vassar better than Alan Jackson.
Todd Rundgren and Utopia played a great set opening for Tina Turner. Not better than Tina, but a great opener.

 

The Band, opening for Eric Clapton.

Jesse Colin Young/Santana, opening for CSNY.

Steve Earle and the Dukes, opening for Mary Chapin Carpenter. You wouldn't think it, but she had an absolute ass-kicking band.

John Prine, opening for Pete Seeger/Arlo Guthrie, and Prine again, opening for Bonnie Raitt.

David Bromberg, opening for Thunderbyrd.

Dan Fogelberg/Seals & Croft, opening for the Eagles.

In each instance except Clapton (who sucked), the headliner was as good as the opening act.

 

Not as good as Hawkins singing "Stay With Me" with Chad Smith on the drums during the encore at Citi Field in '15. I just sent that to Junkie a few days ago. (Sorry Dan I guess this is another offshoot thread--best encores!)

 

I had some wild worlds colliding moments when I went away to college and began listening to the music my much cooler new friends listened to. In the span of less than two months in 1994, I saw Christopher Cross open for Foreigner and Frank Black open for They Might Be Giants.

 

Me too! In 1985. Also saw Bon Jovi open for .38 Special, although that might have been a co-headlining bill.

 

Great thread!
INXS (pre-hitting it big, awesome) opening for Go-Gos (in drug-addled descent)
Pearl Jam opening 1992 Lollapalooza