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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
theo's avatar
theo
2,724 posts
 

I went to see the Moody Blues and the tickets had a totally unknown by the name of Stevie Ray Vaughan. But about 18000 people heard of him that night. 3 encores we settled for the Moody Blues. Not fair! The Moodies gave a tremendous performance.

But SRV was incredible.

bassbuyer
510 posts
 

Another that could fit this category is the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Bob Dylan Alone and Together tour I saw outdoors in 85.  TP opened, then Dylan played, then Dylan played with TP as his backing band.  One of my all time favorite shows.  

immatthewj
3,300 posts
 

@bassbuyer , going way back, I remember renting a VHS of Bob Dylan playing with Tom Petty and The Heart Breakers. It must have been that tour, huh?  That's another one I would have liked to have seen!

yyzsantabarbara
5,123 posts
 

Pearl Jam opened for U2 in Hawaii. 

mikefromtroy
5 posts
 

There have been a few. In 1974 T-Rex opened for ZZ Top in a small converted movie theater in Detroit. In 1975 in Cleveland Uriah Heep and Aerosmith opened for Rod Stewart and the Faces in Cleveland Stadium. (I still have the ticket - $10.50.) My favorite was in 1978 in Detroit when Van Halen opened for Black Sabbath at Cobo Arena. Fantastic time to be a young rock-n-roll fan!

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