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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!

 

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middlemass
928 posts
 

"Styx opened for Marty Robbins??!!! That’s inspired! Dang, somebody should start a thread about the most unlikely-billed shows they’ve ever gone to.."

 

I wasn’t there but how about Jimi Hendrix opening for The Monkees?

 

 

 

 

jplunkettj
62 posts
 

1978 The Warehouse in New Orleans. The Specials opened for The Police.  We didn't know who they were at the time, but were absolutely blown away by their pure fun energy.  They were actually swinging from the rafters in the venue.  Everyone in our college gang immediately went out and bought their album.

jmalen123
168 posts
 

Mine was seeing Pat Benatar open for Billy Squire. Pat and Spyder killed it, and Squire got booed off the stage. As a side note... Santana's drummer Michael Shrieve was the youngest performer at Woodstock.

littleman
43 posts
 

Mid 70's, Wings arena in Kalamazoo, Rush opened for ZZ top...blew ZZ off the stage...over half the audience left after the first couple of ZZ songs...

pickindoug
66 posts
 

First warm up band that blew my mind was a little band from TX, before the beards, wearing white cowboy suits and hats.  Never heard of ZZ until that night in Tulsa.  Main act was Humble Pie.  IIRC, it was summer of 72.  

A more recent warm up act that endeared me forever to her music was Shawn Colvin, who preceded Don Henley on his Cass County tour earlier this century.  It was at the Cobb Energy Center in GA, and her acoustic guitar was as good as I've ever heard live.

Most disappointing warm up band (and please don't bash me, they're very talented) was Tedeschi Trucks, who filled in for Steely Dan when illness took them offline as warmup for the Eagles tour with Vince Gill.  Or Vince Gill's tour with his new band.  TT was just not what my ears were looking for, given my original expectation was for SD.  The Eagles were better than ever that night, so my disappointment was short lived.

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