You Went To A Concert To See The Support Act...

[Steve F.]

I *went* for King Crimson in 1974, but the opening act was Steeleye Span (who were a lot of fun). Nearly half the audience was there for them and left at half time, not bothering to stay for KC!

I also just remembered that when I saw Soft Machine in 74 (at the same venue - Kennedy Ctr), Softs were the opening act for Eleventh House, who I was not there for....

As far as unknown acts blowing the established acts off the stage, one of the most profound for me was Etron Fou just destroying Henry Cow. Twice.

[NogbadTheBad]

For me Bent Knee (who I'd never heard a note of) blew away Mike Keneally. Keneally was good but BK were great & I immediately connected with a new band to me.

[Lopez]

I *went* for King Crimson in 1974, but the opening act was Steeleye Span (who were a lot of fun). Nearly half the audience was there for them and left at half time, not bothering to stay for KC!

I saw that same bill in Providence in '74. I was there for Crimson but left a big fan of Steeleye Span. (The Strawbs were to be the middle act but canceled for some reason. I was bummed. No reduction in ticket price, but Steeleye got to play longer so a lose-win situation.)

[moecurlythanu]

I *went* for King Crimson in 1974, but the opening act was Steeleye Span (who were a lot of fun). Nearly half the audience was there for them and left at half time, not bothering to stay for KC!

I would have been in heaven with that bill. Unfortunately, I was a bit young, and didn't start attending concerts until 1978.

[GuitarGeek]

As far as unknown acts blowing the established acts off the stage, one of the most profound for me was Etron Fou just destroying Henry Cow. Twice.

I didn't realize Etron Fou and Cow ever shared the same stage.

[GuitarGeek]

Saw SRV open for Robert Plant before anyone knew who SRV was..........they all knew who he was after the show. One of the best opening act performances I have ever seen.

I saw Jeff Beck open for Stevie Ray Vaughan. Well, actually, it was a co-headline tour, but Jeff went on first. As I recall, all the advertising for the tour had to name both guitarists and their bands in full, so all ads, posters, etc read something like "Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop With Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas, and Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble" or whatever.

I was more of a Jeff Beck fan before the show, though truthfully, the only record of his I really knew at the time was Flash (yeah, I know, I know), and I think I had listened to Blow By Blow a couple times, having borrowed it from the library. Afterward, I was a fan of both.

[srtd4]

In the Mid 70's. Went to see opening act Ambrosia - Headliner was the Little River Band. Ambrosia was absolutely amazing. The audience tried so hard to Boo TLRB off the stage, cheering for More Ambrosia, but unfortunately were not successful.

Scott
http://www.radiospiral.net

[mogrooves]

I saw that same bill in Providence in '74.

On that tour I saw Trower open for KC in NYC. A very good night.

[Enidi]

At the "Spectrum" in Philadelphia 74" Spooky Tooth were the first band on. Mike Patto was in the band and this was The Mirror tour. They entered the stage , the band dressed in black just like the photo shot on the album cover. They played a few songs from The Mirror...then covered material from Spooky Two, Last Puff, Witness, and Broke My Heart. I was seated in the 3rd row and they were so incredibly clean. precise, and very tight for a unit and the sound was heavenly. They were dark. They were different . Mike Patto was a cross between Steve Marriott and Mike Harrison. He fit the style perfectly. The band played several dark songs that evening. "Pyramids", "Dream Me A Mountain", "Moriah" Better By You, Better Than Me", "The Wrong Time", "I Am The Walrus" ..eventually ending with the song..."The Mirror". At the end the voices singing "See the light. see the light, see the light. see the light...ght ght ght ght...ttttttt ..echoed through the sound system in the Spectrum and it was panned back and forth in the hall..as lights flashed . It was an amazing show .....They sounded great....they played great....no swinging guitars, no leaping on stage...they just stood there dressed in black playing strange songs.

Frampton's Camel...being the second band on...were a trio playing sometimes melodic and dynamic...other times jamming at high volume. Peter Frampton played well that night. He played some Blues and a little outside the melody..jazzy clean playing. He played songs from "Wind Of Change" and "Frampton's camel. He wasn't dressed in silks or using a voice box. Just a flannel shirt and jeans and he played well.


Mahavishnu Orchestra were the headliner ...the Apocalypse tour. John McLaughlin approached the mic and asked for a minute of silence for prayer. Then they played ...amazing performance

[GuitarGeek]

[QUOTE=Enidi;795368]

Frampton's Camel...being the second band on...were a trio playing sometimes melodic and dynamic...other times jamming at high volume. Peter Frampton played well that night. He played some Blues and a little outside the melody..jazzy clean playing. He played songs from "Wind Of Change" and "Frampton's camel. He wasn't dressed in silks or using a voice box. Just a flannel shirt and jeans and he played well.

For the record, Frampton did start using voice box until a couple albums later.

Mahavishnu Orchestra were the headliner ...the Apocalypse tour. John McLaughlin approached the mic and asked for a minute of silence for prayer. Then they played ...amazing performance

Maybe it was you or someone else, but I remember someone telling the story of seeing Mahavishnu, with McLauglin doing the same thing, asking for a minute of silence, which the audience gave, and said Cage-esque moment was broken only by the drummer hitting the snare, heralding the start of the band's performance. That must have been an intense moment.

[the ferret]

My first ever big show: Bryan Adams supporting Tina Turner, 1984 at the Birmingham N.E.C.

He wasn't particularly well know in the U.K. at the time but as an AOR fan, I'd cottoned on to his music. He was, happily, brilliant. More surprisingly, Tina Turner, whose music I didn't (and still don't) like, was also terrific.

More recently, December 2016, I saw REO Speedwagon supporting Status Quo at the Leeds Arena. REO played like they were headliners and made a lot of friends. The Quo, despite no Rick Parfitt were also excellent.

[the ferret]

I only got to see The Outlaws once, in about 2005, something like that. Great show, it was the first tour they did after Hughie Thomason left that Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band he had been in and went back to fronting The Outlaws, and Henry Paul, Monte Yoho and Dave Dix all returned. THey played a great, great show, ending with, I'm not sure how long it was, I don't think it was quite as long as the one on Bring It Back Alive, but they played a long version of Green Grass And High Tides.

Not long after that, Henry Paul left the band again, and then a couple years later, Hughie passed away. I gather Henry Paul has been fronting a version of The Outlaws since then, but I got the rare chance to see both Hughie (the only band member to be in every lineup) and Henry (who had left the band after the third album, and only returned for the tour I saw them on) together.

Very jealous you managed to see such a classic line-up of the band! Though living in the U.K., I'd love to see any line-up!

The current incarnation is excellent. They've released a superb studio record, It's About Pride, and a fine double live set, Legacy Live, which is a nice addendum to Bring it Back Alive.

Edit: Just noticed that Steve Sly already mentioned this. I must read through threads before replying!

[Rune Blackwings]

Eluveitie opening for Children of Bodom
Blue Oyster Cult at a festival where the headliner was Joan Jett (she was brutal and not in a good way)

[progholio]

PFM supporting Foghat

i went to an estate sale last weekend managed by an antique dealer - there was a 70's Foghat concert shirt for sale for .................................................. ......................................$80 which was kind of cool but goddamn!

I went to see Huey Lewis & The News back in the early 80's because they had this up-and-comer named Stevie Ray Vaughan opening who was supposed to be pretty good.

[strawberrybrick]

Will be at Cradle of Filth this friday to see support act Jinjer on their 1st American tour.

[Lino]

i went to an estate sale last weekend managed by an antique dealer - there was a 70's Foghat concert shirt for sale for .................................................. ......................................$80 which was kind of cool but goddamn!

I went to see Huey Lewis & The News back in the early 80's because they had this up-and-comer named Stevie Ray Vaughan opening who was supposed to be pretty good.

I have a friend who is a huge heavy metal music fan, and has a serious pack rat disorder lol. When he needs money, he pulls stuff out and puts it on ebay and a few other sites. A couple months ago, he sold a never worn Iron Maiden concert t shirt from 1984 ... he got $950 US funds for it, from a buyer in Malaysia.

[iguana]

KNiFEWORLD, supporting AMPLiFiER. i liked AWOOGA (also on the bill) too. not a fan of the headliner. similarly – although a fan – i was more excited about seeing iT BiTES (mitchell/beck/dalton) supporting SAGA (fronted by rob moratti) in 2009.

[the winter tree]

1978- went to see Golden Earring open for Aerosmith. GE rocked. Areosmith were a mess.

1979(?) Dixie Dregs opened for the Paul Barriere Band. Need I say more?

1978(?) Judas Priest opened for Kiss. They (JP) were great. Much of the audience were young kids with their mothers, who didn't look kindly on us long haired denim clad teens burning a few ;-)

[mozo-pg]

Both times I saw Aerosmith in 70s they were a mess.

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[The Dark Elf]

1978- went to see Golden Earring open for Aerosmith. GE rocked. Areosmith were a mess.

In the mid-70s saw Aerosmith topping the bill along with Ted Nugent, The Outlaws and Foghat at the Pontiac Silverdome. Foghat blew them all off the stage.

[dgtlman]

Oh yes, how could I forget. A few years ago ZZ Top headlined with Jeff Beck as the opener. I was there specifically for Beck, definitely!

[mogrooves]

Mott the Hoople, who opened for Delaney & Bonnie, 1970

[3LockBox]

Vinnie Vincent Invasion -- headliner: Iron Maiden

I saw Iron Maiden during the Somehere On Tour in Seattle with Vinnie Vincent supporting. VVI absolutely sucked. They were booed off stage after about 4 songs. Vincent flipped off the crowd after dismissing the band.

[winkersnufs]

Monday Morning it is!...

My youth was spent growning up just a bit North of Cincinnati Ohio. There, and then, there was some incredible presentations of bands sharing the bill of the evening. One that sticks out was on the ELO 'New World Record' tour (I think?) ELO was the headline with Steve Hillage in the middle... and a Giant of a Gentle band as the opener. Too bad I was still cutting my musical teeth as I wasn't quite yet ready for Hillage OR GG just yet!

Sorry... not quite on topic!

Carry On
Chris Buckley

[reztab]

Back in Baltimore, 76 or so, Starcastle, Manfred Mann's Earth Band opening for Nils Lofgren. We lasted about three songs into Nils' set before heading to the doors. The Earth Band was fantastic.