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

[loshammeros]

Suzi Quatro opening for Alice Cooper's Welcome To My Nightmare

[ronmac]

Johnny Winter opening for George Thorobad, whom I've always hated. Johnny blew him away, of course.

Iron Maiden ("Killers" tour) opening for Judas Priest. Joe Perry Project played, too, but, as much as I wanted to see Priest, Maiden was the objective.

Rick Derringer opening for Triumph. Triumph was great ("Progressions of Power" tour), but I was really into Derringer at the time, who didn't show due to a broken-down tour bus.

[mozo-pg]

^^ How was the Priest show? I really like the Sad Wings (in particular, that album is a masterpiece), Sin After Sin, Stained Class era. I would have loved to see Sad Wings performed live. I did see Rick Derringer play back up (can't remember for who) and it was an excllent show. Rick threw his wireless guitars in the air and caught it.

[SunRunner2]

Al Di Meola opening for Renaissance in concert, during the late 1970's. He played so fast and furiously that my human ears couldn't keep up with the audio output. Amazing (and so was Renaissance).

[ronmac]

^^ How was the Priest show? I really like the Sad Wings (in particular, that album is a masterpiece), Sin After Sin, Stained Class era. I would have loved to see Sad Wings performed live. I did see Rick Derringer play back up (can't remember for who) and it was an excllent show. Rick threw his wireless guitars in the air and caught it.

I saw them three times back in the day. This one would have been Maiden's first US tour, so that was Summer of '81. I saw them twice before that in '78 and '79 or '80 (I'll have to look at my ticket stubs). Of course, they were great each time. (I have KK Downing's guitar pick from the first time.) In fact, I almost saw them open for Blue Oyster Cult in March of 78, but Horslips opened instead. I didn't even know Priest was originally billed until I found a copy of the poster online with their name crossed-out and Horslips hand-written on it. The next time I saw JP was at Ozzfest.

The only time I ever got to see Derringer was when he opened for the Marshal Tucker Band (a band that didn't interest me) sometime in the early 80s. I called the local radio station for the start time and they gave me the start time for MTB(!!). We got to the place and could hear Rick's opening notes from the parking lot a couple blocks away. We ran to the gate and watched him from outside the fence. I was royally pissed.

[Frumious B]

I saw AC/DC on the Razor’s Edge tour, but I was more excited for King’s X. Also Queensryche opened for Metallica on the Damaged Justice tour and while I wouldn’t say I was more eager to see Queensryche I would say that I was equally pumped for both bands.

[iguana]

I saw AC/DC on the Razor’s Edge tour, but I was more excited for King’s X. Also Queensryche opened for Metallica on the Damaged Justice tour and while I wouldn’t say I was more eager to see Queensryche I would say that I was equally pumped for both bands.

nail on the head, sir. the infamous KING’S X / AC/DC pairing is now 30 years ago … i saw the show in kiel (northern germany) and my opinion of AC/DC-fans afterwards plummeted to an all-time low and hasn’t recovered since. they did a song called “lost in germany" on their next album and it speaks volumes.

i remember hanging out with a roadie of theirs before the show and showed him around town. he was an affable chap but i sensed a sour mood underneath. later, back at the venue, i managed to have a short chat with dUg pinnick who, in closing, said something like “glad someone like you shows up” … more volumes spoken.

the first album that i ever owned was AC/DC’s “highway to hell”, but i ended up going into a more proggy and avant direction. dare i say that it was a draw in desire to finally see both bands but it left a very bitter aftertaste … an early indicator of that strange phenomenon that with advancing age one’s disdain for certain musical acts has a lot to do with the quality of their audiences.

PS: didn’t see QR/METALLICA in 1988 but would have loved to. both of their albums that year are still monuments for all ages.

[rapidfirerob]

Although I do enjoy Rush, and enjoyed their set, Steve Morse opened for them and that's what got me to go.

[loshammeros]

I saw a band named Leviathan but I forget who they opened for back around 1974ish

[Progatron]

Not quite fitting the mold for this thread, but when Porcupine Tree and Opeth toured together and took turns playing first and second I saw them in NYC. I found PT’s show pretty boring and had to wait through them to hear Opeth, which I was much more into at the time.

I saw that same tour, July of 2003 at the Danforth in Toronto, but Opeth went on first. It was the complete live debut of their Damnation album, they were very nervous to play their first non-metal show ever, but it was incredible. We were in the balcony, and the entire Porcupine Tree band sat in the row behind us, watching the Opeth show.

[loshammeros]

City Boy opening for Hall and Oates--- Tower Theater--- Philly

[SunRunner2]

City Boy opening for Hall and Oates--- Tower Theater--- Philly

How was the City Boy performance, if you can recall it after all these years? I had their debut, eponymous album from 1976 and liked it somewhat. However, I always thought they could have taken the Prog element and expanded on it to greater effect, such as in the tracks "5000 Years/Don't Know Can't Tell" and "Sunset Boulevard". Their shorter cuts were more basic and Pop oriented and left me with an "almost, but not quite there" feeling about the band. I ultimately got rid of the album.

Hopefully in concert they rocked out in fine fashion.

[loshammeros]

How was the City Boy performance, if you can recall it after all these years? I had their debut, eponymous album from 1976 and liked it somewhat. However, I always thought they could have taken the Prog element and expanded on it to greater effect, such as in the tracks "5000 Years/Don't Know Can't Tell" and "Sunset Boulevard". Their shorter cuts were more basic and Pop oriented and left me with an "almost, but not quite there" feeling about the band. I ultimately got rid of the album.

Hopefully in concert they rocked out in fine fashion.

Fine fashion indeed

[ronmac]

Rick Derringer opening for Triumph. Triumph was great ("Progressions of Power" tour), but I was really into Derringer at the time, who didn't show due to a broken-down tour bus.

I forgot to add that, in Derringer's absence, Triumph's stage crew, who had their own band, opened. They were great.

[mozo-pg]

I forgot to add that, in Derringer's absence, Triumph's stage crew, who had their own band, opened. They were great.

That's cool.

[Trane]

Johnny Winter opening for George Thorobad, whom I've always hated. Johnny blew him away, of course.

Saw Johnny three times in the 80's and I think once with Throrough (at the CNE grandstand), but it was really at spilt crowd fave (which is why the managed such a big venue). Thorough was at the height if his career (Bad To The Bone is my fave from him) and Winter was back with Guitar Slinger.
TBH, Winter didn't enthrall me all that much (his 80's albums are soso) as I was still heavily into his mid-70's albums (S&S, JDWIII, SA1W, etc...) and he didn't really play that stuff.

I also saw GT&TD some four times (that CNE show included)

The only time I ever got to see Derringer was when he opened for the Marshal Tucker Band (a band that didn't interest me) sometime in the early 80s.

Saw him twice (I believe), but don't remember in which context(could be for Triumph) - probably not headlining, though >> not enough of an attraction for lil'ol'me. Too young also to have seen him play with the Winter Bros - though I did see the Bros in the late 70's and early 80's, but it's also fairly blurry.

^^ How was the Priest show? I really like the Sad Wings (in particular, that album is a masterpiece), Sin After Sin, Stained Class era. I would have loved to see Sad Wings performed live.

I was a little too young, but I don't remember Priest touring North Am for Sad Wings. Not even sure they would've for SAS.

I forgot to add that, in Derringer's absence, Triumph's stage crew, who had their own band, opened. They were great.

What kind of stuff did they play? I guess they played with the Triumph gear as well (drums for sure), cos I don't see the oadies bringing their own instruments on the road

Although I do enjoy Rush, and enjoyed their set, Steve Morse opened for them and that's what got me to go.

Not that I was going to the gig for him (he was the extra-bonus attraction), but Steve Morse opened acoustically (solo) for the McL/PDL/ADM trio (at some UofT concert hemicycle) and it looked for a while like he was stealing the show, but the trio did manage to pull the crowd favors to themselves.

[ronmac]

Saw him twice (I believe), but don't remember in which context(could be for Triumph) - probably not headlining, though >> not enough of an attraction for lil'ol'me. Too young also to have seen him play with the Winter Bros - though I did see the Bros in the late 70's and early 80's, but it's also fairly blurry.

I always wanted to see Johnny and Edgar together, but never did. That's a dream show I never got to see. Rick with them would be awesome.

I did see Edgar, maybe, three times, plus twice when he was in Leon Russell"s band. I saw Johnny 13 times.

What kind of stuff did they play? I guess they played with the Triumph gear as well (drums for sure), cos I don't see the oadies bringing their own instruments on the road

It was just great hard rock. Maybe a bit blues-based. I'd love to find out who they were. For all I know, maybe they turned into something bigger.

[Trane]

I always wanted to see Johnny and Edgar together, but never did. That's a dream show I never got to see. Rick with them would be awesome.

I did see Edgar, maybe, three times, plus twice when he was in Leon Russell"s band. I saw Johnny 13 times.

sorry if I lead you to believe I saw EW & JWtogether - wasn"t the case (saw neither together with Derringer either)
Edgar, I must've seen him for the Standing On Rock tour (not likely the previous album)

It was just great hard rock. Maybe a bit blues-based. I'd love to find out who they were. For all I know, maybe they turned into something bigger.

Santers maybe? They arrived on the scene around that time.

https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/santers

I know they were friendly and may have even toured with them later on.

Not that triumph was playing often in Toronto in those days (too busy elsewhere I guess), but the last time I saw them was for the PoP album at the Maple Leaf Gardens (Teenage Heads opening, if memory serves)

[headcrash]

Climax Blues Band opening for Sly & The Family Stone at Raceway Park in NJ 1974. We were big Climax fans, not so much for Sly, but the real eye-opener was the Hungarian group Locomotiv GT playing for the first time in the US. They were fantastic and got a little airplay on the NYC progressive station.

[reynard]

Thrice I have done this. The first time was going to a Stevie Nicks show to see Peter Frampton as the opener. We didn't stay for Nicks and I honestly wasn't impressed by Peter.

Many years later I twice bought Dream Theater tix just to go see their openers. The first was Spock's Beard and the second The Dregs. Both times we managed to make it about 2 songs into the DT set before leaving. Gave it an honest college try I tell you as sometimes seeing a band live is what really makes me fall for them but unfortunately Mr. Labrie's vocal stylings are just not my cup of tea as they say.

I like the mentions of SRV opening for the Moodies. As I too saw a couple of those shows and while I certainly went to see the Moodies, that was a great opener for sure. I also saw The Fixx open for them once who were really impressive at the time even though I wasn't familiar with anything other then their one hit.

[NogbadTheBad]

The Crimson Project supporting Dream Theater, left after 2 DT numbers.

Many years later I twice bought Dream Theater tix just to go see their openers. The first was Spock's Beard and the second The Dregs. Both times we managed to make it about 2 songs into the DT set before leaving. Gave it an honest college try I tell you as sometimes seeing a band live is what really makes me fall for them but unfortunately Mr. Labrie's vocal stylings are just not my cup of tea as they say.

I'm spotting a pattern.

[thedunno]

Only one I can remember is that I once went to a Riverside show to see Lazuli as the support act.

Left halfway down the Riverside set.

[mozo-pg]

Only one I can remember is that I once went to a Riverside show to see Lazuli as the support act.

Left halfway down the Riverside set.

I saw Riverside at the FMPM festival in Montreal. They opened with a Pink Floyd tune in tribute to Richard Wright. The show was excellent!

[Joe F.]

I was a little too young, but I don't remember Priest touring North Am for Sad Wings. Not even sure they would've for SAS.

They definitely played the US in '77, the year SAS came out.
Here's a show from Texas.

[Geoff O'Donoghue]

I went to the Big Day Out festival (on the Gold Coast, Australia) just to see second billing Rammstein. I got there late afternoon, skipping most of the day's performances and saw Iggy Pop and someone else I can't remember (maybe The John Butler Trio) prior to Rammstein's slot. I left just as top billing Tool started their performance as I had to get back to Brisbane cos my wife needed the car for something (I don't dislike Tool but they have never really clicked with me).