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Anyone seen an opening band before they blew up?

musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,116
edited September 2008 in Other Music
I am sure, there are people here who saw some luminaries open up for others and then boom one day that opening band is the next biggest thing.

This happen to anyone.

I always love a gig where the opening band is good. You know the vibe for the night will be special if that happens.
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Comments

  • Brisk.Brisk. Posts: 11,567
    i saw " the enemy" open for manic street preachers. Thought they were another generic indie band, next i know it they are on reading/leeds festival mainstage.
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    Arcade Fire open for U2, but they were already biggish at that point.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,116
    keeponrockin wrote:
    Arcade Fire open for U2, but they were already biggish at that point.

    I didnt know they actually opened for them. I knew Bono has raved about them, and that they used Wake Up as intro music when they were touring, but didnt know they played together.
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    radiohead33 wrote:
    I didnt know they actually opened for them. I knew Bono has raved about them, and that they used Wake Up as intro music when they were touring, but didnt know they played together.
    I think it was only the Ottawa and Montreal shows!
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • Jesika537Jesika537 Posts: 301
    Not me personally, but my Dad saw Led Zeppelin open for someone (can't even remember who), right before Zeppelin I was released. Needless to say, they stole the show and went on to be a pretty big band.
    Detroit '98 - Detroit '03 - Toledo '04 - Grand Rapids '04 - Kitchener '05 - London '05 - Grand Rapids '06 - Cleveland '06 - Detroit '06 - Chicago '07 - West Palm Beach - Tampa '08 - Toronto '09 - Indy '10 - Buffalo '10 - Toronto '11 - London '13
  • South of SeattleSouth of Seattle West Seattle Posts: 10,724
    Pearl Jam opening for Neil Young in 93'

    Seen Elliott Smith several times opening for unheard of bands

    Kings of Leon on the 2nd stage of Lolla during the Youth and Young Manhood era.

    Saw Incubus open for 311 a few times in the early 90's

    Eminem, during the warped tour.

    The Roots opening for RATM.
    NERDS!
  • LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSunLikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun Posts: 6,097
    my grandmother was invited to see Elvis before he got big, but she didnt want to see someone she never heard of.
  • Chris1401Chris1401 Posts: 354
    I saw Nickelback open up for Everclear in 2000. It was a show with a crowd of about 3,000.

    The surprising thing? Nickelback was a bunch of long-haired, scraggly looking guys who rocked more than Everclear (not hard) and actually had music that was listenable.

    And some of you may ask why I went....I lived in an isolated town of 20,000..this was "the concert" for the year.
  • dirtdirt Posts: 398
    I saw Metallica open for Ozzy in '86 in Battle Creek. Master of Puppets was out and they were gaining popularity but weren't mainstream and big-time yet.

    Also saw Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins open up for Red Hot Chili Peppers back in Kalamazoo in the early 90's. November '91 PJ opened for RHCP on MSU's campus. That was a really good one.

    Ohhh, and I saw Bon Jovi open up for Ratt back in '85 when they were touring on their 7800 Farenheight tour. I bought a teal sleeveless ratt-n-roll t-shirt. Yeah, those were the days. About two years from discovering Big Black's Atomizer, and another four from getting into Daydream Nation and Surfer Rosa. And I'll never forget when I saw Sonic Youth in 1990 in Chicago and thinking their best years were behind them. 18 years later their music just gets better and better to me.
    drive less - RIDE MORE!
  • iamsampjiamsampj Posts: 784
    don't know if any of these bands count as being "huge" but...in my world they are.

    i saw tv on the radio open for the faint in miami at the polish-american club back in 2004-ish...can't remember exactly. but...i was already in love with them and was only convinced to go to the show when i found out that they were opening :)

    tokyo police club opening for cold war kids.

    annuals for tapes 'n tapes.

    death cab for pearl jam...though they were right on the verge of becoming huge at the time.
    yes...i do feel like a human. i do not feel like a tree.
  • PJ & BomptonPJ & Bompton Posts: 92
    hmmm...would have to think but definitely one of the biggest ones is Lupe Fiasco he opened for Kanye West...played Kick, Push and left that was his only song that wasn't a mixtape track at the time...
  • red mosred mos Posts: 4,953
    yep, saw Wilco open for Sheryl Crow back in 1996. Wilco kicks ass and as we all know is huge. I've only seen them twice, but hope to see them again very soon.
    PJ: 10/14/00 06/09/03 10/4/09 11/15/13 11/16/13 10/08/14
    EV Solo: 7/11/11 11/12/12 11/13/12
  • FifthelementFifthelement Lotusland Posts: 6,963
    Guns N Roses opening for the Cult in 1987 - pre- Sweet Child O Mine
    Sarah Mclachlan opening for Grapes of Wrath - 1987 or 1988
    "What the CANUCK happened?!? - Esquimalt Barber Shop
  • JulienJulien Posts: 2,457
    nice thread !

    I saw Jeff Buckley at the Werchter festival (Belgium) in 1995 (? I think). Almost nobody knew who he was.
    2006: Antwerp, Paris
    2007: Copenhagen, Werchter
    2009: Rotterdam, London
    2010: MSG, Arras, Werchter
    2012: Amsterdam, Prague, Berlin
    2014: Amsterdam, Stockholm
  • jamie ukjamie uk Posts: 3,812
    I saw Radiohead opening for James in 1993, they were special already, Creep was just hitting the radio....
    Then a few years later I saw Stereophonics open for James right before they hit huge, James had the balls to take good bands out on tour I suppose.
    I came, I saw, I concurred.....
  • Thorns2010Thorns2010 Posts: 2,201
    I saw Kara's Flowers, (who later went on to become Maroon 5) Open up for Reel Big Fish.

    It was my first concert, leave me alone! :p
  • itsevobabyitsevobaby Posts: 1,809
    flight of the conchords used to busk down the street
    Look Alive,
    See These Bones
  • stu geestu gee Posts: 1,174
    Saw arctic monkeys first gig in glasgow, hate them now though.
    People say im paranoid. Well, they dont say it, but i know that's what they are thinking.
  • HermanBloomHermanBloom Posts: 1,764
    Funny story; I saw Faith No More in 97 and Limp Bizkit opened up. I remember saying, this band sucks huge ones; I hope they don't make it big. Sure enough, a year later they were huge and music was over.
    SLC 11/2/95, Park City 6/21/98, Boise 11/3/00, Seattle 12/9/02, Vancouver 5/30/03, Gorge 9/1/05, Vancouver 9/2/05, Gorge 7/22/06, Gorge 7/23/06, Camden I 6/19/08, MSG I 6/24/08, MSG II 6/25/08, Hartford 6/27/08, Mansfield II 6/30/08; Eddie Albany 6/8/09, 6/9/09; Philly 10/30/09, 10/31/09; Boston 5/17/10
    I thought the world...Turns out the world thought me
  • hendrix78hendrix78 Posts: 507
    I saw the Black Crowes open for Robert Plant before I had ever heard of them. Shake Your Moneymaker had probably just come out. I think it was in 1990. Then a year later, I saw Alice in Chains open for Van Halen. A month or so after that show, I heard Man In the Box on the radio for the first time.
  • Evacuation RulesEvacuation Rules Posts: 2,162
    nathanastin wrote:
    Funny story; I saw Faith No More in 97 and Limp Bizkit opened up. I remember saying, this band sucks huge ones; I hope they don't make it big. Sure enough, a year later they were huge and music was over.

    I saw them on the same tour in Philly. The audience booed and threw shit. I wonder what the fuck Patton was thinking...
  • ladygooddivaladygooddiva Posts: 4,169
    linkin park(opening for deftones)nobody knew where they are just me that was cool
    puddle of mud(opening for staind) just two younger boys and me knew them
  • Sian-of-the-deadSian-of-the-dead Posts: 8,963
    I BrisK I wrote:
    i saw " the enemy" open for manic street preachers. Thought they were another generic indie band, next i know it they are on reading/leeds festival mainstage.

    I could've seen them for free at the Godiva fest in Coventry (where the band, and my lovely self are from) but chose not too... I think they're poo!

    Great thread :D
    Been to this many PJ shows: Reading 2006 London 2007 Manchester & London 2009 Dublin, Belfast, London, Nijmegen & Berlin 2010 Manchester 1 & Manchester 2 2012...

    ... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
  • Get_RightGet_Right Posts: 13,514
    I saw REM open for the police in 1983 two nights in a row
  • phatuciniphatucini Posts: 399
    Kings of Leon opening for the Strokes in Paris (Room On Fire Tour). I just remember that it was at the Zenith and both Bands mentioned on stage that it was the first time they played in France. Also, Ben Kweller opended as the first band even before KOL.
  • catch22catch22 Posts: 1,081
    my gf saw arcade fire while they were still nobodies. they were opening for some mediocre punk band in a tiny shithole bar in columbus. it's a place i've been... it's literally underground in a basement. she said there were about 15 people there and she was standing right in front of win butler. they opened with 'wake up' and she was hooked. that would have been pretty cool.
    and like that... he's gone.
  • Comatose11Comatose11 Posts: 77
    Not huge, but I caught Rise Against opening for NOFX, and taht worked out pretty well for them!
    I'll end up alone like I began...
  • know1know1 Posts: 6,794
    I saw Kid Rock in a small bar/music venue before he made it big. There were probably less than 150 people there.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • petrocspetrocs Posts: 4,342
    PJ open for RHCP
    Nirvana open for RHCP
    Smashing Pumpkins open for RHCP
    Stereophonics open for U2
    Oasis open for U2
    Muse open for RHCP
    Kings of Leon open for U2

    I guess if you're destined to be a classic band you open for RHCP or U2 :D
    Shows:
    9/24/96 MD. 9/28/96 Randalls. 8/28-29/98 Camden. 9/8/98 NJ. 9/18/98 MD. 9/1-2/00 Camden. 9/4/00 MD. 4/28/03 Philly. 7/5-6/03 Camden. 9/30/05 AC.
    10/3/05 Philly. 5/27-28/06 Camden. 6/23/06 Pitt. 6/19-20/08 Camden. 6/24/08 MSG. 8/7/08 EV Newark, NJ. 6/11-12/09 EV Philly, PA. 10/27-28-30-31/09 Philly, PA., 5/15/10 Hartford,5/17/10 Boston, 5/18/10 Newark, 5/20-21/10 MSG
  • NewmanUSPSNewmanUSPS Posts: 243
    [
    Ohhh, and I saw Bon Jovi open up for Ratt back in '85 when they were touring on their 7800 Farenheight tour. I bought a teal sleeveless ratt-n-roll t-shirt.


    Hey, I saw this tour as well. At the Orange County Civic Center in Orlando. My parents dropped off me and my brother for this show and later ran into Jon Bon Jovi at an ABC around the corner.

    Oh, the T-shirt said "Today the cellar, tomorrow the world"
    Most people with low self-esteem have earned it.
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