The obscure bands thread had me thinking about lesser-known bands or up-and-coming bands that opened for big name acts.
Some big headliners I saw were great about bringing quality acts to open, but others I could do without.
Rush, back when they used an opening act instead of playing two sets, always brought quality openers.
Examples:
- Max Webster (Canadian band, great guitarist/singer fronting them)
- Golden Earring (drummer did a really good solo, not at all shy about showing his chops knowing that Peart would be onstage later)
- Gary Moore. Dude could shred
- Tommy Shaw. Played some solo stuff, played some Styx, was really good
- Mr. Big. Rush was not shy at all about putting Billy Sheehan and Paul Gilbert on first
- Eric Johnson
- Steve Morse Band. A guitarist so good that he is ineligible for the Guitar Player magazine reader's poll because he won Best Overall Guitarist five times
- Primus. Again, another amazing bass player. Geddy had no worries
- Candlebox
Judas Priest had Great White open when I saw them. They were new and their big single was called "Stick It", but they were good
Ratt had Bon Jovi open
David Lee Roth had Cinderella open
ZZ Top brought Honeymoon Suite
The Cars brought Wang Chung
Triumph brought an aging Molly Hatchet, but they were solid
In contrast, Van Halen didn't bring good openers (not counting Monsters of Rock). After The Fire opened on the Diver Down tour. Remember "Der Kommissar"?
A rockabilly band named The Velcros opened on the 1984 tour. They gave them the front porch of this massive stage. Tiny area, smaller than most openers get. They were good as a rockabilly band, but opening for a band that was the biggest around at the time?
VH also had a really old Bachman Turner Overdrive open for them on 5150. I read somewhere back then that they didn't want a chance to be shown up so they booked lower quality acts. Considering Dave booked Cinderella for his opener on his first solo tour, I'm guessing this was an Eddie decision. Considering what we have seen from EVH in recent years, it seems possible. How can you be a guitar legend and be insecure?
U2 brought the Pixies the time I saw them. I know some people love the Pixies, but they were not impressive to me
Asia had a juggler open. He told jokes, he juggled to rock music, he was good at what he did, but really?
Queensryche brought Type O Negative. They evidently had a following at some point, but they were just average when I saw them
Do you have any examples of bands that were not afraid of some competition? And maybe some that were?
Some big headliners I saw were great about bringing quality acts to open, but others I could do without.
Rush, back when they used an opening act instead of playing two sets, always brought quality openers.
Examples:
- Max Webster (Canadian band, great guitarist/singer fronting them)
- Golden Earring (drummer did a really good solo, not at all shy about showing his chops knowing that Peart would be onstage later)
- Gary Moore. Dude could shred
- Tommy Shaw. Played some solo stuff, played some Styx, was really good
- Mr. Big. Rush was not shy at all about putting Billy Sheehan and Paul Gilbert on first
- Eric Johnson
- Steve Morse Band. A guitarist so good that he is ineligible for the Guitar Player magazine reader's poll because he won Best Overall Guitarist five times
- Primus. Again, another amazing bass player. Geddy had no worries
- Candlebox
Judas Priest had Great White open when I saw them. They were new and their big single was called "Stick It", but they were good
Ratt had Bon Jovi open
David Lee Roth had Cinderella open
ZZ Top brought Honeymoon Suite
The Cars brought Wang Chung
Triumph brought an aging Molly Hatchet, but they were solid
In contrast, Van Halen didn't bring good openers (not counting Monsters of Rock). After The Fire opened on the Diver Down tour. Remember "Der Kommissar"?
A rockabilly band named The Velcros opened on the 1984 tour. They gave them the front porch of this massive stage. Tiny area, smaller than most openers get. They were good as a rockabilly band, but opening for a band that was the biggest around at the time?
VH also had a really old Bachman Turner Overdrive open for them on 5150. I read somewhere back then that they didn't want a chance to be shown up so they booked lower quality acts. Considering Dave booked Cinderella for his opener on his first solo tour, I'm guessing this was an Eddie decision. Considering what we have seen from EVH in recent years, it seems possible. How can you be a guitar legend and be insecure?
U2 brought the Pixies the time I saw them. I know some people love the Pixies, but they were not impressive to me
Asia had a juggler open. He told jokes, he juggled to rock music, he was good at what he did, but really?
Queensryche brought Type O Negative. They evidently had a following at some point, but they were just average when I saw them
Do you have any examples of bands that were not afraid of some competition? And maybe some that were?
