The opening band that surprised you...

[John Drake]

I saw the post of the 5 worst bands you've seen and started thinking of that one time I wanted to go see a band and there was an opening act that I've heard of and was blown away by them.

That concert for me was The Hooters. They opened for Bryan Adams, he was amazing as well. The Hooters had just released their first record (yup, records then). I knew their song And We Danced, and maybe one other. Well their entire opening act was excellent. Their entire first album is excellent as well, I bought it the very next day.

[heaven&hell]

Strikeforce opening for Dokken. They played around that area often and had been for years but I had never seen them and didn't expect them to be that good but they were very good.

[heaven&hell]

I forgot to mention the band that blew me away was HAIR OF THE DOG opening for Cinderella in 1998. They were badass live.

[Fat Freddy]

Two that come to mind for me immediately....

 

TROUBLE opening for Savatage in 1990. I had heard of Trouble prior to that gig but had never heard them before the show... and they completely, totally, utterly blew me the f*ck away that night. They've been one of my favorite bands ever since.

 

I also saw Babylon A.D. for the first time back in '89 at the bottom of a multi-band bill supporting the Sea Hags. Babylon A.D. weren't even mentioned in the club's advertisements, so they came on pretty much un-announced. Nobody knew who the hell they were (their debut album didn't come out till a month or two later) but they blew the roof off the joint and were far and away the best band of the evening... we were totally unimpressed by the headlining Sea Hags and left about three or four songs into their set.

[Dark Star]

Two that come to mind for me immediately....

 

TROUBLE opening for Savatage in 1990. I had heard of Trouble prior to that gig but had never heard them before the show... and they completely, totally, utterly blew me the f*ck away that night. They've been one of my favorite bands ever since.

 

I also saw Babylon A.D. for the first time back in '89 at the bottom of a multi-band bill supporting the Sea Hags. Babylon A.D. weren't even mentioned in the club's advertisements, so they came on pretty much un-announced. Nobody knew who the hell they were (their debut album didn't come out till a month or two later) but they blew the roof off the joint and were far and away the best band of the evening... we were totally unimpressed by the headlining Sea Hags and left about three or four songs into their set.

 

 

Ok Get OUT of MY head!!!

 

See I was at both shows with Keith and yea I gotta agree with Him on both counts.. Babylon AD and Trouble were fucking AMAZING live!!! And yea the Sea Hags kinda blew goats, but Savatage?? Awesome live!!!!

 

OH and one other opening act He and I saw live together, would be Ugly Kid Joe.. back in 1990?? Opening for Scatterbrain... We had NO Idea who these guys were, Hell their first EP didn't come out until a month or two later, but DAMN We were impressed with their set that night, and bought their EP when it came out!!

[Fat Freddy]

OH and one other opening act He and I saw live together, would be Ugly Kid Joe.. back in 1990?? Opening for Scatterbrain... We had NO Idea who these guys were, Hell their first EP didn't come out until a month or two later, but DAMN We were impressed with their set that night, and bought their EP when it came out!!

 

Good one, shoulda thought of them. I thought it was kinda funny when "I Hate Everything About You" became this huge hit around Spring Break time, and I was like "Geez, y'know, I just saw that band like six weeks ago and nobody cared who they were." Haha.

[Dark Star]

OH and one other opening act He and I saw live together, would be Ugly Kid Joe.. back in 1990?? Opening for Scatterbrain... We had NO Idea who these guys were, Hell their first EP didn't come out until a month or two later, but DAMN We were impressed with their set that night, and bought their EP when it came out!!

 

Good one, shoulda thought of them. I thought it was kinda funny when "I Hate Everything About You" became this huge hit around Spring Break time, and I was like "Geez, y'know, I just saw that band like six weeks ago and nobody cared who they were." Haha.

 

 

I know right?? We saw a few bands live before Anyone knew who the hell they were.. Ahh.. College days.....

[cdjunky41]

BEGGARS AND THEIVES opening for JOE WALSH

BEGGARS AND THEIVES opening for DIRTY LOOKS

ZO2 opening for KIX

THE TREWS opening for ZO2

AMERICAN ANGEL opening for TT QUICK

CAROLINE SPINE opening for SEBASTION BACH

PURE RUBBISH at the 2001 OZZFEST

NILE opening for DIM MAK

HUMAN REMAINS opening for BRUTAL TRUTH

KINGS OF THE SUN opening for DIRTY LOOKS

STARZ opening for DERRINGER

BON JOVI opening for BILLY SQUIRE

Just to name a few...

[metalhead69]

One that comes to mind for me is NO INNOCENT VICTIM opening for AGNOSTIC FRONT...christian hardcore that smoked live...

[LV KIX]

I saw the post of the 5 worst bands you've seen and started thinking of that one time I wanted to go see a band and there was an opening act that I've heard of and was blown away by them.

That concert for me was The Hooters. They opened for Bryan Adams, he was amazing as well. The Hooters had just released their first record (yup, records then). I knew their song And We Danced, and maybe one other. Well their entire opening act was excellent. Their entire first album is excellent as well, I bought it the very next day.

 

I didn't see The Hooter open for Bryan Adams... I have seen them both on different occasions. I was lucky enough to see The Hooters on many occasions and they never disappointed.

 

Back in the day it seemed like over half the time I went to a concert it was to see the opening act. Quiet Riot opening for Loverboy was great... Warlock opening for Megadeth was awesome... Law And Order and Princess Pang opening for Warlock was cool also. SR-71 making Bon Jovi look like a band in a high school talent show will always be something I cherish... it was the last time I talked to Jeff Reed of SR-71 before he passed away.

 

BTW ~ Great idea for a thread.

 

I guess the band, strangely enough, that impressed me live as an opening band was The Outfield. Actually I don't even remember who the headline act was...LOL. Secondly, Autograph opening for Van Halen in 1984... what a great show that was. I thought so much of Autograph after that show that I went to see them at least 7 or 8 more times. I would also say that Steve Lynch impressed me the most of any guitar player I'd ever seen... with the exception of M. Schenker.

[Rockposer]

One that instantly springs to mind is Sword openng for Motorhead. They were superb.

[Faron]

A couple of years ago I went to see Reo Speedwagon, the support band was Macara, they were excellent!

[Leykis101]

Ive had 2, the first was all the way back in 1995, a group called Type O Negative blew Pantera away! they even came out and started watching as spectators, Phil was heavily impressed, it was their first show opening for them, I went and bought type o cd's the next day, and they sucked!!!

 

the other one was when a alt\rock group called Double Drive opened up for The Fly's and 3 Doors Down, they fucking rocked, to this day ive never bought their cd because of the unlucky incident I had with Type O cd's, but they did this song called Hey, Hey and it was probably the best live song ive ever heard that I had not ever heard before, it was phenomanel, I noticed I could never see it on the cd listings, or I probably would have bought the cd!

[metalhead69]

I forgot about seeing LIFE OF AGONY opening for TYPO O NEGATIVE & BIOHAZARD...I was shocked watching this band I had never heard before tearing through songs from their "RIVER RUNS RED" album (still one of my favorites of all time!!)...

[Leykis101]

I forgot about seeing LIFE OF AGONY opening for TYPO O NEGATIVE & BIOHAZARD...I was shocked watching this band I had never heard before tearing through songs from their "RIVER RUNS RED" album (still one of my favorites of all time!!)...

Life is bad as fuck in concert, but when I saw them they were the headliners, so I cant really say I saw them open up for someone!1

[metalhead69]

I forgot about seeing LIFE OF AGONY opening for TYPO O NEGATIVE & BIOHAZARD...I was shocked watching this band I had never heard before tearing through songs from their "RIVER RUNS RED" album (still one of my favorites of all time!!)...

Life is bad as fuck in concert, but when I saw them they were the headliners, so I cant really say I saw them open up for someone!1

 

Yeah I also saw them headline on their "BROKEN VALLEY" tour which was awesome. Also saw them twice w/ Whitfield Crane (UGLY KID JOE) singing. The first show wasn't that good but the second one was alot better. I'm just glad they never recorded with him....

[Fat Freddy]

I forgot about seeing LIFE OF AGONY opening for TYPO O NEGATIVE & BIOHAZARD...I was shocked watching this band I had never heard before tearing through songs from their "RIVER RUNS RED" album (still one of my favorites of all time!!)...

 

Not a big L.O.A. fan but I did see 'em back in the "RIVER RUNS RED" days opening for Type O Negative as well... and they tore sh*t up. It was at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ and the pit was goin' off... kids climbing on each other's shoulders, grabbing onto and hanging from the pipes in the ceiling and then dropping back into the mosh. It was pretty freakin fun to watch... more fun than the band itself.

 

Another one that comes to mind was watching Obituary open for Sepultura back in '90 or so... I am not now, nor have I ever been, much of a death metal fan but Obituary blew Sepultura right the f*ck off the stage that night. They were tight, they were loud, they were freakin' HEAVY... it was like watching a bunch of animals who had been caged and starved suddenly let loose on the stage.

 

Oddly enough, after that gig I borrowed a couple of my brother's Obituary albums to see if I could get into them... and they did nothing for me. Must've been something about being there live and in person.

[eaglesfan3000]

Suicidal Tendancies opening for Queensryche, and Night Ranger they were part of a rock fest they were not the headlining act but the best that day.

[dokken]

crazy lixx opening for gilby clarke, crazy lixx had just released their first single, so i didn´t know much baout the band at that time. i wnt to show to see gilby who sucked ass, but crazy lixx really blew me away that night!

 

the almighty opening for alice cooper in 91, great band,great songs!

 

the wildhearts opening for the darkness! i am a huge wildhearts fan so it was really great!

[JamesEagle]

Saw Tyketto opening for White Lion about 20 years ago. Never heard of Tyketto, but they were fantastic live and better than White Lion. (I preferred WL's songs, but the volume was cranked up for their set and the sound quality was quite poor. So much so that Andy Bradshaw of Metal Hammer walked out after about 3 songs. And I was stalked but a scary fat girl who wanted me to buy her a drink, which didn't help.)

[cdjunky41]

I forgot about seeing LIFE OF AGONY opening for TYPO O NEGATIVE & BIOHAZARD...I was shocked watching this band I had never heard before tearing through songs from their "RIVER RUNS RED" album (still one of my favorites of all time!!)...

Life is bad as fuck in concert, but when I saw them they were the headliners, so I cant really say I saw them open up for someone!1

 

You Know,

I forgot to mention:

BIOHAZARD blowing MUCKY PUP off the stage at FACES (KEANSBURG)

LIFE OF AGONY playing at the same club tearing BIOHAZARD a new one (Way before R.R.R.)

There was a local hardcore band here called CRYPTIC COOKIES FOR JESUS who gave all the headliners a run for their money

Also local death band RIPPING CORPSE going toe to toe with headliner MORBID ANGEL.

[Leykis101]

I think the openers just play harder because they want to become headliners and not have to work as hard! like college Basketball players play a million times harder then the pros! because I to saw Suicidle and Biohazard on the same ticket, and they both fucking blew! yet when I saw Suicidle on the Clash of the Titans tour 10 years earlier, they were fucking awesome! but sucked at the Blow Your Speakers Tour, and who out played both legendary bands??? a little unknown group known as Slipnot!!

[Fat Freddy]

Also local death band RIPPING CORPSE going toe to toe with headliner MORBID ANGEL.

 

I saw Ripping Corpse open for Morbid Angel too, Dom... were you @ the China Club in Hillsdale by any chance? That's where I saw 'em... R.C. was pretty bad ass, they were like a hardcore band trapped in a death metal band's body. My brother and I chatted with their vocalist (Scott Ruth) before the show and he was one funny son of a bitch too!

[Jez]

Aldo Nova opening for Blue Oyster Cult. I knew and loved Aldo's stuff having bought the 'S/T' and a month or so before the gig 'Subject', but never in 100 years did I imagine he would be as good live as he actually was. He only played 40 odd minutes, but completely blew Blue Oyster Cult away. THE best opening /support act I have ever seen bar none. Y&T opening up for AC/DC (For Those About To Rock Tour) were ace aswell.

[Geoff]

To be honest the only opening bands I ever face that I didn't know about are usually crappy Aussie ones I don't need to know about. The Deadthings, Teargas and White Widdow were all freakin' awesome, but they were half the reason I was there in the first place each time. Haha, so can't say it was a surprise.

 

I guess when I went to see the Taste of Chaos tour a local band, Irrelevant, really impressed me. They were much better than Rise Against, who were one of the headliners.