Backup bands

skibum609
Massachusetts
Assuming all or most of you have gone to concerts I was wondering have you ever gone to see a band you really wanted to see and then watched them get smoked by their backup band? Augsut 3, 1975, right before embarking to college we were lucky enough to score concert tickets at the providence Civic Center to see the band we all wanted to see: Black Sabbath. Very tough ticket at the time and we were pumped. They were ok, with a drunk Ozzy Osbourne, but their back up band fucking made them look like a high school band at a dance. Back up band actually did 3 encores. We were mesmerized and left the concert thinking that the back up band might make it big some day. They did better than that with their pyrotechnics, stage show and costumes/masks. Who were they? Kiss.

13 comments

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yahtzee74
5 years ago
You mean opening band.
rattdog
5 years ago
as a general rule: never upstage the headliner. two bands that i heard that got dropped from a tour after smoking the headliner.
1. ratt opening up for billy squier
2. grand funk railroad opening up for led zeppelin
skibum609
5 years ago
I give black sabbath credit for at least giving good bands a chance to be seen.
nemesisk7
5 years ago
KISS sucks
Longball300
5 years ago
Thinking back old and new over the years where I have enjoyed the "opening band" more than the headliner:

Tina Turner > Lionel Richie

REO Speedwagon > Chicago

Night Ranger > The Outfield

Seether / Pop Evil > Shinedown

Halestorm > Three Days Grace

Alter Bridge > Skillet

there's probably more but, I was too drunk to remember or had passed out by the time the headliner came on stage.
IHearVoices
5 years ago
Went to an on-campus concert during homecoming weekend the year after I graduated. Local rap group came on stage. Second verse of one song, the crowd just erupted. People fell in love with them at that point.

The headliner that night? I don't remember.

The guy who delivered that second verse? T-Pain.
Daddillac
5 years ago
I saw 38 special.... opening for them was guns and roses and opening for GNR was Bon Jovi

I also saw night ranger with Kansas opening
skibum609
5 years ago
Leave it to a maricon like Nemesisk to be a douche on a friendly thread.
datinman
5 years ago
One that comes to mind from the 1970's, J Geils Band opening for YES. Both were great, but J Geils crushed it. I don't know why they would pair in the first place. Going from J Geils high energy boogie to Yes' cerebral prog rock was an awkward transition.
Estafador
5 years ago
don't go to many concerts. I probably should before I hit 35 since I'm American and all. But the few I went to, NONE of them were ever upstaged by the opening acts. Guess I got lucky or unlucky
skibum609
5 years ago
Justin - J. Geils is a local legend around here and one of the best concert acts of all time. Unsurprising they kicked Yes' ass.
Daddillac
5 years ago
Country concert...

Alabama headliner
The Judds were 2nd opening act
Randy Travis 1st opening act
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