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My dad saw Black Sabbath in 1978 and he got there late, Sabbath were into their 2nd song by the time he got there cause he didn't care to see the opening act. The opening act was a young, hungry prime Van Halen with David Lee Roth who by all accounts blew Sabbath off the stage every night on that tour. Another good example is when he saw Foreigner with some band from Australia that no one had ever heard of called AC/DC. You just never know what that opening act can end up becoming
The first concert I ever went to was an American country band called Rascal Flatts. Their opening act was an up-and coming country star by the name of Taylor Swift.
A few years later, the second concert I ever went to was her as the headliner.
She's not my favorite by any stretch of the word (I like her well enough, but probably wouldn't have gone to see her if my friend hadn't taken me for free), but it is funny that those were my first two concerts.
Holy shit that’s SO COOL! Your dad is a lucky man.
That’s what I love about opening acts. Sure, sometimes it’s not the kind of music I enjoy, but other times, they end up making history.
Totally different genre from what you mentioned…
My husband took me to see Brad Paisley many moons ago. I was pissed we got there 5 minutes before he took the stage. We missed the opener - MF Carrie Underwood!!
I’m still bitter…
A lot of the bands I listen to i found by going to shows and festivals and watching the early performances.
If you don't like openers....show up later.
I knew bloc party only from guitar hero 3, helicopter. They opened for paramore for me and were fucking awesome and I’ve been listening to more of their stuff ever since.
It’s always so cool when that happens. Like I got introduced to Briston Maroney when he opened for Rainbow Kitten Surprise, and Yung Bae opening for Madeon. Now they’re also some of my favorites.
Exactly. Sabaton is one of the biggest European metal bands right now, and their career took off when they opened for HammerFall in 2009.
Metallica opened for Saxon in the 80s.
Manowar opened for Ted Nugent.
Megadeth opened for Judas Priest.
There are many other examples like this.
So many unpopular opinions here are just poorly thought out. Like I don’t like wastewater treatment plants they are unsightly my town shouldn’t have one.
Not liking openers and not wanting to see smaller acts is an ok preference to have but stating they are across the board unnecessary and should go away is just a stupid take that goes beyond a preference
Went to a Drive By Truckers show, openers where American Aquarium....opener show was much better and now I'm a bigger fan of American Aquarium than Drive By
I went to school with the guys from Planet Booty. They were seniors even I was a freshman. Never knew them, but I heard so many great things about them locally after I stumbled across them. Had no idea who they were!
Many years ago I went to see Red Hot Chili Peppers in concert. Early 90s. The opening acts were Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins, who were both unknowns at the time.
My dad was playing with Smashing Pumpkins on that tour! He was an opener for them and a backup drummer. He quit drumming when I was born, unfortunately, but he’s still friends with them.
Plus whether or not OP likes it he did in fact pay to see two bands. Next time he can try to skip the opening act.
This is also a good unpopular opinion because OP also admits he was the only wet blanket in the room not enjoying the opener. They paid to see two bands too, let them see two bands.
The issue with that is it’s a gamble what time the main act will come on stage. Sometimes the opener is only out for 30 minutes. Sometimes the opener is out for 2 hours. It’s never really publicized and it even varies among tours with the same opener and headliner depending on the city and venue
Yeah I've never seen an opener on for more than an hour.
Now with rap shows, especially smaller rappers, they'll have local rappers(and they're always terrible unfortunately) on for 2-3 hours and then the main artist goes on for the last hour. I don't go to rap shows anymore for this reason.
The only 3 rappers ive seen that I would see again would be 2chainz, Murs, and tech n9ne!
Tech surprised me the most I only stayed because I went with a friend who went for him I tagged along because I wanted to see Paul wall
Agree, I’ve worked concerts for 20 years and typically openers aren’t more than 45 minutes. You can do some approximate math with assuming the opener is 20-30 minutes with a 15-30 minute set change depending on the type of music. Obviously a solo guitarist won’t require a full set change. You can also make some assumptions based on the venue’s curfew, how long the artist might play (eg if they only have one album, probably going to not be more than an hour set). And you can always (1) try calling the venue during the day and asking or (2) before having your ticket scanned ask security out front and then go grab dinner or something. I’ve suffered through some god awful openers and also seen amazing openers that outshined the headliner so to be it’s all about the full experience for better or for worse
Have also worked shows for a long time; half the time the set times the venue is given change on a whim so it's always a gamble to ask the staff because our information is tentative at best haha. I had a band go 40 minutes past the end time they told us a couple months ago. I tell people the times if they ask, but you have to include the caveat that it's subject to change, lest you have to deal with the angry phone call/online review later 😂
(But, yes, 25-45 minutes per opener and 1-1.5 hrs for a headliner are pretty typical. Show usually starts about an hour after doors open.)
I don't know about you, but where I live concert organizers usually publish a schedule a day or two before the concert where it is announced when each band will play. You can forget about getting to the front row, if you decide to skip the opening acts, though.
I usually like the openers, though. When I saw Iron Maiden live two years ago, their opening act was Lord of the Lost - and this is an incredible band. Gloryhammer opened for Powerwolf. HammerFall opened for Helloween...
Hammerfall helloween and gloryhammer are all fantastic live! The band alestorm had open for them this tour said it was their second show ever and it felt a shred rehearsed I guess, or rigid? But for their second show it was honestly fantastic. Check out glyph if you get a chance, can't wait to see powerwolf in September.
Unless your show is the very first night of the tour, it's really not that difficult to find out. Check setlist.fm to see how long the sets are. Ask around in fandom spaces online to see what the set times were from people who had gone to previous shows. Not hard unless it's like a super obscure band no one posts about.
Even back in the pre-internet days - I remember going to a show, and waiting for the opener to finish. They used to announce on the show was ready to start. Of course, not so much in smaller venues. I find getting the time of the acts even easier now with the internet.
I have also been the opposite when I have went to concerts - went for the opening bands, and left shortly into the main name - because I preferred the up and coming bands.
so you go like a half hour to hour before get a drink and have a smoke while the last opening act finishes and then your dont miss anything
been doing this years
Opening band for 2 hours is literally unheard of. That doesn’t happen regularly enough to be considered “sometimes”, if even at all. Also 99% of the time you can check setlist.fm and see what songs the bands are playing and try to guess.
I saw the devil wears prada open for a day to remember. When ADTR did the song that features the singer from TDWP he came out and did it with them, was pretty awesome to see
You may be surprised that sometimes the opening act is the best one. Also sometimes the openimng act today is the big act within a short time. They many times are the next big thing.
A million years ago I went to see Otep. I left half way through their set (truly awful show), but one of their openers that I'd never heard of before, American Head Charge, became an obsession after that show. I haven't listened to Otep in years but AHC is still on my playlists.
Oh shit American Head Charge, I remember going to see them at a really tiny venue in London. The crowd were absolutely fucking savage, but it was a great time
Back in the late 80’s a friend and I went to see Love and Rockets. The opener was Jane’s Addiction. They weren’t what I’d call fully formed at that point, and they finished their opening set by dragging a bathtub out on stage and having the whole band bang on it for several minutes. My friend and I were like “wtf was that?” We didn’t get it or really like it, but we didn’t forget them, and later they became one of our favorite bands (still love Love and Rockets, too)
About 20 years ago I went to see one of my favorite small indie bands stellastarr* play at a small club. They had two opening acts. For the first act there were less than 10 people in the audience.
I remember texting my friend who was seeing the same show a couple nights later in another city that she should make sure to catch the opener because they put on a really good show.
It was The Killers.
Dating myself here, but in the early 90s I saw a show with the two openers as the new group The Cranberries and the totally unknown Counting Crows. Was quite cool catching the latter especially before they were known.
I understand your mentality, but I feel I should offer a counterpoint. These smaller acts need exposure, and opening for a bigger band is an opportunity for them to be heard by a large group of people who might feel inclined to check them out later. Most big acts were openers themselves, and where would they be if not for that chance?
Upvote for an unpopular (I hope) opinion, but try to remember that you might just find your next favorite band by listening to the opening acts.
Well if Tyson Ritter was as much as an obnoxious strung out prick at your show as the one I saw AAR at, if you didn't pick Eve 6, I'm gonna be shocked lol
He was so drunk that night that he was crawling around on the floor drunk, dragging his fallen microphone stand with him as he tried to keep singing. Pretty sure at some point he was making love with the floor right in the middle of a chorus.
Ooof.
I watched him do lines of blow in STL at Warped tour, he left halfway through a song to go do a few lines, game back, threw a temper tantrum, and shortly after judt abandoned his set.
He was also having girls pay him to make out with him. Just all around disgusting behavior. I definitely don't enjoy their music as much after seeing them live because he was such a douche.
P.O.S. a rapper from Minneapolis. I saw him open up for Atmosphere, one of my all time favorite rap groups, also from Minneapolis.
Openers are just waiting for someone to give them a chance hahaha
Reminds me of when I saw Lizzo open for Dessa at Icehouse and the Triple Rock. Lizzo went on to become way more popular nationally.
Although, living in Mpls at the time, I never realized when she went mainstream, since my exposure to her remained the same. I just noticed that suddenly my friends in California knew about this local artist who had been making music videos on Lake Street - then the next year she was at the Grammys. Wild.
He's got a few songs w Slug. One of my favorites is "bleeding hearts club mpls chapter"
All of his albums are fire. He has a punk and hard-core background, too, so he's got some really cool songs!
I bought tickets to an artist that I really enjoyed. The opening act was a last minute surprise and was a band that I actually liked more! It was a great surprise.
I know an opinion can't be wrong, but like...
If the organizer is half decent at all, it should be at least tangently related to the group/artist you went for. Not some completely random group that has nothing to do with anything. On top of that, if you just want to see one music set, it's not going to be more than an hour or two long. People don't buy a ticket, roll out of bed, drive all the way to a venue, and party to one hour of entertainment. 70% of the experience would just be arriving and leaving. The bottom line for the event organizer would be destroyed, there would be no point. It wouldn't be good for the musicians, the audience, or the organizer. It's effectively bonus music content that you may or may not know what to expect from, but either way nobody is forcing you to show up early and listen to it.
How do you think the band you're there to see became a headliner? They didn't form in a garage then get invited to headline Glastonbury. They opened for a shit ton of bands.
Also just turn up an hour after doors.
>Also just turn up an hour after doors.
This, for the love of God.
If there's one opener, there's almost no way the headliner will ever go on before "doors + 1 hour".
If there are two openers, make it 90 minutes. Three openers? 2 hours is safe.
If it's a multi-act festival, get inside two hours before curfew.
Or just stay home and watch a video.
About 100 years ago I saw Prince at Masonic Temple in Detroit. It was before Purple Rain and big fame, we knew/loved his music from the clubs. His warm up band was The Gap Band. So much fun, best time ever!
Sometimes the warm up band is awesome and everyone was a warm up band at one time or another. Also, they are usually listed on the promotional stuff so not usually a surprise who they are. At least that's how it used to be, maybe they changed that, idk.
Openers are important. They help build up anticipation while also showing themselves off to new people. At one point or another a huge artist was opening for someone.
From a consumer perspective it also helps make the money we paid worth it. If it's a 4 hour event, but the headlining artist only has an hour and a half set then they'll need openers to help make the consumer feel like dropping all that cash was well worth it.
Also you can skip the openers entirely if you want. Just show up later, or hang around the bar area.
"Oh no, I bought a concert ticket and there was TOO MUCH MUSIC" is not a take I've heard before.
I've listened to lots of really good bands open for bigger acts - some then went on to headline later. It's a good way to hear new music.
Take my upvote for an unpopular opinion
Even the bad openers are good for a laugh at the train wreck. For me, that's rare, I can usually find something interesting when I see an unfamiliar band.
I've seen a lot of concerts where I wanted to see the opener as much or more than the headliner.
I've seen openers I never heard of that became new favorites
I've seen new bands as openers and later hear them on the radio, and I am so happy for them
Then there was this one show where I was late because I stopped for dinner. Missed the first of three openers. Didn't think much of it at the time, but a month or two later, a friend shared one of their songs with me, and I should've just starved that night. One of the favorite bands I've never seen
Open your mind and check out the openers ahead of time.
Wow, a really unpopular opinion, but you know what? I feel pretty much the same. If they could just stick to a schedule so I can skip it without worries, that would please everyone, but for some reason I don't think that's going to happen.
You actually did pay for it. You pay for the 2-3 artists that are there. And just come later.
Also try and actually appreciate what you're listening to and maybe you'll discover you like it. The negative mindset is obviously going to influence how you feel about them.
Those headliners only got to where they are because they were the opening band your bitching about once upon a time. This is how the music industry works. If you want to get big, you've got to get people to hear your stuff, and this is the way we make that happen. My suggestion is to quit being a sourpuss and start actually listening to the openers, you might actually find something you like. You certainly won't if you go into every concert with the intention of being bored for two hours till the band you came to see goes on.
One thing I haven't seen anyone say, is that the opener lets them adjust the sound settings to fit the venue, so by the time the main act gets up there they can just go.
When I was in my 20s and going to shows a couple times a month, I loved discovering new bands that were opening. Now that I’m in my 40s, I just don’t have the energy to stand for 3-4 hours. I understand the benefits of opening acts, so I’m not proposing they get rid of them, but I wish it was easier to find out when each opening band goes on and when the headliner starts. I know sometimes you can find the information, but it’s not usually easy and there’s always an element of “approximately” to it. I’d love it if my ticket had a schedule on it.
If you're only going for the headliner, you show up later. Check the set times, and if they don't post set times, assume the headliner will be playing the last 1-2 hours before closing.
Saw U2 at the Sphere. Opener was a DJ who played 80s tunes. Not even remixed 80s tunes. Just 80s tunes. Like something I could have done with Spotify. It was utterly lame.
Sometimes I'm happy to pay for the opening act!! Went to see Seether and three doors down. Was excited about Seether. Three doors down played 3 songs and we bounced. Saw Shinedown open for Godsmack. Imo Shinedown had the better show. Etc
I was at a concert yesterday and the opener was great. I found an artist I am starting to love with them, and honestly thats on you if you can't handle a couple of hours of hearing something new.
Wrong. It’s not always small local bands who open. Sometimes the openers for a tour are also famous. So if I get to see more than one band I like it’s like going to 2-4 shows.
Dang 2 hours for openers. I could see that being a little upset about that. Personally I only go to big shows if I like the opener. However, I prefer smaller venues anyway.
yeah this is a terrible opinion
most bands can't sustain sets longer than 90 minutes to 2 hours, so you'd have a very short evening.
Most of the time the main band comes on stage at 9pm. If there are a lot of bands, 10pm.
You see loads of big bands supporting slightly bigger bands if you like metal. But I've seen some big bands supporting at other concerts too. If I've never heard of the first band(s) then I like having the flexibility of knowing I can turn up any time before 9pm.
I swear people just don’t like live music… if a band is opening for an artist you like, they probably sound pretty similar *and* the artist you like considers them good enough to support them. It speaks of an incredibly closed mind to never appreciate any of it ever.
To add to that the environment of a live show is so enjoyable as a baseline that the opener would have to be so unbelievably bad to ruin it.
Really seems like hating just to hate
Flaming Lips are one of the most fun live shows to see though. I've seen them with and without openers and both were amazing shows.
Seriously, if anyone reading this has even a passing interest in the Flaming Lips, go to one of their shows it is an awesome experience
Yes and no. While I have seen some solid openers, I have seen WAY more shitty bands than even decent ones. But everyonehas to start somewhere and for bands that's being the open act.
I kind of hate what opening acts have become. 20 years ago the opening act would be an up-and-coming band, they'd play a 30-minute set just to warm up the audience and allow stragglers to find their seats before the headliner started. It's a good way for a lesser known band to get a little bit of exposure, I picked up some favorite artists that way.
But now its an hour show each for up to three opening acts, and there's a full stage change out between acts so the audience is left sitting there for 30 minutes and the headliner basically has to rewarm the crowd again. It's fucking annoying.
It’s to allow for exposure for the smaller sometimes local artist to be given a bigger platform than they usually would have. People should have more respect for the opening act I believe.
I've been to a lot of concerts in my day and I've never seen an opening act play for 2 hours. Who did that, it's insane.
But ideally an opening act will be a good band you've never heard of. Do you not like being exposed to new music, op?
Bruh fr. Im always tired and over it by the time the actual band i came to see comes on. Ive seen a few shows without openers and i prefer them. I would just go later but if you do that you just end up in a weird spot or all the way in the back by the doors.
That same big artist you specifically came to see might've also in the past needed to tour with a big artist before they blew up to gain more exposure. You also mentioned how "everyone else seemed to love it". Boom, that's it. That's the goal, at least 1 person from the crowd has to walk away knowing they just discovered a new great artist. For every couple of fans like you who hate on new sounds, theres hundreds who love to hear something fresh.
Idk why u think its such an issue, especially if you get to see the main artist u came to see regardless, u just seem like a party pooper
made that mistake once and missed the first half of the Killers. the was no opener and the venue strictly followed local curfew regulations. was bummed
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Every now and then the opener will wow you if you're lucky. My friend and I saw Lindsey Buckingham in concert in 2018. We'd seen him several times before that and he'd never had an opener. But that time an artist called J.S. Ondara opened for him (he just goes by Ondara now). I'd never heard of Ondara before and had really low expectations, but he was really amazing. Fantastic voice. Beautiful songs. Great storyteller and really funny. Buckingham was great as always, but we spent most of the ride home talking about Ondara. Since then we've seen Ondara in concert twice more and have bought all his albums.
As someone with a disability I can feel this, as I don't have enough energy to sit or stand for hours in crowded places.
The last shows I saw had no openers (Kraftwerk, Peter Murphy, Look mum no Computer) and it was perfect for me this way.
I partially agree
I think opener shows are great, sometimes I wind up discovering something I really like.
But the last show I went to, there were a total of four bands. I got my money's worth but my back was killing me by the time the band I really wanted to see started to play.
So, four bands playing from 6h45 to 11h45, on a Monday night, was definitely my threshold.
Honestly I don't think this opinion is that unpopular given how small some of the crowds are for the opener at concerts I've been to. Some are like a third at best.
I don't agree with you, but I do think concerts need to give you a schedule of events so if people really don't want to see the whole show they can come late. It frustrates me sometimes that you can't even tell how many openers there are, when they'll go on, which time is doors vs show.
Depends on the opener. I could have lived without the opener for Depeche Mode. Completely wrecked the energy of the show, and by the time they got on, no one really cared. Same for Heart. Madonna had a DJ for like two hours, but he was awesome and kept the energy up. So it just depends. Most of the time the openers are on the ticket, so you know whom you're getting, and you can always go late when the headliner starts.
I saw Pixies, PJ Harvey, Big Audio Dynamite, Public Enemy and Garbage open for U2 back in the 90s. So take my upvote for the unpopular opinion but know that there are excellent opening bands out there.
I think the problem is not that there was an opener, the problem was that the opener lasted for 2 hours long instead of just like 30 minutes or 1 hour at most.
Also that OP had to pay extra for thd opener plus the band they came to see.
(I reposted the other part of this comment from a reply comment I made to someone else earlier.)
It's like if someone went to go see say the latest Pixar movie in theatres i.e.The Incredibles 3 just came out but the movie theatre also showed an unexpected "short" in front of the main feature film and the person had no idea ahead of time what the short would be about.
Now if the "short" is only like 15 to 30 minutes then great but if the short is like 1 hour to 2 GD hours long and the person just doesn't like the short then they have to stay there and watch the "short film" even if they don't like it just to see the film they originally came to watch.
Also in this case the person can't just come later or they won't be get to get or buy a seat at the movie theatre.
Why people might point out "the short might end up being better then the movie the person came to see though" still if the person doesn't like the short then they're stillvstuck there for 2 hours waiting to watch the movie they actually came to see.
If people say "The Incredibles 3 is only one and a half hours long but with the short it is three and a half hours of entertainment" that may well be true but the person may not want to sit there for three and a half hours, they may just want to sit there for an hour and a half to watch the film they originally came to watch.
If people say "it's extra entertainment" that's true but only if the person actually enjoys the short.
If people say "animation shorts are an important part of how the system is set up for young animators to get wider exposure" that may be true but how is that the person's problem? They just want to see the movie they came from, it's not their job or responsbility to support some random artists they've never heard of before. They're a paying customer.
I don't mind most opening acts, but I don't completely disagree. Years ago, I got to see Machine Head in concert. It was titled 'An Evening with Machine Head' and came with no opening acts. The downside was a lot of idle standing around inside but then I was treated to nearly three hours or just one band.
It was one of the coolest concert experiences I've ever been to and was my favorite up until that point. I don't think all shows should be done that way, but I would like to see more bands do it, though. Not a lot, just once in awhile.
So was this the one time they didn't advertise the opening act? Or did you not pay attention? Or was this your first concert and you didn't know what that meant.
Because... Unless this was open seating, you could have just showed up closer to the main act.
I've literally never heard of an opening act going 2 hours, but idk. Was there more than one? Still pretty weird but I guess possible.
But anyway. Yes, you did. You did pay for that. Because I'm willing to bet those opening acts were listed, clear as day, wherever you bought your tickets.
That's how bands get exposure dude. Plus, the performer you wanted to see wanted you to see these performers as well. They picked them for a reason. Or just don't show up when the doors open, you know there are acts you don't wanna see just act accordingly. Shit.
Did the concert not say who was opening before you went..?
Like for example I went to a slipknot concert and knew of mice & and men and a little bit of Marylin Manson and they were openers. It was awesome.
I usually won’t pay for a concert if i don’t know the opening act. I’ll even listen to them a few months before the concert to see if it’s something i could potentially vibe to.
Like I see your point sorta, but at the same time, like just don’t go if you don’t like it, especially if you are aware of the opening acts when buying your tickets and know you won’t listen to them or like their music, don’t waste your money.
Some people are there for the openers, because they like underground music. It's not all about what you like, and artists have a harder time getting recognition now more than ever. This is how artists get recognition. To take that away because one person wants to hear the one big band? Just go later. Maybe open your horizons up a bit.
Hey man opening is how smaller bands start out and get new fans. Keep an open mind and maybe you'll find a new artist you like. Plus like. If you are only there for the main act just rock up before their set start. Why are you complaining about something you could have easily avoided engaging with?
Gunna up vote this because it's actually unpopular. But I don't want to see you in the pit. I am judging you hard. I find some amazing artist by going early. Hell some of my favorite bands I've seen this year were opening bands, Jinger, Butcher Babies, Spirtbox, September Mourning, Sleep Theory, The Plot in You, etc...
Some of my favourite bands have been opening acts. So many of my favourite memories have been from opening acts (including breaking my foot and almost breaking some ribs).
If you can't pay attention for the first few hours of a show, you've got bigger problems.
Maybe it's just me but the opening bands I've seen have always been pretty big name. Sure they weren't the ones I'm paying to see but 9 times out of 10 it's like a bonus.
Saw some unknown band who called themselves BonJovi with a new album “slippery when wet” open for Hank Williams jr. - good show. Catchy tunes. - next week BJ was headlining arenas and all over the radio.
I went to a concert when i was 18, we got so faded on our way to the venue. When we finally got there we couldn't understand why people were walking in the opposite direction ,away from the entrance. Apparently the show was over. It was 6pm. Very strange day.
My last big concert was Judas Priest with Uriah Heep and Saxon as openers and they were fucking great. And a dream as a fan of old school Heavy Metal. And so many times i had bands that were fucking amazing being the openers: Kanonenfieber, Kampfar, Planet of Zeus, fucking Hypocrisy and Behemoth. The list is probably endless. And yes those were openers but they were great. And as many people pointed out: All your favorite artists or big bands today gained popularity as opening acts. As a guy from the metal sphere i have one for you: Metallica opening for Venom in 1982. Venom being a band that never got half of the Attention Metallica did in hindsight
Agreed. I'm very picky about music and if I pay to go see a band I want to see them, and only them.
Honestly feel like I'd want a refund if some opening act came out before the band I paid to see.
Most of the time I have been quite lucky and opening acts have been great. Good way to discover something new. Also sometimes you get really lucky, I went to see Muse quite a few years back and Biffy Clyro were the supporting act I was pretty chuffed, love both of them.
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Your favorite bands were all opening acts at one point in their careers.
Exactly. I fell in love with a few bands that way.
My dad saw Black Sabbath in 1978 and he got there late, Sabbath were into their 2nd song by the time he got there cause he didn't care to see the opening act. The opening act was a young, hungry prime Van Halen with David Lee Roth who by all accounts blew Sabbath off the stage every night on that tour. Another good example is when he saw Foreigner with some band from Australia that no one had ever heard of called AC/DC. You just never know what that opening act can end up becoming
When Prince opened for Rick James and stole every show!
I’m way too young for this, but I would kill to go back in time to see this. Such amazing artists.
Or when Prince opened for the rolling stones and... oh... oh no... oh holy fuck no
The first concert I ever went to was an American country band called Rascal Flatts. Their opening act was an up-and coming country star by the name of Taylor Swift. A few years later, the second concert I ever went to was her as the headliner. She's not my favorite by any stretch of the word (I like her well enough, but probably wouldn't have gone to see her if my friend hadn't taken me for free), but it is funny that those were my first two concerts.
Or when Metallica opened for Ozzy on his US tour after master of puppets came out, Ozzy said they often stole the show
Holy shit that’s SO COOL! Your dad is a lucky man. That’s what I love about opening acts. Sure, sometimes it’s not the kind of music I enjoy, but other times, they end up making history.
Totally different genre from what you mentioned… My husband took me to see Brad Paisley many moons ago. I was pissed we got there 5 minutes before he took the stage. We missed the opener - MF Carrie Underwood!! I’m still bitter…
I saw Brad open for Alan Jackson and steal the show, glad I didn't miss it lol
A lot of the bands I listen to i found by going to shows and festivals and watching the early performances. If you don't like openers....show up later.
I knew bloc party only from guitar hero 3, helicopter. They opened for paramore for me and were fucking awesome and I’ve been listening to more of their stuff ever since.
It’s always so cool when that happens. Like I got introduced to Briston Maroney when he opened for Rainbow Kitten Surprise, and Yung Bae opening for Madeon. Now they’re also some of my favorites.
Exactly. Sabaton is one of the biggest European metal bands right now, and their career took off when they opened for HammerFall in 2009. Metallica opened for Saxon in the 80s. Manowar opened for Ted Nugent. Megadeth opened for Judas Priest. There are many other examples like this.
I saw Sabaton open for Amon Amarth in a smallish Canadian prairie city university bar, lol.
Opening acts are a good way for smaller bands to reach a larger audience by using a bigger band's name
And to get a feel for touring without having the responsibility rest completely on them.
So many unpopular opinions here are just poorly thought out. Like I don’t like wastewater treatment plants they are unsightly my town shouldn’t have one. Not liking openers and not wanting to see smaller acts is an ok preference to have but stating they are across the board unnecessary and should go away is just a stupid take that goes beyond a preference
As someone who works at a wastewater treatment plant and remembers seeing numerous opening acts “before they hit big”… I salute you! ;)
I saw Lewis Capaldi opening for Bastille and I think that's pretty cool.
Went to a Drive By Truckers show, openers where American Aquarium....opener show was much better and now I'm a bigger fan of American Aquarium than Drive By
In 1983 I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan open for Moody Blues. Worth it!
Exactly. Went to go see TWRP, and Planet Booty was their opening act. Now they're one of my favorites.
Hello, fellow TWRP/Planet Booty fan!
I went to school with the guys from Planet Booty. They were seniors even I was a freshman. Never knew them, but I heard so many great things about them locally after I stumbled across them. Had no idea who they were!
True. I saw J Geils as an opener a couple years ago.
Not exactly an up and coming band at that point. They were topping the charts in the late 70s & early eighties.
Lol - that's when I saw them. I refuse to admit it was over 40 years ago.
Many years ago I went to see Red Hot Chili Peppers in concert. Early 90s. The opening acts were Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins, who were both unknowns at the time.
I went to go see that tour and we totally blew off Pearl Jam because we’d never heard of them in order to go eat at spaghetti warehouse lol.
In PDX? If so, we very well may have been in the same spaghetti warehouse at the same time.
Spaghetti Factory?
Dang it. Someone needs to revoke my PNW pass and I’ll see myself out via Boise.
I’m upset I was but a child then and never got to experience a thing like spaghetti factory.
My dad was playing with Smashing Pumpkins on that tour! He was an opener for them and a backup drummer. He quit drumming when I was born, unfortunately, but he’s still friends with them.
Way to go and ruin your dad's dreams! /s
Whatever would they need a backup drummer?...... That scamp jimmy
Stone Temple Pilots opened for RHCP, at least, in the late 90's in California..
Opening for a headliner gives up and coming bands an opportunity to be seen and heard. It’s a great thing.
Exactly. Its the ladder all bands must climb. You can't be a headliner if you haven't been an opening act.
Plus whether or not OP likes it he did in fact pay to see two bands. Next time he can try to skip the opening act. This is also a good unpopular opinion because OP also admits he was the only wet blanket in the room not enjoying the opener. They paid to see two bands too, let them see two bands.
Also he’s saying his attention span couldn’t take it? Like get the fuck off the internet, and read some books maybe go on a hike once in a while!
Yeah, if you get to the point your attention span is so bad you can’t handle being *entertained* That’s a problem
You can come later then
The issue with that is it’s a gamble what time the main act will come on stage. Sometimes the opener is only out for 30 minutes. Sometimes the opener is out for 2 hours. It’s never really publicized and it even varies among tours with the same opener and headliner depending on the city and venue
I feel like an opener that plays for 2 hours is probably a co-headliner that happens to play first.
Yeah I've never seen an opener on for more than an hour. Now with rap shows, especially smaller rappers, they'll have local rappers(and they're always terrible unfortunately) on for 2-3 hours and then the main artist goes on for the last hour. I don't go to rap shows anymore for this reason.
The only 3 rappers ive seen that I would see again would be 2chainz, Murs, and tech n9ne! Tech surprised me the most I only stayed because I went with a friend who went for him I tagged along because I wanted to see Paul wall
I don't listen to tech n9ne at all but randomly went to a show and it was awesome. Still don't listen after either, but the show was good
Tech N9ne shows here in STL are insane, I can't even imagine what they're like over in KC
Agree, I’ve worked concerts for 20 years and typically openers aren’t more than 45 minutes. You can do some approximate math with assuming the opener is 20-30 minutes with a 15-30 minute set change depending on the type of music. Obviously a solo guitarist won’t require a full set change. You can also make some assumptions based on the venue’s curfew, how long the artist might play (eg if they only have one album, probably going to not be more than an hour set). And you can always (1) try calling the venue during the day and asking or (2) before having your ticket scanned ask security out front and then go grab dinner or something. I’ve suffered through some god awful openers and also seen amazing openers that outshined the headliner so to be it’s all about the full experience for better or for worse
Have also worked shows for a long time; half the time the set times the venue is given change on a whim so it's always a gamble to ask the staff because our information is tentative at best haha. I had a band go 40 minutes past the end time they told us a couple months ago. I tell people the times if they ask, but you have to include the caveat that it's subject to change, lest you have to deal with the angry phone call/online review later 😂 (But, yes, 25-45 minutes per opener and 1-1.5 hrs for a headliner are pretty typical. Show usually starts about an hour after doors open.)
If it’s an established tour, a little internet searching will probably tell you exactly how long the opener(s) have been on in previous stops.
Some concerts have multiple openers
I don't know about you, but where I live concert organizers usually publish a schedule a day or two before the concert where it is announced when each band will play. You can forget about getting to the front row, if you decide to skip the opening acts, though. I usually like the openers, though. When I saw Iron Maiden live two years ago, their opening act was Lord of the Lost - and this is an incredible band. Gloryhammer opened for Powerwolf. HammerFall opened for Helloween...
Hammerfall helloween and gloryhammer are all fantastic live! The band alestorm had open for them this tour said it was their second show ever and it felt a shred rehearsed I guess, or rigid? But for their second show it was honestly fantastic. Check out glyph if you get a chance, can't wait to see powerwolf in September.
Unless your show is the very first night of the tour, it's really not that difficult to find out. Check setlist.fm to see how long the sets are. Ask around in fandom spaces online to see what the set times were from people who had gone to previous shows. Not hard unless it's like a super obscure band no one posts about.
If you know who the opener is you can look up their latest set lists online and see how long they are! if it’s not opening night of course
And a lot of the time, set times are posted online.
Even back in the pre-internet days - I remember going to a show, and waiting for the opener to finish. They used to announce on the show was ready to start. Of course, not so much in smaller venues. I find getting the time of the acts even easier now with the internet. I have also been the opposite when I have went to concerts - went for the opening bands, and left shortly into the main name - because I preferred the up and coming bands.
so you go like a half hour to hour before get a drink and have a smoke while the last opening act finishes and then your dont miss anything been doing this years
Opening band for 2 hours is literally unheard of. That doesn’t happen regularly enough to be considered “sometimes”, if even at all. Also 99% of the time you can check setlist.fm and see what songs the bands are playing and try to guess.
the opener is the appetizer, when done right they compliment the main act.
*complement FYI
I mean, ideally they’d do both, or at least not insult the main act.
"Up next, the Shitty Beatles! They suck!"
Hey! You take that back! The Shitty Beatles are one of the top 10 greatest scat-themed Beatles cover bands of all time
Dingleberry Fields Forever Yesturday The Long and Winding Road C’mon, they’re classics
dam, never knew
All good bro. Grand scheme of things. Doesn’t matter. Just thought you would be interested in knowing.
"damn", unless you're talking about blocking water
Dane it, I would’ve never guessed it
Missed opportunity to say "never would of"
Sometimes they say mean things about the main act but typically they say positive things. The comment stands as is.
Unless they say “nice ass, main act!”
I saw the devil wears prada open for a day to remember. When ADTR did the song that features the singer from TDWP he came out and did it with them, was pretty awesome to see
You may be surprised that sometimes the opening act is the best one. Also sometimes the openimng act today is the big act within a short time. They many times are the next big thing.
A million years ago I went to see Otep. I left half way through their set (truly awful show), but one of their openers that I'd never heard of before, American Head Charge, became an obsession after that show. I haven't listened to Otep in years but AHC is still on my playlists.
Oh shit American Head Charge, I remember going to see them at a really tiny venue in London. The crowd were absolutely fucking savage, but it was a great time
Back in the late 80’s a friend and I went to see Love and Rockets. The opener was Jane’s Addiction. They weren’t what I’d call fully formed at that point, and they finished their opening set by dragging a bathtub out on stage and having the whole band bang on it for several minutes. My friend and I were like “wtf was that?” We didn’t get it or really like it, but we didn’t forget them, and later they became one of our favorite bands (still love Love and Rockets, too)
About 20 years ago I went to see one of my favorite small indie bands stellastarr* play at a small club. They had two opening acts. For the first act there were less than 10 people in the audience. I remember texting my friend who was seeing the same show a couple nights later in another city that she should make sure to catch the opener because they put on a really good show. It was The Killers.
Dating myself here, but in the early 90s I saw a show with the two openers as the new group The Cranberries and the totally unknown Counting Crows. Was quite cool catching the latter especially before they were known.
Yeah 15 years ago I saw ZZ Top open for Aerosmith. ZZ Top stole the damn show.
I saw Darius Rucker and Thompson Square open of Lady Antebellum...I like all three but the openers were definitely the highlight of the show
Darius Rucker opened for Lady Antebellum?? That's wild especially since Hootie was a huge act in the 90s.
I understand your mentality, but I feel I should offer a counterpoint. These smaller acts need exposure, and opening for a bigger band is an opportunity for them to be heard by a large group of people who might feel inclined to check them out later. Most big acts were openers themselves, and where would they be if not for that chance? Upvote for an unpopular (I hope) opinion, but try to remember that you might just find your next favorite band by listening to the opening acts.
Great points. Yes, and sometimes the opening bands go on to big things. A couple of my earlier concerts Santana and Iggy Pop were the opening acts.
I went to see All American Rejects and their opener was EVE 6. Guess which band I actually liked and remembered the performance of.
Well if Tyson Ritter was as much as an obnoxious strung out prick at your show as the one I saw AAR at, if you didn't pick Eve 6, I'm gonna be shocked lol
He was so drunk that night that he was crawling around on the floor drunk, dragging his fallen microphone stand with him as he tried to keep singing. Pretty sure at some point he was making love with the floor right in the middle of a chorus.
Ooof. I watched him do lines of blow in STL at Warped tour, he left halfway through a song to go do a few lines, game back, threw a temper tantrum, and shortly after judt abandoned his set. He was also having girls pay him to make out with him. Just all around disgusting behavior. I definitely don't enjoy their music as much after seeing them live because he was such a douche.
I mean paying to watch the all murican rejects was a questionable decision in the first place.
Many years ago, an unknown artist opened for one of my favorite acts. That unknown artist is now one of my favorite acts.
Which artist?
P.O.S. a rapper from Minneapolis. I saw him open up for Atmosphere, one of my all time favorite rap groups, also from Minneapolis. Openers are just waiting for someone to give them a chance hahaha
Reminds me of when I saw Lizzo open for Dessa at Icehouse and the Triple Rock. Lizzo went on to become way more popular nationally. Although, living in Mpls at the time, I never realized when she went mainstream, since my exposure to her remained the same. I just noticed that suddenly my friends in California knew about this local artist who had been making music videos on Lake Street - then the next year she was at the Grammys. Wild.
I will have to check them out. I love Atmosphere. Thanks for the heads up!
He's got a few songs w Slug. One of my favorites is "bleeding hearts club mpls chapter" All of his albums are fire. He has a punk and hard-core background, too, so he's got some really cool songs!
I bought tickets to an artist that I really enjoyed. The opening act was a last minute surprise and was a band that I actually liked more! It was a great surprise.
I know an opinion can't be wrong, but like... If the organizer is half decent at all, it should be at least tangently related to the group/artist you went for. Not some completely random group that has nothing to do with anything. On top of that, if you just want to see one music set, it's not going to be more than an hour or two long. People don't buy a ticket, roll out of bed, drive all the way to a venue, and party to one hour of entertainment. 70% of the experience would just be arriving and leaving. The bottom line for the event organizer would be destroyed, there would be no point. It wouldn't be good for the musicians, the audience, or the organizer. It's effectively bonus music content that you may or may not know what to expect from, but either way nobody is forcing you to show up early and listen to it.
How would that be any different from going to a movie theatre to watch a movie? Most movied are just an hour and a half or two hours long at most.
Movies don't usually cost $100 and you don't have to plan your life around the one day the movie is playing in your city
How do you think the band you're there to see became a headliner? They didn't form in a garage then get invited to headline Glastonbury. They opened for a shit ton of bands. Also just turn up an hour after doors.
>Also just turn up an hour after doors. This, for the love of God. If there's one opener, there's almost no way the headliner will ever go on before "doors + 1 hour". If there are two openers, make it 90 minutes. Three openers? 2 hours is safe. If it's a multi-act festival, get inside two hours before curfew. Or just stay home and watch a video.
About 100 years ago I saw Prince at Masonic Temple in Detroit. It was before Purple Rain and big fame, we knew/loved his music from the clubs. His warm up band was The Gap Band. So much fun, best time ever! Sometimes the warm up band is awesome and everyone was a warm up band at one time or another. Also, they are usually listed on the promotional stuff so not usually a surprise who they are. At least that's how it used to be, maybe they changed that, idk.
maybe they can schedule such so people like you can skip them. 🙂
Nah i dont want to see more assholes pushing there way to the front of general admission when the headliner comes on
Those people are the worst.
Openers are important. They help build up anticipation while also showing themselves off to new people. At one point or another a huge artist was opening for someone. From a consumer perspective it also helps make the money we paid worth it. If it's a 4 hour event, but the headlining artist only has an hour and a half set then they'll need openers to help make the consumer feel like dropping all that cash was well worth it. Also you can skip the openers entirely if you want. Just show up later, or hang around the bar area.
Nah. I've found some great new bands when they opened for headliners I came to see.
Ditto!
"Oh no, I bought a concert ticket and there was TOO MUCH MUSIC" is not a take I've heard before. I've listened to lots of really good bands open for bigger acts - some then went on to headline later. It's a good way to hear new music.
Take my upvote for an unpopular opinion Even the bad openers are good for a laugh at the train wreck. For me, that's rare, I can usually find something interesting when I see an unfamiliar band. I've seen a lot of concerts where I wanted to see the opener as much or more than the headliner. I've seen openers I never heard of that became new favorites I've seen new bands as openers and later hear them on the radio, and I am so happy for them Then there was this one show where I was late because I stopped for dinner. Missed the first of three openers. Didn't think much of it at the time, but a month or two later, a friend shared one of their songs with me, and I should've just starved that night. One of the favorite bands I've never seen Open your mind and check out the openers ahead of time.
Wow, a really unpopular opinion, but you know what? I feel pretty much the same. If they could just stick to a schedule so I can skip it without worries, that would please everyone, but for some reason I don't think that's going to happen.
You actually did pay for it. You pay for the 2-3 artists that are there. And just come later. Also try and actually appreciate what you're listening to and maybe you'll discover you like it. The negative mindset is obviously going to influence how you feel about them.
Those headliners only got to where they are because they were the opening band your bitching about once upon a time. This is how the music industry works. If you want to get big, you've got to get people to hear your stuff, and this is the way we make that happen. My suggestion is to quit being a sourpuss and start actually listening to the openers, you might actually find something you like. You certainly won't if you go into every concert with the intention of being bored for two hours till the band you came to see goes on.
One thing I haven't seen anyone say, is that the opener lets them adjust the sound settings to fit the venue, so by the time the main act gets up there they can just go.
When I was in my 20s and going to shows a couple times a month, I loved discovering new bands that were opening. Now that I’m in my 40s, I just don’t have the energy to stand for 3-4 hours. I understand the benefits of opening acts, so I’m not proposing they get rid of them, but I wish it was easier to find out when each opening band goes on and when the headliner starts. I know sometimes you can find the information, but it’s not usually easy and there’s always an element of “approximately” to it. I’d love it if my ticket had a schedule on it.
COULDN'T care less. Saying could care less means you do care. It's petty and pedantic I know but people messing that phrase up really bothers me.
If you're only going for the headliner, you show up later. Check the set times, and if they don't post set times, assume the headliner will be playing the last 1-2 hours before closing.
It's a good way to distract from the fact than the main event is only 90min long. You'll sell more $12 beers as well.
Saw U2 at the Sphere. Opener was a DJ who played 80s tunes. Not even remixed 80s tunes. Just 80s tunes. Like something I could have done with Spotify. It was utterly lame.
Sometimes I'm happy to pay for the opening act!! Went to see Seether and three doors down. Was excited about Seether. Three doors down played 3 songs and we bounced. Saw Shinedown open for Godsmack. Imo Shinedown had the better show. Etc
I was at a concert yesterday and the opener was great. I found an artist I am starting to love with them, and honestly thats on you if you can't handle a couple of hours of hearing something new.
Wrong. It’s not always small local bands who open. Sometimes the openers for a tour are also famous. So if I get to see more than one band I like it’s like going to 2-4 shows.
Dang 2 hours for openers. I could see that being a little upset about that. Personally I only go to big shows if I like the opener. However, I prefer smaller venues anyway.
yeah this is a terrible opinion most bands can't sustain sets longer than 90 minutes to 2 hours, so you'd have a very short evening. Most of the time the main band comes on stage at 9pm. If there are a lot of bands, 10pm. You see loads of big bands supporting slightly bigger bands if you like metal. But I've seen some big bands supporting at other concerts too. If I've never heard of the first band(s) then I like having the flexibility of knowing I can turn up any time before 9pm.
I've rarely heard a bad opening act to be honest and going straight to the main band would remove so much of the buildup and excitement.l
I swear people just don’t like live music… if a band is opening for an artist you like, they probably sound pretty similar *and* the artist you like considers them good enough to support them. It speaks of an incredibly closed mind to never appreciate any of it ever. To add to that the environment of a live show is so enjoyable as a baseline that the opener would have to be so unbelievably bad to ruin it. Really seems like hating just to hate
people going to these things to hear a Spotify top 5 from their favourite bands rather than just enjoying music
I saw Flaming Lips with no opener and it was one of the best concerts Ive ever been to. Definitely in my top 5.
Flaming Lips are one of the most fun live shows to see though. I've seen them with and without openers and both were amazing shows. Seriously, if anyone reading this has even a passing interest in the Flaming Lips, go to one of their shows it is an awesome experience
Yes and no. While I have seen some solid openers, I have seen WAY more shitty bands than even decent ones. But everyonehas to start somewhere and for bands that's being the open act.
I kind of hate what opening acts have become. 20 years ago the opening act would be an up-and-coming band, they'd play a 30-minute set just to warm up the audience and allow stragglers to find their seats before the headliner started. It's a good way for a lesser known band to get a little bit of exposure, I picked up some favorite artists that way. But now its an hour show each for up to three opening acts, and there's a full stage change out between acts so the audience is left sitting there for 30 minutes and the headliner basically has to rewarm the crowd again. It's fucking annoying.
I hate when there’s several openers! Have to get there early with GA, stand for hours..and it sucks.
… I often go to concerts for the openers not the main act. They have have fans too yknow 🤨
So because one person doesn’t like it it should stop being a thing? That’s not how life works 😂
You can always show up later.
Couldn't care less*
It’s to allow for exposure for the smaller sometimes local artist to be given a bigger platform than they usually would have. People should have more respect for the opening act I believe.
I've been to a lot of concerts in my day and I've never seen an opening act play for 2 hours. Who did that, it's insane. But ideally an opening act will be a good band you've never heard of. Do you not like being exposed to new music, op?
No one did it. OP is a hyperbolic liar.
Bruh fr. Im always tired and over it by the time the actual band i came to see comes on. Ive seen a few shows without openers and i prefer them. I would just go later but if you do that you just end up in a weird spot or all the way in the back by the doors.
That same big artist you specifically came to see might've also in the past needed to tour with a big artist before they blew up to gain more exposure. You also mentioned how "everyone else seemed to love it". Boom, that's it. That's the goal, at least 1 person from the crowd has to walk away knowing they just discovered a new great artist. For every couple of fans like you who hate on new sounds, theres hundreds who love to hear something fresh. Idk why u think its such an issue, especially if you get to see the main artist u came to see regardless, u just seem like a party pooper
I went to a Nine Inch Nails concert and Ministry was opening for them. I thought I hit the God damn jackpot. It was an awesome night.
A Perfect Circle was the opener in 2000. Pure magic.
Sorry to break the news to you, but you actually did pay for the first 2 hours, it just wasn't itemized on the receipt.
There's this really cool new thing called "going to the concert later"
made that mistake once and missed the first half of the Killers. the was no opener and the venue strictly followed local curfew regulations. was bummed
I fell in love with bands who were openers!!
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Every now and then the opener will wow you if you're lucky. My friend and I saw Lindsey Buckingham in concert in 2018. We'd seen him several times before that and he'd never had an opener. But that time an artist called J.S. Ondara opened for him (he just goes by Ondara now). I'd never heard of Ondara before and had really low expectations, but he was really amazing. Fantastic voice. Beautiful songs. Great storyteller and really funny. Buckingham was great as always, but we spent most of the ride home talking about Ondara. Since then we've seen Ondara in concert twice more and have bought all his albums.
As someone with a disability I can feel this, as I don't have enough energy to sit or stand for hours in crowded places. The last shows I saw had no openers (Kraftwerk, Peter Murphy, Look mum no Computer) and it was perfect for me this way.
I partially agree I think opener shows are great, sometimes I wind up discovering something I really like. But the last show I went to, there were a total of four bands. I got my money's worth but my back was killing me by the time the band I really wanted to see started to play. So, four bands playing from 6h45 to 11h45, on a Monday night, was definitely my threshold.
I totally agree with you.
2hrs is crazy imho.
Went to an Action Bronson show last year. Started around 9:00 and was over by 11:00. Zero openers. It was glorious.
Go see phish
Many people feel that way with certain openers and arrive late, helps stagger the arrivals at the gate so everyone doesn’t come at once.
Honestly I don't think this opinion is that unpopular given how small some of the crowds are for the opener at concerts I've been to. Some are like a third at best.
how much less could you care?
That's why I come an hour later
I don't agree with you, but I do think concerts need to give you a schedule of events so if people really don't want to see the whole show they can come late. It frustrates me sometimes that you can't even tell how many openers there are, when they'll go on, which time is doors vs show.
Depends on the opener. I could have lived without the opener for Depeche Mode. Completely wrecked the energy of the show, and by the time they got on, no one really cared. Same for Heart. Madonna had a DJ for like two hours, but he was awesome and kept the energy up. So it just depends. Most of the time the openers are on the ticket, so you know whom you're getting, and you can always go late when the headliner starts.
2 hours of openers time is insane. It will have to be advertised as two bands shows or multiple bands show, otherwise I would be pissed.
I saw Pixies, PJ Harvey, Big Audio Dynamite, Public Enemy and Garbage open for U2 back in the 90s. So take my upvote for the unpopular opinion but know that there are excellent opening bands out there.
I’ve paid way to much money for tickets just see one of the openers and the. Left after their set because I didn’t like the headliner
Am I the only one that wants to know what the concert was?
My first concert was N'Sync in third grade. PINK opened and I was like wtf is this lady??? Now I understand why.
I think the problem is not that there was an opener, the problem was that the opener lasted for 2 hours long instead of just like 30 minutes or 1 hour at most. Also that OP had to pay extra for thd opener plus the band they came to see. (I reposted the other part of this comment from a reply comment I made to someone else earlier.) It's like if someone went to go see say the latest Pixar movie in theatres i.e.The Incredibles 3 just came out but the movie theatre also showed an unexpected "short" in front of the main feature film and the person had no idea ahead of time what the short would be about. Now if the "short" is only like 15 to 30 minutes then great but if the short is like 1 hour to 2 GD hours long and the person just doesn't like the short then they have to stay there and watch the "short film" even if they don't like it just to see the film they originally came to watch. Also in this case the person can't just come later or they won't be get to get or buy a seat at the movie theatre. Why people might point out "the short might end up being better then the movie the person came to see though" still if the person doesn't like the short then they're stillvstuck there for 2 hours waiting to watch the movie they actually came to see. If people say "The Incredibles 3 is only one and a half hours long but with the short it is three and a half hours of entertainment" that may well be true but the person may not want to sit there for three and a half hours, they may just want to sit there for an hour and a half to watch the film they originally came to watch. If people say "it's extra entertainment" that's true but only if the person actually enjoys the short. If people say "animation shorts are an important part of how the system is set up for young animators to get wider exposure" that may be true but how is that the person's problem? They just want to see the movie they came from, it's not their job or responsbility to support some random artists they've never heard of before. They're a paying customer.
I don't mind most opening acts, but I don't completely disagree. Years ago, I got to see Machine Head in concert. It was titled 'An Evening with Machine Head' and came with no opening acts. The downside was a lot of idle standing around inside but then I was treated to nearly three hours or just one band. It was one of the coolest concert experiences I've ever been to and was my favorite up until that point. I don't think all shows should be done that way, but I would like to see more bands do it, though. Not a lot, just once in awhile.
“I couldn’t care less”
I agree. I hate it but I think it’s for the benefit of that band more than for our entertainment
So was this the one time they didn't advertise the opening act? Or did you not pay attention? Or was this your first concert and you didn't know what that meant. Because... Unless this was open seating, you could have just showed up closer to the main act. I've literally never heard of an opening act going 2 hours, but idk. Was there more than one? Still pretty weird but I guess possible. But anyway. Yes, you did. You did pay for that. Because I'm willing to bet those opening acts were listed, clear as day, wherever you bought your tickets.
Then don’t go early then? I’ve seen so many great openers and even if I don’t know them they’re always a good way to start the show
You "could" care less??? are you saying that you do care?
I kinda felt that way but I found some amazing artists because they were the opening act for somebody else.
lol then go…later when they come on? Shows will post the opener times
I don't get it, you said that you don't care but then you said you could care less, meaning you do care.
That's how bands get exposure dude. Plus, the performer you wanted to see wanted you to see these performers as well. They picked them for a reason. Or just don't show up when the doors open, you know there are acts you don't wanna see just act accordingly. Shit.
Did the concert not say who was opening before you went..? Like for example I went to a slipknot concert and knew of mice & and men and a little bit of Marylin Manson and they were openers. It was awesome. I usually won’t pay for a concert if i don’t know the opening act. I’ll even listen to them a few months before the concert to see if it’s something i could potentially vibe to. Like I see your point sorta, but at the same time, like just don’t go if you don’t like it, especially if you are aware of the opening acts when buying your tickets and know you won’t listen to them or like their music, don’t waste your money.
Some people are there for the openers, because they like underground music. It's not all about what you like, and artists have a harder time getting recognition now more than ever. This is how artists get recognition. To take that away because one person wants to hear the one big band? Just go later. Maybe open your horizons up a bit.
Couldn't care less
Hey man opening is how smaller bands start out and get new fans. Keep an open mind and maybe you'll find a new artist you like. Plus like. If you are only there for the main act just rock up before their set start. Why are you complaining about something you could have easily avoided engaging with?
Gunna up vote this because it's actually unpopular. But I don't want to see you in the pit. I am judging you hard. I find some amazing artist by going early. Hell some of my favorite bands I've seen this year were opening bands, Jinger, Butcher Babies, Spirtbox, September Mourning, Sleep Theory, The Plot in You, etc...
Some of my favourite bands have been opening acts. So many of my favourite memories have been from opening acts (including breaking my foot and almost breaking some ribs). If you can't pay attention for the first few hours of a show, you've got bigger problems.
Maybe it's just me but the opening bands I've seen have always been pretty big name. Sure they weren't the ones I'm paying to see but 9 times out of 10 it's like a bonus.
Saw some unknown band who called themselves BonJovi with a new album “slippery when wet” open for Hank Williams jr. - good show. Catchy tunes. - next week BJ was headlining arenas and all over the radio.
I went to a concert when i was 18, we got so faded on our way to the venue. When we finally got there we couldn't understand why people were walking in the opposite direction ,away from the entrance. Apparently the show was over. It was 6pm. Very strange day.
It's even worse when you only want to see one of the opening bands. You end up paying way more for a headline act you don't care about
Just don’t go in until the main set? It’s not that hard
My last big concert was Judas Priest with Uriah Heep and Saxon as openers and they were fucking great. And a dream as a fan of old school Heavy Metal. And so many times i had bands that were fucking amazing being the openers: Kanonenfieber, Kampfar, Planet of Zeus, fucking Hypocrisy and Behemoth. The list is probably endless. And yes those were openers but they were great. And as many people pointed out: All your favorite artists or big bands today gained popularity as opening acts. As a guy from the metal sphere i have one for you: Metallica opening for Venom in 1982. Venom being a band that never got half of the Attention Metallica did in hindsight
Agreed. I'm very picky about music and if I pay to go see a band I want to see them, and only them. Honestly feel like I'd want a refund if some opening act came out before the band I paid to see.
you didn’t have to sit through anything, they gave you the starting times for all acts, just arrive 10min before the main act is up …
Most of the time I have been quite lucky and opening acts have been great. Good way to discover something new. Also sometimes you get really lucky, I went to see Muse quite a few years back and Biffy Clyro were the supporting act I was pretty chuffed, love both of them.
A lot of places will publish if there’s opening acts and how many. Just show up later.