Best Opening Act You've Ever Seen Bands/Musicians

Best Opening Act You've Ever Seen

rockboy rockboy 19,374 views 40 items 201 voters
What are the best opening acts you've ever seen? These are the bands and musicians that blew you away, making you a fan for life, even though they were only the opening act for some bigger, more well-known headliner. Almost everyone who's been to tons of concerts has seen one or two acts that truly stood out (in some cases, eclipsing the headline act).

Whether it's Kings of Leon (who opened, notably, for U2 several years ago) or the Foo Fighters ( who opened for the Red Hot Chili Peppers), this list includes them all. Or it will: Add the opening acts that you think were the best you've ever seen, so all of us can go "Huh, really? Didn't know they were ever an opener..."

Some of the biggest names in music today have, at one time or another, opened for someone else. Curious? Check out this list of the strangest opening act bookings in music history. See? Even Prince made it: He opened, just once, for The Rolling Stones. Jimi Hendrix opened for The Monkees?!

Makes you want to pay closer attention and arrive earlier for that next big concert, doesn't it? Exactly. Because while headline acts don't ever want to be bested by their openers, they also want the opening acts to warm the audience up properly and get them into a festive mood.

Hopefully everyone will contribute some of their favorite opening concert acts to this list. Don't be shy: Jump on in! This list includes all music -- rock, folk, country, R&B, rap, you name it.
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Rank     Name
  1. 9
    Up 17
    Down 10
    Alternative rock, Synthpop, Electronica More
    added by: FaptimusPrime
  2. 13
    Up 6
    Down 3
    Alternative rock, Rock music, Hard rock More
    added by: clash1977
  3. 8
    Up 36
    Down 24
    Alternative rock, Post-punk, Punk rock More
    added by: Roger Stenson
    Opened for U2
  4. 7
    Up 35
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    Classical music, Alternative rock, Rock music More
    Opened for U2
  5. 36
    Up 10
    Down 18
    Alternative rock, Rock music, Hard rock More
    added by: MistyWilkins
  6. 32
    Up 20
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    Alternative rock, Rock music, Hard rock More
    added by: Kingofp0px12
    Opened for U2
  7. 17
    Up 21
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    Rock music, Pop rock, New Wave More
    added by: Samantha Dillinger
    Opened for The Police
  8. 4
    Up 32
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    Alternative rock, Rock music, Progressive rock More
    added by: Rabbit
    Opened for Guns 'n' Roses
  9. 14
    Up 4
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    Rock music, Punk rock, Pop punk More
    added by: clash1977
  10. 30
    Up 1
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    Alternative rock, Rock music, Post-grunge
    added by: WarrenMitchell
  11. 31
    Up 20
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    Alternative rock, Pop music, Punk rock More
    added by: Scarlett Joe Fan
    Opened for the 10,000 Maniacs
  12. 12
    Up 27
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    Rock music, Hard rock, Heavy metal More
    added by: Music Lover
    Opened for Soul Asylum
  13. 38
    Up 7
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    Hard rock, Heavy metal, Country More
    added by: Randolph
    Opened for Guns N Roses
  14. 16
    Up 12
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    Rock music, Hard rock, Heavy metal More
    added by: ANKOU
  15. 11
    Up 19
    Down 15
    Alternative rock, Rock music, Pop rock More
    added by: KirkSaw
    Opened for the Police
  16. 25
    Up 20
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    Alternative country, Indie rock, Southern rock
    added by: Kyle Townsend
    Opened for the Avett Brothers
  17. 23
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    No image

    U.K.

    added by: Scott Klingaman
    Opened for Jethro Tull 'A' Tour
  18. 5
    Up 46
    Down 28
    Rock music, Hard rock, Heavy metal More
    added by: PolkadotKing
    Opened for Ozzy Osbourne
  19. 39
    Up 15
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    Folk music, Alternative rock, Folk rock More
    added by: LaurieM
    Opened for Bruce Springsteen (Vote for Change Tour)
  20. 18
    Up 3
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    Rock music, Hard rock, Heavy metal More
    added by: Dismalhead
  21. 28
    Up 2
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    Hard rock, Heavy metal, New Wave of British Heavy Metal
    added by: Demon_Boy
  22. 33
    Up 12
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    Alternative rock, Rock music, Progressive rock More
    added by: jxfine1981
    opened for Nine Inch Nails
  23. 22
    Up 18
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    Alternative rock, Post-punk, Punk rock More
    added by: Lons
    Opened for Pavement on the reunion tour
  24. 27
    Up 2
    Down 4
    Alternative rock, Rock music, Post-punk More
    added by: ylander
  25. 3
    Up 47
    Down 24
    Alternative rock, Hard rock, Heavy metal More
    added by: crzygirl
    Opened for Van Halen
  26. 2
    Up 54
    Down 21
    Alternative rock, Rock music, Hard rock More
    added by: Robby Benton
    Opened for the Red Hot Chili Peppers
  27. 19
    Up 3
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    Heavy metal, Alternative metal, Rapcore More
    added by: JustinLefebvre
  28. 26
    Up 3
    Down 5
    Hard rock, Heavy metal
    added by: Kosh105
  29. 24
    Up 21
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    Alternative rock, Rock music, Folk rock More
    added by: Steph Bowerhaus
    Opened for John Prine
  30. 1
    Up 42
    Down 7
    Rock music, Hard rock, Heavy metal More
    added by: Justmax360
    Opened for The Monkees
  31. 21
    Up 2
    Down 3

    The Babys

    Rock music, Hard rock, Pop rock More
    added by: Dismalhead
  32. 20
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    Alternative rock, Hard rock, Jazz fusion More
    added by: CourtneySchumm
  33. 29
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    Tom Cochrane & Red Rider

    added by: Dismalhead
  34. 6
    Up 35
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    Alternative rock, Indie rock, Emo More
    added by: Molly Gander
    Opened for No Doubt
  35. 15
    Up 16
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    Alternative rock, Rock music, Britpop More
    added by: KirkSaw
    Opened for Neil Young
  36. 34
    Up 3
    Down 8

    Roger McGuinn & Crowded House (ByrdHouse)

    added by: ClarkCountyCriminalCops
    "Opened for Crowded Houseā€ž
  37. 37
    Up 9
    Down 19

    St8 of Grace

    Alternative Rock
    added by: CharlesSwift
    Chicago's Aletrnative Rock Music Scene Bands kick the door down talented bands like the Smashing Pumpkins & Fall Out Boys have very good music music fans can actually listen to and jam... St8 of Grace is no different there fresh sound and relative lyrics give the ear a pleasure feeling ... Thanks guys www.st8-of-grace.com
  38. 10
    Up 20
    Down 13

    Radiohead

    added by: MichaelCarter
    Opened for R.E.M.
  39. 40
    Up 4
    Down 14

    Sam Phillips

    added by: MichaelCarter
    Opened for David Byrne
  40. 35
    Up 3
    Down 9

    Serrat y Sabina

    added by: kond
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    1. NeverForget711
      Best Opening Act You've Ever Seen at 3/01/2013 2:30 AM
      Super Best Opening Acts , bro!

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