Opening for a famous band

mikyok

Platinum Member
After long abandoning any ideas of being a rock star, at the grand old age of 38, it's the first time I've ever supported a known band.

We're opening for Dutch progressive folk-rock yodellers Focus in 3 weeks' time.

It's at a hot air balloon gala and has all the hallmarks of Puppet Show featuring Spinal Tap. Can't wait!

Has anyone else done any interesting supports down the years?
 
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Cool, I like Focus, one of the few Dutch bands I actually know of 🙂. Legendary band!

I have been playing in support of Six Feet Under (w/ Chris Barnes, ex-Cannibal Corpse), Tankard (german thrash metal), At The Gates (swedish melodic death metal), Legion Of The Damned (Dutch thrash metal), those are probably the most known. I have no big rockstar ambitions, not to make a living of it at least, but I still enjoy making as good records as I (or more accurately, we) can, and play at bigger festivals and with big bands, if we can. Touring two times with Six Feet Under was a blast, some really big stages and a lot of fun on and off stage.

Oh, and Exciter as well (Canadian speed/heavy metal). Cool guys with a singing frontman/drummer.
 
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I supported George Barrowski (local Manchester legend, and supposedly the “guitar George “ Knopfler names in Sultans Of Swing).

It was a very low key acoustic gig, but he pulled me & the other supporting players onstage at the end of his set to share the applause. I thought that was pretty classy of him.
 
After long abandoning any ideas of being a rock star, at the grand old age of 38, it's the first time I've ever supported a known band.

We're opening for Dutch progressive folk-rock yodellers Focus in 3 weeks' time.

It's at a hot air balloon gala and has all the hall marks of Puppet Show featuring Spinal Tap. Can't wait!

Has anyone else done any interesting supports down the years?
Wow I didn't know they still tour 😳
 
Wow I didn't know they still tour 😳
I've done some investigating, it's half the classic line up. Keys & Drummer. No Jan Ackerman.

It's another prog band to tick off the list. Amazes me how they're all still on the road into their 70s.
 
I've done some investigating, it's half the classic line up. Keys & Drummer. No Jan Ackerman.

It's another prog band to tick off the list. Amazes me how they're all still on the road into their 70s.
Right, Thijs van Leer really is a die hard performer (at 74).
I remember seeing a YT video a while ago and his daughter posted that he still enjoys performing and reading all comments.

And the 70s Hocus Pocus video still is great for creating avatars ;)
 
In no particular order:

Deicide
Cannibal Corpse
Morbid Angel
Malevolent Creation
Monstrosity
Origin
Nile
Man-O-War
Six Feet Under
Halford

I'm know there are some I've forgotten.

I've also played Milwaukee Metalfest.

I've played a ton of shows with lesser known acts also, such as Dying Fetus, Lividity, Jungle Rot, Burning Inside, etc.
 
In no particular order:

Deicide
Cannibal Corpse
Morbid Angel
Malevolent Creation
Monstrosity
Origin
Nile
Man-O-War
Six Feet Under
Halford

I'm know there are some I've forgotten.

I've also played Milwaukee Metalfest.

I've played a ton of shows with lesser known acts also, such as Dying Fetus, Lividity, Jungle Rot, Burning Inside, etc.
Haha I love how most of those band names mean either dead or ugly or both 🤣
 
Played with some famous acts (Ie on on the same bill) before they were famous (Ed Sheeran, Wolf Alice, Courtney Barnett spring to mind)

However, did a tour supporting New Order once. Which was great fun playing to thousands each night and we were treated great by them and their crew.

They gave us use of their sound and lighting crew, which they didn’t really need to.

Great experience all round.
 
Let's see...

Muscadine Bloodline
Kentucky Headhunters
The Eli Young Band
Ryan Griffin

A long time ago, I used to be in a CCM band, and I was in a few different bands that had supporting gigs for some bands in that industry back in the 1990s and early 2000's:

Philmont
Fusebox (this was Rebecca St. James's backup band)
Skillet
Satellite Soul
Bleach
7 Day Jesus
Ian Eskelin
All Star United

and I also got to sit in with Cindy Morgan one time which was really cool.

Oh, I forgot to mention that we will be opening for Craig Campbell in Nashville at the Troubadour in October.
 
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In no particular order:

Deicide
Cannibal Corpse
Morbid Angel
Malevolent Creation
Monstrosity
Origin
Nile
Man-O-War
Six Feet Under
Halford

I'm know there are some I've forgotten.

I've also played Milwaukee Metalfest.

I've played a ton of shows with lesser known acts also, such as Dying Fetus, Lividity, Jungle Rot, Burning Inside, etc.
Rob Halford, local lad round here. My dad was mates with him back in the early 70s when he was in a band called Athens Wood with a couple more of me dads mates.

He came round my nans house a few times. Just have this vision of my nan and grandad talking metal with him in front of the telly :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:

What was Manowar like? Did you keep a straight face? We used to have a Manowar drinking game, it was horrific! Every time they sang the words metal or steel you drank.
 
Just curious.... does opening for a band mean that the band requested/invited you to open for them or does it meant that you happen to be on the same bill but the 'famous' band has no idea who you are?

I would be curious to learn how many members bands' were actually invited to open up for major (Billboard Top 40) acts. Now that would be something!
 
Just curious.... does opening for a band mean that the band requested/invited you to open for them or does it meant that you happen to be on the same bill but the 'famous' band has no idea who you are?

I would be curious to learn how many members bands' were actually invited to open up for major (Billboard Top 40) acts. Now that would be something!
In my case we'd got the gig through the local authority who were arranging the event.

It's by pure chance here. I was just looking forward to seeing some hot air balloons coming in and out whilst I was playing.
 
In my case we'd got the gig through the local authority who were arranging the event.

It's by pure chance here. I was just looking forward to seeing some hot air balloons coming in and out whilst I was playing.
It's still a compliment to be invited in the first place. Your band has to play at a certain level to even enter the conversation. Well done, I say!
 
It's still a compliment to be invited in the first place. Your band has to play at a certain level to even enter the conversation. Well done, I say!
Nah I think our singer is pally with whoever runs the Events Department in Shropshire council.

Never what you know, it's who you know. I need to dust off some cobwebs in three weeks. Haven't done a gig with other drummers on the bill in over 10 years!
 
What was Manowar like? Did you keep a straight face? We used to have a Manowar drinking game, it was horrific! Every time they sang the words metal or steel you drank.
Their show was exactly as one would expect. Leather, steel, metal!

They prevented a slight disaster the night we played with them. Angry neighbors of the venue tried to have all the bands vehicles towed. The tow company showed up and started hooking up vehicles. A big debacle ensued between the tow company, venue, and neighbors. To make a long story short, the neighbors were in the wrong but the vehicles had all been hooked up. The tow company would not unhook anything or leave without being paid first. Man-O-War footed the bill for all vehicles involved, including ours.
 
My bands have opened for:
The Association
The Coasters
The Drifters
Otis Day and the Knights
Elvin Bishop w/ Pointer Sisters 1970
Elvin Bishop 1985
Anson Funderbugh w/ Sam Myers
Hank Ballard
Dobie Gray
Jerry Lee Lewis (twice, we opened for him then we backed Dobie Gray opening for Lewis)
Ronnie Dove
Bobby Vee
Lothar and the Hand People
Barry Melton and the Fish (Country Joe had left)
Ronnie and the Daytonas (road band, the recording was just a guy named Ronnie Dayton)
Steam
Archie Bell and the Drells
Candy Cane

I have backed:
John Lee Hooker, Dobie Gray, Bruce Conte, Charlie Louvin, J Frank Wilson, Stringbean, Bob Cheever, Krista Detor, Slats Klug, Craig Brenner and Tirk Wilder
 
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