# Supporting acts stealing the show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 29, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180 "2010-05-29T13:46:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/21 "2010-05-29T22:15:44Z")
Tenacious D opening for Weezer. Weezer just couldn’t keep up, and I LIKE Weezer. ---
**Author:** ![kirk1168](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@kirk1168](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirk1168)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/22 "2010-05-30T00:07:21Z")
Not really historical, but I remember seeing Stevie Ray Vaughan open for Joe Satriani in the late '80’s. I was a big Satch fan then, and remember thinking Stevie Ray really blew Satch off the stage. And like a month later, Stevie Ray was dead. I was really bummed… ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/23 "2010-05-30T00:25:47Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > Tenacious D opening for Weezer. > > Weezer just couldn’t keep up, and I LIKE Weezer. This was going to be my example. Weezer was good on that tour but Rivers just can’t compete w/ Jack Black as far as stage presence goes. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/24 "2010-05-30T00:33:14Z")
I remember seeing King’s X open for Living Color in the late 80’s/early 90’s. Living Color, a great band in their own right, just seemed kind of lost and pointless after that. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/25 "2010-05-30T00:36:48Z")
I was too young to have seen it, but KISS was routinely kicked off tours for showing up the headliners in their early days. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/26 "2010-05-30T00:40:38Z")
> [@kirk1168](#): > > Not really historical, but I remember seeing Stevie Ray Vaughan open for Joe Satriani in the late '80’s. I was a big Satch fan then, and remember thinking Stevie Ray really blew Satch off the stage. And like a month later, Stevie Ray was dead. I was really bummed… Odd. I saw Satriani open for SRV in about 1987. Sometime after Surfing with the Alien came out. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/27 "2010-05-30T00:55:03Z")
> [@HelloNinja](#): > > This was going to be my example. Weezer was good on that tour but Rivers just can’t compete w/ Jack Black as far as stage presence goes. i guess i’m +2 on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/28 "2010-05-30T00:59:19Z")
My husband says Dom Irrera opening for Cher. His words - “I saw Cher for free, and I felt ripped off. Dom had me laughing so hard I was crying.” ---
**Author:** ![SleepyDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@SleepyDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SleepyDuck)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/29 "2010-05-30T02:46:10Z")
Some examples from the early 1980s (gawd I’m old :() When Def Leppard’s third album was about to be released, they were booked on a tour opening for Billy Squier. Of course _Pyromania_ tore up FM radio (and MTV) with _Photograph_ and _Rock of Ages_ soon after its release, and by the time the tour hit my neck of the woods the stadium was sold out, and not by fans of The Stroke. Def Leppard rocked the house, and poor Billy was booed and jeered until my throat was sore. Saxon was a pretty well-known metal band, but made the mistake of letting German upstarts Accept (Balls to the Wall) open for them. The crowd reaction was not quite like the Def Leppard show, but Accept definitely stole the show. And from the early 1990’s, at a show in Primm, Nevada (???), main-eventers Megadeath did put on a good show, but by my informal polling after the concert were thoroughly pwned by their opening act, an at-the-time hitless cult favorite called Korn. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/30 "2010-05-30T02:59:49Z")
I was at a concert in Seattle in the mid-90s; The Presidents of the United States of America opened for They Might Be Giants. There was a lot of buzz that the Presidents were just about to hit the big time. Didn’t steal the show, but they were pretty damn good. I’ve seen TMBG live four times. Three of the opening acts rocked (The Presidents, Cub, and Lincoln) and the fourth sucked sweaty donkey balls (Gravel Pit). ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/31 "2010-05-30T05:28:02Z")
Back in the day (70s), my tiny little college booked The J. Geils Band, and they did indeed rock. But the opening band, **Steeleye Span** , had everyone polka-ing in the aisles, whoopin’ it up. Then we all sat down for J. Geils. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/32 "2010-05-30T05:40:51Z")
The most recent example I got to witness- amusingly was **Paul and Storm** putting on a GREAT show 5-19-10 @ the Richmond Hat Factor and blowing away **Jonathon Coulton**. Don’t get me wrong, JoCo, had a great set, but if you’ve got “Best.Concert.Ever” the set was a bit too familiar. But **Paul and Storm** that night were on fire to an audience that didn’t really know them. By the end, everyone in that factory probably were Paul and Storm fans, and it was mostly for their stage presence and jokes and stories between the songs that won over the crowd. A Great show all around, but definitely in the end, felt like P&S did the impossible of making me a believer out of them and enjoying their set maybe even more than the JoCo set. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/33 "2010-05-30T06:09:35Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Back in the day (70s), my tiny little college booked The J. Geils Band, and they did indeed rock. But the opening band, **Steeleye Span** , had everyone polka-ing in the aisles, whoopin’ it up. Then we all sat down for J. Geils. Wow - I think I saw that tour - my neurons need refreshing. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/34 "2010-05-30T06:13:59Z")
> [@ToeJam](#): > > The most recent example I got to witness- amusingly was **Paul and Storm** putting on a GREAT show 5-19-10 @ the Richmond Hat Factor and blowing away **Jonathon Coulton**. Virginia, huh? Damn, I would have liked to have seen that show. I checked Coulton’s website, and he’s gonna be 'round here in July. Paul and Storm used to be in DaVinci’s Notebook, right? I saw them open for The Bobs several years ago. They didn’t steal the show, but were damn good. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/35 "2010-05-30T12:07:23Z")
Back in the seventies when Deep Purple were doing a British tour their opening band was Nazareth, they totally rocked. I said to my mates that D.P. would have to try extra hard so as not to be shown up by the support act. D.P. came on stage and put on a really lazy show, along the lines of" look at us we’re big stars and you’re privelleged to see us ". They were disappointing to say the least. That tour made Nazareth as a big name band, but when I saw them as the main act not too long a time later they didn’t really try very hard and were very average. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/36 "2010-05-30T12:34:04Z")
Though not exactly unknown, I saw Joe Walsh open up for Stevie Nicks. Stevie was pretty boring all in all, but Walsh absolutely blew the roof off. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/37 "2010-05-30T12:35:53Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > My husband says Dom Irrera opening for Cher. His words - “I saw Cher for free, and I felt ripped off. Dom had me laughing so hard I was crying.” I saw that show in Vegas. Dom was very funny; actually Cher was better than I expected. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Ionizer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5daacb/32.png) [@Ionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ionizer)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/38 "2010-05-30T12:58:12Z")
> [@SleepyDuck](#): > > Some examples from the early 1980s (gawd I’m old :() > > Saxon was a pretty well-known metal band, but made the mistake of letting German upstarts Accept (Balls to the Wall) open for them. The crowd reaction was not quite like the Def Leppard show, but Accept definitely stole the show. I had totally forgotten about that tour. I left mid-Saxon as I was worn out from keeping with Udo (vocalist), and Saxon just did not show any enthusiasm for anything that night. Thanks for the memory of that! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/39 "2010-05-30T14:05:43Z")
More 80s metal fun: Mötley Crüe opening for Twisted Sister. Bon Jovi opening for Ratt. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180/40 "2010-05-30T18:10:15Z")
Annie Lennox opening for Sting at Sandstone in Kansas City. _Not_ a good decision by Mr. Sumner. Flo and Eddie opening for a reunited Monkees. The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band opening for damn near anybody (though Flogging Molly came out best). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-acts-stealing-the-show/541180.md?page=3)