Opening Acts Who Made It Big

[cayin]

In 1988 Gun N Roses opened up for Aerosmith at Hilton. About 3 weeks after the show Sweet Child of Mine was climbing the charts.

In the early 80s the Police were about as big as anyone. The Go Go's kind of an unknown caught a break to be an opener for them. While they were on tour together the Go Go's single Our Lips our Sealed topped the charts.

 

[dahliaclone]

My first concert ever was MC Hammer (I know I know). But the opening acts were two up and coming female groups: TLC and En Vogue. Both were better than Hammer.

 

[Lewey24]

Went and saw Jason Derulo at the Dubuque County Fair, and his opener was this woman from Minnesota he said was going to be a star. We thought her performance was terrible. That artist was Lizzo, did a double take when I saw her name on the radio for the first time.

 

[ISUKing]

I think it was 2001.... Papa Roach with Hed(PE) concert at Toad Holler..or was it super toad...doesnt matter. Linkin Park was the opener. Spent about 30 min talking with Mike and Chester selling their own merch after their set. Hybrid Theory came out shortly after.

 

[cytor]

Saw Mr Big in a bar in 1990. Enuff z Nuff opened. Later that year Mr Big was opening for Rush

 

[ISUCyclones2015]

My first ever concert was in September 2001 at the Big Spring Jam in Huntsville Alabama. My sister was babysitting us (I was 8) and she wanted to go so she snuck us out there.

It was an Incubus concert that night and some unknown band called Hooba Stank (later combined) opening for them. I crowdsurfed and got black eye by getting elbowed mosh pitting. We told my dad it was me jumping on the bed and falling off.

I got Hoobastank's demo CD and signed by the entire band. Still sitting in my childhood home last I checked.

 

[Kinch]

Would have loved to have seen AC/DC open for Kiss during Alive 2 tour.

 

[buf87]

Band Perry was at the Martin County Fair in Minnesota right when they were getting to be big.

We were at one of the Taylor Swift concerts when she was opening for either Rascal Flatts or Keith Urban.
Not sure which ones because we have seen Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban a couple times each

 

[ISUKyro]

Slipknot on the secondary stage back in the day with Orgy and Megadeth headlining Mancows Laser Louw (no way any of that is spelled correctly lol)

 

[Kinch]

One of the best concerts I ever saw was Cheap Trick open up for Kiss at Vets . That was awesome.

 

[MeadForMyHorses]

I think it was 2001.... Papa Roach with Hed(PE) concert at Toad Holler..or was it super toad...doesnt matter. Linkin Park was the opener. Spent about 30 min talking with Mike and Chester selling their own merch after their set. Hybrid Theory came out shortly after.

Chester selling band Ts is wild!

 

[danvillecyclone]

I saw Chris Stapleton open up for George Strait once

 

[matclone]

I saw the Desert Rose Band (incl. Chris Hillman) twice at the Iowa State Fair. I think they opened for Conway Twitty. They never got really big but they were great.

Not quite on topic but I also saw Willie Nelson and Family band at the Fair--maybe in 1978-- before he was really big and before he got old. They smoked (musically).

 

[Klubber]

Oct of 1991... CY Stephens... I saw the Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam open up for RHCP... beat that!!

Still kicking myself for not going to that show.

 

[Humanjukebox]

First concert April 8, 1975 Vets Auditorium...headliner was BTO, opening acts were Thin Lizzy and Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band

 

[t.m.]

Not sure what qualifies as “big”, but saw No Doubt open for Bush in ‘96 at Hilton.

 

[HOTDON]

Slipknot on the secondary stage back in the day with Orgy and Megadeth headlining Mancows Laser Louw (no way any of that is spelled correctly lol)

I think it was the summer before that I saw Slipknot at Dotfest II. I had never heard of them and they were the first act of the whole day. The maggots were there before they were even called maggots. Saw a dude walk out of the tattoo tent with SLIPKNOT in huge letters across his stomach. The Atomic Fireballs had to try to follow that absolute madness. A lot of bands there that were big at the time: Fastball, Marcy Playground, The Urge, Goldfinger, and most notably, Everclear. Slipknot is likely the only name anyone under the age of 40 has heard of.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

In 1988 Gun N Roses opened up for Aerosmith at Hilton. About 3 weeks after the show Sweet Child of Mine was climbing the charts.

I was at that show, in fact I went because of Gn'R. Aerosmith was just a bonus.

I also saw the Stray Cats open for the Stones at the Unidome. Massive stage, curtain came up and there was this 3 piece combo of a guy with a guitar, a guy with a stand up bass and a drummer who had a bass drum, a snare and a symbol. Then they started playing and rocked the joint.

I saw Twisted Sister at the Agora ballroom in New Haven Ct. about a year before they hit it big.

 

[brother bob]

In 1974 Mott the Hoople were on tour, first in Britain and then in the United States with a little band by the name of Queen...and we all know how that story goes. No, I didn't see any of their shows because I was only 10 and the closest they would come to Iowa was either Chicago or Denver... but am a big fan of both.

In 1983, in my limited punk days, I went to see Adam Ant in Des Moines and the opening act was INXS...after I heard their first two songs I knew that they'd be big!

 

[ISUinOR]

I saw Chevelle open for Filter two nights in a row around 2000. The 2nd night was free (on Filter, for having to cancel a show the year prior). At the end of first night Richard Patrick told everyone to hold their ticket and come back the next night. Yes, it was long enough ago that you would have a physical ticket.