Opening Acts Who Made It Big

[MeadForMyHorses]

Tonight's Luke Combs concert has me remembering about the Brantley Gilbert concert at Wells Fargo about 10 years ago. Luke Combs opened that night. It was just him and his acoustic guitar. Now he's sold 60,000 tickets at JTS!

So who have you seen as an opener who hit the bigtime??

 

[ISUCubswin]

Not necessarily opener, but I’ve only been to two of the free stage concerts at the Iowa State Fair - Old Dominion and Ella Langley.

Only opener I’ve seen that is semi-well known but nowhere near Luke Combs level is Jimmie Allen, who opened for Toby Keith at the Fair in 2019.

 

[CloneAttack]

Bon Jovi opened for .38 Special in Hilton back in the late 1980s. He turned out OK.

 

[cjclone]

Taylor Swift opened for Rascal Flatts when she was 16.

 

[AgronAlum]

They were headlining but I saw OAR at Toad Hollar in 2003 in front of a few hundred people. A year or two later they were selling out places like MSG.

 

[fcclone]

Taylor Swift opened for Rascal Flatts when she was 16.

She also opened for Keith Urban in Des Moines.

 

[AgronAlum]

Not necessarily opener, but I’ve only been to two of the free stage concerts at the Iowa State Fair - Old Dominion and Ella Langley.

Only opener I’ve seen that is semi-well known but nowhere near Luke Combs level is Jimmie Allen, who opened for Toby Keith at the Fair in 2019.

I remember seeing The Band Perry at the free stage too.

 

[MeadForMyHorses]

She also opened for Keith Urban in Des Moines.

I was there for that one too. Wild. All the screaming 13 year old girls left after she played!

 

[clone4life82]

I saw train open for better than ezra

Foo fighters open for red hot chili peppers

Jimmy eat world for weezer

Jason mraz for Dave Matthews band

 

[MeadForMyHorses]

1979. Vet's Auditorium. John Cougar (later Mellencamp) opened for KISS.

 

[Althetuna]

1993 Rage Against The Machine opened Lollapalooza at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Danzig and Primus closed.

 

[fcclone]

1979. Vet's Auditorium. John Cougar (later Mellencamp) opened for KISS.

I went to that Kiss concert. I didn’t realize/remember that John Cougar opened.

 

[clonedude]

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

 

[demoncore1031]

She also opened for Keith Urban in Des Moines.

And now she's opening for Travis Kelce.

 

[CloneLawman]

Didn't see it, but imagine Jimi Hendrix opening for the Monkees.

 

[demoncore1031]

Behemoth opening for Six Feet Under in 2003 or 2004 at the Launchpad in Albuquerque. Behemoth went on to be a huge band in the extreme metal world. Skinless played between Behemoth and SFU on that tour and some crappy emo band called As I Lay Dying played before Behemoth. As I Lay Dying became really big too. I went outside during their set because emo sucks.

Deftones opening for Pantera and White Zombie in Cedar Rapids (?) in the 90s. This was before their Around the Fur album came out.

Saw Slipknot a couple times before they made it big. Have never really been a big fan though.

My old band played with Bongzilla a couple times. The first time was in the late 90s and they weren't too big yet. Became one of the biggest names in the stoner metal genre.

 

[CyCrazy]

Stoner Metal? That seems like an odd pair, haha.

 

[Helser 83]

Bon Jovi opened for .38 Special in Hilton back in the late 1980s. He turned out OK.

Was in row 6 or so on the floor in Hilton for that. Remember it vividly thinking this guy is freaking awesome. Definitely top two of any concerts I've been to. 38 Special was spectacular with at the time what seemed like a 30 man orchestra. Good Times Indeed

 

[Drew0311]

Bon Jovi opened for .38 Special in Hilton back in the late 1980s. He turned out OK.

On that note I saw skid row open for Bon Jovi at Hilton and Skid row broke out right around the same time

 

[cytor]

A lot of big bands opened at one point for someone.
RUSH opened for KISS
AC/DC opened for Triumph
Saw Iron Maiden as an opener
Saw Alice in Chains in a bar
Jon cougar opened for Molly Hatchet
Saw Adele in a bar before she hit big.
I could go on and on