Support acts that proved better than the main concert

[Dave the OAP]

Terence Trent derby - Frankie goes to Hollywood
10cc - status quo
Lyndesfarne- Renaissance
Chas and dave - chris deburgh
Saxon - blue oyster cult.
Souxsie and the banshees - the buzzcocks.


...anyone else?

 

[dennis]

I saw UB40 at the Brighton Centre in 1985. they were supported by an up and coming band who were due to release their first album.
They were called Simply Red. I wonder what ever happened to them?

 

[Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

I remember in 1979 at Southampton Gaumont, I went to see Judas Priest.
There was a little known support band on that emptied the bar within minutes of starting and got 5 encores .
That was Iron Maiden, they remain to this day my favourite band

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

I accompanied a friend to go and see Bullet for my Valentine at the Dome a few years back and we ended up leaving a few songs into their set as they were poor in every sense (average songs, terrible stagecraft).

Happily, they had Skindred supporting them, who I've seen a couple of times since. They were (and remain) really very good.

Honourable mention to both Sonic Boom Six and Streetlight Manifesto, who supported Reel Big Fish at the Concorde few years ago. They didn't surpass RBF, but they were both more than capable of having their own gig.

 

[Worthingite]

I went to see Kasabiam a few years back, and they were supported by The Fratelli's, at around the same time that Chelsea Dagger came out. Enjoyed that more than Kasabian.

 

[Albion_Dave]

Saw Oasis at Earls Court 97'ish. They were supported by The Verve who absolutley wiped the floor with them.

 

[dougdeep]

Nazareth supporting Rod Stewart.

 

[Grombleton]

I went to see Arctic Monkeys up at Brixton...back in 2009. They only announced the support as 'special guests'. Turned out (though we largely knew it and the only reason we went) it was Them Crooked Vultures. Taught AM how to play a gig that night.

Also went to see Spinnerette (Brody Dalle's band after The Distillers) and they were supported by Future Of The Left. I know which one I enjoyed more. However, watching Brody stage dive and wipe out a 15yr old girl was hilarious. The girl was unharmed, but it completely ruined their gig that night...though to be fair, they were pretty shit anyway.

 

[bhafc99]

Radiohead supporting Belly.

 

[Norman Potting]

Not quite "wiped the floor" but T'Pau were surprisingly good when I saw them support Bryan Adams, may be memory playing tricks but think they did an encore. Bryan wasn't bad either.

 

[keaton]

In the late 90s (I think) Blur announced their last ever tour, the last gig of which was at the Brighton centre. Their support act was the Super Furry Animals who were so much better it was silly

 

[AmexGold]

Blur supporting REM at MK bowl in 1995.
Waterboys supporting Simple Minds at same venue in 1986 (listening to hand of god game on the radio).
And for a MK bowl hat-trick, Ramones supporting U2 at the Longest Day 1985, but to be fair with Spear of Destiny, Billy Bragg and REM on the roster, everyone was good that day (even the Faith Brothers).

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

I saw the Grounhogs at the Dome, in, I think, 1972, supported by David Bowie, Mick Ronson et al. Bowie forgot the words to "Space Oddity"

 

[Hiney]

Lynyrd Skynyrd supported The Rolling Stones at Knebworth in 1976 and DESTROYED them

 

[El Sid]

Lynyrd Skynyrd supported The Rolling Stones at Knebworth in 1976 and DESTROYED them

First saw Lynyrd Skynyrd at the Dome (74 I think) supporting Golden Earring - bloody awesome.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Radiohead supporting Belly.

Blur supporting REM at MK bowl in 1995.

Belly were first up, that evening - for me, they were the best of the three bands, although it was a fairly relaxed set, and people were mostly sat on the grass watching them. Blur's set was great - it was just after Girls and Boys, I think - lots of energy - lots of jumping around in the crowd.

REM, played the Monster album, and it was bang average.

 

[dennis]

Blur supporting REM at MK bowl in 1995.
Waterboys supporting Simple Minds at same venue in 1986 (listening to hand of god game on the radio).
And for a MK bowl hat-trick, Ramones supporting U2 at the Longest Day 1985, but to be fair with Spear of Destiny, Billy Bragg and REM on the roster, everyone was good that day (even the Faith Brothers).

you remind me sir, saw Simple Minds at Wembley and they had several support acts, one of which was Texas. very good.

 

[spring hall convert]

James Brown supporting The Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Utterly ridiculous. RHCP at the height of their poptastic period were absolutely blown offstage by James Brown, not even playing the hits, probably 30 years past his best.

I shudder to think how good JB would have been in his pomp at a venue slightly smaller than Hyde Park.

There's plenty of others but that's the one that sticks out.

 

[Mattywerewolf]

Radiohead and Cranberries supporting REM at MK Bowl July 30th 1995

 

[Birdie Boy]

Stranglers supporting UB40 at the Brighton Centre, around 10 years ago..