Support acts that proved better than the main concert

[Mattywerewolf]

*pedant alert*

Also, Sleeper played on the Sunday along with The Cranberries and Radiohead.

*alert ends*

*Touche alert* Didn't mention Sleeper since only Radiohead and Cranberries were better than REM *Touche ends*

 

[Mr Banana]

The Dresden Dolls supporting Panic! at the Disco
New Young Pony Club supporting Katy Perry
Didn't Graham Coxon support whatever that incredibly dull, Libertines-headed line-up was at Hyde Park this year?

 

[tinx]

Stereopphonics at the Albert Hall, it was a teenage cancer trust gig and as support for the Stereophonics we had a supergroup style line up for a number of different tracks, Started with Paul Weller playing a couple of solo tunes then came out James Dean Bradfield to play along with him and Kelly Jones, Then Roger Daltrey came out and performed a couple of who numbers and Ronnie Wood joined them as well. The Stereophonics were good but after that kind of faded into insignificance after that.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I went to see Mink De Ville at the Top Rank in 1977 when they were supporting someone. I'd completely forgotten who the headliners were because I hadn't gone to see them and I remember I left after a couple of numbers because they were bog-standard noisy dinosaur metal.

I was cleaning out some stuff the other day and came across the concert ticket. AC/DC, of course.

 

[bhafc99]

Throwing Muses supporting REM Wembley Arena.

I was there!

 

[Flex Your Head]

Your recollections of the day tally exactly with mine. Apart from the CD's bit. How on EARTH do you remember that!?

I just remember that, whilst I quite liked both of the albums, neither worked at all well in the Saturday afternoon sunshine where they just sounded dirgey and dated. But every time one of them ended, the other one started up, on and on and on and on...

 

[GT49er]

In 1972 couldn't get a ticket for Worthing Town Hall to see Lindisfarne. Well, I could have seen Lindisfarne because a lot of people came out half way through, having only gone to see the support act, which was Genesis!
Also saw Jethro Tull supporting The Searchers..........

 

[sully]

A couple of "festival" type gigs:
Santana and Lindisfarne were better than the Beach Boys at Knebworth 1980.
Whitesnake blew AC/DC away at Monsters of Rock around the same time (I actually can't stand AC/DC, so others there may not agree!)
I also went to see Judie Tzuke as a support act to a hapless Gallagher & Lyle at the Dome

Plenty of times, I've been as impressed by a support act as the main event, but not often surpassing the band I've gone to see. For instance:
I saw Keane supporting Zero 7, but Zero 7 were equally good
Similarly, UB40 I think were supporting the Pretenders at the Top Rank the week they released their first single
QTips were awesome when I saw them support The Who at Wembley Arena

I've seen some dross support acts too, mind.....

 

[W3 BHA]

Bournemouth Winter gardens, 1973 or 74, I went to see Black Sabbath who were going through a phase of being fashionably uber late to the stage. Lots of announcements that they were stuck on the motorway, etc, etc. They were good when they finally arrived but Black Oak Arkansas had taken the opportunity to grab the limelight. Absolutely fantastic, lively,engaging and exciting. By the time the Sabs did come on no one could really be arsed with their slow, ponderous, exhibition of devil (!) worship.

 

[wadhurstseagull]

Weapon of Peace supporting Haircut 100 - Bracknell Sports Centre. 1982.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

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?

They are still very dull as they were then no doubt

 

[Munkfish]

I saw Adele support Jack Penete in about 2007.

I also remember seeing chase and status support Kasabian at the 02 who smashed it, although I mainly went to see them so I might have said that at the time.

 

[dennis]

They are still very dull as they were then no doubt

actually I'm not a fan of Mr Hucknall but they were very good as a support act!

 

[dennis]

This reminds me of listening to Alan Brazil on Talksport one morning talking about his first ever gig.
he went to see Mott The Hoople and they were supported by Queen.

 

[Trufflehound]

Whitesnake blew AC/DC away at Monsters of Rock around the same time (I actually can't stand AC/DC, so others there may not agree!)

Slade were the best act that day...

 

[Arthur]

Kasabian supporting Oasis at Wembley 2009 maybe?
Reverend and the Makers supporting The Enemy at Somerset House same sort of era as the above
Skunk Anansie (sp?) supporting RATM at Finsbury Park 96ish
Jonny Marr supporting Stone Roses at Finsbury Park summer before last
The Twang supporting Cast Shepherds Bush couple of years back

 

[keaton]

Reverend and the Makers supporting The Enemy at Somerset House

I think this calls for a new thread. "What is the worst double bill of acts you've ever seen?"

 

[el punal]

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

Beat me to it, damn you! I was there too. Wonderful band and if memory serves me right a lot of punters left when Golden Earring came on stage.

 

[Arthur]

I think this calls for a new thread. "What is the worst double bill of acts you've ever seen?"

Hahahaha you're not wrong!

 

[Gary Leeds]

The bloke who sweeps the stage at the Brighton Centre last weekend was much funnier than Lee Mack.

Corrected it for you