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What amazing bands have you discovered due to them supporting at a gig?
Personally I'd have to say Highly Suspect are the one I've totally gotten into after seeing them at Reading 2016. I also got into Courteeners and Imagine Dragons at the same venue. That's my top 3
Tesla supporting Def Leppard back in '87.
Vega supporting Magnum a few years back.
The slits, supporting the Clash back in prob 78-9
O.K. top 3.
Bask, supporting High On Fire at the Scala, thoughtful noodley stoner rock with a tinge of Americana, followed them ever since.
Wisdom in Chains, Supporting Sick Of It All at the Underworld, aggro NYHC, fantastic live, always worth seeing.
and on a very differnt note; Wind Rose, Dwarven metal (yup, bear with me) supporting the incredible Gloryhammer at the Foundry, utterly ridiculous but so much fun and properly nice guys to boot.
Oh gosh. Loads!
Here are some that I ended up enjoying far more than the headline act:
Battles supporting Four Tet
Explosions in the Sky Supporting Four Tet (he's got a habit of booking incredible support)
Bright Eyes supporting Arab Strap
Yeah Yeah Yeahs supporting Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Another standout was seeing Sigur Ros supporting Godspeed You! Black Emperor but both performances were astounding.
Loads, I always try to see the support.
Memorable -
A Human supporting Infidels at Southampton. Totally blew them off the stage.
Then a few years later La Shark supporting A Human. Both were so good live, what entertaining nights we had.
Squid supporting Duds last year. Seen Squid twice more since. Then lockdown happened. Bastard!
Babii supporting !!! at Brighton last year.
My memory doesn't seem to go back any further 🙁
Kate Tempest supporting Scroobius Pip.
Lots, but Elbow supporting Doves 20 yrs ago is probably the standout.
not exactly support as i think they were double headliners who swapped about on alternative nights, but went to see the Coral and got blown away by The Music who've stayed with me long after i lost interest in the former.
Metz supporting Idles
Von Bondies supporting white stripes.
i feel there should be many more but these are the ones that spring to mind.
Palace and Smoke Fairies both supporting Public Service Broadcasting at different venues.
L’Amourder supporting New Model Army on The Ghost Of Cain tour. ‘86?
Back in the mid-80s there was a psycho-billy band in Glasgow called the Sting-Rites / aka Johnny Melitta and the Percolators - they used to play a pub in the West End and it would be packed-out. They supported the Ramones at the Barrowlands - it was a mental mosh-pit that night. The Ramones were so stoned / out of their heads they were truly dismal and were booed-off - worst band I've ever seen.
Years ago now.
I went to see the support band rather than the headliner. Saraya we’re supporting FM at the Irish Centre, Digbeth. FM were very late, but brilliant.
I’d heard of Thunder, missed them at Monsters of Rock, Donnington, due to van breaking down. Then saw them supporting Heart and they were, again, brilliant.
Little Angels supporting Van Halen (Hagar) were given the honour of house lights out, light show, full sound system, when that was unheard of.
The slits, supporting the Clash back in prob 78-9
They were only amazing cos you could see up their skirts. I saw them supporting Buzzcocks about the same time. Fun fact - John Lydon is married to Ari Ups mum.
My "discovery" would be Micah P Hinson supporting Richard Hawley.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs supporting Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Not jealous at all! Oh no not me 😩
A very long time ago, Stone the Crows supporting Led Zeppelin.
Tom Walker before he started wearing beanie hats, supporting Hurts at Manchester Apollo.
Arctic monkeys supporting the coral
Twisted wheel supporting the rifles
Saw the Foo fighters support the Prodigy, but had already discovered them by then!
Brian jonestown massacre supporting BRMC at Manchester university.
I became obsessed with BJM and went on to see them another 8 times. It helped that they gave all their music away for free on their website ( not any more though)
Went to see James at the Barrowlands years ago. Radiohead were the support band 😂
Iron Maiden supporting Judas Priest Southampton Gaumont in 1980. The former got a better reception than the latter, it did not go down well with the main act
Went to see Root juice at a terrible bar in hayle because I quite fancied a girl going and the support band was Muse. Next time I saw them was at Wembley stadium
ah that reminds me, also saw the killers supporting british sea power above a local pub before they made it (obviously).
didnt like them then, and i dont now tho so not really that memorable....
Madness - as support to The Merton Parkas Nottingham '79
The Cure, as support to Souxsie and Banshees Nottingham '78
The Cramps - support to the Police, Rushcliffe Leisure Centre '78
The Pogues - support to Elvis Costello - around '84 I guess
On the other end, Snowpony.
There was a period when they were supporting every band I saw in Manchester (or so it felt). They were crap.
Oh, and Gold Blade deserve a special mention for a) being appalling, and b) supporting a clearly bemused Fugazi. The gold lamé suits were a nice touch though.
sunshot - supporting new model army
creaming jesus and janes addiction supporting fields of the nephilm
pitchshifter -supporting morbid angel
None. 🙁 I'd have really have liked to discovered a band that way but haven't. I can't remember who opened for the Damned but they were nearly as bad, does that count?
Massive Waggons supporting the Wildhearts
Henry's Funeral Shoe supporting Massive Waggons
Saint Etienne supporting Bjork at the Blackpool Empress Ballroom in '94
2 small bands really, went to see The Temperance movement at Newcastle Uni a year or so ago, but found the support act amazing - Thomas Wyn and the believers. Not really the sort of music I am into but really enjoyed them and they come up on my Spotify random list quite a bit now.
Oh, and also echo, Tesla supporting Def Lepard 🙂
I saw Crapsons supporting Half Man Half Biscuit last year. Best support act I've ever seen. Hopefully will see them again next year.
There have been many over the years, I’ve got some listed but not to hand at the moment, ones I can remember are Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers supporting Nils Lofgren, The Cortinas and Blondie supporting Television, Dire Straits supporting Talking Heads, Queens Of The Stone Age supporting Hole...
supporting SLF a long long time ago, never did much....
Had a quick look at gig tickets, had to disqualify a few as I knew the supports before - like Eat (my fave band back in the day) supporting James. I left before James cos couldn't stand them 😆
These stood out
B Dolan supporting Dan Le Sac & Scroobius Pip
Kasabian supp. Von Bondies
Verve supporting Smashing Pumpkins
and going back..
Brilliant supp Bauhaus
Comsat Angels supporting Siouxsie
The Slingbacks supporting Carter USM, I don't think anyone else remembers the Slingbacks but they were bloody awesome. Still love their one album.
Kind of honourable mention for Biffy- I saw them supporting OPM and stood up the back taking the piss. Saw them supporting someone else, maybe Hell Is For Heroes, and thought well, it's not that bad. Saw them supporting Weezer and thought, this is alright. Finally saw them not-supporting at T in the Park and it was absolutely awesome, they became one of my favourite bands- almost certainly the one I've seen live the most. Not sure if it counts as "discovery" when you don't like it til later though.
(pretty sure a biffy show got me to finally like Hundred Reasons, who I'd bounced off a few times then finally went "OK, I should like this, I'm going to get down the front and jump around and sweat a bit and see if it works". It did, they were amazing, I reckon their last show was the best gig I've ever seen)
Don’t remember the Slingbacks at Carter so will have to check them out. Mine are Spear Of Destiny supporting U2 back in the day,and Kanga supporting Gary Numan last year at the Roundhouse.
I discovered the Virginmarys supporting Feeder about 7 or 8 years ago, and then Haggard Cat supporting the Virginmarys last winter 😊
Mrmoofo wins according to MrsSpud. They sound like some gigs!
The Sheepdogs supporting The Temperance Movement were also pretty good.
I'll add K.Flay to my list (supporting Imagine Dragons) along with Airways (supported Sunset Sons at O2 Academy Oxford).
choppersquad
Free MemberDon’t remember the Slingbacks at Carter so will have to check them out
This was Carter after they were famous, and before they could fill Brixton with fat old blokes by reforming. World Without Dave tour probably. I think they were a bit handicapped by the fact you couldn't search their name without landing on a load of shoe fetish sites.
Estrons supported Bob Mould in Cardiff a couple of years ago.
They then made one of my favourite albums ever.
They’ve split up now, which is a shame cos they were amazing.
vickypea
Free Member
I discovered the Virginmarys
@vickeypea saw the virgin Mary's at a gig where we were the only people there (apart from a pissed up bloke that walked in looking for a drink)
Was really impressed by them early on, the drummer was something else to watch!!
went to see root juice
Hehe! Rootjuice. Can't believe there's someone else out there that remembers them!!
Just remembered that I once walked into a bar and snow patrol were playing in a corner and no one was listening to them. They were almost punk in the early days.
A very young Supergrass, supporting a pretty young radiohead:
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/radiohead/1995/apollo-oxford-england-43d3bbdf.html
Never really went to gigs when I was younger, not that many nowadays, but went to see Jurassic 5 at Glasgow ABC. Support was Ugly Duckling and they were outstanding. Never heard of them before but regulars on my playlists now.
Jon Hopkins was support for Plaid many years ago and was way better than the main act. I've seen him 4 or 5 times since.
Terrorvision and The Levellers supporting NMA.
Random Hand supporting King Prawn.
All About Eve supporting The Mission
Liines (not a typo). We saw them at the Ramsbottom festival in 2016, they first on the bill on the middle stage I think. They're brill. See also: Ukepunk.
edit- also Shonen Knife and Captain America at the Mayfair in Newcastle in 1991 supporting Nirvana 😁
Brian jonestown massacre supporting BRMC at Manchester university.
Think I must have seen the same tour but in Leeds and had completely the opposite opinion. BJM were awful. Playing nonsense and the whining in between songs about "why does nonbody like us" and generally being complete victims.
On the other hand, saw The Mooney Suzuki supporting Kings of Leon at Northumbria Students Union in 2005 (maybe). Mooney guys were proper showmen working with the crowd, hanging of light riggings etc.
The Kings of Leon came out on stage, bareley acknowledged the crown and stood completely still. Completely upstaged by their won support act.
Muse supporting Skunk Anansie and Incubus supporting Korn. Both at Rock City in the 00s.
Not so much discovery but...
Nirvana supporting Sonic Youth
Mudhoney supporting Sonic Youth
Hole supporting Mudhoney
A genuine exciting gig was Jacob's Mouse supporting Bleach.
More recently Luke Wright supporting John Cooper Clarke.
HMTLD (Interesting story on them [url= https://www.nme.com/music-interviews/hmltd-sony-parkas-the-west-is-dead-2574264 ]here[/url] - how the record industry tried to shaft them) - can't remember who they supported first time, was at the Joiners pub in Soton - great live. Seen them a few times since.
Funny, looking that up turns out I've seen Fontaines DC live too, (supporting Shame). They were so dull we went to the bar. 6 Musics big hype 😛
More recently Luke Wright supporting John Cooper Clarke
he must have been supporting the good Dr John for a good few years now then, as we saw him on the same bill many years ago.
The Kings of Leon came out on stage, bareley acknowledged the crown and stood completely still.
ah yes, another one that comes to mind for me now, KOL supporting the Music at bridlington spa. they were being hyped at the time but i just didnt 'get' them. ironically i really liked them a few months later when id given them another listen.
Funny, looking that up turns out I’ve seen Fontaines DC live too, (supporting Shame). They were so dull we went to the bar. 6 Musics big hype
aye, you may as well just listen to the records. i do love them, but as you say theres no interraction with crowd at all, no movement, darkish lighting, pretty dull live.
These days (as in over 6 months ago obv) I like to turn up late so maybe catch the last song or two if that. Come on down Workingmen's Club (I think) supporting the surprisingly good live Metronomy. Or Hookworms and the real rockstar vibe live Father John Misty. Actually that must've been two years ago.
BITD too many to remember. Saw Slits/Clash (didn't make that much of an impression), most memorably saw Human League, pre Heaven 17 split, supporting Siouxie ATBs, prob '78. I was impressed by the po-faced synthiness; rest of the audience less so. God knows what else. Had a ticket to see Buzzcocks supported by Joy Division. Should have gone really...
The band supporting It Bites at Aylesbury Civic Centre circa 1986. They were really very good. No idea who they were, mind.
The Standard Lamps-supporting The Who in Leeds
Slaves-supporting Foo Fighters in London
Both great bands very different genres though!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs supporting Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Not jealous at all! Oh no not me 😩
You can be jealous of me too DezB!
Verve (Before they were forced to add ‘The’) supporting The Black Crowes in ‘92. Both bands obviously very different - but at least one member from each band was incredibly stoned.
Saw Elbow supporting a more than a few bands before they really broke Asleep in the Back. Having been to a lot of gigs, its hard to remember the precise lineups of many.
Cashier No’9 supporting Pulp at Hyde Park - but not on the main stage. They were amazing.
@pocpoc I’ve seen BJM too, and it may well have been on that tour. They were shocking.
Ghostpoet supporting Alt-J
Very cool, uber cool.
Skunk Anansie supporting Senser.
Placebo supporting Whale.
Limp Bizkit supporting Korn I think. I know they went very commercial very quickly but they were pretty good. Always remember them coming on and opening up with George Michael's Faith and the bottles flying towards the stage until it got going.
watched metallica at Citys ground last year and was really impressed by Ghost having heard of them but never seen them.
They look a bit gimmicky but its done in a tongue in cheek kind of way and they are consistent to their theme. performance was great to say ttpically the ground was half full and initially most weren't paying attention.
After the god I listened to more of their stuff and was pretty blown away. for a supposedly Satan loving themed band their music is really uplifting. Guitars are pretty fantastic and lots of catchy numbers. became one of ky favourites very quickly and saw them in Leeds last November and was probably amongst the best few concerts I've been to.
For some reason, that song reminds me of REM
I missed seeing the Wonderstuff supporting Motorcycle Boy at the ICA because I was in the bar - regret that one. Motorcycle Boy were good tho, RIP Alex.
Briefly saw Loop supporting PWEI but they were so loud it hurt.
In the opposite way round to the thread title I went to see early Primal Scream supporting Julian Cope. Wasn't a fan of Cope until that night but he was fantastic!
As mentioned on the other support thread
My best has to be Tom Petty supporting Nels Lofgren,
But more recently
I went to see Tracey Anne and Danny at the Brudenell cos they were support for Public Service Broadcasting at the Albert Hall, so I figured they must be ok ( and were really good at both gigs )
It was at their Brudenell gig they had a young singer songwriter as support and that’s how I discovered Carla J Easton... well worth a listen
I originally posted this to the thread that got closed, so here it is in the preferred location for this discussion:
I saw The Heavy at the Liquid Room in 2013. They were supported by a band called The Computers, who were brilliant. I can’t say they outperformed The Heavy, as they were great that night too, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a support act fire up an audience as well as The Computers did that night. They got proper audience participation going and everything, which is an incredible achievement for a band when the audience isn’t actually there to see you and don’t know your songs.
The Slingbacks supporting Carter USM, I don’t think anyone else remembers the Slingbacks but they were bloody awesome. Still love their one album.
Great band, got the album and always enjoy their tracks when they pop up on shuffle play unexpectedly.
I honestly can’t remember if I saw The Slingbacks play live or not, I’ll have to find my folder of setlists and gigs to check.
Just had a dig around on the interwebz for anything on The Slingbacks, and shirleen the singer/guitarist is still living in London and works as an artist/activist...
https://www.shireenliane.com/artist-statement.html
Yeah, this might be uncharitable but I got the feeling she got more out of music and into other arts basically as her voice faded a bit. Like, the Transatlantic Bunnies stuff she did was obviously her but it didn't have the same cut and swagger. Went and saw one of her installations in London just out of curiousity, and had to have a conversation with her that went something like "I know **** all about art tbh, I'm only here because you supported Carter 20 years ago and your vowel sounds can still give me an instant erection"
The Isotopes opening for CJ Ramone.
Tragedy (metal Beegees) opening for Electric Six
Backyard Babies opening for the Wildhearts.
Anyone else been searching Spotify for new music mentioned on this thread? Found some bangers so far.
and had to have a conversation with her that went something like “I know **** all about art tbh, I’m only here because you supported Carter 20 years ago and your vowel sounds can still give me an instant erection”
Way to impress a girl as an opening line! 🤣
I’ll have to try that one...
Or maybe not. 😁