Community (American Garage)

Subject View

From:	Message:
SUBJECT:	Support bands Back to Subjects
john Jun 12 2011 at 7:11 PM	I was in the Festival Hall for Ray Davies’ inaugural concert opening the Meltdown summer music series, listening to a perfectly decent support band. I couldn’t help noticing a number of empty seats that suggested some of the audience were still in the bar. Afterwards I got to wondering who was the best support band I’d seen and how many of that audience missed out on a great thing. By my definition of a support band, I’m thinking in terms of a band breaking through to go on to greater things. I did for instance see Genesis as support back in their early days but the one that comes to mind is the Average White Band who supported Billy Cobham way back. What’s the best support band you’ve seen?
Login to Post
Roll Tide Jul 07 2011 at 9:38 PM	Hey, dazedcat - youtube "beck stevie ray" and the first hit is 4 minutes of Going Down."
Dazedcat Jul 07 2011 at 11:32 AM	cdub: I saw Beck and SRV on that tour you mentioned. I never saw Jeff Beck play any better than he did that night and I had seen him a half a dozen times prior to this. People were slack jawed, it was that remarkable. The "duel" he and Stevie did on "Going Down" for the encore is something I’ll never forget.
naut Jul 07 2011 at 11:18 AM	I saw Larry Coryell (solo, on acoustic guitar) open for James Taylor in Memphis. Don’t recall the decade--probably late ’70s/early ’80s. Larry did a version of Chick’s "Spain," and when it got to the clapping part, I was the only one in the arena to add my support. Larry looked over and smiled, and we both keep going with the tune. My guess is that most of the audience really didn’t know who Coryell was, but then what do I know?
Roll Tide Jul 07 2011 at 7:52 AM	I saw Lee Ritenour open for George Benson. Ritenour joked that Benson "stole" his keyboard player.
SteveTheBoater Jul 07 2011 at 4:24 AM	I saw Peter Hammill open for Marillion in Stoke and Manchester on their first UK tour in the early 80s. Fish was/is a huge Hammill fan and I always thought that it was a deal he had done just so he could see pH perform. At the time I didn’t know Hammill at all but after that first show I became a convert. I still have a tape of the Stoke show with John Ellis on guitar. Amazing performances from the pair of them. Ellis was hassled by a small group of idiots throughout and after they left the stage he came round and confronted them. 30 years on I’m still following Hammill and can’t remember when I last saw (or even heard) Marillion...
Bob Meyrick Jun 19 2011 at 3:25 AM	I make no apologies for my Hatfield and the North enthusiasm - great music and song titles. "Lobster in Cleavage Probe" anyone?
yossarian Jun 18 2011 at 6:02 PM	Hatfield and the North... what a band. Bit short-lived though. Caravan were a GREAT band make no mistake. Miles opening for Pat? Were there other groups on the bill too? Of all the gigs mentioned here that’s simply enormous. I loved that period of Miles. Saw him in 84 with Sco on guitar and Berg on sax. But looking at YouTube clips of that era of Miles I find myself picking holes. Interesting someone mentioned Van Halen. I saw them open for Black Sabbath in 1977 at Hammersmith. With only half the gear that BS had, VH blew them off the stage. Mind you BS were shabby, drunk, untogether. Walked out early, but well impressed by VH.
Tom Rudd Jun 18 2011 at 8:40 AM	Good to see Joe Botamassa mentioned. Saw him once, he does crank. Great rock player.
tokeyozi Jun 18 2011 at 7:46 AM	Yeah, Hague, that was still the time when you didn’t put in earplugs. Now I do, always. Bob, come to think of it, and I don’t recall that well, but maybe Clarke and Holdsworth were also a ’double feature’.
thehague Jun 17 2011 at 3:54 PM	Tokeyozi, I remember that particular concert. Would you believe that I had two guys in front of me shouting "Louder louder"? Well, they probably have hearing problems right now (like I do, for that matter).
dpruitt Jun 17 2011 at 12:57 PM	I wasn’t there but didn’t Led Zeppelin open up for Vanilla Fudge once? What a pleasant surprise that must have been! I did see Todd Rundgren open up for the Tubes. And I’d like to hear Pat’s recollection of that billing with Miles.
BobSmith Jun 17 2011 at 8:49 AM	tokeyozi--I saw Holdsworth open for the Steve Morse Band, circa somewhere in 83-84 at UNLV in Las Vegas. I remember when Morse came out he sort of complimented AH’s dexterity by pantomiming his fleet fingers. It was a treat for me because both of those guys were equally great in my mind. It was more of a co-billing rather than an opening and main act.
Tom Rudd Jun 17 2011 at 8:36 AM	Oh yeah it’s true, I was there, Tell you the truth it wasn’t one of Miles best bands, This was around the time Miles was on the mend and coming back from that nasty car accident he was in. saw him with the same band at Kix in Boston. Spent 60 bucks for a ticket and he played for 42 minutes mostly with his back to the audience. No matter though Miles was great however long you got to hear him play.
mountain Jun 16 2011 at 10:49 PM	Saw Joe Bonamassa open for Allman Brothers. My jaw dropped when I heard this young cat play. Wow. I became a fan that night and I am still along for the ride.
fendweller Jun 16 2011 at 4:39 PM	Colin. Not the first Hatfield mention here. Not by a long chalk. But they’re all from Bob.
fendweller Jun 16 2011 at 4:38 PM	Fran D. I don’t believe that for a nanosecond. Well, I sort of do. But it doesn’t feel true. Or maybe I don’t want it to be.
tokeyozi Jun 16 2011 at 2:37 PM	How about Allan Holdsworth opening for Stanley Clarke; somewhere late 80’s I believe it was. Thing I remember most that it was truly loud.
chetweir Jun 15 2011 at 11:46 PM	if you can imagine jeff beck opening for aerosmith.....WTF?......it happened.....probably the best twin bill i ever saw was J.B. & S.R.V. san diego 1987ish. I’m sure other garagers saw that tour.Any thoughts?
-m Jun 15 2011 at 10:33 PM	I’d be real curious as to what Miles’ feelings were about opening for Pat.
HAMBONE Jun 15 2011 at 10:14 PM	Bob Smith,I saw Tull during that same tour in Philly. I hazily remember the warm up band getting chased off the stage after only a couple songs. The same thing happened during Tull’s tour in 77. Tull fans in Philly were very supportive of Ian and his mates, still are. But they didn’t have much patience for warm up acts, even good ones.
colinl52 Jun 15 2011 at 4:23 PM	Bob this must be the first mention of Hatfield and the North on this site! Lost count of the number of times I saw Caravan (the original line up) before David Sinclair upped sticks. Saw many of the Famous Charisma 60 pence gigs with Van der Graaf, Lindisfarne and Genesis. I’m not sure if any of those counted as the "support" act! Happy democratic days!
barley Jun 15 2011 at 4:12 PM	Well, I think we have it. Miles supporting Pat. No more bets. The house is closed. Thank you and goodnight.
thehague Jun 15 2011 at 1:45 PM	Miles opening for Pat? Must have been a historic performance.
Tom Rudd Jun 15 2011 at 6:03 AM	Hey Fran D. I was at that show also, what a great memory. Miles & Metheny Doesn’t get much better than that!
fran d Jun 14 2011 at 7:48 PM	I saw Miles Davis open for Pat Metheny Group. August 1982, Boston Common, Boston, MA. Mike Stern was on guitar for Miles. Pictures inside Travels album are from that concert.
tiny_tim Jun 14 2011 at 10:41 AM	I think I remember Missing Persons supporting Todd Rundgren & Utopia, in Norman, Oklahoma, in the early-80’s. Happy days!
BobSmith Jun 13 2011 at 9:44 PM	I remember seeing Jethro Tull at the Capital Center at some point in Fall 75 with a friend. I recall the band Gentle Giant opened and remember thinking they were pretty damn good. Of course Tull was unbelievable, even by today’s standards I think it would have been impressive. Just out of curiosity I found an archive on the Ministry of Info/U.K. that listed Tull’s concerts and that concert (1 Oct 75) in particular. I certainly don’t remember booing GG myself but here’s the blurb: "1/10/75 Capitol Center Largo, Md. USA Venue capacity: ~18,000. Projection screens were used. Also playing: Gentle Giant. Reportedly, the crowd was completely unreceptive, yelling for Tull Tull and booing throughout the support set. Thick As A Brick (excerpt), Minstrel In The Gallery, Wond’ring Aloud/Again, To Cry You A Song, A New Day Yesterday (w. flute solo, incl. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Bourée & Living In The Past), Skating Away..., Ladies (w. drum solo), ’WarChild Suite’, Cross-Eyed Mary, Bungle In The Jungle, The Hare... (intro), Aqualung, Guitar Solo, Wind Up, Back-Door Angels, Locomotive Breath/Hard-Headed English General/Back-Door Angels (reprise)"
Rob B in CT Jun 13 2011 at 5:33 PM	I never was a fan, but I saw the Eagles open for Yes and Edgar Winter in 1972.
-m Jun 13 2011 at 12:27 PM	hhmmmm...I’d say Jeff Beck Group (with Rod Stuart on vocals) opening for the original Traffic at the Shrine Auditorium late ’60s. Original Traffic was Winwood, Dave Mason, Chris Wood and Jim Capaldi.
hman01 Jun 13 2011 at 12:17 PM	I saw Bob Dylan open for Santana back in the 90s.Good Show!
Dazedcat Jun 13 2011 at 12:00 PM	Van Halen opening for Journey, Humble Pie opening for Three Dog Night (honest).
HAMBONE Jun 13 2011 at 11:29 AM	So many to mention...Buddy Guy opening for Santana 1995, Santana opening for Dave Matthews 2000, Return to Forever opening for Rennaisance 1976,Dexter Gordon opening for Jean Luc Ponty 1977..so many more. Suffice to say, a lot opening acts should have been the headliners.
DCTWMT Jun 13 2011 at 8:20 AM	I saw Lynyrd Skynyrd, introduced by Al Kooper, open for The Who at the Spectrum (RIP) in Philly, early 70’s I think.
bluepno Jun 13 2011 at 8:12 AM	Family opening for Elton John on his 1st US tour.
Tom Rudd Jun 13 2011 at 7:24 AM	I was fortunate enough to see Bruce Springsteen open for Bonnie Rait, Harvard suare Theatre 1973. Bruce would not get off the stage, Bonnie was pissed, So goes the ledgend.
chetweir Jun 13 2011 at 7:08 AM	I saw Prince get booed off the stage at the L.A. Coliseum prolly 80/81.He opened for the Stones .....Tattoo You tour.He played about twenty minutes(and sounding pretty good I thought)but when idiots started throwing their shoes he’d had enough.Then we had to suffer through George Thorogood who the crowd loved.LOL......go figure
bluepno Jun 13 2011 at 7:03 AM	Jimi Hendrix opening for the Monkees on their first tour...Aerosmith openning for the Stones back in the day...Sam Yahel organ trio openning for Steely Dan on the complete album tour.
Bob Meyrick Jun 13 2011 at 3:39 AM	Hatfield and the North, supporting Procul Harum, Nottingham University, November 1973. The finest band ever to be named after a road sign and the first "Canterbury" band I saw live. They played continuously for one hour with just a short break halfway, mostly new material (their début album was six months away from release) though I recognised the odd Matching Mole tune. I was captivated and stayed for the whole set, which meant getting a poor view of Procul Harum (who were playing in a different room). It didn’t matter, I was a Hatfields convert!
Login to Post