Ever see an opening act before they got big?

[willywonka666]

I've been to a ton of concerts and aside from legendary "special guests" who used to headline and a handful of stars that were already on the rise, I don't think I've seen an act that I ever heard of again-you?

[Ron Woodsman aka Shempaholic]

I saw a band called Bloodline open up for Lynyrd Skynyrd and Tesla back in 1995 (my very first rock concert). It consisted of Erin Davis (son of Miles Davis), Berry Oakley Jr. (son of Berry Oakley of the Allman Brothers), Waylon Krieger (son of a Robby Krieger of The Doors), and an unknown young blues guitarist by the name of Joe Bonamossa.

[G✇JI☈A]

Saw Elbow before a Placebo concert back in 2005. They were good, but they are a lot mellower than Placebo it seemed like a clash of genres.

Also saw Kings of Leon before Pearl Jam back in 2006. Now Kings of Leon already had a good following at this stage. But it was before the Sex On Fire thing that really took off for them.

[Ultimo Gallos]

Back in the early 90s saw a then unknown Stone Temple Pilots open for Megadeth IIRC. Two days later we saw the first STP video on MTV.

In 89 IIRC saw Alice in Chains open for a big package tour. Then a few years later saw them opening for Ozzy.

[wakko]

Goo Goo Dolls opened for Gin Blossoms back before they hit with the album A Boy Named Goo. Were the better part of the show too since Gin Blossoms didn't interact with the crowd.

[Sir Woodrow]

As a kid I used to see Keith Urban busk in the main Street of where I live

[The Legend of Groose]

Went to a Chiefs pre-season game that had the NFL debut of Russell Wilson. So I can say I saw a Super Bowl QB make their debut.

[ayumidah]

I saw Rev Theory when they were still Revolution Theory before they began to get radio play and became bigger. Still kicking myself for not getting their autograph that night, haha.

[Kevin Hamilton]

When I was a freshman in college, Destiny's Child played there when there were five members.

[abjordans]

I saw Britney Speara open up for *NSYNC when touring for their first album. This is before Baby One More Time took off.

[Gremlin]

I've got a twofer: I saw Blind Melon open for Soundgarden in 1991. That was a hell of a show.

[Powerline]

The Pop Disaster Tour (at least the stop in KC) had a pre-"In The Middle" Jimmy Eat World open for Green Day (a year or two before American Idiot) and Blink 182. I got the idea Green Day felt they had to step it up after Jimmy Eat World got done (which they did, they're absolutely amazing live). We left in the middle of Blink 182 though; they seemed like they got piss drunk before they got on stage and kept making bad jokes (as in, screwing up the jokes to the point they made no sense).

[Blindkarevik]

I saw Slipknot when they were just one of the random second stage bands at Ozzfest. Their self-titled album had just released a few days prior and when they started, there was a commotion in the crowd on the other side of the field, kindof an unspoken "You gotta go check these guys out" thing.

A few months later they were opening for Coal Chamber at a little dive bar a few hours from where I was living, which was kinda cool because Corey even referenced that show the last time I saw them at our new Arena.

Aside from that, saw Mudvayne open for Slipknot about a month and a half before L.D. 50 was released, where I picked up the CD saying, "I can't remember a damn thing about these guys, all I know is they were awesome."

[Urethra Franklin]

I'm trying to remember if I have. I'm sure I have.

Not an opener, I saw Arctic Monkeys play a venue of 500 people in 2005 that wasn't at capacity.

[DASH 243✅]

I saw nirvana open for mudhoney, thought they sucked
Also saw the president of the United States in a local bar in like 1994. I remember they said they had an album coming out soon. I thought they were full of Shit. I came out like 6 months later and was huge

[bitteroldman]

Saw Red Hot Chili Peppers play in a bar in Chicago, or at least I think I did. I was pretty drunk at the time and it may have just been 4 random naked guys.

[Father Dougal McGuire]

I also saw Blind Melon open for Alice in Chains, with the singer of AiC in a wheelchair after breaking his leg, and Ozzy at Ozzy's first show back in San Antonio after the Alamo incident. This was right before they made it big.

I also saw Kid Rock at the Warped tour before he made it big. Someone threw a shoe at him.

[Ishmeal Loves BBL Bayley]

My first metal concert in 2001 saw Drowning Pool opening for Nonpoint and Taproot. This was right as Bodies was getting huge.

I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can think of.

[Ultimo Gallos]

Saw Three Doors Down from when they were playing house parties till they were playing various bars and clubs all over the MS Gulf Coast. Oddly I haven't seen them live since Kryptonite became a nationwide hit.

[Mighty Attack Tribble]

As they're a local band I saw Muse a couple of times. I thought they were f***ing terrible back then.

Not a whole lot has changed, in my opinion.