The Importance of Opening Acts
Ahhh the opening act. Let’s admit it: we’ve all skipped out on at least one opening act in our lifetime. I’ve sadly done it numerous times, mainly because I didn’t want to stand up for five hours next to a drunk crowd. Sorry, I’m not your average 24 year old. Sometimes I’ll get home and find out that the opening band was actually amazing and I missed out on an opportunity to see an emerging band on the rise. Don’t be like me, kids! Get there early and check out that opening act! Here are a few reasons why:
Most of your favorite bands right now were or still are opening acts. LIGHTS opened for Owl City, Paramore opened for Jimmy Eat World, Garbage opened for the Smashing Pumpkins, Carly Rae Jepsen opened for Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift opened for Tim McGraw and Honor Society opened for the Jonas Brothers. All of these artists found their way into our hearts in different ways but ask any fan of any of those acts and they’ll tell you that they discovered them while opening for another band and it turned them on to their music as well.
Opening for a well-known band can be a huge vulnerability. It’s like putting your heart out on display for the world to see, and if you’re a newbie, it’s not all smooth sailing. As a writer, I do the same thing when I submit a piece of work or when I write a blog post. It’s all out there for people to criticize. That band has no idea what’s in store for them when they walk out on that stage and the least we can do for them is show up early and be kind. You don’t have to like their music, but it’s always nice to be acknowledged. I saw Demi Lovato live a few years ago and the stands were empty while the opening act performed. They weren’t getting any feedback from the crowd and it just all felt so disheartening. I could see they felt snubbed and I didn’t think they deserved that at all.
I saw LIGHTS last April and I skipped the opening act, Savoir Adore, because I wasn’t too familiar with their stuff. You might recall that I featured their song, “Dreamers,” as Song of The Day a few weeks ago. I love them now! If only I checked out their music before I made such an ignorant decision.
Opening acts are a crucial part in discovering new music. Actually when you think about it, it kind of mirrors what I do here on Buzznet in a way. I introduce new music constantly, mainly because the stuff I listen to is all from new emerging artists. I want their music to be heard, especially if they’re not getting the kind of recognition they deserve at shows. Those bands are introducing themselves and maybe by showing them that you’re into what they’re playing will boost their confidence a little. Who doesn’t need that, right?
Moral of the story is: don’t skip out on opening acts! They just may turn out to be your new favorite band!
What are your thoughts on opening acts? Let’s discuss!
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