I’ve been standing queueing for hours, I’ve been standing for an hour since we were let into the venue, and then I have to stand and listen to an extra hour of music I don’t care about. By the time the main act comes out I can get so tired and my back and feet are sore from standing
EDIT:
I don’t want to just show up later because I’m short and like to be near the front, and I wont get seated tickets because then it just doesn’t feel like I’m at a concert and I like to jump around/mosh.
Also starting to think maybe I’m just in a bad mood by the time the opening act comes out cos of my back pain which I thought was kind of normal after standing for a few hours but I guess not
Comments
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
Go in later, i do this all of the time.
You know you don’t have to go see the opening acts right? Plenty of people skip them.
how do you think the artist you go to see got big?
Majority of them were openers for a concert!
Some of my favorite bands are kinda smaller, and they are the opening act. I’ve gone to concerts for the openers before. It all depends. But you gotta manage your time.
You don’t have to watch the opening acts… I tend to miss the opener if I’m not particularly interested in seeing them.
Most of the concerts I go to don’t have them
I’ve seen some of my favorite bands as openers, and had some openers become bands I love.
Go later, and get better at wriggling forward!
They’re great opportunities for upcoming artists. I for one saw Tyla as an opening act for a big artist before anyone even knew her. Look at her now.
That is unpopular. Voted up. I find out so many new bands because of watching openers
Hard disagree, I’ve found several bands I really like because I saw them as an opening act. I look forward to it
You can’t have your cake and eat it, too. Get there early and suffer or get there later and have a slightly worse view.
Your opinion is kind of ridiculous tbh – most headliners you see were openers and would never be headliners if they hadn’t opened for someone at some point.
I got to see Staind when they were opening for Korn and hadn’t hit it big yet.
That’s how a lot of bands GET big
Biggest disagree that I’ve ever disagreed. I’ve had some pretty incredible memories with opening acts.
Preludes are dead according to you
We can’t have openers because you want to be in the front without paying for it or getting there early?
I mean, it’s because of the openers that you’re able to get in front.
90% of the gigs I’ve been to the support act has been amazing. Judas priest with saxon opening. Testament opening for anthrax and kreator was incredible. Of the 300+ gigs been to, I’ve never skipped the support act, discovered so many new bands. I love support acts and sometimes they are the highlight of the night.
Went to see Bryan Adams tonight. Didn’t have an opening act (never usually does), but that meant he came on earlier than most – and since I’d relied on Setlist.fm to get a start time, I was late because he came on 15 minutes earlier than anticipated.
Very much my own issue, I admit, but had it been a show with an opener, I’d have had over an hour before the main act came on.
I’ve discovered some of my favourite bands through them being openers, though. On the flip side, I’ve had a few that I’ve had to ride out while I wait for what I paid for
Jesus I’m a 40+ year old and even I’m like “stay home grampa!” haha
Stay young OP! Don’t have that old man/old woman energy until you have to!
Not every artist is big enough to headline their own tours. The music industry would crumble if the only acts that were allowed to tour were the ones that could sellout shows by themselves.
I vehemently disagree with this. Have an upvote.
Your edit makes you sound annoyingly particular
Some of the best bands are opening acts…
The main act you’re seeing started out an as opening act. Some of the bands I know personally started out small, so it’s great seeing their progress throughout the years, and seeing them headline their own shows.
I think there needs to be like, a minimum quality level for the fluffers – I’ve been stuck watching some truly atrocious performances while waiting for the main event.
Went to see a My Chemical Romance cover band who didn’t have an opening act so the venue just put some rando up on stage to play a Spotify playlist and pretend to “DJ” with decks that weren’t even plugged in.
Total disagree. Twice last summer we liked the opening rather than the groups we went to see.
Yeah! Why go through all that trouble to sit through 3 hours of awesome live music? 1 hour concerts for life!
Yea I dont go to concerts unless it’s like a bucket list band or I just LOVE them. It’s late, it’s rough, they start late. I was over it before I was out of my 20s lol. Doesnt make you old or mean there’s anything wrong with you. The whole concert experience is just not worth it most of the time for some people. Most bands and artists sound better at home anyway. Now festivals I can get behind.
Nah, that’s how me and my gf have found some of our fav artists through opening acts. We’ve attend concerts JUST for the opening acts before. It’s fire. Upvote tho cuz I disagree
I agree when i just want to see 1 band
I dont agree when theres like 7 awesome bands
I don’t mind opening acts. I just don’t think the best way to introduce me to new music is through live performance.
I took my son to a Tyler the Creator concert and it was legit like 2 hours of opening acts… I mean they were pretty good but still.
I understand exactly what you mean OP Bec I feel similar. For me it is not that they have an opening act, it’s that the opening act is often up there way too long for my taste. Then when said opening act sucks on top of that? Ass or when they’re on the stage just as long or longer than the main act. Also a lot of these venues suck with getting things started on time.
A lot of the smaller artists that aren’t performing in stadiums are performing in clubs and the like so of course no seats. I think the comments here are missing your points Bec they don’t attend these types of concerts.
I hate opening acts. It’s like trailers at the movies. Get to the meat.
You’re close minded when it comes to music.
Kpop concerts don’t have opening acts and it’s WONDERFUL. I wish western concerts would follow suit. Show starts at 7/7:30, I’m out by 10, and in bed by 11. It’s great!
Idk the last concert I went to, I liked one of the openers better than the headliner.
I actually totally agree with this opinion because I was just saying this to my husband a couple weeks ago.
We went to a small venue concert which only had GA tickets. We get there 10 minutes before the show starts, pretty close to the stage. Opening act starts. And feels like it never fucking ends…song, after song, after song. Felt like they played a whole fucking album. Finally they stop. 45 minutes later, the main act comes on stage.
The main act was 100% worth it, but I truly could’ve done without the opening act, mostly because I didn’t care about them, but also because we had to wait an additional 45 minutes.
I still believe that concerts should start sooner rather than later with opening acts and the actual headliner performance sometimes the concert doesn’t start till 9 or 10 even I would prefer it start at 7 so the rest of the night can be at a bar or club to ride the high of the concert. for smaller concerts like the venue is a dance floor with a stage I think opening acts are perfect ways to see smaller artists but larger concerts and their venues are too chaotic to be starting so late and leaving so late.
Long gone are my days of moshing and jumping around through 4 opening bands and still going just as hard for the headliner.
Here’s what ya do instead of wishing sabotage on up and coming musicians: get there late, when the pit opens, run through it to the other side, and you’ll be near the front.
I disagree, however what I hate is a main act starting an hour+ after the opening act finished.
When I went to see Bush, Veruca Salt opened for them. When I went to see Garth Brooks, Martina McBride opened for him. They both turned out ok.
Get into kpop, none of the kpop concerts I’ve been to had opening acts 🤣. The crowds sometimes a bit dead though, but if you’re enjoying yourself it doesn’t really matter
I don’t mind openers as long as they’re advertised. Last show I went to made no mention of an opener, yet two awful DJs came out and performed for over 45 minutes before the main act performed. Didn’t want to leave my spot up front so I suffered through it. I would’ve bought a few more drinks before I grabbed my spot if I had known!
I don’t go for the opening acts. My favorite band is the All American Rejects. I saw them in 2023. They had three opening bands. Show started at 6, they didn’t play until 10. Bruh never again am I do that.
I’ve gone to concerts just for the opening acts with no intention of staying to watch the headliner.
For example, Halsey has a concert at the Hollywood Bowl next week. The opening acts are Evanescence and The Warning. I’d love to go to that show, but I wouldn’t stay for Halsey.
That is not my experience at all, I have had such pleasant surprises in opening acts! The opening act is what allows smaller bands to get exposure. Maybe you’re just not going to concerts where the main artist has a say in choosing who opens for them? If the main artist is your taste, the opening act will be something you might enjoy more.
Pretty much every band you see as a headliner started as an opening act.
One of my favorite bands was introduced to me as an opening act
On different occasions in the 90s I saw Green Day and Smashing Pumpkins open for Bad Religion. Small acts become big acts.
I disagree!
live music is fun. you should check your ass for sticks or other similarly shaped objects.
Agreed, I’ve had experiences spoiled with boring opening acts that took too long to get off the stage
Last concert I went had no openers, started at 9:00 and ended at 11:00. My almost 40 year old self loved it.
Banks arcade was pretty good opening for Hollywood undead in Australia so I’ll have to disagree. They had a mosh going and everything, their performance shits on what they have recorded also (they’re a young band so still getting good sound editors probably)
So you have back pain and that’s a personal issue. Work through that Oscar the grouch
You came out swinging bro. This is definitely unpopular. Openings at concerts aren’t like movie theater previews. 😂
Last concert I went to was for Night Lovell. But his opening act was GERM at first, and he just got the mood up, next up was HAARPER damn near stole the entire show. I had never heard of him and I was there to see Night Lovell. Actually like HAARPER way better and still bump him when I’m working out.
It’s a way to find new bands and shit. Like I never heard about The Red Clay Strays, but apparently they’re an open ing act for a lot of top artist country singers now a days.
I love seeing opening bands I don’t know. I’ve discovered lots of bands that way.
I think the main issue is that the timeline from doors opening, to stage setups, to first band, to stage setups, to second band, to stage setups, to main band, to encore, to end of show is TOO DAMN LONG. If things happened faster, it wouldn’t seem so bad. I get that there’s quality checks and all, but still.
I saw a band last year that opened for themselves, which just meant that they played a double set with a 20 minute break in between. It was great, more of the band we wanted to see!
You’re the OTEP of fans. (OTEP would constantly demand that openers wouldn’t be allowed to sell their merch at shows)
So, kudos on the unpopular opinion. So, my experience has been that some those opening acts become the main act at a concert I see in the future, whether because they made it big later, I end up liking them and follow them afterwards, or sometimes both.
I find that standing in place that long is awful. But I can dance and sway for hours.
Some of the best live acts I’ve seen were the openers for the bands I had paid to see.
Some of you new favorite artists just might be an opening act. I’ve lost count of how many great artists I’ve discovered because they were openers.
If someone directly behind you was obviously there only for the opening band, would you just stand in front of them looking disinterested when they’re trying to vibe while your energy is in between them and the band they came to see? That is disrespectful to the artist and the person behind you
Most of my most recent favorite bands were opening acts at shows I was going to for the headliner.
I get the back pain, but smaller bands should be playing before larger acts. It’s literally part of the industry ecosystem.
This opinion is actively anti-music.
Very unpopular. Take my upvote.
If you’re this much of a buzzkill why TF are you even at a concert?
Terrible take. Most bands play 12-16 songs. It’s only like 2 hours max. The opening acts are great for variety and to extend a fun night. I’ve skipped plenty of opening and gone to big concerts exclusively for the opening acts
OP you need to get into jam bands lol No openers, 4 hours of the same band! Dead and Company is amazing but if you’re into EDM, check out Pretty Lights.
Sounds like a private concert just for you would be absolutely perfect. Christ almighty.
I WANT LESS FOR WHAT I PAY FOR
Boo. This opinion sucks. Yeah I get it but the opening act is part of the show. And a part of the show that he headliner needs/approves. If you only want to see the band you paid to see go in later
They’re filler to make sure people have the opportunity to enter the place before the main act starts. We all know that.
An ideal strategy for if you don’t wanna see the opener is to prioritise concerts in countries where venues have actual public transport connections stopping nearby at decent frequency and almost all hours of the day (typically there’s special concert traffic anyway).
This way you can just take one of the later connections, arrive in time for the main act but don’t have to see as much of the opener.
I recognise for standing room tickets that this may be disadvantageous, but pleeeeenty of people sit and for those it’s quite nice.
I saw Taylor Swift when she opened for Rascal Flatts so 😆
But also, openers help get the crowds hyped for the main act
just do what i do: sit on the floor lol.
yeah maybe not the most sanitary but ill be damned if my feet and back are hurting before i get to see the person i actually showed up for
I saw Coldplay a couple summers ago and H.E.R. was the opening act. I was an instant fan and her set was one of the most memorable parts of the evening.
Sounds like you don’t actually like concerts or live music… some of my favorite bands I discovered opening for other bands I was seeing
You don’t want to hear the opening band, and you don’t want to skip the opening band. No pain no gain, bud
I guess the OP is someone who goes to concerts and doesn’t like music? Yeah. That makes sense.
Every big act started off as an opener at some point.
I think the real problem is that it takes so long between the opener and the headliner. I hate waiting an hour after the opener ends before the headliner comes out – takes away all of the warm up from the first act! Five minutes for changeover and let’s get it going!
I don’t think this is unpopular. Most people don’t come for the openers.
Doesn’t sound like you enjoy concerts
Opening acts are an opportunity for an artist that otherwise wouldn’t have that size crowd. And if they get big it’s the last chance to ever see them in that size venue ever again.
I have found great bands from opening acts. One of my most memorable was discovering Uranium 235 when they opened for Type O Negative around 93-94.
I never would have found Alien Weaponry without seeing them as an opening act
Either:
Don’t start to queue an hour before doors open? That’s overkill unless you’re desperate for a space by the front at a really popular show, otherwise just showing up on time or a little early is more than enough.
Arrive later to the show and skip the opening act.
Arrive on time and see if there is anywhere you can sit and rest before the actual show begins.
The whole point of an opener is to get the crowd into the vibe and warm them up, and it gives smaller bands a chance to get an audience. I rarely care for the openers, but I still appreciate what they do.
Gotta let the smaller local acts get some kind of exposure
Oh hell no! The more music, the better!
Disagree, I’ve seen some good bands i had never heard of because they opened for another band i was going to see
Oftentimes the openers are great and become new favourites. I’ve been to many concerts and have seen a number of great openers.
I went for the openers at my last show, because I don’t like MachineHead but love In Flames and Lacuna Coil.
Sometimes the openers are better.
If you don’t want to see openers, arrive late. But you’re paying for the whole show.
Sometimes I have realized I liked the opening act more than the band I came to see. Be open buddy. It can change your life.
I know you only go see the most mainstream artists lmao. You wouldn’t have this opinion if you went to smaller shows. $30 to see 3-5 bands play about 30 mins each is heaven to me
Shut up, buy some comfortable shoes and engage in some new music.
Opening band hate this one neat trick: Concert stays at 7? Arrive at 8 and miss the opening act.
Yeah I never really liked this like hey thanks for dealing with terrible parking crowds of people and waiting around
Now before we actually get to the band you paid to see here’s some random other band you’ve never heard of for like 30 minutes
I love the opening acts. Sometimes you get a gem you’vd never heard
Saw Guns and Roses open for Motley Crue.
I think this one is properly unpopular. Besides often wanting to see the openers as much as ( or more than) the headliner, I sometimes can only justify the price of admission by being able to see multiple bands I like.
I love seeing music I don’t know that’s how you find your new favorites and it’s incredibly important to develop new talent so that music doesn’t just die and the band you went to see be the last generation of music
Only go to 2 set shows, done.
I’ve found some of my fav bands by being there for the openers
It will be easier for you to get to the front during any part of the show than it will be for a small band to make it without having opening acts.
You do realise all the big bands started opening for bigger acts. I saw System of a down and Mudvayne open at an outdoor festival before they got big. I know immediately they were both about to explode.
lame
I wish that the concerts would start earlier if there are going to be opening acts. So instead of a 8 PM concert and then the main act isn’t on until 9-9:30, I’d rather the concert start at 6 personally
Ah, getting older and wanting your preferences to dictate how things should be instead of just adapting to the situation to avoid pain and headaches.
Just come later, short stuff
Dinners shouldn’t have appetizers
Honestly, I feel like it sometimes to justify a higher price for a ticket. If you only had one act could they charge 300-350 for tickets. I sort of doubt it. I once went to a concert for the last band and there were 4 opening acts 3 of them were complete garbage. I could barely hear with ear protection by the time my band came on. Left after about 3-4 songs
My best show ever they had a good opener, a mediocre middle act, and an amazing finishing band.
Most shows I’ve gone to have been to see the opening acts. I’ve also discovered new bands that were the opening acts
Sometimes the opening act is why I’m there or they’re a new band I discover
One time I went to a stellastarr* show in a tiny little club. They weren’t a huge draw but they had two opening bands, so for the first one there were only like half a dozen people in the audience. I thought the first opener was really good and texted my friend who was seeing the same show in another city a couple days later, “hey you gotta make sure to see the opener they’re good. They’re called The Killers.”
Sometimes opening acts are amazing because everybody’s got to start somewhere.
I’ve discovered some great artists that I had never heard of prior to seeing them as openers. I think it’s part of the fun of going to concerts.
The headliner at one point was the opener. It’s an ecosystem.
Some of the dumbest people are people that go to concerts
Been there many times and thank god I realized what a mass waste of time, money and energy.
Sitting around for hoursssssss, waiting, and waiting. Then finally the shows starts and it’s somebody I don’t give a fuck about. By the time the artist I can to hear comes out I am alrdy tired asf and then it’s everyone with their phones out.
Shit is soooooooo lame. I get a better show from my room just listening to music and vibing
Honestly, I hear you. I’ve found some acts I really like though before that were openers. I think concerts just need to start sooner, like 3pm. I hate getting home so late.
Were you just born?
With your attitude, you could have missed so many great bands. Thinking back, with that attitude, would have missed Diamond Head (8 times), Saxon, Lordi, Babymetal, Cathedral, Angelwitch, Scorpions, Anthrax and so many up coming bands. Seems mental to purposely avoid support bands.
If your back is giving you that much issues, seating is where you should be. As a registered cripple, I know just fine what like standing at concerts can be like in terms of pain. It’s not fun. Jumping around won’t be helping either. There’s a point where you’ve got to accept your limitations.
I’ve been to more shows for the support bands than the headline 😅
Yes cause it’s better to fight traffic, push your way to your seats, watch the band for like 15-25 or so minutes, then push your way out of the arena, and fight traffic in the venue parking and in the streets.
Opening acts are how I discovered some of my favorite bands lol. It sounds like you’re just getting to old for the GA section and need to start thinking about seats or figuring out how to see from the back.
Having opening acts allows upcoming bands to get exposure and provides good value.
Wait till OP learns about festivals.
Yep. That’s unpopular alright 👍
An opening act also allows the headliner to shorten the show. It wasn’t until Rush dropped the openers in 1996 before they did three hour shows, for instance.
Opening acts are the best thing to happen to musicians. They give smaller artists a chance to play in front of an established crowd, they allow the crowd to discover new music, and generally they’re there to play a short set and hype up the main act. Additionally plenty of people only go for the openers, I know I have been that guy a few times. You can also just show up closer to the main act and skip the openers, that’s a choice….
I’m a good 35 to 60 minutes away from any place a concert can be hosted in my city. If it’s downtown, it’s even worse, because traffic is really bad and its difficult and/or expensive to find parking, so it’s simpler to take the train or subway, but also makes the trek longer. Im not going through all that trouble to only see one band, unless its my all-time favorite band and they arent playing with anyone I like. Many bands that I listen to now, I discovered by seeing them live as openers. Also, most bands that I actually want to see live usually tour with another band I know and/or like.
Although I sympathize with the pain you go through, I find it hard to believe that of all the concerts you’ve ever been to, there is only ever 1 band you want to see.
I also don’t think, with the costs involved and everything that goes into renting the venu and setting up travel arrengements, that it makes sense for a band to tour alone, unless its someone like Metallica and even they dont do that.
It is the same with soccer matches, another group plays before the important one.
Nah. Openers make arriving 3h beforehand worth the wait. Not only do I get to see the opening act, but I get introduced to other great artists. Have found more than a few this way that I listen to just as much as the acts they were opening for!
I’m also short OP so I get it. Recently traveled to Paris from England to see a show and it was absolutely imperative I got front row. Otherwise seeing would’ve been near impossible
There won’t be any headliners in a few years if there aren’t opening acts today.
CARE about them, you’ll find music you like, at least part of the time.
Hard disagree. I discovered my favorite band watching them open for another of my favorite bands. Sounds like you don’t like concerts. Go to the doctor.
Sounds like you just suck at preparing yourself for concerts lmao