either times when you went in already loving the support, so you got two bands for the price of one
or when some unknown support blew you away and turned you into a fan on the spot
went to see radiohead at the sec a million years ago and asian dub foundation were supporting. they were fucking amazing
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couple major surprise ones for me
Anais Mitchell supporting Bon Iver on their first album tour. Had no idea who she was, instantly loved it and rushed off to get a signed CD from the merch stand. Been amazing to see her rise since then, probably more acclaimed than BI now! Should really see Hadestown one day. The main gig was also one of my all-timers anyway, so she just added to that amazing night
Meursault supporting Frightened Rabbit. Had got their album from a Scottish album club, and instantly fell in love with it (still now it’s either my fav or second fav ever by a Scottish band, just competing with Fourteen Autumns) - the passion, the weird glitches, the haunted folk. Went to see Frabbit and this support act wanders on, starts playing a cool organ drone - and then this voice belts out! Didn’t know the song, it was gonna be on album two, and had no idea what they looked like, but his voice is so distinctive that I knew them within one note (hear below). Was basically in tears for their set, and that’s even before Frabbit came on for one of the most passionate warm hearted gigs the Queens Hall has ever seen
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Beck supporting Radiohead (2006)
Gilla Band supporting Slint (2014)
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Be Your Own Pet supporting The Kills at the Kentish Town Forum in 2005
And So I Watch You From Afar supporting This Will Destroy You at Camden Underworld in 2009
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Phosphorescent supporting Akron Family
Ryder The Eagle supporting Dean Wareham
Rolo Tomassi supporting Foals in 2008. I went in kinda snotty and dismissive and they made a fool of me. Bought the LP on the way out instead of the Foals album.
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give me some words and some background people!
Hot chip supporting Goldfrapp was incredible.
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very very annoyed I skipped this (I think I’d already seen them both quite recently at that point, but still)
Florence supporting MGMT - was obviously a massive star
Savages supporting pins at the fuhre bunker i think - Already loved Jenny Beth from John & Jehn and thought the new direction was brilliant
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Flaming Lips supporting Mercury Rev at Sheffield Octagon in 1999 is the main one that springs to my mind.
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Between the Buried and Me pretty much doing Colors in full supporting Dillinger Escape Plan was a hell of a gig
Code Orange Kids (before they went shit) and Full of Hell supporting Circle Takes The Square was the best night
Gouge Away supporting CUlture Abuse, left during Culture Abuse cause they were shit
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Saw James Acaster supporting Josie Long. He was good and funny and she wasn’t. Now he’s famous on tv and that.
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oh yeah, this one.
tried to buy the album on CD after the gig but it had sold out. bought a 7" instead (which they gave me for free as they didn’t have the right change and it was a battered display copy, but now goes for a ton of money on Discogs). had a chat with the original bassist who was very nice.
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The Magnificents supporting The Beta Band in about 2003. I bought their album from the merch stand straight afterwards and played it to death.
Love it when you get a new band you’ve never heard of before as a bonus from a gig. My most recent example of this was a few weeks ago - Medicine Cabinet supporting Los Bitchos.
I saw Doves and Happy Mondays supporting Oasis in one of their final tours before they broke up. That was pretty cool.
I remember being blown away by Lanterns on the Lake when they supported Low. I’d never heard of Laterns before and this was just before their debut album came out.
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yeah i was excited about it as they’d cancelled a show in Voodoo earlier in the year. De Bom Bom had just come out, should have bought a 7" given how much they go for now.
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Oh first encountered Drug Church supporting Every Time I Die and they are now one of my favourites
Also playing were '68 who I saw support POD and Alien Ant Farm
Saw James Acaster support Ross Noble about 12 years ago. The second he came on stage somebody in the audience got up and walked out (just to the toilet said his mate) so Acaster made a large part of his support slot asking weird questions about this guy from his mates, borrowing his coat (then wearing it on stage) and then proceeded to tell a routine all about this guy’s life when he eventually came back from the toilet.
It was interesting - but you could tell he was destined for great things.
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