Opening Acts!...Does Playing Before A Rock
Star Make You One?
By Sheena Metal
It’s the dream of many a musician to open up for either:
their favorite band or the favorite band of their childhood.
For many, the ultimate in true rock star status is to share
a stage with the musicians who made you want to play music
in the first place…to see you name in lights (or printed
on a flyer, as the case may be) with the guys (or gals) whose
music you listen to almost as much as (if not more than) your
own.
But is it really a good idea, as an unsigned artist, to open
up for an act already known to the general public? Will you
get anywhere near the recognition opening up for Pearl Jam
in a large venue that you would at a local club playing with
other unsigned bands? Will you fans dig your music as hard
as ever or will they forget all about you in a mad frenzy
to have Eddie Vedder sign their backs?
It’s a double-edged sword that many artists forget
to think over carefully before rushing starry-eyed into the
excitement of being the opening act for: (Insert Name Of Famous
Rock Star Here). In many cases, venues and promoters still
expect your crowd to turn out and drink it up at shows, even
though the headliner will draw a big crowd of their own. Many
of these shows are an hour plus away from your local area
and tickets can be upwards of $100. Is that something you
can expect your friends will be up for?
And then there’s the issue of press. Do you dare ask
a reviewer to come out and cover your show and expect that
a large portion of your article won’t be about how “Pearl
Jam rocks!” You score local radio play only to have
the DJ announce the show and play, “Alive.” Sometimes
opening up for a signed act can make an unsigned artist feel
even more invisible than usual.
The following are a few tips that may help you to weigh the
pros and cons of grabbing a spot as the opening act for a
famous band:
1.) Would You Take The Show If You Weren’t Playing
With Pearl Jam?---Many artists think that playing with a famous
act is so important that they don’t even bother to check
out anything else about the gig. Many assume that rock stars
always command rock star stages, but this is often not the
case. Many acts, especially classic rock/retro acts on revival
tours, are looking to get out and play anywhere that will
put them up the right kind of front money. Often times this
means that the venues are in more remote areas either looking
to get on the musical map or using a well-known act to entice
people to drive in from far away. Sometimes, the clubs are
older rooms looking to get their groove back or new places
that haven’t yet acquired a regular crowd. Before booking
anything, drive out and check out the venue on a few different
nights and make sure that you like the room, the stage, the
regulars, the area, etc. and ask yourselves if this is a venue
that would play if it wasn’t for the draw of the signed
headliner. Since many of these shows can cost unsigned acts
anywhere from $200-$2000 in ticket guarantees, you want to
make sure that your getting your money’s worth musically.
2.) Would Pearl Jam’s Fans Listen To You If They Caught
You In Your Local Bar?---For a lot of upcoming acts, the lure
of playing in front of a crowd of adoring fans is a huge plus.
But, you need to make sure to remember that just because people
are coming to a club doesn’t mean they plan to listen
to you. Sadly, often the followers of signed acts could care
less about unknown openers and will arrive right before the
headliners set. Sometimes, they sit in at the bar in another
room praising their favorite band while the openers play to
their friends and the wall. Worst case, many of them will
rush the stage yelling, “Pearl Jam! We want Pearl Jam”
while you do your best to win them over musically. This is
why it’s important to only open for signed acts that
fit in the style of your music. If you loved Pearl Jam in
high school but your band sounds like John Mayer, you might
want to think twice before deciding that their fans are automatically
going to dig your tunes.
3.) Find Out All Of The Details Before Committing To A Signed
Act Show---It’s fairly easy to book a local show: two
to five unsigned acts, 20-45 minute sets, all ages to 21 and
up, $0 to $10 cover, sound check or line check, maybe free
parking, possibly some free drinks, sometimes backline gear,
occasionally free food, and pray for a decent sound man. It’s
all pretty much cut and dried and if your band has been around
awhile, you can confirm gigs in your sleep. Signed headlining
acts are a whole different animal and promising your crowd
to a venue two hours away, with a $40 cover charge where your
band is playing a 15 minute set with your gear scrunched up
on the front of the stage so that the headliner’s gear
can remain set up might not be as easy as you think. Your
fans are used to seeing you rock the house, down the street
from their homes, where you play long, get an encore and the
house buys everyone a shot! Unless they’re dying to
see Pearl Jam, they might not be up for all of extra energy
it takes to see you open up for a famous act.
4.) You May Not Be Signed But You Can Act Like You Are---If
you decide to take a gig opening up for a signed band and
you want to impress them, their crew, their reps, and the
club’s management, then make sure you’re act as
professional as your headliner. Get there early, have your
gear organized, make sure everything is working perfectly,
load in at the speed of light, have your set list ready, be
courteous to the sound guy (gal), keep your set on time, and
load off at the speed of light. Most importantly, have your
merchandise in order and professionally displayed at the club/arena:
CDs, DVDs, t-shirts, bumper stickers, hats, condoms, thongs…you
name it. You know you’re unsigned but the headliners’
fans don’t, so why advertise it? Put on a fantastic
show and maybe you’ll sell some CDs, etc. and make some
extra cash.
There’s one more thing to consider here: fulfilling
a dream. If it’s your dream to open up for an act you
love, then throw caution to the wind and do it just for the
dream. If you lose money, hate the club, get booed by over-zealous
fans…who cares? For that one set, you shared the stage
with the band that put the dream in your heart to get up on
a stage in the first place. Plus, it’s great bragging
rights for your band. You can throw it up on your website
and talk about it to your grandchildren. If you don’t
mind the extra effort, commitment and sometimes hassle, then
go for it! Who knows? Maybe they’ll pick you up as the
opener on their tour? Maybe their label will see you and sign
you? Maybe Rolling Stone will come out to review them and
mention your name? If you’re doing it to fulfill the
dream, then everything else is a bonus. Just remember to get
all of the details, and stay smart when undertaking a huge
gig. Now, get up on that stage and wow that big crowd, you
rock stars!
Sheena Metal is a radio host, producer, promoter, music supervisor,
consultant, columnist, journalist and musician. Her syndicated
radio program, Music Highway Radio, airs on over 700 affiliates
to more than 126 million listeners. Her musicians’ assistance
program, Music Highway, boasts over 10,000 members. She currently
promotes numerous live shows weekly in the Los Angeles Area,
where she resides. For more info: http://www.sheena-metal.com.
Past Column's by Sheena
Every Song
Fan Etiquette
To Tour or Not to Tour
Leave Your Drama At Home
Burning Bridges
Radio Play
Opening Acts!
Managers
Show Me the CD
Be Committed
Scandalous Behavior
Create A Buzz
Green Eyed Monster
It's All Good
The Winner Is
