Going back in time, I saw Def Leppard opening up for AC/DC in 1979 at Hammersmith Odeon and Iron Maiden opening up for Judas Priest at the Rainbow, Kings Cross, in 1980. I really enjoyed both, but haven’t been a particularly big fan of either band since they hit the big time soon afterwards.

In recent years, Chantel McGregor opening up for Robert Cray (remember that one, Tim ?) in Reading. I wasn’t too fussed about Robert Cray, but only went too see Chantel. Using Chantel as an example, she has opened for Wishbone Ash (Andy Powell) as far back as, I think, 2009. A massive boost for her career in those days. And has also opened up for Robin Trower as well as Marillion. I saw Steve Rothery at one of her gigs in Hatfield a few years ago.

At my most local venue in Chislehurst (about 40 miles away) some of the support bands I’ve seen were playing their first ever gig, usually a local band looking for a break and the promoter is willing to give it to them. Its where it all starts and I’ll continue to do my best to see the support bands in the future.

I first saw Touchstone when I went to see Heather Findlay as support, and enjoyed them, so I’m disappointed about missing their last gigs which I didn’t know about until a couple of days ago. I can’t remember enjoying many headline bands when I’ve gone to see the support as much as them actually. And I never heard Wintercoast live. :/

I wish Mostly Autumn would have support more often when they don’t start until 9pm, even if it’s just a solo or duo to make the logistics easier.

A couple of weeks ago I went to see a support band who were third on a bill of four. They pulled out, but I ended up liking the first band of the night more than them, and they’re local, which is a bonus. The time before that the support band pulled out and the headliner was boring, so I travelled 2 hours for nothing.

British Sea Power are an all-round excellent band, and their support bands are included in that. In their early days they held club nights (that they played at) so perhaps it’s always been in them to want to put on a good show for the whole night. Bo Ningen and Teeth of the Sea have been two of the best live acts to support them. There are not many bands who pick a louder or rockier act than themselves as support.

There’s another band I’ve seen lots of times, and I can only remember enjoying one of their support acts, but they don’t seem like the sort of band to stick on an average support to make them look better (and they don’t need to).

The support should be there to enhance the night, and I think more of bands when they pick a good support act (obviously it’s down to personal opinion, but sometimes it seems obvious). I have an all-round better night, and a good support increases the anticipation of the headline act – it can make the whole atmosphere in the venue better. Maybe some acts are not bad people for having average support, perhaps they’re just too self-conscious.

I also remember seeing support bands that have gone onto big things. Editors are one – I thought they were pretty poor when I saw them and didn’t realise it was them until years later after they’d become one of the biggest bands in the UK. It always seems odd when that happens. Kaiser Chiefs were another and although I’m not a big fan (and it’s probably swearing on this blog!), they were enjoyable.

A lot of the time record labels pick the support acts, which sometimes works out really well and sometimes doesn’t. Even when labels pick them, the not rockier than the headline act thing seems to hold up. A lot of support bands have to pay for the privelage of being support these days too.

They ended up rescheduling it for a couple of weeks later, with original tickets still valid. With the same support band again, who we ended up seeing twice.

Quite a turning point as I made the opportunity to see her whenever I had the chance which led me to Mostly Autumn and realised I’d been missing out on a whole host of other bands I wasn’t aware of due to my blinkered 70s/80s interests.

Alongside that, and pointing me in almost exactly the same direction, Anne-Marie Helder supporting Steve Hackett at Hammersmith.

I can only think of one gig where I’ve been to see the support act, and the headline act completelty faiiled to deliver; that was Robert Cray sypported by Chantel McGregor. No fire, no passion, and the whole thing felt phoned-in. Chantel was everything the headliner was not.

I’ve done this before for two support acts: once for Angela Gordon and once for Heather Findlay. And it’s been a bit unsatisfactory both times, because no matter how good the main act is, it’s going to be an anti-climax after the set by the band you really love. You’re going to be wishing it was still the support band. And I think that the buzz I should feel on walking out of a gig is being diluted by the last 90 minutes of the gig being… not the band I went to see.

But I won’t walk out in the interval and skip the main band. That would be just as bad as skipping the support band when you’re there to see the headliners. And I will never do that because… well, see my previous comment

Mostly Autumn.

’nuff said.