What was the best opening act you ever saw at a Rolling Stone's concert? Van Halen (David Lee Roth version) gets my vote. An unknown Van Halen opened for the Stones in New Orleans in 78 and again in Orlando in 1981. The Black Crowes certainly were not the worst act, but maybe the biggest dissappointment. I saw them open for the Stones at Wembley in 95. They seemed very disinterested.

Best - Stevie Wonder
2nd - J. Geils
3rd - S. Crow (sorry but I liked her)
4th - Jonny Lang


Worst - spin doctors (what the hell were they about)

1st Billy Preston
2nd Lynard Skynard
3rd Joe Jackson
4th The Thrills
5th Sheryl Crow

White Stripes

Saw Buddy Guy open twice - Vegas '94 and Boston '02 - hard to top that!

I really enjoyed the Corrs! Sheryl Crow was ok, not great and the GooGoo's were boring.Way back in 1978, I enjoyed Foreigner and in 1972, Little Stevie Wonder was quite good!!!

living color and gun n roses

The best I saw was Jonny Lang. Worst was Spin Doctors.

Hey Shawn20, I would have loved to have seen the Mighty VH open in Orlando 81. As you may know, the back cover of Diver Down is taken from that show. One thing that always impressed me with that photo is that the band is taking a final bow, even as an opening act, and if you look at the crowd, alot of fans are cheering with their fists in the air. I doubt many opening bands for the Stones get that kind of response! VH was touring in support of their Fair Warning album that year and that was the first concert I ever saw, when they played Vancouver in April of that year. I always thought that if Mick and Keith can put aside their differences and keep the Stones going, then surely DLR and Eddie VH can do the same.

Best: Buddy Guy in Chicago, 1998.

Worst: Counting Crows. Whatzhisname was an @#$%& bitching about how "hard it was to get up for the show." It was the biggest crowd they'd ever played for at that point (summer 1994).

I saw the Spin Doctors open for them at Florida Field. VH received a great ovation that day. I do recall the back of the Diver Down album photo. VH wasted a great opportunity....they could have carried on the Stone's legacy. The New Orleans show in 78 also featured the Doobie Brothers.

GEORGE THOROGOOD & THE DESTROYERS.....NO DOUBT!!!!!!!!!

Who cares. I never needed an opener for the Stones.

Milo, NYC
Feelin drunk, juiced up and sloppy

AC/DC in Oberhousen!

Pearl Jam, The Pretenders, The Strokes, Johnny Lang, The Thrills.

Ike and Tina Turner

Big Sugar in Toronto Feb. 25 1999 at Air Canada Centre

AC/DC Toronto 2003... They were so good that it was very difficult for the Stones (tired) to play after them...

ACDC in Hockenheim for me.
I also have a great souvenir of the Coors in Mannheim back in 98. The sky was like a really dark irish winter sky, and the Stones gave them some great lights.
I also adored Jean-Louis Aubert (Paris 95)

Among the worse IMO were :
Bon Jovi (1st show Paris 95)
Extra and Athena (Istanbul 98 - local bands)
La Place (Olympia 95)

I'm sorry about having missed The Darkness in London last year.

BTW I'm still looking for the name of the 1st opening act in Luxembourg in 95 (just before Big Country)

[doctorstonesblog.blogspot.com]

>BTW I'm still looking for the name of the 1st opening act in Luxembourg in 95 (just before Big Country)


Andrew Strong?

>I also adored Jean-Louis Aubert (Paris 95)

I believe Jean-Louis Aubert opened in 98. And in 82 with Telephone?

Never saw a good opening act for the stones. I have only seen Dan Reed Network, Robert Cray and The Hives. It's difficult to say who was the worst - they all stank!

best : Sheryl Crow (all 5 on UK tour '99 plus 2 LA shows in '02), George Thorogood AND J Geils Band (on same bill, Slane '82). the Thrills were pretty good at both the Astoria and Dublin

worst : Bon Jovi in Paris '95, Cooper Temple Clause in Dublin '03. The most unlistenable drivel I've ever had to sit through in my life.

most disappointing : Black Crows - agree 100% with Shawn in his original post. Expected a lot better.

GUN

Best openers??? Wow, where to begin...

Yarbirds 1966
Cream 1969 Hyde Park
BB King & Ike and Tina 1969
Stevie Wonder 1972
White Stripes 2003
George Thoroughgood 1981
J. Geils Band 1975

Just a few, but I am sure there were many more

JR

Me screaming Chaaaaaarlie!
Wasnt Prince good in 82?

I didn't have the luck of seeing the Stones in the 70's US tours

But recently the best IMHO was The Strokes

Starsailor at Twickenham 24/8/04 who played their own instruments & own songs & did their own thing.
Black Crowes were a major dis-appointment but most acts including Bon Jovi have found that playing before the Stones is a nerve wracking experience not to be repeated.

Worst I saw was Journey at JFK in 81. They were god awful. George T preceded journey at the same show, and he was good.

But best I saw was probably Tina Turner in 81 in New Jersey.



I need a sanctified girl with a sanctified mind to help me now

bb king and ike & tina...what night and night

Shawn: Didn't the Doobie Brothers follow Van Halen at the Silver Dome in 78? Best opening act is Carlos Santana

Shattered: The Doobie Brothers did follow VH at the Superdome in New Orleans. I'm not sure about the Silverdome. Saw Satana open for them in Orlando 97...great show.