M.O.W.A.T., my daughter has it that Les Trois Accords open in Montreal. Never heard them. She says they are sort of a tongue-in-cheek RnR group.
Hope it turns out better than Jan. '03's Les Respectables, which I found nondescript. But I am still in favour of an opening act for big names such as the Stones. It broadens the musical horizon to boot, and even in the worst cases it still "warms up" AFAIAC.
Would have loved to get Living Colours!

The Chicago show is about the only current date that still hasn't revealed an opener. It's sold well so they don't need a big gun ala Metallica BUT I am guessing we might witness in Chicago...

...newly reformed hometown favorites...

...The Smashing Pumpkins.

Just a theory mind you.

Living Colour --- "WHAT?! WHAT?! I CAN'T HEAR YOU. WHO? IT'S LIVING COLOUR? I CAN'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING THEY'RE PLAYING! THEY'RE SO LOUD, IT SOUNDS HORRIBLE!"

Bryan Adams --- you remember that bar with the bad selection in the jukebox? The one with all the songs everyone knows and hates?

Matchbox 20--- thank God I arrived too late...

Dave Matthews Band --- hmmm, I think I heard that song on the radio and I didn't like it then either

Smashing Pumpkins--- I wanted to like them but they were already on the verge of breaking up and seemed quite bitchy that night. One thing, when you play in a town where people paid money to see you, you might wanna not knock their town

Johnny Lang (Houston)--- he can't afford shoes?

Johnny Lang (Memphis)--- still no shoes?! What is the deal?

Ryan Adams--- 55,000 people at the show and all we get is this guy? What a stupid choice! Nobody at the show seemed to have even heard of the guy ... what a let down.

Ryan Adams is a great musician /songwriter, but comes across as
a complete @#$%&.
I've had tickets for his last 3 U.K tours, and he's cancelled at short-notice,each time. Last month the excuse was "ear infection".
No one buys it anymore...the guy is fast losing his fans respect.

'69 (Altamont):

Jefferson Airplane - OK
Santana - had the crowd totally mesmerized; incredible
Crosby, Stills Nash and Yoing - played about 4 songs and left
Flying Burrito Brothers - uhhhh, yeah ...


'72 (Winterland, San Francisco):

Stevie Wonder - oustanding, of course


'75 (Cow Palace, San Franciso):

The Meters - not exciting but definitely funky


89 (Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City):

Living Colour - were a big hit at Arrowhead; played inspired and had the crowd with them the whole way; I thought they were quite decent


94 (RFK Stadium, Washington DC):

Counting Crows - lame


97 (Fedex Field, Washington DC):

Sheryl Crow - came across as very talented and totally uninspired, as if she didn't want to be there


99 (MCI Center, Washington DC):

Corrs - talented group, but very questionable fit for a Stones show


2002 (Fedex Field, Washington DC):

The Strokes - did well at Fedex Field, Washington; I liked 'em



2005 (MCI Center, Washington DC):

John Mayer - I truly dread this one

Etta James, I should have enjoyed her but I was young and wanted her gone and the Stones on!
I was also pissed off that she was opening instead of Patti Smith who had opened a few shows on that tour, 1979? Some Girls.
Etta James would tease us, saying, "You want de Rolling Stones? You got to hear Etta sing first!"
I was on LSD and I remember her throwing her big paunch out with a hip thrust, toward the audience, and waves of light rolling off her belly like waves at sea.

We had BB King open at the MSG "Breakfast Show" in 1969 (though I would have preferred Ike and Tina. I've seen BB many times over the years). Screaming Jay Hawkins in 1981 was great fun too. When you look at the other posts and who the highly regarded opening acts were and ask yourself when (which tour) they opened, seems to me that things started to go downhill with Steel Wheels. While there have been some good openers since then (I enjoyed the Pretenders) the odds of there being a good opening act have declined dramatically over the years.

About the only useful purpose I can see for the 2005 opening acts is to provide some time to scout out a seat upgrade for when the Stones come on.

The support acts are not the reason I visit the Stones show. However, some are interesting, which I liked to see...

Anyway, my number 1 support act pick is quite easy - AC/DC (closely followed by Counting Crows)

Rufus - concourse wandering
Eagles - good
Southside Johnny - eh (much better every other time I saw him)
Peter Tosh - great
Journey - extremely well recieved
skipped opener in '81
Living Colour - good
Lenny Kravitz - ho hum
Blues Traveler - lemme outta here!
Buddy Guy - just fine
Jonny Lang - nice merch table
Goo Goo Dolls - good (nice line about meeting Charlie's granddaughter after their set "Granpa plays the drums!")
Pretenders - great
Ryan Adams - wants to be Keef, but comes across like Elton

A good support band is always a bonus but the bottom line is that I'm only interested in seeing one band that night and ultimately couldn't care less who the support is...

wide open jar opened the show in detroit on feb 22 1999 ---pitiful, better suited to a small bar than the stones.

lenny kravitz in lansing, msu spartan stadium sep 9 1994---a very uninspired performer. some said the spirit of hendrix? you got to be kidding.

living colour, silverdome, pontiac dec 10 1989, just a mash of noise. horrible cluttered mix.

there aren't too many new bands that can appeal to the audience of the stones. maybe aerosmith might be a suitable opening act that would have some respect. but the fans are tough, and would likely eat up anyone that is not the stones!

So, to conclude all these posts: the general Stones fan has no taste nor any appreciation for any other music than Stones music. It doesn't matter who opens for them, it's all TERRIBLE. No matter if you have Ryan Adams, Lenny Kravitz, AC/DC or ZZ Top open: TERRIBLE.

Mathijs

Fro those whinging aabout metallica...
Metallica are not just a heavy metal band. They have many ballads and even the odd country song in their albums. Songs like Nothing Else Matters or Hero of the Day are really good songs. They have a few rockier numbers they could play. They do a great version of Whiskey in the Jar (Thin Lizzy). My guess is they will play a more varied set to pleae the ears of older stones fans who can't open their ears to different kinds of music. In fact Metallica has lost some fans by becoming more rock and less metal in recent years. Their is no pleasing everyone. I am jealous of anyone lucky enough to be there.

STP in parking lot drinking those great canadian ale's

"So, to conclude all these posts: the general Stones fan has no taste nor any appreciation for any other music than Stones music. It doesn't matter who opens for them, it's all TERRIBLE. No matter if you have Ryan Adams, Lenny Kravitz, AC/DC or ZZ Top open: TERRIBLE.

Mathijs


no, that is a completely asinine and stupid remark,



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-08-10 02:02 by Ket.

I'm going to the Columbus show and I'm VERY excited to see Beck. Last tour I saw the White Stripes and they were amazing. Maybe b/c i'm in my early twenties and these are artists that I listen to on a fairly regular basis. I don't know why people want to get so upset about the opening band. Most major acts usually have pretty lame support acts. The Stones are the only band who are able to have such popular artists of the time open up for them. We should be happy the Stones can get such impressive opening bands.

Johnny Lang, Houston 98!

i recall a mag article back in the mid 70s that said ""the backup band zz top blew the stones off the stage "',,i think it was the 75 tour in texas ,,any1 no of this gig,,that would be a rare 1

My picks for warm-ups in Southern California:

Solomon Burke
Wilson Pickett (Yes, let's drag him from over the Atlantic)
AC/DC
Black Eyed Peas

I think that if Wilson Pickett opened, it could possibly one of the best concerts of all time for me with the exception of the "Smile" show of Brian Wilson.