Why you should always arrive in time to see the opening act

Have you ever gone to a show just to see the opening act?

Me neither. But every time I go to a concert, I always make sure to arrive shortly after the doors open. Why? So I don’t have to wait in line at the bar (kidding … sort of).

Truthfully, the main reason is that I love live music and I’ve discovered some bands I’ve really enjoyed who were simply the 30-minute hype men for the headliner.

The last gem was a band called Dryjacket, a four piece indie-rock band from Marlton, New Jersey. They’re signed to Hopeless Records and released their debut EP Lights, Locks and Faucets in April of 2015. I saw them as the first opening band for Yellowcard late last year and have been listening ever since. Here’s one reason why:

And here’s another.

And one more just for fun.

If you’re into driving, catchy melodies with a soft-rock beat, Dryjacket is the next band for you. Plus, they’re still relatively small so you can tell all your friends you knew them before they hit it big – and with a label like Hopeless backing them, they probably will.

But back to my point: opening acts are meant to get you in the mood for the headliner, and more times than not, the two will share a similar style, meaning if you like one, you’ll probably like the other as well.

Most opening acts are getting their first shots in the business, so any bit of support will help. If you’ve ever been on stage for any sort of performance, you know how terrifying it can be. If you haven’t, take my word for it.

Support the up-and-comers and continue to search for new music to ensure that live venues will continue to rock on.

Adam Woodard rocks the suburbs of Washington, D.C. and has been known to hit the drums pretty hard and pretty often. He’s appears on Rockin’ the Suburbs on a regular basis. Follow him on Twitter or Instagram.
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