Attending a Keith Urban concert a few weeks ago (click here for Better Life), my husband and I sat through three opening acts before Keith took the stage at 9 pm. Before the first notes of Keith’s guitar, with each other performer and every song, I became more and more annoyed. I didn’t know any of these artists, nor was I impressed. To me, they all seemed to be trying too hard or they were acting as if they were the headliner. I spent those 90 minutes really dissecting the role of an opening act in my head, something Mister Rain and I discussed the next day.
Everyone starts somewhere, Keith Urban was an opening act at some point early in his career. It is only right that he pays it forward by giving new artists an opportunity. I certainly understand that. As for my perception that the three musicians were over-the-top performers, in their defense, there has to be a fake-it-til-you-make-it approach, I am sure. Nerves have to be involved. I have heard enough successful artists say that when they were the opening act, they were fully aware that the entire audience was waiting for the main event. That is the very definition of a “tough crowd,” credit must be given to their courage and their awareness of their (current) role. The other element in play here is that each artist is finding their own footing on a stage in a large arena. It well may be that their performance style will change as they gain more experience and confidence, settling into who THEY are as opposed to who they think they should be as an entertainer.
My husband had a great point. The singer / songwriter Dan May (click here for If Not For This Man You’d Be Reading Blister Pain) was an opening act for BJ Thomas and that is how we first came to learn of Dan, immediately falling in love with his voice and his music. We have since attended many of Dan’s shows where he was the headliner, but we also travel to see him when he is the opener.
Next time around, I will have more respect and empathy for the artists who take the stage first. We all have to start somewhere and I can only imagine what it already took to get where they are. Who am I to dump all over someone’s journey?
Looks like these three performers weren’t the only ones learning what it means to be an opening act.
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