I'll cop to not having done the opposite: Not going to see a band I like/love because of the headliner. Especially when price was a factor. Assuming the opening band's time gets cut a bit... I'll stay in, thanks. That said, with bands' life spans being as tenuous as they are, with meteors that could wipe out human existence, and the idea that I could be hit by a bus and never be able to go again, I rarely trend this way.

As far as the way this C/NC is arranged, if it was a band I could see, say, once a month, or even every other month, and the openers were known commodities that I didn't care for, I'd skip. Unknown, I'd check it out, but I am getting old and codgerly. The follow statement beautifully sums up a major factor in my music going calculus these days:

enframed wrote:i don't bitch about not enough good music, i bitch about too much crap music. big difference.

Pretty much CRAP. If you really dislike the openers just arrive late to the venue and that's it.

I've never skipped a show because I don't like the openers. I just show up late enough to miss them. Or don't pay any attention to them.

More often, I skip a show either because its too late for me, or I don't feel like making the drive to Seattle or Vancouver. I do that often enough for my own band's shows, that I have to REALLY like at least one of the bands.

I've also left plenty of shows before a headliner, either because I was there to see my friends open, or I was there mostly to see the headliner.

Side note: I saw a really great band from Seattle called Welcome open up for Nina Nastasia this past April. It was one of the few times in recent memory I've been totally blown away by an opening band I was completely unfamiliar with.

Around here quite often people will turn up to watch their mates in the local support, then immediately leave before the headline band even hits the stage if they don't know them.

That's pretty crap.

Whether or not you go see a band you like, that's down to you, but it wouldn't stop me. I often end up missing the openers anyway..

Ha! That last post wasn't there when I read the thread.

Coshhlocker wrote:Around here quite often people will turn up to watch their mates in the local support, then immediately leave before the headline band even hits the stage if they don't know them.

That's pretty crap.

I'm usually aware of the headliner. If its an unknown touring band, I might be more apt to stay, as I've been in the same situation.

That said, if I have no interest in seeing a band, I'm not going to stick around just because.

It's fair enough. I just feel bad for them sometimes when a large chunk of the crowd does that.

I'd say CRAP, if the opener sucks, then that just makes the main event seem that much sweeter. I was dragged by a friend to a Bright Eyes show in November, and after the first opener, Conor Oberest seemed like a genius of modern music.

Even if you don't care for the opening bands, it can be a lesson in what-not-to-do. Also, you can simply make fun of them in your own mind - or yelling into your friend's ear - and have a good time that way.

burun wrote:

Skronk wrote:My question is, is it wrong to miss a great band's show because you have no desire to hear the opening acts?

If you want to see the show, you want to see the show.

If you don't, you don't.

You're the voice of reason around here.


I feel like I worded my answer in a way I shouldn't have. I appreciate it when good bands come by from a long way. I just wasn't up to it that show, I guess. The next time Earth's in NY, I'm definitely going.