I was listening to the band Phantom Planet this morning. A great band who seem to be on permanent hiatus which makes me really sad.
Their release ‘Raise the Dead’ is one of my favorites and has some fantastic songs on it. the Title track is amazing and there really isn’t a dud on the spin. (hows that for hip?)
I trudged out to see them last September as they supported…….Paramore. Now stop a minute cuz everyone knows I absolutely hate Paramore and have come up with some rather cheeky names for them, but I headed out that night not to see them but Phantom, who I had seen open for Panic at the Disco previously on the Honda Civic tour.
I want to take some time to offer props to the openers. At one time there were 1 headliner 1 opener and get out. No longer. Now you generally will get 2 openers, at least I have. When I saw No Doubt last June Paramore opened for them along with another local band.. follow me? Half the time we don’t even recall who played.
I am absolutely terrible at remembering opening acts, Mary is amazing at it. I love the ‘yeah we saw them they opened for Fall Out Boy in 2007’ ability of hers but I don’t have that at all. But when bands like
But lately I have been going to shows not to see the ‘headliner’ but rather the support. Great examples coming up are We The Kings opening band Mayday Parade. We saw them a few months ago and were absolutely taken aback by their talent. We went to Boston to see, not Forever The Sickest Kids, but rather A Rocket Summer.
What does this tell you? Aside from the fact that the music I listen to hasn’t really ‘made it’. Is that it really is worth going early to catch the opener. A thought that at one time was unheard of, the opener played to an empty room or those filing in mid way. Now.. well doors may be at 6 show at 630, were totally going to be there for the first act.
In a time when music is so readily available and diverse its a shame not to plan ahead to get out and see who’s up. This Sunday Love Via Dance Machine is opening up in Boston, for… well I don’t know. And this is the pulse of things to come. The coveted ‘headlining act’ may very well be out shadowed by the support.
Live music is an event in a fast forward world. Nothing compares to the energy of a room full of people. I suggest you take it all in to maximize on your investment (including venue fees tax, convenience fee, sales tax ticket tax fun tax…) You really don’t know who you will discover and I bet my brethren here can state I saw bla bla bla open for Journey or something.. cuz we’ve all seen one huge winner.
Which brings me back to my boys Phantom Planet. Despite some teen attention in their song “California”,which was the opening song for that show O.C., they’ve fallen silent, even their website hasn’t been updated since May 2009. “Indefinite hiatus’ the 2 words I hate the most when it comes to great music. ‘Raise the Dead’ is a must listen, I’m so glad I discovered them enough to see them live a couple times, and I want them to get going again.