Opening Act Etiquette

Talking with my pal, John, the other day, we got on to the subject of opening acts; a position that we’ve filled many times through the years.    Being an opening act is a fine line to walk and the considerations are significant.

We are assuming that it is a compatible billing.  So ask yourself why you are in that slot?

To lengthen the show?   To fill the time until everyone has found their seats?   To change the crowd into a galvanized responding unit, to wit:  to make them a receptive audience for the main act?

Yes.

 

All theses things are true and there is also the consideration that most, if not all of the audience came to see the other act, so your position with them is weak to start with.

You had best be brief and you had best be the best you’ve ever been.   Go over your material, pick the very best stuff; the material that consistently works with an audience.   And this is a very productive exercise, because it forces you to edit, excise and then go with your very best, because the promoter is going to tell you how long he wants you to play. 

If they say they don’t care, go to the main act or the road manager of the main act and ask how long they would like you to be on.    And respect what they say.   If it’s twenty minutes, the make certain that that’s what you do.   

Many times it is a union house and there are only so many hours the crew will work before they go into golden overtime.  The promoter doesn’t want that to happen because it costs him personally, right out of his profits.

I actually turn my watch around so that the whole time I’m playing, once glance at my guitar neck also gives me the face of the watch.    That way I’m always exactly on time.

Here’s what you don’t do:

Complain that you weren’t given enough time.

Knock the other act.

Pretend your show doesn’t start until you start singing.   When they announce you, your twenty minutes has begun.   If you break a string, that’s part of your twenty minutes—and too bad for you.

Go longer than your allotted slot.

Take an encore.  (What I do is check with the headliner, if they don’t take encores, as was the case with Steven Wright when I was his opening act for three years, then you don’t take encores.   If they do take encores and they’d prefer you didn’t, do that.   You can come back out, say thanks, take a bow and then leave.  

Keep selling your CD’s in the lobby after the main act has taken the stage.

Remember the show isn’t about you, it’s about the other act and you have been fortunate enough to play for their audience.   You want to make the most of that opportunity, by choosing your best material and leaving the audience wanting more from you.

It’s what I do when I’m the opening act and it’s what I expect when someone opens for me.

When you go over long, overstay your welcome, flog the audience to death, you don’t serve anyone or anything.  

The main act is never going to want you to open for them again; the promoter is not going to use you again because you weren’t professional and you cost them money; and lastly the audience that came to see the other guy is going to hate you for keeping them waiting so long to see the act that they actually paid to see.

Comments

[Max]

Good post James...and GREAT pics of you and John!