The dim, half-filled room radiates excitement. The opener walks on stage and performs their set, the audience moving freely in the room, clearly seeing the performer. As the lights go up and the opener walks off the stage, the room slowly fills and reaches capacity with people waiting to see the headlining performer, creating a cramped space as each person tries to squeeze their way to the barricade.
This occurrence is not uncommon. Many concert openers are consistently underappreciated and skipped by concert goers. This neglect is seen in the 32 percent of people who skip the opening artist and only go to see the headliner, according to a survey conducted by Hypebot, a music news blog. South students have also experienced this, with 50 percent having noticed an increase of people in between the opening and headlining performances, according to an unscientific study of 312 students conducted by The Oracle.
Skipping the opening act is disrespectful to the opening artist and wastes your money since your ticket includes their set. Plus, by watching the opener perform you may just find your new, niche, favorite artist.
Who knows? You may get the chance to see a new up and coming Chappell Roan open for Olivia Rodrigo, before they skyrocket into fame.
I understand that there may be reasons, such as traffic or coming from work, for skipping the opener at a concert. But if you can help it, don’t miss the opportunity to see the next mainstream artist perform.
Supporting these small artists is essential to creating mainstream artists. In 2012, The Weeknd, as a new artist, opened for Florence + The Machine. Today, The Weeknd has over 115 million monthly listeners while Florence + The Machine has over 25 million monthly listeners, according to Spotify. The Weeknd’s growth in popularity is a testament to the importance in being supported as a small artist.
Not only does giving support boost people’s careers, but it creates a more flexible mindset. When I began listening to smaller artists, my mindset shifted from being unwilling to listen to new music to now seeking out and loving new artists.
On an even deeper level, appreciating the opener means to appreciate smaller artists, which has endless benefits. Going to small concerts, I have been able to get close to the stage for cheaper and have been able to meet the artist. At some of the concerts I have been to, the opener finished their set by saying how they would be at the merch table if anybody was interested in meeting them. At larger concerts you do not get these opportunities.
To find these niche or smaller artists, I recommend using social media platforms such as TikTok or Instagram. I have found that this proves to be effective, as these artists are constantly trying to utilize these platforms as a way to get their name out there. I also recommend using the algorithms on Spotify. Spotify’s “Discover Weekly” playlist is specifically curated with new music similar to what you like. Additionally, Spotify’s “recommend songs for you” feature is a great way to find smaller artists that are compatible with your music taste.
Taking 30 seconds to listen to the small artist promoting their music on your “For You Page”, or getting to the concert venue 30 minutes earlier to see the opener might just open a door to a playlist full of music you did not know before.
