Best You Ever Saw (Playing Support)

20 Apr 2010264
Lenny Kravitz, Interpol, Snow Patrol, Kasabian, Razorlight, The Fray, One Republic: depending on where you're seeing U2 this year, you'll also get to see one of the above. Last year you might have caught Kaiser Chiefs, Glasvegas, The Hours, Elbow or Muse.

And over the years some pretty fine bands have rocked the house just a few minutes before the main attraction took the stage - sometimes long before they became household names themselves.

(In fact we got so overcome at the memory of the great acts who've played with U2 that we pulled together this little gallery.)

Anyone see The Kings of Leon or The Killers on the Vertigo Tour ? Or Garbage or Stereophonics on the Elevation Tour? Public Enemy or Stereo MC's on ZOO TV ? BB King on Lovetown ? How about The Pretenders or Los Lobos or Lou Reed on The Joshua Tree Tour in the 1980's? Or Lone Justice when the band were touring The Unforgettable Fire. And, come to think of it, what about The Pixies, PJ Harvey, Patti Smith...



Was there an act you first discovered when they came out on stage before U2? Who was the best act you ever saw with them... and why? (Don't forget to include the tour or year of the show.)
Comments
264
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wild_honey_br
Opening acts
Stereophonics (Elevation - Paris July 2001)! They were great! Franz Ferdinand (Vertigo - Brazil - January 2006) Oh my God, those Scottish guys rocked the house! It was amazing!
luiszr
Support Acts
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE! DALLAS, POPMART
shortu2
Opening Acts in NJ and NYC!
June of 1997, saw the Fun Loving Criminals open for U2 at Giants Stadium, first time I heard of PJ Harvey was opening for U2 at Madison Square Garden in June of 2001 Elevation tour. I think Keane was my favorite opening band in October of 2005 Vertigo Tour at MSG they were awesome and still one of my favorite bands! Also saw Kings Of Leon for the first time in May of 2005. Compared to Keane I'd say Muse was one of my favorite opening acts from these past 2 concerts at the old Giants Stadium! They rocked and were a great warm up band for U2! Looking forward to seeing Interpol for the first time at the New Meadowlands Stadium in July!! Can't wait!!!!
u2fanster
Opening Acts
Most of the time I don't see or hear the opening act at a U2 show because I'm not interested in them. I've seen U2 18 times starting w/the Joshua Tree tour and on every tour since. The best opening act I did see was the Sugarcubes on the Zoo TV tour in Tempe Arizona. I like Bjork and I thought they sounded great. I'd love to see Lenny Kravitz on the 360 Tour but I don't think he is playing the Philly show.
Yogic
Muse
360...Muse... They made my utube fave list... : ).
metcalf
Las Vegas - 360
Black Eye Peas got the party started and set the mood for the rest of the concert that night.
Carol8
Support Acts
Muse at Giants Stadium was my fav even though they weren't on for very long! Really enjoyed the Kaiser Chiefs in Dublin last year and in Berlin on the Vertigo tour in 05.
didi
Fatima Mansions
*loool*
roxmar
Best You Ever Saw (Playing Support)
Hello Nov 2005 Arcade Fire was paying for U2... At the end of the show, U2 invited the band on stage to play with them... It was amazing...for us and for them too...
mich40
Great Support Acts
My favorites have been: The Pixies, Big Audio Dynamite, and Snow Patrol. Was also great to see Gavin Rosdale do some Bush songs with his band (which I don't remember the name of now). Was pleasantly surprised with Muse and really enjoy them now.
U2team.com
support
I think it was the killers I saw during the elevation tour. It was brilliant. A lot of other bands we met during U2 tours was good. Snow patrol or kaiser chiefs for instance.
tracmic
Toss up
Pixies at the Garden or Rage againts the machine in Oregon. Can't decide
vickijoy
Support Acts
Elbow at Wembley last year. Their music came over brilliantly in that big space.
THEBESTOFU2
Teloneros
Santa Locura(PopMart Santiago de Chile. 11-02-1998) Franz Ferdinand(Vertigo Santiago de Chile. 26-02-2006). Very good support acts.
hand195
I have 4!
Audioweb, Athlete, Idlewild and Muse (not in any specific order)!
liljbau
a bunch of garbage
I really never had the opportunity to see the top tier acts that have opened for U2 (Except for Kings of Leon - Vertigo- Chicago- but they were WOEFUL) - so I think my fave is Garbage on Elevation- st. louis.
tonio60
Balard 1984...
My first concert U2 in Paris. In the first part, there was The Alarm. Great memories.
mkaply
Lone Justice
Lone Justice, hands down.
chrissie
best support bands...
There were quite a few good opening bands over the years, Stereophonics in 2001, Kaiser Chiefs last year, but my favourite support band was Starsailor (Paris 2005) ;-) Looking forward to Interpol this year!
suziem
No contest
Muse @ Giant's Stadium were mind-blowing!!!
drewster
Support Acts
The Cult at Milton Keynes Bowl in 85 i think were brilliant, The Pogues at Wembley Stadium in 87 were good too. On other side of things Dashboard Confessional in Minneapolis were woeful !!!!!
TeeDeeJr
The Sweetest Thing
Muse was the best I've seen on the 360o tour...headed to Philly to see them in July. I was hoping for a Lenny Kravitz opening, but we have Interpol...
kev346
best surport bands
This is really difficult as there has been so many great bands suporting U2 that i have seen . I think The Killers at Cardiff on the Vertigo tour has to be number 1 . Here is my top 10 . 1. The Killers .Virtigo tour Cardiff 2.. Cast . Popmart Leeds 3.Red Hot Chilli Pepers .Elevation Slane Castle 4.Muse 360 Giants Staduim NY 5.Kings of Leon Vertigo Boston 6.Stereo MC's ZooTV Leeds 7.Spear Of Destiny Joshua Tree . Wembely 8.Coldplay .Elevation . Slane Castle 9.Pearl Jam Vertigo Hawaii. 10. BB King Lovetown Paris .
Kristaps
Kaiser Ciefs
Kaiser Chiefs from Dublin 2 this year for sure! They rocked the place as if it was their own show.
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