Ringing Endorsement Ryan Miller

This week, Ryan Miller of Milwaukee radio station 102.1FM gives a standing ovation to the redheaded stepchild of live music, the opening band.

People should care about the opening band for a few reasons. Number one, you might get a chance to see a band before they make it big. If that’s the case, afterward you can feel smugly superior about it. For instance, I went to see The Danglers at Shank Hall around 2000, and Andrew Bird was opening up. And he’s turned into one of my favorites ever since. So, you never quite know who you’re going to see. Also, you paid for it! You paid to see the opening band, so from a purely economic standpoint you should get the most for your money and see all the bands on the bill. I went to see Feist in Madison, and the opening act was Jason Collett. Feist was actually playing drums in his band, and I have no idea how the show was because I was so annoyed by all the chatter. It was kind of like a high school cafeteria. Of Montreal is coming back to town Oct. 26, and I’m looking forward to it; not so much for Of Montreal, but every time they come to Milwaukee they have an awesome opening band. Loney, Dear played one of the shows last year, and MGMT was the opener for the other show. So get out there, see shows, and find the next big thing. Even the duds will make great stories.