Favourite concert opener

[TheWILDheart]

pretty self explanitory. What's your favourite concert opener?

[WatchChain]

Was the opener on the "Street Angel" tour "Blue Denim"? At my show, she opened with
"Outside The Rain". She must have decided to change the set list sometime throughout the tour. "Blue Denim" is an interesting opener.

[gssmith]

I picked gold dust woman because it's a trade mark song. I thought it was cool how she followed it up with outside the rain/dreams as 2/3. My best of playlists start off that way. Plus GDW is a great song for her to warm up with get those vocals hot. I think it's similar to the Chain in lots of ways.

Outside the rain/dreams works good too. Enchanted would be my #3 pick. I don't know why but Stand Back feels better in the middle of the set. Don't know why. Stop Dragging is a better opener.

Fall From Grace was a total shock. A common complaint is that she doesn't spice up the set much.

Rock and Roll? No covers as an opener for someone that is proud to be songwriter first.

[AliceLover]

SDMHA was perfect on the TISL tour. Such a sassy song to walk on stage to.

[Neal]

Gotta stick with the classics - "OTR/Dreams" for me.

Although I admit I was happy when she first switched it up, I'm ready for these to open her next solo set again.

[MikeInNV]

I haven't voted yet, but I do want to say that even though people think it is performed too much for a non-single, "Enchanted" is a great opener. It has just the right tempo and energy for her grand entrance and first song. It's catchy enough that it seems like a song you should know, even if you're a casual fan and haven't heard most album cuts. "Stand Back" gets people pumped up instantly too, but then it's over and there's no anticipation for it later in the show. GDW is a classic song, but to me it's the wrong vibe for an opening number.

[sorcerer999]

I haven't voted yet, but I do want to say that even though people think it is performed too much for a non-single, "Enchanted" is a great opener. It has just the right tempo and energy for her grand entrance and first song. It's catchy enough that it seems like a song you should know, even if you're a casual fan and haven't heard most album cuts. "Stand Back" gets people pumped up instantly too, but then it's over and there's no anticipation for it later in the show. GDW is a classic song, but to me it's the wrong vibe for an opening number.

^^^ What you said! Totally agree, and that song gets my vote! :)

[TheWILDheart]

Was the opener on the "Street Angel" tour "Blue Denim"? At my show, she opened with
"Outside The Rain". She must have decided to change the set list sometime throughout the tour. "Blue Denim" is an interesting opener.

She only opened with it once at Jones Beech 94, but I was trying to include all the main set openers. She dropped "Outside The Rain" and opened with "Blue Denim", she also did "How Still My Love" where BD was meant to be.

[StevieNicksfann]

I haven't voted yet, but I do want to say that even though people think it is performed too much for a non-single, "Enchanted" is a great opener. It has just the right tempo and energy for her grand entrance and first song. It's catchy enough that it seems like a song you should know, even if you're a casual fan and haven't heard most album cuts. "Stand Back" gets people pumped up instantly too, but then it's over and there's no anticipation for it later in the show. GDW is a classic song, but to me it's the wrong vibe for an opening number.

Wasn't Enchanted the single from the box set after Reconsider Me? So although it wasn't originally a single from The Wild Heart, I believe it technically is now. Not that any casual fan would know this however.

[gssmith]

I haven't voted yet, but I do want to say that even though people think it is performed too much for a non-single, "Enchanted" is a great opener. It has just the right tempo and energy for her grand entrance and first song. It's catchy enough that it seems like a song you should know, even if you're a casual fan and haven't heard most album cuts. "Stand Back" gets people pumped up instantly too, but then it's over and there's no anticipation for it later in the show. GDW is a classic song, but to me it's the wrong vibe for an opening number.

I can see how GDW is the wrong vibe for a show. Doesn't really get the crowd on thier feet, but she is known as the witchy woman so it kind of has that vibe going on. It's kind of like the chain. Slower in the beginning, rocking at the end.

[He's So Unusual]

Rooms on Fire and I Can't Wait would make cool openers.

[TheWILDheart]

Rooms on Fire and I Can't Wait would make cool openers.

Outside The Rain, Dreams and Rooms On Fire all ran into each other on OSOTM tour and later on in the SA tour once "No Spoken Word" was dropped. "I Can't Wait" would make a cracking opener, but was mid-set throughout the Rock A Little tour. "Rooms on Fire" hasn't been done live since 1995 and "I Can't Wait" hasn't been done since 1986.

[MikeInNV]

Outside The Rain, Dreams and Rooms On Fire all ran into each other on OSOTM tour and later on in the SA tour once "No Spoken Word" was dropped. "I Can't Wait" would make a cracking opener, but was mid-set throughout the Rock A Little tour. "Rooms on Fire" hasn't been done live since 1995 and "I Can't Wait" hasn't been done since 1986.

Rooms was done in the millennium shows.

[Macfanforever]

I always like Outside The Rain/Dreams for a opener.I do love Enchanted too.

[James89]

I'm pretty sure that Outside The Rain/ Dreams is the clear winner!!! :laugh:

[TheWILDheart]

Rooms was done in the millennium shows.

Oh, was it? I knew "Whole Lotta Trouble" was, I wasn't sure about RoF.

[PenguinHead]

I can see how GDW is the wrong vibe for a show. Doesn't really get the crowd on thier feet, but she is known as the witchy woman so it kind of has that vibe going on. It's kind of like the chain. Slower in the beginning, rocking at the end.

I loved that she opened her Bella Donna shows with a dark and menacing Gold Dust Woman. Not all openers have to be peppy; there's plenty of room in a set for those moments too. I regret not attending a Street Angel show, but I always think about how she could have opened her show with a truncated version of the song - just the first verse and chorus, then bust into Outside the Rain or some other upbeat song. Sometimes it's more dynamic and dramatic not to start off full force. If all cylinders fire right off the bat, where do you go from there? That's why I don't like Dreams being performed right after the The Chain; its a really downer, deflating all the energy that was built up from the opening song.

[Neal]

^ ^ ^

I've long thought that 'Dreams' should come later in the set, too...