The Living Rockumentary

Ooh, I wouldn't expect too pleasant an experience opening for Prince and jeez, shouldn't The Posies open for us at this point? I mean, I love some of their stuff but you can't even sell Posies CDs back to used record stores nowadays.

My own unpleasant opening experience was when my old band Nag Nag Nag opened for Superchunk at The Blue Wall at UMass in 1992. They weren't actually rude to us (neither did they say a word to us) but they tore into the soundman. In the most mean-spirited, unprofessional way. He was trying to get compatible levels on the two vocalist's microphones when one of them spoke into the mic, "Alright, that's close enough. We're not the fucking Everly Brothers." Friends of mine who played in a band in Virginia also opened for these guys, who barked at them to get "that pile of shit (meaning their equipment) off the stage now!" You know, I'm certain I've related this story on the Rockumentary before but it's fun to tell again.

As for me, I'm not really sure who I'd want to open for. I know who I'd like to meet but some artists aren't a great stylistic fit- others would make me look like a rank amateur when they take to the stage in all their glory. But then I think how great it would've been to open for McCartney when he played dwon in Rio to about a quarter of a million people.