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Dora Jar in Brussels, photo by Bureau Image

I just love it when a tour opener convinces me! I have come to this concert to see another artist so, imagine my surprise when I leave the concert a fan of someone new and knowing that if I hadn’t taken a chance on the opener, I maybe would have never found their music to fall in love with.

However, if you are going to see an artist you love in concert, you'd probably want to see them as soon as possible without having to listen to somebody else, right? I get it, but there are a plethora of good reasons as to why openers are very important. 

Today’s opener is tomorrow’s superstar. Let’s remember that most artists don’t start off with a huge fan base and playing at arenas right away. Before headlining festivals Chappell Roan opened for Olivia Rodrigo, Rihanna for the Pussycat Dolls and Prince for the Rolling Stones. Imagine being able to say you saw them live before anyone even knew them - that’s eternal bragging rights for you.

Supporting live music venues. If you can get fans to the venue earlier, there is a chance that they will spend more money on items such as drinks whilst they wait. The Ancienne Belgique (AB), a venue in Belgium, says that this kind of income is very important for the venue’s survival. In turn, venues can create “opportunities for young artists to play live and get the necessary "mileage” to develop as an artist. Opening helps cover that need and support (local) young talent."

Keeping the people entertained! If you are one of those fans that will stand in line since 4am and do anything to ensure you make the barricade at the concert, then the least you can get is some extra showtime for your money - that's when openers come in! Kavvi, lead musician from “Luna Luna” mentions that openers also matter in getting the crowd in the right spirit. “When we choose an opener, the first thing is that we genuinely like their music. From there, we think about how it will translate live and what kind of mood it sets (…) and if they compliment our vibe.

Giving a platform to emerging artists! Opening allows artists to share their work, gain touring experience and make some money - all whilst having “the main artist's seal of approval.” Susannah Joffe, who opened for King Princess last year mentions that “it's an amazing opportunity to test the power of your songs, like my next single “You Ruined Paris”, and your performance to see if you can win over a crowd of complete strangers.” Artists can also gain fans through opening, “I'm still so excited when a new person comes up to me after opening a show and says they loved my performance”.

However, somewhere between reasons three and four, there seems to have been a miscommunication with some fans. If you were on the Internet last year, then you may remember the news of a petition asking Gracie Abrams to change her tour opener Dora Jar, as fans “didn’t recognize her”. Dora handled the situation with lots of grace and went on to do a great job as opener, even doing a last-minute intimate solo show in Brussels when Gracie cancelled her concert due to illness - a signal that openers are also incredibly respectful of fans. “Brussels!!! (...)I loved celebrating her with all of you!!! I cry, thank you life for music.” - said Dora on Instagram. 

Even though it was dropped, the petition shocked everyone and for me it reaffirmed that, as ticket prices soar, for some fans the opener has been directly tied into the ticket price - they are no longer a nice bonus, but part of the concert package you paid for- so they better be good!

In the case of arena tours, I get the opener having to be someone with a bit more experience in order to take on a big stage. Taylor Swift has Paramore and Bruno Mars has RAYE, which are well-known acts, but even then, there is a chance that some in the audience will have no idea who they are. No matter how big or small, just because the opener is an artist you’ve never heard of doesn’t mean they’re not good: artists are constantly learning, improving and seeking new exposure, something that opening helps them do.

Kavvi tells me that for artists “opening prepares us for our own headlining shows by getting to play alongside these (bigger) artists and watch how they command the stage”. Susannah adds that when opening she “can focus on my performance, the costumes, the world I'm creating on stage. I don't have to stress about ticket sales and I can just show up and crush it”. Kaavi also highlights that opening pushes you to become a better performer. “You definitely feel some pressure to start the night off on a good note, and to make your set memorable enough that you don’t feel like the headliner is going to completely outshine you.”

So, let me give you a 5th reason to support openers. There is something to be said about the joy of simply enjoying art and discovering new music, not just listening to something because of the name attached to it. “I think it's so important to be uplifting and amplifying small artists, especially when so much of the industry (...) can often lean in favor of people that come from certain backgrounds. I think finding new music is also a special feeling and it's the best way to do that.” - says Susannah. 

You may not know the opener, and you may forget about them the second the main artist walks on stage, but for the thirty minutes that their set lasts, I truly invite you to listen to them for the sake of enjoying live music and expanding your horizons, especially if it supports someone who is trying to live their dream. Who knows, you may just find your next favorite artist. 

My favorite openers of 2026: 

• Absolutely for Renee Rapp, RAYE
• Allie X for Magdalena Bay
• Water from Your Eyes for Hayley Williams
• Gala Dragot for Tsar B 
• Westside Cowboy for Geese