When I go to concerts, I always like to show up early and support the opening bands. Much like when I used to spend my paychecks at my local record store, I was always afraid I might be missing something.
I found a lot of my favorite music by having a little blind faith. It’s also pretty nice to be able to see an artist as an opening act before they hit the big time and start headlining packed arenas. For example, I’m really glad I saw Bon Jovi open for the Scorpions in 1984 because Bon Jovi will never be an opening act again.
At this year’s Ribfest I had an opportunity to see a young lady named ZZ Ward open for Bad Company, and I got the feeling that she might be moving up to that headlining position fairly soon. I intended to mention her a couple months back, but, well, I mistakenly called her “ZZ Hill” in that piece. Sometimes the brain just disconnects from the hands. I assure you it was not blues legend ZZ Hill opening for Bad Company that evening, but it was in fact ZZ Ward, and she just might become a legend in her own right.
My daughter, Bridget, found a new favorite that day. After seeing Ward’s set at Ribfest, she immediately went to Spotify and started streaming all of her music. ZZ Ward is in constant rotation for her now.
So, please get out and support live music, and get there early for the opening band. You never know what you might find. And most of all, be sure to get their name correct if you decide to share your findings!
You can visit ZZ Ward online at www.zzward.com.
