“Lucky, lucky, lucky” is how Gracie Abrams described the first two performances of her Deluxe Tour, The Secret of Us. Not unlike Taylor Swift, this rising star and icon of girlhood ballads already has much of her fanbase referring to her by first name alone. Considering she opened for Swift not long ago on the Eras tour, it would be more than fair to credit Abrams’ gig as an opening act for her next seven months of sold-out stadiums all over the world.
It’s no wonder that being hand picked by a pop star for her opening act can kickstart a new artist’s career, and it’s only natural that Abrams would select a friend and colleague who complements her own music and for whom she wishes success. So it is up to Gracie Abrams, right? She thought so too, until her announcement of Dora Jar as her opening act was met with cruel backlash from Abrams’ own fanbase.
As if the scalding criticism on social media wasn’t enough, upset fans created a legitimate petition on Change.org to grab Abrams’ attention and have the opener changed (yes, changed by the woman who picked Dora Jones herself). The primary complaint was that Jar’s songs are too slow-paced… This has me wondering if these fans have even listened to Gracie Abrams’ music, considering just about her entire discography is perfectly suited for gazing sadly out of a dark airplane window (in the best way).
This case of entitlement in fans is at a startling degree, but is unfortunately not atypical in recent years of the pop genre. Opinionated discourse around small opening artists has persisted as die-hard fans speak their minds (as if their ticket bought them a voice in the decision).
Another point made in this petition was that the two weeks’ notice Abrams gave announcing Jar as her opener before the first show was too short. Fans wouldn’t get to know the music in time, and apparently couldn’t possibly enjoy the set because of this. This complaint disregards the entire point of having an opening act; live music is such an enjoyable experience, regardless of whether you know the words.
Simply listening and enjoying the environment is the whole point! This attitude within the pop genre feels unappreciative of concert culture; from ticket resale fiascos to controversies like this, the spirit of attending a concert is lost in purchasing an experience rather than living it.
I’d like to wager that these same ticket holders complaining about Abrams’ choice are die-hard fans of artists who were in Jar’s shoes as a lesser known opener not too long ago. Back to Taylor Swift, she actually opened for the Rascal Flatts in 2006! Performing songs from her debut album for an audience who bought tickets to hear “Life is a Highway,” they probably had no idea who she was. One Direction (the most iconic name dropped so far) made their start in the U.S. with Big Time Rush during the Better With U tour in 2012. Gaining fame and beginning a tour of their own, 1D brought none other than 5 Seconds of Summer along with them on stage a year later.
There are a few opener and artist combos that make a bit less sense, looking back. In 2014, none other than Travis Scott opened for The Neighborhood! Even if Dora Jar’s critics were right about her and Abrams’ music being too dissimilar, this is the only example needed to prove them wrong. Both Billie Eilish and The Weeknd have opened for Florence and the Machine, Post Malone for Justin Bieber, Rihanna for the Black Eyed Peas, and Lady Gaga for The Pussycat Dolls.
With some of these openers outshining these main events in the long run of their careers, the opening act is an invaluable part of both live music as an experience along with the music industry itself.
Best said by Gracie Abrams herself, the fans’ rally against Dora Jar was “so wildly cool and bizarre.” Having also opened for Billie Eilish and The 1975, Jar has already been climbing her way to success, one set at a time. Concerts aren’t just about what you’re expecting to see, but also what you happen to hear and get to enjoy, even (especially) if unfamiliar. And sure, you could miss the opening act altogether, but I can’t imagine that the audience members who skipped Rihanna while waiting for the Black Eyed Peas would say the same.