Support Act

A support act (also called the opening act or opener) is the artist or band that performs before the headliner. Support acts warm up the crowd, play shorter sets, and typically operate with significantly less production, crew, and stage time than the main act.

How support acts work on tour

Support acts are booked by the headliner's team (usually through the booking agent) for a full tour run or a portion of it. The support deal specifies their set length, soundcheck access, backline arrangements, rider allocation, and compensation. Support acts may or may not travel on the headliner's bus — many provide their own transportation.

Schedule impact

Support act timing drives the show-day schedule. Soundcheck runs in reverse order — headliner checks first, then support. Changeover time between the support set and headliner set is a fixed window that affects everything. If the support act runs long, the headliner's start time gets pushed, potentially impacting curfew.

What support acts get

Typical support provisions include a set-length window (30-45 minutes), limited soundcheck time or a line check only, a share of the headliner's catering or a buyout, basic dressing room access, and a small guest list allocation. The details are negotiated between the agents and confirmed in the advance.