If you were to ask me my number-one piece of advice for getting the most out of a live music experience, I would say exactly what is in my subject line. And no, I don’t necessarily mean show up at 9 am when doors are at 7 (though that does tend to enhance the live experience in other ways…).

What I do mean, is that if you paid $25 to see Angsty and the Screamos, and there are three bands opening for them, for god’s sake get your money’s worth and show up to see those openers! There is likely at least one local band that could really use your eyes and ears, plus a couple up-and-coming acts (one of which will likely be the one those people who are in line at 9 am are there to see).

Now, having said this, it is highly unlikely you will love every opening act on a particular bill on a particular night. I have only had this happen once (Broke, Men, Women and Children, and Keating opening for 30 Seconds To Mars). But you’ve already paid the money. All you have left to invest is your time. Hang out, text message your friends, people watch, take in the experience, make some new friends to text message while watching the boring opening acts at the next show. I guarantee you, though, at some point you’re going to be standing there while some band you’ve never heard of is doing their thing on stage, and you’ll find yourself nodding your head. Or the lead singer will say or do something that catches your eye. And by the end of the set you’re going, “Okay, why does my radio station never play these guys, and where can I hear more?” This is what these bands live and breathe for, because then you will hopefully go over to their merch booth and plunk down $10 and buy their CD, then go home and tell all your friends about it. Or you’ll add their MySpace and tell all your friends. Or at least you’ll tell those friends you were just text messaging. The important thing is, the word gets out and up-and-coming talent gets support while you have just doubled your bang for your buck. Maybe you’ll hit it lucky and go triple, or more.

Some of my favorite bands were opening-act discoveries; for instance: Aiden, The Weeping Tree, The Vanished, and People In Planes. Granted, I’ve also had to suffer through some pretty bad acts that will remain nameless, but that “wasted” 30-40 minutes is soon forgotten. However, there is no feeling quite like when a completely unfamiliar band’s music just “clicks” with you. It’s as though you’re in a big, empty house at night, and you manage to fumble and find yet another light switch to another room that had previously been dark. It’s a whole new world of little details to discover in that room, and who knows what still-dark doorways lead from it.

All of what I said above also applies to staying to see subsequent acts if you were those people in line at 7 am to see one of the openers. You never know, that band you thought sucked on the radio might turn out to be amazing live, and you might end up seeing them in a new light. Of, if you’ve never given them a chance, now is the time. Tonight, for instance, I was at a local “battle of the bands,” and the final performer was a rapper named PDA. I wrinkled my nose and said, “eww, I don’t like rap,” but I ended up hanging around and had the best time listening to him. He was an amazing performer, and one of the best acts of the night. You just never know.

There is no greater favor you can do for yourself than by getting your money’s worth and showing up to see every band on the bill when you buy a concert ticket. Besides, you never know. In six months, when that opener you blew off is at the top of the charts, you may be kicking yourself for not seeing them when you had the chance!