Top 10 Favorite Opening Acts #1 - Iggy Pop

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#1 in my Top 10 Favorite Opening Acts series takes us to the State of Michigan, birthplace of punk rock legend Iggy Pop, who, with his iconic, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band The Stooges, was a pioneer of the genre. According to Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain's book Please Kill Me, the roots of punk can be traced to Michigan, home of The Stooges and the MC5, both of which are credited as the band's that set the table for what would become punk rock. Eventually, however, Iggy embarked on a prolific solo career, often receiving assistance from David Bowie, which resulted in Pop dabbling in non-punk genre's, such as 1982's experimental album Zombie Birdhouse, and his 1986 hard-rock effort Blah Blah Blah. I saw Iggy Pop open for Pretenders in 1986 at the old McNichols Sports Arena in Denver. My friend and I had even scored front row seats. There can be no other #1. I got to see Iggy Pop, backed by a hard-rocking band, in which all members, except Iggy, sported shaved heads and nerd glasses, which was cooler than it might sound. The image simply did not prepare the audience for the band's sheer power, which was evident during Stooges classic 's such as "Raw Power" and "I Wanna Be Your Dog." And, promoting his then-latest album, he did my favorite Blah Blah Blah tune, "Cry for Love," a rocker that, on the album, featured both Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, and production by Bowie. And Iggy's tight, nerdy band tore it up with the same gusto they'd put into the songs by The Stooges. It was a high-energy set, with a nice mix of both classic songs and newer material. I've seen a lot of opening acts, some really good bands. But only one of those acts is a legend.