By Finnen Dart
Being a support band is a strange kind of limbo – you’re seen but not always heard; well received, but not always remembered. Yet support acts are essential to the live music scene. They’re often the first step in the band’s journey, a chance to get in front of new audiences and start building a loyal fan base. They can turn a gig into a great one – warming up the crowd and setting the tone for the headline act.
At a recent show at the Chester Live Rooms – where The Hunna were performing in partnership with Music Venue Trust, a charity dedicated to protecting grassroots music venues – I discovered Kidda. An indie rock outfit from Lincoln who, despite being relatively new to the scene, performed with the confidence of a renowned group.
The fact that the gig was for charity made me reflect even more on the role of support bands and it got me thinking – what is the role of a support act, what is their contribution to a gig, and what benefits and obstacles do they go through while on tour?
Curious to learn more, I caught up with Kidda after their set to understand what life was like on the road – and how they landed this slot in the first place…
“We’ve been friends with The Hunna for a few years – we met through a mutual friend,” they told me. “They’ve always been supportive of our band and were kind enough to ask us to play on the Music Venue Trust tour.”
While personal connections are invaluable to the industry, Kidda followed up with a quip that brought things back down to earth: “Our first reaction was right can we all get time off work?” This highlights the reality of up and coming bands – giving 110% to your music while balancing everyday commitments like jobs and bills.
Playing to someone else’s crowd and winning them over is never easy – especially when most people are there for the main act. It’s crucial for support bands to understand this to get the most of their set and win over the crowd but not every crowd is immediately welcoming.
“Everyone was very welcoming at every venue, however some nights start better than others,” Kidda shared. “If you have a rocky start to a set, it takes a little longer to get everyone on your side.”
That challenge, though, is part of the thrill. Winning over a cold room can be the most rewarding experience of the night for acts – and sometimes, it’s where the real fans are made and become mainstays.
At the Chester gig, Kidda jokingly encouraged fans to buy merch to help “fund the journey home” – a line that stuck with me. It made me wonder what kind of unexpected challenges like travel issues, equipment problems or health issues happen while on tour for support acts?
To my surprise Kidda replied: “The entire tour went as smooth as it could go. There were expenses such as food, fuel and insurance but nothing major.”
That’s not always the case. Touring can be a financial tightrope, especially for support acts who often travel off their own back. It’s refreshing to hear that, at least this time, Kidda avoided the worst of it.
I asked if they’d seen any growth since the tour began – had the effort paid off? “We’ve seen an increase in people engaging with our posts,” Kidda confirmed.
Live performances can spark interest in gig attendees to look further into acts and in today’s music industry, digital engagement can be a lifeline – helping translate a strong live performance into streams and new fans.
I concluded my questions by asking Kidda what advice they’d give to other bands trying to land support slots. Their grounded response rings very true for any band trying to rise up the ranks through live music and land support slots: “Keep demoing and write the best songs you can and make connections,” with Kidda finally adding that “the songs will do the talking.”
And that really is the heart of it. For every up-and-coming band hoping to break through, the live scene is still one the best ways to prove themselves and despite digital scene taking over it’s still where the core of careers begin.
Talking to Kidda gave me a new found appreciation for the role of the support act – they play through nerves, chase the crowd’s attention, and pour their love and soul in every set they play. Support acts like Kidda are the backbone of gigs and they deserve the limelight as much as the headline act in some regards.
They don’t always get the headlines but deserve them just as much as the headliners in some cases.
Photo Credit: Kidda / Michael Francis
