Lyrically, the songs were clever and the arrangements good.
JD and the Straight Shot are, stylistically, an appropriate opening act for the Eagles as they present a pleasant form of Americana, complete with banjo, upright bass, and story-within-the-song that typifies much of the United States’ homegrown music. The hurdle was demonstrated by the young woman sitting to my right who, half a song into the opening set, asked her friend, “Who is this group?” Her question was met with a shrug. This is the hurdle/opportunity that is presented to JD and the Straight Shot as they open for the Eagles on their North American tour. In this situation, the measure of whether an opening act has been successful lies in whether the opening act can convince the audience that their music is worth the delay for the main event. On the one hand, you are likely to be able to perform in front of significantly more people than you otherwise might have the opportunity to do, but on the other hand, the audience in attendance is likely very anxious to see the headliner and wants you to quit the stage at your earliest convenience so that the main act can get going. Opening for a legendary band when you are a relative unknown can be something of a double-edged sword.
