Best concert opening acts to arrive early for in 2026 and 2027: Sheryl Crow, Latto, Kylie Minogue and more

Sometimes the best concert advice is simple: do not treat the headliner’s stage time as your arrival time.

Several of the biggest tours on the 2026 and 2027 calendar have support lineups that could headline venues on their own. Doja Cat is bringing Latto. Olivia Rodrigo has Wolf Alice, Devon Again and The Last Dinner Party in the rotation. Harry Styles is giving each city a different special guest, including Kylie Minogue, Tinashe and Lainey Wilson. Kenny Chesney is taking Eric Church and Sheryl Crow on the road.

If you normally use the opening set to find your seat, grab food or stand in the merch line, these are the tours where arriving early could mean catching another artist you would happily buy a separate ticket to see.

Opening acts and schedules can change, so check the listing for your specific concert before making your arrival plans.

Concert tours in 2026 and 2027 with opening acts worth arriving early for

From major rappers and country stars to fast-rising indie acts, these are the tours where getting there for the opener can feel like seeing a second headliner. Here is a quick look at the opening acts worth getting through the gates early to see.

Foster The People: Goth Babe

Foster The People have made the opening stretch of the Good Mourning Sunshine Tour feel like part of the main event. Goth Babe supports nearly the entire headlining run, bringing an upbeat indie-pop sound to venues before Foster The People take the stage.

Tour: Good Mourning Sunshine Tour Current North American run: Through Oct. 23, 2026

Young Thug: NAV and the next wave of YSL

Young Thug’s first official tour since 2019 comes with a support lineup that goes beyond one traditional opener.

NAV is the featured special guest on the North American dates, giving fans a substantial second set from an artist with an established catalog and a long history of collaborations with Young Thug.

The tour also features artists from the broader YSL orbit, including Tezzus, Diamond*, 1300SAINT, Iyrus, Yume, Biggs and Unky. That gives the early part of the night a showcase feel, with newer artists appearing before the headliner.

Tour: The New Generation Tour Current North American run: Through Oct. 4, 2026

Karol G: Becky G, Elena Rose and Greeicy

Karol G’s stadium tour rotates between Elena Rose, Becky G and Greeicy, giving different cities different opening-night experiences.

Elena Rose brings a songwriter-driven mix of Latin pop and reggaeton. Greeicy combines pop, tropical rhythms and dance-heavy performance. Becky G feels more like a special guest than a traditional opener, especially because she has joined Karol G during the headline set for “MAMIII” on select dates.

The specific opener depends on the city. Elena Rose is scheduled for several major stops, Becky G appears on many of the stadium dates and Greeicy is attached to select shows in Inglewood and Miami Gardens.

Tour: VIAJANDO POR EL MUNDO TROPITOUR Current North American run: Through Oct. 15, 2026

Olivia Rodrigo: Wolf Alice, Devon Again and The Last Dinner Party

Olivia Rodrigo’s opening lineup feels designed for fans who like the rockier edges of her music.

Wolf Alice handles the first North American stretch through Columbus on Oct. 30. Devon Again joins the tour beginning with the Philadelphia dates on Nov. 7 and continues through the rest of the North American run.

The Last Dinner Party joins Devon Again for Rodrigo’s 2027 residencies in Inglewood and Brooklyn. Their theatrical art-rock performance style should fit naturally alongside the dramatic guitars, large builds and emotional release of Rodrigo’s arena shows.

Tour: The Unraveled Tour North American run: Through Feb. 16, 2027

Sombr: The Last Dinner Party, Tom Odell, Interpol, Dove Cameron and more

Sombr may have the most varied support lineup on this list.

Depending on the city, fans could see Interpol, Balu Brigada, Tom Odell, The Last Dinner Party or Dove Cameron. The Hellp and Hannah Jadagu also appear across portions of the run.

The opener changes by leg. Interpol joins the Vancouver show, Tom Odell appears across the Sacramento-to-Glendale stretch, The Last Dinner Party supports a large portion of the middle run and Dove Cameron joins the closing dates through Madison Square Garden.

Tour: You Are The Reason Tour North American arena run: Sept. 29 through Nov. 23, 2026

Doja Cat: Latto

There is not much ambiguity here: Latto is joining Doja Cat for the full North American leg of the Tour Ma Vie World Tour.

Latto already has the catalog, stage presence and name recognition of a headliner. This is not a brief introduction to an emerging artist. It is a full opening set from one of the biggest current names in rap before Doja Cat takes the stage.

The North American run begins Oct. 1 in Detroit and includes stops in Chicago, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Miami, Boston and New York.

Tour: Tour Ma Vie World Tour North American run: Oct. 1 through Dec. 1, 2026

Harry Styles: Tinashe, Kylie Minogue, Lainey Wilson and more

Harry Styles is taking a different approach to opening acts in 2027. Each North American city gets its own special guest.

Phoenix gets Tinashe. Dallas gets Argentine duo CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso. Los Angeles gets Kylie Minogue. Toronto gets Lainey Wilson. Q Marsden joins the Atlanta shows, while The Womack Sisters open in Chicago.

The result is several different versions of the same stadium tour. Kylie Minogue at the Rose Bowl is a major pop event on its own. Lainey Wilson gives the Toronto dates an unexpected pop-meets-country pairing. Tinashe makes Phoenix one of the more dance-focused bills.

Tour: Together, Together 2027 North American stadium run: April 2 through May 29

Luke Combs: Treaty Oak Revival, Avery Anna, Shenandoah and Wyatt McCubbin

Luke Combs is turning his 2027 stadium dates into an all-day country lineup.

Treaty Oak Revival, Avery Anna, Shenandoah and Wyatt McCubbin are scheduled to appear across the 12-date North American run. The shows will use an in-the-round setup, with the support acts performing before Combs takes the stage.

Treaty Oak Revival brings a rougher country-rock edge. Avery Anna represents the newer singer-songwriter side of the genre, while Shenandoah adds decades of country history to the bill.

Tour: My Kinda Saturday Night Tour 2027 North American stadium run: April 3 through June 26

Kenny Chesney: Eric Church, Sheryl Crow and Greylan James

Calling Eric Church an opening act almost feels inadequate.

Church joins Kenny Chesney for nearly the entire Original Vibe Room Tour alongside Sheryl Crow and Greylan James, creating one of the deepest stadium bills announced for 2027. At the June 19 show in Buffalo, Old Dominion replaces Crow, giving that date its own variation.

Church has his own arena and stadium-sized audience, while Crow brings a catalog full of songs that have been part of pop and rock radio for decades. Greylan James opens the day before the veteran-heavy lineup takes over.

Tour: Original Vibe Room Tour 2027 U.S. stadium run: April 24 through Aug. 28

Oasis: Richard Ashcroft

Oasis will play six U.S. shows on Live ’27, with three dates at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts and three at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Richard Ashcroft is scheduled to open all six.

The former Verve frontman also supported Oasis during the band’s 2025 reunion run, making him a natural fit for a crowd already primed for British rock from the same era. He also brings one of the most recognizable songs of the 1990s in “Bitter Sweet Symphony.”

Tour: Live ’27 2027 U.S. dates: Aug. 10 through Aug. 24

Why opening acts are becoming part of the ticket value

The old stereotype of the opening act playing to a half-empty room does not fit many of today’s biggest tours.

Artists are increasingly building bills around established names, fast-rising acts and genre-specific pairings that make the entire night feel intentional. Doja Cat and Latto appeal to many of the same fans. Olivia Rodrigo’s support choices reflect the rock and indie influences in her own music. Luke Combs and Kenny Chesney are effectively putting mini country festivals inside stadiums.

There is another benefit: today’s opener can become tomorrow’s arena headliner. Seeing an artist early in their rise, before their own tickets become harder to get, has always been one of the best parts of live music.

Check your ticket’s listed start time, look up the support lineup for your city and give yourself enough time for parking, security, merchandise and concessions before the first artist walks onstage.

How to get tickets for concert tours on SeatGeek

Ready to turn one concert ticket into a full night of live music? Search for the headliner or opening act on SeatGeek to find upcoming concerts, compare available seats and choose the date with the lineup you want most.

1. Search for the artist or tour and select your preferred city and date.

2. Use the interactive map to compare sections and seat locations.

3. Filter by price, number of tickets and other preferences to narrow your options.

4. Use Deal Score to compare ticket value based on factors such as price, seat location, expected sightline and available inventory.

5. Review the All-In Price, delivery details and ticket quantity before completing your purchase.

Eligible orders are backed by the SeatGeek Buyer Guarantee.

When the opener is Latto, Kylie Minogue, Eric Church or Richard Ashcroft, the concert does not start when the headliner comes out. It starts when the lights go down for the first time.