Direct support is the slot below the headliner, in front of the fullest room of the night. It is the best thirty minutes an artist can get without selling the tickets.
Why artists want it
- The audience is in, warmed up and paying attention
- The set runs longer than the opener's, usually 30 to 45 minutes
- More of the headliner's production is available: lights, sometimes the full PA
- Merch sales rise sharply compared with the opening slot
How it is decided
The headliner or its agent picks direct support, often from the same agency or label. Promoters propose local artists, but under most tour contracts the choice belongs to the headliner.
What it costs
Support fees on a European club tour run from a few hundred euros a night down to nothing, and some tours ask the support act to buy onto the run. Weigh the fee, the audience and the Billing together before agreeing.