rooting for you.

oh hey there all you bands trying to make it!
i give you mad props. touring isn't always glamorous (especially if you're rolling 15 passenger van style), it's not easy to make a living as an artist, and i applaud you believing in your art enough to give it an honest-to-goodness try.
while i will give you all the kudos in the world for beating the pavement and wanting it so bad you've given up almost everything to be on that stage, here are a couple of key things to endear me to you as the opening band to the band i came to see (correct me if i'm wrong stories of a girl readers):

• tell me some short stories. assume, as the opener, that no one in the room is overly familiar with your music. i know you want to play as many songs as humanly possible in your 20 minute set but cutting out one song and telling two entertaining stories (maybe one about a song's inspiration and one as a glimpse into your personal life) will go a long way to making me remember you. especially if you're funny. 
• be jazzed about the main act. we are jazzed about them and we want you to love them as much as we love them. and we'll assume that you have great taste in music if you seem excited to be touring with them. because then we clearly have the same taste in music, duh.
• be confident but not cocky. you were asked to open this tour or show...play like you should be there. but don't forget, even if you're fantastic, cockiness is a major turn-off. someone please pass this message along to kanye. 

that's it. it really doesn't take much and i will buy a shirt or album at the end of the show. or at the very least i will spotify you the following day, fall in love with your album, and pay to see you when you roll through town in 4 months on your smaller, headlining tour in the dank bar down the street.
good luck, i really am rooting for you! 

xo