Demand for High-Impact Live Event Intros Signals Experiential Design Opportunities.

Published on 05/28/2025Trend Spotting / Early Adopter Signals

The continued buzz and vivid recollections of those iconic walk-on/intro tapes at live events—like Metallica's "The Ecstasy of Gold" or the creative use of pre-existing tracks like "Sirius" for Between the Buried and Me's lineup announcement—really highlight how much audiences value a powerful, atmosphere-defining opening. This consistent engagement underscores and refines several commercial and marketing opportunities:

  1. Specialized Intro Design & Curation Services: There's a clear market for services that excel not just in original production but also in expert curation and licensing of existing music that creates immediate, powerful connections. For example, leveraging iconic tracks like "The Ecstasy of Gold" or "Doctor Doctor," or surprising juxtapositions like "Take On Me" before The Melvins. This extends to theatrical audio elements like custom voice-overs (e.g., sports-style lineup announcements, historical speeches) or unique sound design that enhance the narrative and build anticipation.

  2. Developing "Signature" Event Openings as Rituals: A key opportunity lies in crafting intros that become anticipated rituals for audiences, fostering immense brand loyalty and shareable excitement. This is applicable to artists aiming for iconic show elements, festivals creating unique identities, recurring corporate events, and even sports teams seeking a distinct pre-game atmosphere that fans cherish and expect.

  3. Expanding Applications with Tiered Offerings: The demand for impactful intros spans from large-scale concerts and productions to corporate keynotes, product unveilings, digital series, and podcasts. Services can offer tiered solutions, from strategic music/sound consulting and licensing assistance to full multi-sensory production involving synchronized visuals, lighting choreography, and interactive technology, catering to diverse needs and budgets.

  4. Strategic Use of Nostalgia and Emotional Resonance: The powerful nostalgic element evident in fan favorites (such as the established intro songs for major bands) highlights a potent marketing angle. Services can help clients tap into this by creating intros that evoke specific eras or emotions through carefully selected music and sound, thereby fostering deeper audience connection, memorability, and social sharing.

  5. The Intro as a Core Branding & Hype Element: Businesses and creators should position the intro not merely as a prelude, but as a critical component of their event's branding, storytelling, and overall "hype" strategy. The goal is to craft unforgettable first impressions that precisely set the desired tone, energy, and message from the outset, maximizing audience engagement and the perceived value of the main event.

Origin Reddit Post

r/music

What’s the best walk-on/intro tape you’ve ever seen at a live event?

Posted by u/entropy41305/28/2025
I saw Metallica the other night and the energy in the stadium as "The Ecstasy of Gold" started playing was off the charts. Crowd went bonkers and the band went right into Whiplash. There’s so

Top Comments

u/Nizamark
A-ha’s “Take On Me” before The Melvins
u/VrinTheTerrible
Metallica - S&M tour Ecstasy of Gold Call of Ktulu Master of Puppets When the cymbals hit in between CoK and Master was the hottest I've ever seen a crowd. Brain melting stuff. Che
u/Hedgebod
I really loved the Iron Maiden's Legacy of the Beast tour.. Doctor Doctor into Churchill's speech, AND THEN Aces High intro was something else
u/scootarded
I saw a stripper dressed as a bobby (British police officer) dancing to Anarchy In The UK. Does that count?
u/amandamaniac
Sandstorm
u/PropertyJaded308
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i653lJCPnzA&list=PLke4g-fS3LOaaUgmHkFiQ8K9Bww8dfKTf&index=1&pp=iAQB8AUB
u/BigFudge402
I saw Between the Buried and Me last month and for their second set, “Sirius” by the Alan Parsons Project played and they did kind of a basketball lineup announcement, right into their album
u/soupysailor
Todd Snider walking on to the Sanford and Son theme song.
u/brianhofmann
That Sirius intro with the lineup call was awesome. Hyped everyone up and straight into Alaska was killer.
u/msymeonides
Doctor Doctor by UFO is the intro at Iron Maiden concerts... It's a great song but really it's just that it signifies that Maiden is about to take the stage.
u/MezzerDrone
Melvins in Carrboro, NC played a loop of the cough at the beginning of Sweet Leaf - Black Sabbath. That was fun.
u/Nixplosion
So you were at the Philly show too, OP? Haha cuz my answer before I read the rest of your post was gonna be 'Metallica walking on stage to Ecstasy of Gold' haha
u/Travelgrrl
I have a few. Rod Stewart showed a videotape of a (supptosedly live feed) of him backstage, kicking soccer balls around. Then he burst onto the stage, and booted soccer balls to the crowd. J
u/kirkarelli
Took my wife to this: https://youtu.be/tqvvaY2LvuI?si=TpewsNve0GWkj6mb
u/kanyeguisada
Rob Halford riding his motorcycle onstage at the start of a Judas Priest show was pretty epic to see in person.
u/entropy413
Yes! At the Sunday show. Never been to a show that large, was so impressed.
u/AlltheHammm
https://youtu.be/8jfLaDNjWCU?si=h1Wg4FSCBwvOOZtJ This Slipknot intro.
u/Nixplosion
Same one! Sunday only for me haha
u/Betabeardblock
Queens of the Stone age...2017ish? Walk the Night by the Skatt Brothers. Set the tone.
u/Weary_Bug4156
Dream Theater - Also Sprach Zarathustra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSrFlXOSQGM
u/ermghoti
Anthrax used to run a recording of "I Can't Turn You Loose" i.e. the Blues Brothers walk-on music before taking the stage. I saw them at a venue on Boston's South Shore, and the audience was
u/entropy413
As a walk-on song, followed by a set of Sandstorm and a Sandstorm encore.
u/Fmeinthegoatass
Lights went completely dark at the Hollywood Palladium as Rancid made their entrance to the Imperial March
u/wasgoinonnn
Rush: Three Stooges Theme. one of the best live bands ever and never disappointed Edit: agree with you about Metallica. Saw them both nights in Detroit at the end of their last tour leg an
u/SasquatchMessiah
Stevie Wonder at Bonaroo in 2009 or 2010

Ask AI About This

Get deeper insights about this topic from our AI assistant

Start Chat

Create Your Own

Generate custom insights for your specific needs

Get Started