Fair Warning Tour Explained

Concert Tour Name:Fair Warning Tour
Artist:Van Halen
Album:Fair Warning
Location:North America
Number Of Shows:81
Last Tour:World Invasion Tour
(1980)
This Tour:Fair Warning Tour
(1981)
Next Tour:Hide Your Sheep Tour
(1982–1983)

The Fair Warning Tour was a concert tour by hard rock band Van Halen in support of their fourth studio album Fair Warning.

Background

The tour began with two to three night performances with the band being focused on performing only in North America. The June 11, 12 and 13 shows in Oakland were filmed, creating music videos for "Unchained", "So This is Love?" and "Hear About It Later", though Roth stated in an interview that the two nights of filming were a disaster and the footage from the third show had to be scrapped as a result. The band concluded their tour as an opening act for two shows with the Rolling Stones at Tangerine Bowl on October 24 and 25.[1] [2]

Reception

Don Adair from The Spokesman-Review gave the performance he attended in Spokane a positive review. He began his review, stating that Van Halen was music to be enjoyed on the most elemental levels, citing it as flashy, showy, brazen hormone rock and that it was pointless to pass judgement on Van Halen. He acknowledged the stage design, adding that there was follow-spots lighting the band from the rear of the stage with others from out front and around the drum stand - noting it as the drum kit lit up like an encounter from the third kind. He continued on the speakers hanging from the coliseum's ceiling and front wall of the building adjacent to the stage with amplifiers behind the band, comparing it to a mountain range in aluminum. He would criticize the acoustics though as it did muddle Eddie Van Halen's playing. He praised David Lee Roth as still having the moves and hitting home with unerring accuracy, but had criticized his voice as being only average, stating his trademark squeal should have been forgotten long ago. He concluded his review, stating that the sold out audience got what they paid for.[3]

Jim Bruce from The Windsor Star who attended the Cobo Arena show in Detroit, opening his review, noting on how all three of the shows that had sold out had translated to 50,000 fans aged between 15 and 25, with tremendous amounts of emotion given when the band had arrived on stage to which he described their entrance as if they appeared in a blaze of flashing light, adding that he thought Armageddon had arrived. He praised all four of the members in the band, citing them as proven master musicians - also referring to Eddie Van Halen as exceptionally fine lead guitarist. He concluded his review, stating that the audience at the conclusion of the show left with smiles on their faces instead of chips on their shoulders.[4]

Jennifer Towell from The Montreal Gazette opened her review, noting on how the band showed everything in agreement to a banner fans made which declared: "Disco Sucks". She added that the noise level wasn't no accident as the band had brought more than 100 speakers to produce the sound that in comparison, had outblasted any record banned on the regular family stereo. She praised Eddie and Alex's musical accompaniment, saying it was the perfect complement to Roth's "sexually immodest gyrations".[5]

Setlist

Songs played overall

  1. "On Fire"
  2. "Sinner's Swing!"
  3. Alex Van Halen drum solo
  4. "Hear About It Later"
  5. "So This Is Love?"
  6. "Jamie's Cryin'"
  7. Michael Anthony bass solo
  8. "Runnin' with the Devil"
  9. "Dance the Night Away"
  10. "Sunday Afternoon in the Park" and "Romeo Delight"
  11. "Summertime Blues" (Eddie Cochran cover)
  12. "Everybody Wants Some!!"
  13. "Ice Cream Man" (John Brim cover)
  14. "Mean Street"
  15. Eddie Van Halen guitar solo ["[[Eruption (instrumental)|Eruption]]", "Spanish Fly", "Women in Love..." (Intro) and "Cathedral"]
  16. "Lucille" (Little Richard cover)
  17. "Feel Your Love Tonight"
  18. "You Really Got Me" (The Kinks cover)

Encore

  2. "Unchained"
  3. "Growth" + "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love"

Typical set list

  1. "On Fire"
  2. "Sinner's Swing!"
  3. "Alex Van Halen drum solo"
  4. "Hear About It Later"
  5. "So This Is Love?"
  6. "Jamie's Cryin'"
  7. Michael Anthony bass solo
  8. "Runnin' with the Devil"
  9. "Dance the Night Away"
  10. "Sunday Afternoon in the Park" and "Romeo Delight"
  11. "Everybody Wants Some!!"
  12. "Ice Cream Man" (John Brim cover)
  13. "Mean Street"
  14. Eddie Van Halen guitar solo ["Eruption", "Spanish Fly", "Women in Love..." (Intro) and "Cathedral"]
  15. "Feel Your Love Tonight"
  16. "You Really Got Me" (The Kinks cover)

Encore

  2. "Unchained"
  3. "Growth" and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love"

Tour dates

List of concerts, showing date, city, country and venue
Date[6] CityCountryVenue
North America
May 12, 1981HalifaxCanadaHalifax Metro Centre
May 15, 1981ProvidenceUnited StatesProvidence Civic Center
May 16, 1981PortlandCumberland County Civic Center
May 17, 1981Glens FallsGlens Falls Civic Center
May 18, 1981RochesterRochester Community War Memorial Arena
May 20, 1981CharlestonCharleston Civic Center
May 22, 1981LouisvilleFreedom Hall
May 23, 1981DaytonHara Arena
May 24, 1981
May 27, 1981CanadaNorthlands Coliseum
May 28, 1981CalgaryStampede Corral
May 31, 1981SpokaneUnited StatesSpokane Coliseum
June 2, 1981VancouverCanadaPacific Coliseum
June 4, 1981SeattleUnited StatesSeattle Coliseum
June 5, 1981
June 8, 1981PortlandVeterans Memorial Coliseum
June 9, 1981
June 11, 1981OaklandOakland Arena
June 12, 1981
June 13, 1981
June 16, 1981Las VegasAladdin Theatre
June 18, 1981FresnoSelland Arena
June 19, 1981Los AngelesLos Angeles Sports Arena
June 20, 1981InglewoodThe Forum
June 21, 1981
July 2, 1981MilwaukeeMECCA Arena
July 3, 1981DetroitCobo Arena
July 4, 1981
July 5, 1981
July 7, 1981Saint PaulSt. Paul Civic Center
July 9, 1981IndianapolisMarket Square Arena
July 10, 1981ChicagoInternational Amphitheatre
July 11, 1981
July 12, 1981MadisonDane County Veterans Memorial Coliseum
July 14, 1981PittsburghPittsburgh Civic Arena
July 16, 1981New HavenNew Haven Coliseum
July 17, 1981New York CityMadison Square Garden
July 18, 1981UniondaleNassau Coliseum
July 20, 1981PhiladelphiaSpectrum
July 21, 1981
July 22, 1981
July 24, 1981BostonBoston Garden
July 25, 1981
July 27, 1981RoanokeRoanoke Civic Center
July 28, 1981LandoverCapital Centre
July 29, 1981
July 31, 1981BuffaloBuffalo Memorial Auditorium
August 2, 1981RichfieldRichfield Coliseum
August 3, 1981
August 4, 1981TorontoCanadaMaple Leaf Gardens
August 5, 1981MontrealMontreal Forum
August 18, 1981Pembroke PinesUnited StatesHollywood Sportatorium
August 19, 1981LakelandLakeland Civic Center
August 22, 1981AtlantaOmni Coliseum
August 23, 1981KnoxvilleKnoxville Civic Coliseum
August 24, 1981CharlotteCharlotte Coliseum
August 25, 1981GreensboroGreensboro Coliseum
August 27, 1981HamptonHampton Coliseum
August 29, 1981CincinnatiRiverfront Coliseum
August 30, 1981NashvilleNashville Municipal Auditorium
August 31, 1981BirminghamJefferson Civic Center
September 1, 1981MemphisMid-South Coliseum
September 3, 1981HuntsvilleVon Braun Civic Center
September 4, 1981JacksonMississippi Coliseum
September 5, 1981BiloxiMississippi Coast Coliseum
September 6, 1981Baton RougeRiverside Centroplex
September 8, 1981ShreveportHirsch Memorial Coliseum
September 10, 1981DallasReunion Arena
September 11, 1981
September 12, 1981HoustonSam Houston Coliseum
September 13, 1981
September 28, 1981PhoenixArizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
September 29, 1981San DiegoSan Diego Sports Arena
October 2, 1981AustinFrank Erwin Center
October 3, 1981NormanLloyd Noble Center
October 6, 1981AlbuquerqueTingley Coliseum
October 7, 1981El PasoEl Paso County Coliseum
October 9, 1981San AntonioSan Antonio Convention Center
October 15, 1981TulsaTulsa Assembly Center
October 16, 1981Valley CenterKansas Coliseum
October 17, 1981Kansas CityKemper Arena
October 18, 1981St. LouisCheckerdome
October 20, 1981OmahaOmaha Civic Auditorium
October 21, 1981Cedar RapidsFive Seasons Arena
October 24, 1981OrlandoTangerine Bowl
October 25, 1981

Box office score data

Date
(1981)! scope="col" style="width:13em;"
CityVenueAttendanceGross
July 12Madison, United StatesColiseum8,346$71,886[7]
July 14Pittsburgh, United StatesCivic Arena13,374$129,052[8]
July 16New Haven, United StatesColiseum9,832$92,640
July 20–22Philadelphia, United StatesSpectrum36,339$355,380[9]
July 24–25Boston, United StatesGarden24,200$249,946
July 28Indianapolis, United StatesMarket Square Arena15,500$126,250[10]
August 19Lakeland, United StatesCivic Center10,000$95,000[11]
August 29Cincinnati, United StatesColiseum9,897$98,679[12]
August 30Nashville, United StatesMunicipal Auditorium9,055$80,603
August 31Birmingham, United StatesCivic Center9,542$82,978[13]
September 1Memphis, United StatesColiseum10,369$98,506
September 4Jackson, United StatesColiseum8,297$78,822
October 2Austin, United StatesFrank Erwin Center17,617$104,734[14]
October 15Tulsa, United StatesAssembly Center7,157$67,458[15]
October 18St. Louis, United StatesCheckerdome14,082$127,395

Personnel

References

General sources

Notes and References

  1. News: Gerard . Eric . These fans came to get satisfaction . March 15, 2022 . The Evening Independent . October 24, 1981 . St. Petersburg, Florida . 12-A . en.
  2. News: Rolling Stones Set Second Concert After Sellout . March 15, 2022 . Daytona Beach Morning Journal . October 3, 1981 . Daytona Beach, Florida . 2D . en.
  3. News: Adair . Don . Van Halen: They got what they paid for . March 15, 2022 . The Spokesman-Review . June 1, 1981 . Spokane, Washington . 15 . en.
  4. News: Bruce . Jim . Rock concert more ritual than music . March 15, 2022 . The Windsor Star . July 11, 1981 . Windsor, Ontario . C5 . en.
  5. News: Towell . Jennifer . Loyal fans knew their Van Halen . March 15, 2022 . The Montreal Gazette . August 6, 1981 . Montreal, Quebec . 43 . en.
  6. Web site: Van Halen Tour: 1981 . vharchives.com . 14 August 2022.
  7. Top Box Office . Billboard . July 25, 1981 . 93 . 29 . 37 . March 15, 2022 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  8. Top Box Office . Billboard . August 1, 1981 . 93 . 30 . 40 . March 15, 2022 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  9. Top Box Office . Billboard . August 8, 1981 . 93 . 31 . 41 . March 15, 2022 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  10. Top Box Office . Billboard . August 15, 1981 . 93 . 32 . 35 . March 15, 2022 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  11. Top Box Office . Billboard . September 5, 1981 . 93 . 35 . 45 . March 15, 2022 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  12. Top Box Office . Billboard . September 12, 1981 . 93 . 36 . 52 . March 15, 2022 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  13. Top Box Office . Billboard . September 19, 1981 . 93 . 37 . 43 . March 15, 2022 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  14. Boxscore . Billboard . October 17, 1981 . 93 . 41 . 38 . March 15, 2022 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  15. Boxscore . Billboard . October 31, 1981 . 93 . 43 . 86 . March 15, 2022 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.

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