Hemispheres Tour Explained

Concert Tour Name:Hemispheres Tour
Album:Hemispheres
Start Date:October 14, 1978
End Date:June 4, 1979
Number Of Legs:2
Number Of Shows:137
Last Tour:A Farewell to Kings Tour
(1977–1978)
This Tour:Hemispheres Tour
(1978–1979)
Next Tour:Permanent Waves Tour
(1979–1980)

The Hemispheres Tour (also referred to as The Tour of the Hemispheres) was a concert tour by Canadian rock band Rush in support of their sixth studio album, Hemispheres.

Background

The tour began on October 14, 1978 which began with arenas in Canada, extending out into the United States. It was the first tour where the band was noted as a major headlining act, playing an hour and a half instead of a forty-five minute set, with hopes that the audience would appreciate the length of the set. While keeping a good lighting system, the band began extending their PA system, as well as becoming more active on stage with the usage of backdrops, giving the audience something to look at - something that became a major part of their performances. Rush toured Europe in April to May 1979, concluding their tour with a performance at the Pinkpop Festival in Holland, which had followed after Lifeson broke his finger, resulting in three shows being canceled, but however he had performed at the festival with no problems. The tour was accompanied by the release of the European compilation album, Rush Through Time, which was unauthorized at the time.

Reception

Reviewing the October 25, 1978 performance in Saskatoon, Star-Phoenix's Joe Rubin noted on the band's usage of special effects which he had stated held the audience 'spellbound' with balls of light, swirling spirals and spaceships depicted on the screen suspended behind the band as they performed. Regarding the audience, Rubin stated it was understandable as they were grogged on sound, later benumbed and ecstatic at the conclusion of the performance.[1]

The Spokesman-Review's Dave Reagan, reviewing the November 8, 1978 performance in Spokane, wrote that the band had proved its reputation to be loud but talented. He observed that the music was relatively clean and low enough to not compound the echoing effects of the coliseum where the show took place. Also noting on the special effects and the lighting accompanied by the use of the synthesizer, Reagan stated that it had brought the audience to both its feet and knees, with the visuals keeping the longer songs exciting and alive, with no interest lost from the audience.[2]

Set list

This is an example set list adapted from Rush: Wandering the Face of the Earth – The Official Touring History of what were performed during the tour, but may not represent the majority of the shows. "Circumstances" was removed from the set during the band's shows in the United Kingdom, with "Something for Nothing" and "Cygnus X-1" being removed from the set during the rest of the shows in Europe.

Main Setlist
  1. "Anthem"
  2. "A Passage to Bangkok"
  3. "By-Tor and the Snow Dog"
  4. "Xanadu"
  5. "Something for Nothing"
  6. "The Trees"
  7. "Cygnus X-1"
  8. "Hemispheres"
  9. "Closer to the Heart"
  10. "Circumstances"
  11. "A Farewell to Kings"
  12. "La Villa Strangiato"
  13. "2112" (Chapters I–IV, VI–VII)
Encore
  1. "Working Man" / "Bastille Day" / "In the Mood" (medley, with drum solo)

Tour dates

Date! scope="col" style="width:16em;"
CityCountryVenue
October 14, 1978KingstonCanadaKingston Memorial Center
October 15, 1978GuelphGuelph Memorial Gardens
October 17, 1978North BayNorth Bay Memorial Gardens
October 18, 1978SudburySudbury Community Arena
October 20, 1978Thunder BayFort William Gardens
October 21, 1978WinnipegWinnipeg Arena
October 22, 1978BrandonKeystone Center
October 24, 1978ReginaRegina Agridome
October 25, 1978SaskatoonSaskatoon Arena
October 27, 1978EdmontonNorthlands Coliseum
October 28, 1978CalgaryStampede Corral
October 29, 1978LethbridgeLethbridge Sportsplex
October 31, 1978KamloopsKXA Auditorium
November 2, 1978VictoriaVictoria Memorial Arena
November 3, 1978NanaimoFrank Crane Arena
November 4, 1978VancouverPacific Coliseum
November 6, 1978PortlandUnited StatesPortland Memorial Coliseum
November 7, 1978SeattleSeattle Center Coliseum
November 8, 1978SpokaneSpokane Coliseum
November 10, 1978SacramentoSacramento Memorial Auditorium
November 11, 1978RenoCentennial Coliseum
November 13, 1978San DiegoSan Diego Sports Arena
November 14, 1978Long BeachLong Beach Arena
November 15, 1978FresnoWarnors Theater
November 16, 1978Daly CityCow Palace
November 18, 1978San BernardinoSwing Auditorium
November 19, 1978PhoenixArizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
November 20, 1978TucsonTucson Community Center
November 21, 1978AlbuquerqueAlbuquerque Civic Auditorium
November 30, 1978IndianapolisMarket Square Arena
December 1, 1978DaytonHara Arena
December 2, 1978DetroitCobo Arena
December 3, 1978ToledoToledo Sports Arena
December 5, 1978DavenportPalmer Auditorium
December 7, 1978MilwaukeeMECCA Arena
December 8, 1978Green BayBrown County Arena
December 9, 1978Saint PaulSt. Paul Civic Center
December 10, 1978Des MoinesVeterans Memorial Auditorium
December 11, 1978Kansas CityKansas City Municipal Auditorium
December 13, 1978St. LouisThe Checkerdome
December 14, 1978ChicagoInternational Amphitheater
December 15, 1978
December 16, 1978
December 17, 1978MadisonDane County Coliseum
December 19, 1978LondonCanadaLondon Gardens
December 20, 1978KitchenerKitchener Memorial Auditorium
December 21, 1978OttawaOttawa Civic Center
December 26, 1978MontrealMontreal Forum
December 27, 1978
December 28, 1978TorontoMaple Leaf Gardens
December 29, 1978
December 31, 1978
Date! scope="col" style="width:16em;"
CityCountryVenue
January 11, 1979BostonUnited StatesBoston Music Hall
January 12, 1979SpringfieldSpringfield Civic Center
January 13, 1979New York CityThe Palladium
January 14, 1979
January 16, 1979AlbanyPalace Theater
January 17, 1979PassaicCapitol Theater
January 19, 1979PittsburghPittsburgh Civic Arena
January 20, 1979BaltimoreBaltimore Civic Center
January 21, 1979PhiladelphiaThe Spectrum
January 23, 1979SyracuseOnondaga War Memorial Auditorium
January 24, 1979BuffaloBuffalo Memorial Auditorium
January 26, 1979CincinnatiRiverfront Coliseum
January 27, 1979HuntsvilleVon Braun Civic Center
January 28, 1979MemphisMid-South Coliseum
January 30, 1979LouisvilleLouisville Gardens
January 31, 1979BloomingtonIU Auditorium
February 1, 1979ColumbusSt. John Arena
February 2, 1979SaginawSaginaw Civic Center
February 3, 1979RichfieldRichfield Coliseum
February 10, 1979Oklahoma CityOklahoma State Fairgrounds
February 15, 1979ColumbiaTownship Auditorium
February 17, 1979FayettevilleCumberland County Memorial Arena
February 19, 1979AshevilleAsheville Civic Center
February 20, 1979KnoxvilleKnoxville Civic Coliseum
February 22, 1979Little RockBarton Coliseum
February 23, 1979ShreveportHirsch Memorial Coliseum
February 24, 1979TulsaTulsa Fairgrounds Pavilion
February 25, 1979AustinAustin Municipal Auditorium
February 27, 1979Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi Memorial Coliseum
March 1, 1979HoustonSam Houston Coliseum
March 2, 1979DallasDallas Convention Center
March 3, 1979San AntonioHemisFair Arena
March 4, 1979BeaumontBeaumont Civic Center
March 6, 1979New OrleansNew Orleans Municipal Auditorium
March 8, 1979MobileMobile Expo Hall
March 9, 1979JacksonvilleJacksonville Civic Auditorium
March 10, 1979HollywoodHollywood Sportatorium
March 11, 1979TampaCurtis Hixon Convention Hall
March 13, 1979BirminghamBoutwell Auditorium
March 15, 1979ChattanoogaSoldiers & Sailors Memorial Auditorium
March 16, 1979NashvilleNashville Municipal Auditorium
March 17, 1979Johnson CityFreedom Hall
March 18, 1979WheelingWheeling Civic Center
March 27, 1979Salt Lake CitySalt Palace
March 28, 1979DenverDenver Auditorium
March 29, 1979LincolnPershing Center
March 30, 1979TopekaTopeka Municipal Auditorium
April 2, 1979SyracuseOnondaga War Memorial Auditorium
April 3, 1979PoughkeepsieMid-Hudson Civic Center
April 4, 1979RochesterWar Memorial Auditorium
April 6, 1979HempsteadNassau Coliseum
April 7, 1979New HavenNew Haven Coliseum
April 10, 1979SalemRoanoke Valley Civic Center
April 11, 1979HamptonHampton Coliseum
April 13, 1979AtlantaFox Theater
April 14, 1979GreensboroGreensboro Coliseum
April 15, 1979ProvidenceProvidence Civic Center
April 23, 1979NewcastleEnglandNewcastle City Hall
April 24, 1979
April 25, 1979GlasgowScotlandGlasgow Apollo
April 26, 1979
April 27, 1979
April 28, 1979EdinburghEdinburgh Odeon
April 29, 1979ManchesterEnglandManchester Apollo
April 30, 1979
May 1, 1979LiverpoolEmpire Theater
May 2, 1979
May 4, 1979LondonHammersmith Odeon
May 5, 1979
May 6, 1979
May 7, 1979
May 9, 1979CoventryCoventry Theater
May 10, 1979BirminghamBirmingham Odeon
May 11, 1979
May 13, 1979SouthamptonGaumont Theater
May 14, 1979BristolColston Hall
May 15, 1979
May 17, 1979ParisFranceLe Stadium
May 18, 1979PoperingeBelgiumMaeke Blyde Hall
May 22, 1979OsloNorwayChateau Neuf
May 23, 1979GothenburgSwedenGothenburg Concert House
May 25, 1979StockholmGrona Lund
May 27, 1979ErlangenWest GermanyStadthalle
May 28, 1979OffenbachStadthalle
May 29, 1979HamburgHamburg Music Hall
May 31, 1979MannheimRose Garden
June 1, 1979ZurichSwitzerlandVolkshaus
June 2, 1979MunichWest GermanyCircus Krone
June 4, 1979GeleenNetherlandsDamen Sports Park

Box office score data

Date! scope="col" style="width:13em;"
CityVenueAttendanceGross
December 11, 1978Kansas City, United StatesMunicipal Auditorium9,250$72,029[3]
January 11, 1979Boston, United StatesMusic Hall3,800$31,750[4]
January 13–14, 1979New York City, United StatesPalladium6,300 / 6,300$52,000
January 17, 1979Passaic, United StatesCapitol Theatre3,456 / 3,456$28,172[5]
January 19, 1979Pittsburgh, United StatesCivic Arena14,032 / 14,032$110,421
January 20, 1979Baltimore, United StatesCivic Center8,676$60,578
January 21, 1979Philadelphia, United StatesSpectrum13,064$94,467
January 27, 1979Huntsville, United StatesCivic Center6,850$46,891[6]
January 28, 1979Memphis, United StatesColiseum7,263$50,833
January 30, 1979Louisville, United StatesGardens7,201 / 7,201$48,612[7]
January 31, 1979Bloomington, United StatesIU Auditorium1,968$14,498
February 1, 1979Columbus, United StatesSt. John's Arena7,355$57,950
February 2, 1979Saginaw, United StatesCivic Center7,104 / 7,104$60,384
February 20, 1979Knoxville, United StatesColiseum3,901$28,265[8]
March 9, 1979Jacksonville, United StatesCivic Auditorium3,125$20,875[9]
March 10, 1979Hollywood, United StatesSportatorium9,937$60,757
March 11, 1979Tampa, United StatesHixon Hall7,600 / 7,600$45,077
March 15, 1979Chattanooga, United StatesSoldiers & Sailors Memorial Auditorium3,130$21,868[10]
March 16, 1979Nashville, United StatesMunicipal Auditorium8,468$43,844[11]
March 18, 1979Wheeling, United StatesCivic Center6,233$46,812
March 29, 1979Lincoln, United StatesPershing Auditorium4,275$30,800[12]
March 30, 1979Topeka, United StatesMunicipal Auditorium4,200 / 4,200$29,400
April 3, 1979Poughkeepsie, United StatesCivic Center3,372 / 3,372$28,263[13]
April 4, 1979Rochester, United StatesWar Memorial Auditorium10,500 / 10,500$89,253
April 6, 1979Uniondale, United StatesNassau Coliseum10,400$85,160
April 7, 1979New Haven, United StatesColiseum5,800$47,597
April 11, 1979Hampton, United StatesColiseum6,165$45,029[14]
April 15, 1979Providence, United StatesCivic Center6,684$48,370

Personnel

References

Sources

Notes and References

  1. News: Rubin . Joe . Entertainment: Rush . January 16, 2023 . The Phoenix . October 26, 1978 . Saskatoon, Saskatchewan . 20 . en.
  2. News: Rush's reputation remains first-rate . Reagan . Dave . January 16, 2023 . The Spokesman-Review . November 9, 1978 . Spokane, Washington . 14 . en.
  3. Top Box Office . Billboard . January 6, 1979 . 91 . 1 . 57 . January 14, 2023 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  4. Top Box Office . Billboard . January 27, 1979 . 54 . January 14, 2023 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  5. Top Box Office . Billboard . February 3, 1979 . 91 . 5 . 64 . January 15, 2023 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  6. Top Box Office . Billboard . February 10, 1979 . 91 . 6 . 42 . January 15, 2023 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  7. Top Box Office . Billboard . February 17, 1979 . 91 . 7 . 54 . January 15, 2023 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  8. Top Box Office . Billboard . March 10, 1979 . 91 . 10 . 46 . January 15, 2023 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  9. Top Box Office . Billboard . March 24, 1979 . 91 . 12 . 84 . January 15, 2023 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  10. Top Box Office . Billboard . April 7, 1979 . 91 . 14 . 44 . January 15, 2023 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  11. Top Box Office . Billboard . March 31, 1979 . 91 . 13 . 72 . January 15, 2023 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  12. Top Box Office . Billboard . April 14, 1979 . 91 . 15 . 43 . January 15, 2023 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  13. Top Box Office . Billboard . April 21, 1979 . 91 . 16 . 36 . January 15, 2023 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.
  14. Top Box Office . Billboard . April 28, 1979 . 91 . 17 . 46 . January 15, 2023 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en . 0006-2510.

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