The Highway to Hell Tour was a concert tour by Australian rock band AC/DC in support of the group's seventh studio album, Highway to Hell, which was released on 27 July 1979. The tour had 3 legs around Europe and North America lasting 5 months starting on 17 August 1979 at Haffmans Park in Bilzen, Belgium, and concluded on 27 January 1980 at Southampton, England. This was the last tour with Bon Scott, who died due to alcohol poisoning, three weeks after the Southampton show, which therefore cancelled the Japan and Australian legs of the tour.
| Tour by AC/DC | |
 | |
| Location |
|
|---|---|
| Associated album | Highway to Hell |
| Start date | 17 August 1979 |
| End date | 27 January 1980 |
| Legs | 3 |
| No. of shows | 99 |
| AC/DC concert chronology | |
Background
editDuring the band's tour in the United States, the band attracted capacity crowds, with one venue having to turn away over two thousand fans after being sold out minutes after the box office opened.[1] The band were set to tour in Japan and Australia in early 1980,[2] but the legs were cancelled following the death of vocalist Bon Scott as a result of alcohol poisoning.[3]
Def Leppard was the opening act for part of the European leg after they were approached by Peter Mensch of Leber-Krebs management, who had booked them on a tour of the UK supporting the band.[4][5] During the shows in Texas in the United States, Riot and Molly Hatchet were the opening acts for the band on their North American leg.[6]
Tour dates
edit| Date | City | Country | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 January 1980 | Poitiers | France | — |
| 17 January 1980 | Bordeaux | ||
| 18 January 1980 | Toulouse | Gymnase du Lycée Pierre Aragon | |
| 19 January 1980 | Lyon | Palais des Sports de Gerland | |
| 20 January 1980 | Rouen | — | |
| 21 January 1980 | Nantes | Stade de la Beaujoire | |
| 22 January 1980 | Brest | Parc de Penfeld | |
| 23 January 1980[k] | Le Mans | La Rotonde | |
| 25 January 1980 | Newcastle | England | Mayfair Ballroom |
| 27 January 1980[l] | Southampton | Gaumont Theatre |
Cancelled dates
edit| Date (1979) |
City | Country | Venue | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 November | Bremen | West Germany | Stadthalle 4 | — |
| 30 December | Göppingen | Haldenberghalle |
Box office score data
edit| Date (1979) |
City | Venue | Attendance | Gross | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 5 | Oakland, United States | Civic Auditorium | 5,000 | $49,150 | [12] |
| September 7 | Santa Cruz, United States | Civic Auditorium | 1,954 | $16,694 | |
| September 8 | Fresno, United States | Warnors Theatre | 2,100 | $16,800 | |
| September 18 | McAllen, United States | Villa Real | 2,439 | $18,950 | [13] |
| September 20 | Houston, United States | Music Hall | 3,005 | $24,389 | |
| September 26 | Memphis, United States | Dixon–Myers Hall | 2,352 | $16,710 | [14] |
| September 27 | Nashville, United States | Municipal Auditorium | 5,093 | $36,363 | |
| September 28 | Johnson City, United States | Freedom Hall | 7,710 | $49,675 |
Personnel
edit- Bon Scott – lead vocals
- Angus Young – lead guitar
- Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Cliff Williams – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Phil Rudd – drums
Notes
edit- ^ This show on 17 August 1979 was a part of Jazz Bilzen.
- ^ This show on 18 August 1979 was an opening act for The Who's 1979 tour.
- ^ This show on 1 September 1979 was a part of the Open Air Festival.
- ^ Originally scheduled for 22 September 1979.
- ^ Originally scheduled for 21 September 1979.
- ^ Originally scheduled for 30 September 1979.
- ^ Originally scheduled for 25 October 1979.
- ^ a b Originally scheduled for 18 November 1979.
- ^ 2 shows have been played.
- ^ Originally scheduled for 7 December 1979.
- ^ Originally scheduled for 9 December 1979.
- ^ Originally scheduled for 18 December 1979.
References
editCitations
edit- ^ "New Mac album out in 8 days". Sydney, Australia: The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 September 1979. p. 104. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ "LRB's tour nets tow hit singles". Sydney, Australia: The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 October 1979. p. 118. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ "'Schoolboy' rock group singer found dead". Glasgow, Scotland: The Glasgow Herald. 21 February 1980. p. 7. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ Konow 2009, p. 132.
- ^ a b c Huxley 2015, p. 101.
- ^ Sharpe-Young 2007, p. 317.
- ^ a b c Durieux, Arnaud. "AC/DC Tour History - 1979/80 "Highway To Hell" World Tour". ac-dc.net. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ^ a b Masino 2009.
- ^ a b Masino 2015.
- ^ "AC/DC Tour History - 12 Oct. 1979 Norfolk (Arena)". www.ac-dc.net. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ Perkins 2011.
- ^ "Top Box Office". Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 38. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 22 September 1979. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
- ^ "Top Box Office". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 6 October 1979. p. 46. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
- ^ "Top Box Office". Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 41. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 13 October 1979. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
Sources
edit- Sharpe-Young, Garry (2007). Metal: The Definitive Guide – Heavy, NWOBH, Progressive, Thrash, Death, Black, Gothic, Doom, Nu. Jawbone Press. ISBN 978-1-906002-01-5.
- Konow, David (2009). Bang Your Head: The Rise and Fall of Heavy Metal. Crown. ISBN 978-0-307-56560-0.
- Masino, Susan (2009). Let There Be Rock: The Story of AC/DC (Paperback ed.). London, England: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-8256-3701-8.
- Perkins, Jeff (2011). AC/DC - Uncensored on the Record. Warwickshire, England: Coda Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-908538-54-3.
- Masino, Susan (2015). AC/DC FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the World's True Rock 'n' Roll Band. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-4950-2601-0.
- Huxley, Martin (2015). AC/DC: The World's Heaviest Rock. New York City, New York: St. Martin's Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-250-09652-4.