# Back in Black Tour

The Back in Black Tour was a concert tour by the Australian hard rock band AC/DC in support of their seventh studio album Back in Black, which was released on 25 July 1980.

## Background

This was AC/DC's first tour with new vocalist Brian Johnson, who replaced Bon Scott after the latter's death in February 1980, making his first appearance on stage on 29 June 1980 in Namur, Belgium. The band transported their own one-ton "Hells Bell" on the road, which was lowered to the stage each night as the bell tolls of "Hells Bells" were heard. Johnson would finish it off with several hard hits, hammer in hand as the band commenced the show.
During the North American and European legs, the band were supported by a number of different opening acts, including Humble Pie, Def Leppard, ZZ Top, Blackfoot, Gamma, Whitesnake and Maggie Bell.

## Reception

The responses from the audience during the band's performances in the United Kingdom were described as near rabid with anticipation.
Mike London from Billboard, however, had given the show he attended in New York a negative review - stating that while the band had established itself as a leader in heavy metal, the show lacked imagination and failed to live up to the band's sound, describing the stage theatrics as lifeless and overused. He noted that the fans attending the show had shown a general positive response, but later in the show grew tired of the poses and solos that Angus Young had given. Concluding his review, London stated his disappointment - saying that AC/DC's music deserved better treatment than what the band performed that night.

## Tour dates

List of 1980 concerts, showing date, city, country and venue :
| Date | City | Country | Venue |
| 29 June 1980 | Namur | Belgium | Palais des Expositions |
| 30 June 1980 | Antwerp | Belgium | Borgerhout-Zaal Cine Roma |
| 1 July 1980 | Deinze | Belgium | Brielpoort |
| 2 July 1980 | Arlon | Belgium | Hall Polyvalent |
| 3 July 1980 | Breda | Netherlands | Het Turfschip |
| 5 July 1980 | Wateringen | Netherlands | Velo Sporthal |
| 13 July 1980 | Edmonton | Canada | Northlands Coliseum |
| 14 July 1980 | Calgary | Canada | Max Bell Arena |
| 16 July 1980 | Vancouver | Canada | Pacific Coliseum |
| 19 July 1980 | Winnipeg | Canada | Winnipeg Arena |
| 20 July 1980 | Thunder Bay | Canada | Fort William Gardens |
| 22 July 1980 | Ottawa | Canada | Ottawa Civic Center |
| 23 July 1980 | Montreal | Canada | Montreal Forum |
| 25 July 1980 | London | Canada | London Gardens |
| 26 July 1980 | Kitchener | Canada | Kitchener Memorial Auditorium |
| 27 July 1980 | Sudbury | Canada | Sudbury Community Arena |
| 28 July 1980 | Toronto | Canada | Maple Leaf Gardens |
| 30 July 1980 | Erie | United States | Erie County Fieldhouse |
| 31 July 1980 | Philadelphia | United States | The Spectrum |
| 1 August 1980 | New York City | United States | Palladium |
| 3 August 1980 | Landover | United States | Capital Centre |
| 6 August 1980 | Norfolk | United States | The Scope |
| 7 August 1980 | Roanoke | United States | Roanoke Civic Center |
| 8 August 1980 | Charlotte | United States | Charlotte Coliseum |
| 9 August 1980 | Fayetteville | United States | Cumberland County Arena |
| 10 August 1980 | Greensboro | United States | Greensboro Coliseum |
| 12 August 1980 | Atlanta | United States | Fox Theatre |
| 13 August 1980 | Knoxville | United States | James White Civic Coliseum |
| 15 August 1980 | Johnson City | United States | Freedom Hall Civic Center |
| 16 August 1980 | Cincinnati | United States | Riverfront Coliseum |
| 17 August 1980 | Toledo | United States | Toledo Speedway |
| 18 August 1980 | Dayton | United States | Hara Arena |
| 19 August 1980 | Lexington | United States | Rupp Arena |
| 20 August 1980 | Nashville | United States | Nashville Municipal Auditorium |
| 22 August 1980 | Lakeland | United States | Lakeland Civic Center |
| 23 August 1980 | West Palm Beach | United States | West Palm Beach Auditorium |
| 24 August 1980 | Jacksonville | United States | Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum |
| 26 August 1980 | Houston | United States | Sam Houston Coliseum |
| 27 August 1980 | Houston | United States | Agora |
| 29 August 1980 | San Antonio | United States | San Antonio Convention Center |
| 30 August 1980 | Dallas | United States | Dallas Convention Center |
| 31 August 1980 | Amarillo | United States | Amarillo Civic Center |
| 1 September 1980 | El Paso | United States | El Paso County Coliseum |
| 4 September 1980 | Long Beach | United States | Long Beach Arena |
| 5 September 1980 | Daly City | United States | Cow Palace |
| 6 September 1980 | Oakland | United States | Oakland Auditorium |
| 7 September 1980 | San Bernardino | United States | Orange Pavilion |
| 10 September 1980 | Lincoln | United States | Pershing Auditorium |
| 11 September 1980 | Bloomington | United States | Met Center |
| 13 September 1980 | Milwaukee | United States | Milwaukee Auditorium |
| 14 September 1980 | Madison | United States | Dane County Coliseum |
| 16 September 1980 | Normal | United States | Horton Fieldhouse |
| 18 September 1980 | St. Louis | United States | Kiel Opera House |
| 19 September 1980 | Cedar Rapids | United States | Five Seasons Center |
| 20 September 1980 | Rosemont | United States | Rosemont Horizon |
| 21 September 1980 | Fort Wayne | United States | Allen County War Memorial Coliseum |
| 24 September 1980 | Indianapolis | United States | Market Square Arena |
| 25 September 1980 | Louisville | United States | Louisville Gardens |
| 26 September 1980 | Kalamazoo | United States | Wings Stadium |
| 27 September 1980 | Detroit | United States | Cobo Arena |
| 29 September 1980 | Columbus | United States | St. John Arena |
| 30 September 1980 | Pittsburgh | United States | Stanley Theatre |
| 1 October 1980 | Cleveland | United States | Public Hall |
| 3 October 1980 | Rochester | United States | War Memorial Auditorium |
| 4 October 1980 | Buffalo | United States | Buffalo Memorial Auditorium |
| 5 October 1980 | Syracuse | United States | Onondaga War Memorial Auditorium |
| 7 October 1980 | Allentown | United States | Stabler Arena |
| 8 October 1980 | Uniondale | United States | Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
| 9 October 1980 | Springfield | United States | Springfield Civic Center |
| 10 October 1980 | Boston | United States | Orpheum Theatre |
| 11 October 1980 | Boston | United States | Orpheum Theatre |
| 19 October 1980 | Bristol | England | Colston Hall |
| 20 October 1980 | Leicester | England | De Montfort Hall |
| 21 October 1980 | Leicester | England | De Montfort Hall |
| 22 October 1980 | Birmingham | England | Birmingham Odeon |
| 23 October 1980 | Birmingham | England | Birmingham Odeon |
| 25 October 1980 | Manchester | England | Apollo Theatre |
| 26 October 1980 | Manchester | England | Apollo Theatre |
| 27 October 1980 | Sheffield | England | Sheffield City Hall |
| 28 October 1980 | Sheffield | England | Sheffield City Hall |
| 29 October 1980 | Hanley | England | Victoria Hall |
| 31 October 1980 | Newcastle | England | Mayfair Ballroom |
| 1 November 1980 | Glasgow | Scotland | Apollo Theatre |
| 2 November 1980 | Glasgow | Scotland | Apollo Theatre |
| 4 November 1980 | Newcastle | England | City Hall |
| 5 November 1980 | Newcastle | England | City Hall |
| 6 November 1980 | Queensferry | England | Deeside Leisure Center |
| 7 November 1980 | Southampton | England | Gaumont |
| 8 November 1980 | Southampton | England | Gaumont |
| 10 November 1980 | London | England | Hammersmith Odeon |
| 11 November 1980 | London | England | Hammersmith Odeon |
| 12 November 1980 | London | England | Hammersmith Odeon |
| 14 November 1980 | London | England | Apollo Victoria Theatre |
| 15 November 1980 | London | England | Apollo Victoria Theatre |
| 16 November 1980 | London | England | Apollo Victoria Theatre |
| 20 November 1980 | Stockholm | Sweden | Göta Lejon |
| 22 November 1980 | Oslo | Norway | Chateau Neuf |
| 24 November 1980 | Kiel | West Germany | Ostseehalle |
| 25 November 1980 | Köln | West Germany | Sporthalle |
| 26 November 1980 | Hanover | West Germany | Eilenriedehalle |
| 27 November 1980 | West Berlin | West Germany | Deutschlandhalle |
| 29 November 1980 | Paris | France | Le Bourget |
| 30 November 1980 | Paris | France | Le Bourget |
| 2 December 1980 | Nürnberg | West Germany | Messezentrum |
| 3 December 1980 | Heidelberg | West Germany | Rhein-Neckar-Halle |
| 4 December 1980 | Essen | West Germany | Grugahalle |
| 5 December 1980 | Bremen | West Germany | Stadthalle |
| 7 December 1980 | Frankfurt | West Germany | Festhalle |
| 8 December 1980 | Boblingen | West Germany | Sporthalle Böblingen |
| 9 December 1980 | Saarbrücken | West Germany | Saarlandhalle |
| 10 December 1980 | Hamburg | West Germany | Messehallen |
| 11 December 1980 | Hamburg | West Germany | Messehallen |
| 13 December 1980 | Strasbourg | France | Hall Rhenus |
| 14 December 1980 | Zürich | Switzerland | Hallenstadion |
| 16 December 1980 | Ravensburg | West Germany | Oberschwabenhalle |
| 17 December 1980 | Munich | West Germany | Olympiahalle |
| 19 December 1980 | Lyon | France | Palais des Sports |
| 20 December 1980 | Lille | France | Foire Expo Internationale |
List of 1981 concerts, showing date, city, country and venue :
| Date | City | Country | Venue |
| 8 January 1981 | Metz | France | Parc Expo |
| 9 January 1981 | Besançon | France | Palais des Sports |
| 10 January 1981 | Grenoble | France | Alpexpo |
| 11 January 1981 | Nice | France | Trinite Stade Municipal |
| 13 January 1981 | Avignon | France | Parc Exposition de Chateaublanc |
| 15 January 1981 | Barcelona | Spain | Palacio Municipal Deportes |
| 17 January 1981 | Madrid | Spain | Pabellon de Deportivo del Real Madrid |
| 18 January 1981 | San Sebastián | Spain | Velodromo Anoeta de San Sebastian |
| 19 January 1981 | Toulouse | France | Hall Expo |
| 20 January 1981 | Pau | France | Foire Expo Hall F |
| 22 January 1981 | Le Mans | France | La Rotonde |
| 23 January 1981 | Brest | France | Parc de Penfeld |
| 24 January 1981 | Caen | France | Hall Expo |
| 25 January 1981 | Brussels | Belgium | Forest National |
| 1 February 1981 | Osaka | Japan | Expo Hall |
| 2 February 1981 | Nagoya | Japan | Shi Kokaido Hall |
| 4 February 1981 | Tokyo | Japan | Nihon Seinenkan |
| 5 February 1981 | Tokyo | Japan | Nihon Seinenkan |
| 13 February 1981 | Perth | Australia | Perth Entertainment Centre |
| 17 February 1981 | Adelaide | Australia | Memorial Drive |
| 23 February 1981 | Sydney | Australia | Sydney Showground |
| 24 February 1981 | Brisbane | Australia | Festival Hall |
| 25 February 1981 | Brisbane | Australia | Festival Hall |
| 27 February 1981 | Melbourne | Australia | Sidney Myer Music Bowl |
| 28 February 1981 | Melbourne | Australia | Sidney Myer Music Bowl |

### Cancelled dates

List of cancelled dates, showing date, city, country, venue and reason for cancellation :
| Date (1980) | City | Country | Venue | Reason |
| 6 July | Nijmegen | Netherlands | De Vereeniging | Low ticket sales (120 sold) |
| 16 August | Thornville | United States | Legend Valley | — |
| 27 August | Lafayette | United States | Le Centre Civique | — |
| 19 November | Copenhagen | Denmark | Odd Fellow Palæet | Stage set did not fit |

### Box office score data

List of box office score data with date, city, venue, attendance, gross, references :
| Date (1980) | City | Venue | Attendance | Gross |
| 14 July | Calgary, Canada | Max Bell Arena | 3,426 | $33,072 |
| 16 July | Vancouver, Canada | Pacific Coliseum | 8,197 | $73,773 |
| 20 July | Thunder Bay, Canada | Fort William Gardens | 4,249 | $34,929 |
| 28 July | Toronto, Canada | Maple Leaf Gardens | 8,500 | $80,750 |
| 1 August | New York City, United States | Palladium | 3,385 | $30,400 |
| 13 August | Knoxville, United States | Coliseum | 6,886 | $54,170 |
| 15 August | Johnson City, United States | Freedom Hall | 6,146 | $48,959 |
| 6 September | Oakland, United States | Auditorium | 6,500 | $62,350 |
| 10 September | Lincoln, United States | Pershing Auditorium | 4,529 | $35,343 |
| 13 September | Milwaukee, United States | Auditorium | 6,000 | $51,493 |
| 14 September | Madison, United States | Dane County Coliseum | 10,100 | $80,701 |
| 18 September | St. Louis, United States | Kiel Opera House | 3,519 | $30,367 |
| 27 September | Detroit, United States | Cobo Arena | 11,137 | $107,843 |
| 30 September | Pittsburgh, United States | Stanley Theatre | 3,742 | $32,002 |
| 3 October | Rochester, United States | War Memorial Auditorium | 10,200 | $76,331 |
| 10–11 October | Boston, United States | Orpheum Theatre | 5,600 | $51,059 |

## Personnel

* Angus Young – lead guitar
* Cliff Williams – bass guitar, backing vocals
* Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
* Phil Rudd – drums
* Brian Johnson – lead vocals