# The Seize the Night Tour

Seize the Night, also known as the Three Bats tour, is a 2007 world tour by Meat Loaf to promote the album Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose.
Some concerts in April were cancelled due to Meat Loaf's ill health. Just over an hour into a concert in Newcastle upon Tyne on October 31, 2007, he told the audience that it was the last of his life, and walked off stage. He was later diagnosed with an "inter-vocal cord cyst" and cancelled the remaining dates on his European tour. Playing down the comments he made at Newcastle, in a statement he said "I'll be back."
A DVD of the tour was released in October 2007, entitled 3 Bats Live. It also contains a bonus disc featuring the promotional videos and animations from Bat III. The DVD also features Meat Loaf: In Search of Paradise, a documentary about the tour.

## Musicians

Many musicians from recent tours returned to play in the Neverland Express band. The most major change was the departure of Patti Russo, who had toured with Meat Loaf for 13 years. Vocalist Aspen Miller and saxophonist/keyboardist Dave Luther joined the band. He opened the show as lead on "All Revved up with No Place to Go".
Paul Crook, Randy Flowers, Mark Alexander, and John Miceli performed on lead guitar, guitar, piano and drums, respectively. Kasim Sulton was bass guitar and musical director.
Marion Raven joined Meat Loaf for the first leg. She was the supporting act, promoting her album Set Me Free. Meat Loaf introduced her on stage at the latter stages of the concerts to duet on "It's All Coming Back to Me Now". Supporting acts for the second leg included backing singer C.C. Colletti and Mother Pearl.

## Dates

| Date | City | Country | Venue | Notes |
| Leg I |||||
| February 23, 2007 | Pala | United States | Pala Casino | |
| February 28, 2007 | Victoria | Canada | Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre | |
| March 2, 2007 | Vancouver | Canada | Pacific Coliseum | |
| March 4, 2007 | Edmonton | Canada | Rexall Place | |
| March 6, 2007 | Kelowna | Canada | Prospera Place | |
| March 8, 2007 | Calgary | Canada | Pengrowth Saddledome | |
| March 11, 2007 | Winnipeg | Canada | MTS Centre | |
| March 14, 2007 | Toronto | Canada | Hummingbird Centre | |
| March 16, 2007 | Ottawa | Canada | Scotiabank Place | |
| March 18, 2007 | London | Canada | John Labatt Centre | |
| March 20, 2007 | Hamilton | Canada | Copps Coliseum | |
| March 22, 2007 | Syracuse | United States | War Memorial at Oncenter | |
| March 24, 2007 | Upper Darby Township | United States | Tower Theater | |
| March 26, 2007 | Poughkeepsie | United States | Mid-Hudson Civic Center | |
| March 28, 2007 | Binghamton | United States | Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena | |
| March 30, 2007 | Hershey | United States | Giant Center | |
| April 1, 2007 | Washington, D.C. | United States | DAR Constitution Hall | Postponed to April 16 |
| April 3, 2007 | Clearwater | United States | Ruth Eckerd Hall | Rescheduled for September 1 |
| April 5, 2007 | Boca Raton | United States | Mizner Amphitheater | Stopped after four songs; rescheduled for August 30 |
| April 7, 2007 | Orlando | United States | Hard Rock Live | Canceled |
| April 10, 2007 | Wallingford | United States | Chevrolet Theatre | Canceled |
| April 12, 2007 | New York City | United States | Theater @ Madison Square Garden | Rescheduled for July 18 |
| April 13, 2007 | New York City | United States | Theater @ Madison Square Garden | Rescheduled for July 20 |
| April 16, 2007 | Washington, D.C. | United States | DAR Constitution Hall | |
| Europe |||||
| May 10, 2007 | Manchester | England | Manchester Evening News Arena | |
| May 12, 2007 | Manchester | England | Manchester Evening News Arena | |
| May 14, 2007 | Birmingham | England | NEC Arena | |
| May 16, 2007 | Birmingham | England | NEC Arena | |
| May 18, 2007 | Glasgow | Scotland | SECC | |
| May 20, 2007 | Newcastle upon Tyne | England | Metro Radio Arena | |
| May 23, 2007 | London | England | Wembley Arena | |
| May 25, 2007 | London | England | Wembley Arena | |
| May 27, 2007 | Sheffield | England | Hallam FM Arena | |
| May 29, 2007 | Sheffield | England | Hallam FM Arena | |
| May 31, 2007 | Belfast | Northern Ireland | Odyssey Arena | |
| June 2, 2007 | Dublin | Ireland | The Point | |
| June 4, 2007 | Dublin | Ireland | The Point | |
| June 7, 2007 | Sölvesborg | Sweden | Sweden Rock Festival | |
| June 9, 2007 | Middelfart | Denmark | Rock Under Broen | |
| June 12, 2007 | Hamburg | Germany | Color Line Arena | |
| June 14, 2007 | Cologne | Germany | Cologne Arena | |
| June 17, 2007 | Munich | Germany | Olympiahalle | |
| June 19, 2007 | Stuttgart | Germany | Schleyerhalle | |
| June 21, 2007 | Frankfurt | Germany | Festhalle Frankfurt | |
| June 23, 2007 | Frankfurt | Germany | Yello Strom World Bowl XV, Commerzbank-Arena | |
| June 25, 2007 | Basel | Switzerland | St. Jakob Arena | |
| June 27, 2007 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Heineken Music Hall | |
| June 29, 2007 | Bristol | England | Ashton Gate Football Ground | |
| North America |||||
| July 18, 2007 | New York City | United States | Theater @ Madison Square Garden | |
| July 20, 2007 | New York City | United States | Theater @ Madison Square Garden | |
| July 22, 2007 | Saratoga Springs | United States | Saratoga Performing Arts Center | |
| July 24, 2007 | Corfu | United States | Darien Lake Performing Arts Center | |
| July 27, 2007 | Uncasville | United States | Mohegan Sun Arena | |
| July 29, 2007 | Holmdel Township | United States | PNC Bank Arts Center | |
| July 31, 2007 | Watertown | United States | Watertown Fairgrounds | |
| August 2, 2007 | Scranton | United States | Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain | |
| August 4, 2007 | Clearfiled | United States | Clearfield County Fair | |
| August 6, 2007 | Bethlehem | United States | Musikfest | |
| August 9, 2007 | Cleveland | United States | Time Warner Cable Amphitheater at Tower City | |
| August 11, 2007 | Gilford | United States | Meadowbrook Musical Arts Center | |
| August 13, 2007 | Montreal | Canada | Bell Centre | |
| August 16, 2007 | Rama | Canada | Casino Rama | |
| August 18, 2007 | Atlantic City | United States | Borgata Events Center | |
| August 20, 2007 | Boston | United States | Bank of America Pavilion | |
| August 22, 2007 | Wantagh | United States | Nikon at Jones Beach Theater | |
| August 24, 2007 | Tunica Resorts | United States | Grand Casino | |
| August 28, 2007 | Orlando | United States | Hard Rock Live | Rescheduled from April 8 |
| August 30, 2007 | Boca Raton | United States | Mizner Amphitheater | Rescheduled from April 5 |
| September 1, 2007 | Clearwater | United States | Ruth Eckerd Hall | Rescheduled from April 3 |
| September 3, 2007 | Atlanta | United States | Chastain Park Amphitheatre | |
| Europe |||||
| October 18, 2007 | Dortmund | Germany | Westfalenhalle | |
| October 20, 2007 | Leipzig | Germany | Leipzig Arena | |
| October 22, 2007 | Mannheim | Germany | SAP Arena | |
| October 24, 2007 | Nuremberg | Germany | Nuremberg Arena | |
| October 26, 2007 | Bremen | Germany | AWD-Dome | |
| October 28, 2007 | Glasgow | Scotland | SECC |
| October 31, 2007 | Newcastle upon Tyne | England | Metro Radio Arena | Cut short after 1hr 18mins. |
| November 2, 2007 | Birmingham | England | NEC Arena | Cancelled |
| November 4, 2007 | Manchester | England | Manchester Evening News Arena | Rescheduled for November 27 |
| November 6, 2007 | London | England | Wembley Arena | Cancelled |
| November 8, 2007 | Nottingham | England | Nottingham Arena | Cancelled |
| November 11, 2007 | Cardiff | Wales | Cardiff International Arena | Cancelled |
| November 2007 | Horsens | Denmark | | Cancelled |
| November 2007 | Bergen | Norway | | Cancelled |
| November 2007 | Stockholm | Sweden | | Cancelled |
| November 2007 | Belfast | Northern Ireland | | Cancelled |
| November 27, 2007 | Manchester | England | Evening News Arena | Cancelled |

## Set list

* "All Revved Up with No Place to Go" (part)
* "Paradise by the Dashboard Light"
* "You Took the Words Right out of My Mouth"
* "Out of the Frying Pan (And Into the Fire)"
* "Life Is a Lemon and I Want My Money Back"
* "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)"
* "Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer than They Are"
* "Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through"
* "Seize the Night" (part)
* "The Monster Is Loose"
* "Bad for Good"
* "If It Ain't Broke, Break It"
* "Blind as a Bat"
* "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad"
* "Bat Out of Hell"
* "Black Betty"
* "It's All Coming Back to Me Now"
* "Mercury Blues"
* "Gimme Shelter"
Other songs:
* "In the Land of the Pig, The Butcher Is King" (replaced The Monster Is Loose)
* "I'm Gonna Love Her for Both of Us" (played since Dortmund, planned for cancelled shows)

## Critical reaction

The staging of "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" received a poor critical reaction due to the 32 years age difference between Meat Loaf and Aspen Miller, the latter dressed in a small costume. After consistent comments in the press, the staging was changed so that the band were dressed in 1970s clothing for the song so that it was divorced from reality. Meat Loaf even wore a wig for some concerts so that he appeared as he did when the first Bat album was released in 1977.

## Cancellations

Meat Loaf cancelled some concerts in April due to ill health.
* Singer Meat Loaf falls ill during concert
During a performance in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK on October 31, 2007, at the opening of "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" he suggested that the crowd of thousands should enjoy the performance as it was the last of his career. He attempted to sing the first line of the song, but instead said "Ladies and gentlemen, I love you, thank you for coming, but I can no longer continue." Removing the jacket he was wearing, he thanked the audience for 30 years, said "goodbye forever" and left the stage. The next day his tour promoter, Andrew Miller, refuted that this was the end for Meat Loaf and that he would continue touring after suitable rest.
His management initially claimed that the singer had "acute laryngitis." Nearly a week later he announced that he had been diagnosed with an inter-vocal cyst, and cancelled the remaining dates of his European tour. He announced that he would return, however. He began his Casa de Carne tour in summer 2008 featuring the return of his long-time duet partner Patti Russo. Also, in an attempt to compensate for cutting short the show at Newcastle, he took part in a charity penalty shoot-out at the city's football stadium.