# Hide Your Sheep Tour

The Hide Your Sheep Tour was a concert tour by hard rock band Van Halen in support of their fifth studio album Diver Down.

## Background

When the North American leg of the tour had concluded, the band accepted an offer to perform in South America as they had never performed there. The South American leg was dubbed the "No Problems Tour" when they performed there for a month. After performing in South America, the band concluded the tour with a performance in San Bernardino, performing as a headliner for "Heavy Metal Day" on May 29, 1983 as part of the US Festival alongside headliners Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Quiet Riot, Triumph and Mötley Crüe. They were reportedly paid $1.5 million for their performance at the US Festival despite the disappointment of the festival's organizers. During this tour, Eddie Van Halen began to use Kramer guitars which had been endorsed in early 1982, notably with a custom double neck. Relations between the members of the band were beginning to hit an all-time low due to the constant partying, which resulted in the band arguing with one another, and creating grudges.

## Reception

Pete Bishop from the Pittsburgh Press gave Van Halen's performance a mixed review. He opened by stating that the reader should forget the show for a moment, and note the aspect of the show being David Lee Roth who Bishop wrote was giving an "obnoxious, disgusting exhibition" which the band did not need. He added about the fan response when they threw things on stage and jumped on stage only to get tossed back off while also noting problems that happened before the show. When going to the show, he praised the entertainment and the lighting such as the strobe lights at the base of Alex Van Halen's drum platform. Adding to the term 'entertainment', Bishop stated that they were in the best physical rock 'n' roll tradition too - adding praise to Roth's vocals. He, however, criticized that the volume had ruled too often, drowning out Roth's vocals in a muddle of bass and drums, making it almost impossible to recognize songs.
Dave Stuckrath from the Lakeland Ledger gave the performance he attended in Lakeland a poor rating, opening his review by stating that the band was more spectacle than music. He criticized the set as being poorly paced and uneven - only to be saved by their pyrotechnic lighting effects. He also added about the deafening wall of sound which rendered the music and lyrics meaningless than their records. He noted that a Van Halen concert was flashy but was musically and emotionally empty, having to rely on gimmicks and Roth's usage of obscene words and gestures. According to Stuckrath, they did nothing but "degrade rock 'n' roll's past, including that there was nothing original about their music and behavior. He concluded his review, saying that the audience had missed the opening acts which he said were the most entertaining part of the evening. The paper later published a letter by Candy Blank, a fan at the concert, who slammed Stuckrath's criticism, said the crowd was hardly bored, and called the music "fantastic".

## Tour dates

| Date | City | Country | Venue |
| North America ||||
| July 14, 1982 | Augusta | United States | Augusta Civic Center |
| July 16, 1982 | Greensboro | United States | Greensboro Coliseum |
| July 17, 1982 | Charlotte | United States | Charlotte Coliseum |
| July 18, 1982 | Columbia | United States | Carolina Coliseum |
| July 20, 1982 | Knoxville | United States | Knoxville Civic Coliseum |
| July 22, 1982 | Birmingham | United States | Jefferson Civic Center |
| July 23, 1982 | Jackson | United States | Mississippi Coliseum |
| July 24, 1982 | Biloxi | United States | Mississippi Coast Coliseum |
| July 27, 1982 | Nashville | United States | Nashville Municipal Auditorium |
| July 29, 1982 | Trotwood | United States | Hara Arena |
| July 30, 1982 | Louisville | United States | Freedom Hall |
| July 31, 1982 | Fort Wayne | United States | Allen County War Memorial Coliseum |
| August 3, 1982 | Rockford | United States | Rockford MetroCenter |
| August 4, 1982 | Des Moines | United States | Veterans Memorial Auditorium |
| August 6, 1982 | St. Louis | United States | Checkerdome |
| August 7, 1982 | Kansas City | United States | Kemper Arena |
| August 8, 1982 | Omaha | United States | Omaha Civic Auditorium |
| August 10, 1982 | Saint Paul | United States | St. Paul Civic Center |
| August 11, 1982 | Madison | United States | Dane County Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
| August 13, 1982 | Detroit | United States | Cobo Arena |
| August 14, 1982 | Detroit | United States | Cobo Arena |
| August 15, 1982 | Detroit | United States | Cobo Arena |
| August 17, 1982 | Milwaukee | United States | MECCA Arena |
| August 18, 1982 | Green Bay | United States | Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena |
| August 19, 1982 | Chicago | United States | UIC Pavilion |
| August 21, 1982 | Richfield | United States | Richfield Coliseum |
| September 1, 1982 | Portland | United States | Portland Memorial Coliseum |
| September 2, 1982 | Seattle | United States | Seattle Center Coliseum |
| September 3, 1982 | Vancouver | Canada | Pacific Coliseum |
| September 5, 1982 | Fresno | United States | Selland Arena |
| September 7, 1982 | Phoenix | United States | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
| September 9, 1982 | Inglewood | United States | The Forum |
| September 10, 1982 | Inglewood | United States | The Forum |
| September 11, 1982 | Inglewood | United States | The Forum |
| September 14, 1982 | Daly City | United States | Cow Palace |
| September 15, 1982 | Daly City | United States | Cow Palace |
| September 17, 1982 | Las Vegas | United States | Aladdin Theatre |
| September 19, 1982 | El Paso | United States | El Paso County Coliseum |
| September 21, 1982 | Oklahoma City | United States | Myriad Convention Center |
| September 22, 1982 | Tulsa | United States | Tulsa Assembly Center |
| September 23, 1982 | Houston | United States | The Summit |
| September 24, 1982 | Houston | United States | The Summit |
| September 25, 1982 | Shreveport | United States | Hirsch Memorial Coliseum |
| September 26, 1982 | Casper | United States | Casper Events Center |
| October 7, 1982 | New Haven | United States | New Haven Coliseum |
| October 8, 1982 | New York City | United States | Madison Square Garden |
| October 9, 1982 | Syracuse | United States | Carrier Dome |
| October 11, 1982 | Landover | United States | Capital Centre |
| October 12, 1982 | Landover | United States | Capital Centre |
| October 15, 1982 | East Rutherford | United States | Brendan Byrne Arena |
| October 16, 1982 | East Rutherford | United States | Brendan Byrne Arena |
| October 18, 1982 | Uniondale | United States | Nassau Coliseum |
| October 19, 1982 | Philadelphia | United States | Spectrum |
| October 20, 1982 | Philadelphia | United States | Spectrum |
| October 22, 1982 | Worcester | United States | Worcester Centrum |
| October 23, 1982 | Worcester | United States | Worcester Centrum |
| October 24, 1982 | Worcester | United States | Worcester Centrum |
| October 26, 1982 | Toronto | Canada | Maple Leaf Gardens |
| October 27, 1982 | Montreal | Canada | Montreal Forum |
| October 30, 1982 | Roanoke | United States | Roanoke Civic Center |
| October 31, 1982 | Hampton | United States | Hampton Coliseum |
| November 1, 1982 | Pittsburgh | United States | Pittsburgh Civic Arena |
| November 3, 1982 | Atlanta | United States | Omni Coliseum |
| November 5, 1982 | Cincinnati | United States | Riverfront Coliseum |
| November 6, 1982 | Lexington | United States | Rupp Arena |
| November 7, 1982 | Chattanooga | United States | UTC Arena |
| November 13, 1982 | Uniondale | United States | Nassau Coliseum |
| November 14, 1982 | East Rutherford | United States | Brendan Byrne Arena |
| November 15, 1982 | East Rutherford | United States | Brendan Byrne Arena |
| November 18, 1982 | Dallas | United States | Reunion Arena |
| November 19, 1982 | Dallas | United States | Reunion Arena |
| November 20, 1982 | Austin | United States | Frank Erwin Center |
| November 22, 1982 | San Antonio | United States | San Antonio Convention Center |
| November 24, 1982 | Valley Center | United States | Kansas Coliseum |
| November 26, 1982 | Baton Rouge | United States | Riverside Centroplex |
| November 28, 1982 | Mobile | United States | Mobile Municipal Auditorium |
| November 29, 1982 | Huntsville | United States | Von Braun Civic Center |
| November 30, 1982 | Asheville | United States | Asheville Civic Center |
| December 2, 1982 | Memphis | United States | Mid-South Coliseum |
| December 4, 1982 | Johnson City | United States | Freedom Hall Civic Center |
| December 5, 1982 | Raleigh | United States | Reynolds Coliseum |
| December 7, 1982 | Lakeland | United States | Lakeland Civic Center |
| December 9, 1982 | Pembroke Pines | United States | Hollywood Sportatorium |
| December 10, 1982 | Pembroke Pines | United States | Hollywood Sportatorium |
| December 11, 1982 | Jacksonville | United States | Jacksonville Coliseum |
| South America ||||
| January 16, 1983 | Caracas | Venezuela | Poliedro de Caracas |
| January 17, 1983 | Caracas | Venezuela | Poliedro de Caracas |
| January 18, 1983 | Caracas | Venezuela | Poliedro de Caracas |
| January 21, 1983 | São Paulo | Brazil | Ginásio do Ibirapuera |
| January 22, 1983 | São Paulo | Brazil | Ginásio do Ibirapuera |
| January 23, 1983 | São Paulo | Brazil | Ginásio do Ibirapuera |
| January 25, 1983 | Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | Ginásio do Maracanãzinho |
| January 26, 1983 | Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | Ginásio do Maracanãzinho |
| January 27, 1983 | Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | Ginásio do Maracanãzinho |
| January 28, 1983 | Porto Alegre | Brazil | Gigantinho |
| January 29, 1983 | Porto Alegre | Brazil | Gigantinho |
| February 1, 1983 | Porto Alegre | Brazil | Gigantinho |
| February 5, 1983 | Montevideo | Uruguay | Cilindro Municipal |
| February 11, 1983 | Buenos Aires | Argentina | Estadio Obras Sanitarias |
| February 12, 1983 | Buenos Aires | Argentina | Estadio Obras Sanitarias |
| US Festival ||||
| May 29, 1983 | Devore | United States | Glen Helen Pavilion |

### Box office score data

List of box office score data with date, city, venue, attendance, gross, references :
| Date (1982) | City | Venue | Attendance | Gross |
| July 14 | Augusta, United States | Civic Center | 7,779 | $79,755 |
| July 16 | Greensboro, United States | Coliseum | 11,498 | $119,443 |
| July 17 | Charlotte, United States | Coliseum | 12,610 | $126,153 |
| July 18 | Columbia, United States | Carolina Coliseum | 9,940 | $98,922 |
| July 20 | Knoxville, United States | Coliseum | 9,752 | $99,531 |
| July 22 | Birmingham, United States | Jefferson Civic Center | 16,000 | $166,000 |
| July 24 | Biloxi, United States | Mississippi Coast Coliseum | 14,941 | $153,890 |
| July 30 | Louisville, United States | Freedom Hall | 17,601 | $150,602 |
| July 31 | Fort Wayne, United States | Coliseum | 9,000 | $84,455 |
| August 3 | Rockford, United States | Metro Centre | 8,110 | $99,275 |
| August 4 | Des Moines, United States | Memorial Auditorium | 10,625 | $99,695 |
| August 11 | Madison, United States | Dane County Coliseum | 10,100 | $94,601 |
| August 17 | Milwaukee, United States | MECCA Arena | 8,500 | $85,293 |
| September 1 | Portland, United States | Coliseum | 11,000 | $136,275 |
| September 2 | Seattle, United States | Seattle Center Coliseum | 14,906 | $149,136 |
| September 3 | Vancouver, Canada | Pacific Coliseum | 11,748 | $145,789 |
| September 5 | Fresno, United States | Selland Arena | 7,200 | $69,615 |
| September 7 | Phoenix, United States | Coliseum | 15,800 | $165,900 |
| September 9–11 | Inglewood, United States | Forum | 43,212 | $520,717 |
| September 14–15 | San Francisco, United States | Cow Palace | 29,000 | $325,123 |
| September 23–24 | Houston, United States | Summit | 34,096 | $321,099 |
| October 7 | New Haven, United States | Coliseum | 9,900 | $111,719 |
| October 8 | New York City, United States | Madison Square Garden | 16,258 | $206,896 |
| October 9 | Syracuse, United States | Carrier Dome | 30,128 | $301,280 |
| October 19–20 | Philadelphia, United States | Spectrum | 29,401 | $300,474 |
| October 22–24 | Worcester, United States | Centrum | 32,636 | $364,642 |
| October 26 | Toronto, Canada | Maple Leaf Gardens | 14,399 | $173,358 |
| October 30 | Roanoke, United States | Civic Center | 11,000 | $120,744 |
| October 31 | Hampton, United States | Coliseum | 13,800 | $144,438 |
| November 5 | Cincinnati, United States | Riverfront Coliseum | 12,360 | $131,383 |
| November 7 | Chattanooga, United States | UTC Arena | 9,823 | $98,621 |
| November 13 | Uniondale, United States | Nassau Coliseum | 13,909 | $182,103 |
| November 14–15 | East Rutherford, United States | Brendan Byrne Arena | 35,888 | $454,122 |
| November 20 | Austin, United States | Frank Erwin Center | 13,232 | $131,016 |
| November 22 | San Antonio, United States | Convention Center | 13,081 | $126,799 |
| December 2 | Memphis, United States | Mid-South Coliseum | 10,162 | $106,115 |
| December 7 | Lakeland, United States | Civic Center | 10,000 | $107,446 |
| December 9–10 | Miami, United States | Hollywood Sportatorium | 21,921 | $246,611 |
| December 11 | Jacksonville, United States | Memorial Coliseum | 11,628 | $127,271 |

## Personnel

* Eddie Van Halen – guitar, backing vocals
* David Lee Roth – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
* Michael Anthony – bass, backing vocals
* Alex Van Halen – drums