# 1984 Tour

The 1984 Tour was a concert tour by hard rock band Van Halen in support of their sixth studio album 1984.

## Background

The stage set which was named "Metropolis" was described as the largest production ever taken on the road by a rock band, which consisted of approximately 175 tons of equipment and special effects which had to be hoisted and operated by a hundred chain motors, eight trucks to transport and five buses with almost 100 people to organize. On the stage were five crane devices that rose and lowered the lighting during the show, and at the conclusion of the show, would turn 90 degrees to spell out the numbers "1984" in bright white colors. The glam metal band Autograph supported Van Halen on a majority of their North American shows. At the time of the final three North American shows, Eddie Van Halen made a guest appearance on the Jacksons' Victory Tour, performing "Beat It" alongside Michael Jackson, when he and the rest of Van Halen were in Irving, Texas. Following the North American leg, the band flew off to Europe to perform on the Monsters of Rock tour which was part of the tour. At the conclusion of the tour, David Lee Roth left Van Halen as relations between him and the other members were at an all-time low.

## Reception

Bob Andelman, a reporter from the St. Petersburg Times gave the Lakeland performance a positive review. Alongside his opening statements, he agreed heavily that Eddie Van Halen was the best guitarist working steadily who had knocked 10,000 screaming teenage fans over with his dazzling musical integrity and precision. Aside from the guitarist, Andelman praised the strong performances from Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen and David Lee Roth, adding that Roth had added color and 'a touch of the circus' to the show. He also enjoyed the setlist, to which he praised the pleasure sensation of "Jump" which he said had caused the floor of the venue to reverberate and shake.
Michael Logan, a critic from The Day who had attended the New Haven concert gave the performance a positive review. He praised the band's sound as unique among heavy metal units due to the dynamics of Eddie Van Halen's guitar playing - but did not leave out Michael Anthony's bass solo, which Logan claimed that he thought Anthony was break-dancing. Logan added that both the lighting system for the show would make 'E.T. blush' and that the release of 1984 was timed to perfection, even though he said that Fair Warning was still his favorite album from the band. He concluded his review by stating the show was spectacle with the mention of the band having put other bands they were competing with to the dust but stated: "But this is 1984 and we're stuck with it."
Ethlie Ann Vare from Billboard who attended the Inglewood performance had stated: "A Van Halen concert is half rock, half vaudeville and half again as loud, raunchy, energetic, flashy and manic as it needs to be. Everything they did, they overdid. The monumental motor-driven lighting trusses looked like a prop from 'V: The Final Battle,' and threw off enough wattage to illuminate three night ballgames."

## Tour dates

List of concerts, showing date, city, country and venue :
| Date | City | Country | Venue |
| North America ||||
| January 18, 1984 | Jacksonville | United States | Jacksonville Coliseum |
| January 20, 1984 | Pembroke Pines | United States | Hollywood Sportatorium |
| January 21, 1984 | Pembroke Pines | United States | Hollywood Sportatorium |
| January 22, 1984 | Lakeland | United States | Lakeland Civic Center |
| January 24, 1984 | Little Rock | United States | Barton Coliseum |
| January 25, 1984 | Memphis | United States | Mid-South Coliseum |
| January 26, 1984 | Jackson | United States | Mississippi Coliseum |
| January 28, 1984 | Biloxi | United States | Mississippi Coast Coliseum |
| January 29, 1984 | Birmingham | United States | Jefferson Civic Coliseum |
| February 1, 1984 | Charlotte | United States | Charlotte Coliseum |
| February 3, 1984 | Greensboro | United States | Greensboro Coliseum |
| February 4, 1984 | Roanoke | United States | Roanoke Civic Center |
| February 5, 1984 | Charleston | United States | Charleston Civic Coliseum |
| February 7, 1984 | Trotwood | United States | Hara Arena |
| February 9, 1984 | Louisville | United States | Freedom Hall |
| February 10, 1984 | Knoxville | United States | Knoxville Civic Coliseum |
| February 11, 1984 | Nashville | United States | Nashville Municipal Auditorium |
| February 12, 1984 | Richmond | United States | Richmond Coliseum |
| February 14, 1984 | Charlotte | United States | Charlotte Coliseum |
| February 15, 1984 | Hampton | United States | Hampton Coliseum |
| February 17, 1984 | Columbia | United States | Carolina Coliseum |
| February 18, 1984 | Raleigh | United States | Reynolds Coliseum |
| February 19, 1984 | Augusta | United States | Augusta Civic Center |
| February 22, 1984 | Atlanta | United States | Omni Coliseum |
| February 23, 1984 | Atlanta | United States | Omni Coliseum |
| March 7, 1984 | Pittsburgh | United States | Pittsburgh Civic Arena |
| March 8, 1984 | Cincinnati | United States | Cincinnati Gardens |
| March 9, 1984 | Cincinnati | United States | Cincinnati Gardens |
| March 11, 1984 | Saint Paul | United States | St. Paul Civic Center |
| March 13, 1984 | Rosemont | United States | Rosemont Horizon |
| March 14, 1984 | Richfield | United States | Richfield Coliseum |
| March 16, 1984 | Worcester | United States | The Centrum |
| March 17, 1984 | Providence | United States | Providence Civic Center |
| March 18, 1984 | Providence | United States | Providence Civic Center |
| March 20, 1984 | Philadelphia | United States | Spectrum |
| March 21, 1984 | Philadelphia | United States | Spectrum |
| March 22, 1984 | Buffalo | United States | Buffalo Memorial Auditorium |
| March 24, 1984 | New Haven | United States | New Haven Coliseum |
| March 25, 1984 | Landover | United States | Capital Centre |
| March 26, 1984 | Landover | United States | Capital Centre |
| March 29, 1984 | Hartford | United States | Hartford Civic Center |
| March 30, 1984 | New York City | United States | Madison Square Garden |
| March 31, 1984 | New York City | United States | Madison Square Garden |
| April 2, 1984 | East Rutherford | United States | Brendan Byrne Arena |
| April 3, 1984 | East Rutherford | United States | Brendan Byrne Arena |
| April 5, 1984 | Detroit | United States | Cobo Arena |
| April 6, 1984 | Detroit | United States | Cobo Arena |
| April 14, 1984 | Uniondale | United States | Nassau Coliseum |
| April 17, 1984 | Toronto | Canada | Maple Leaf Gardens |
| April 19, 1984 | Montreal | Canada | Montreal Forum |
| April 21, 1984 | Quebec City | Canada | Quebec Coliseum |
| April 25, 1984 | Winnipeg | Canada | Winnipeg Arena |
| April 27, 1984 | Calgary | Canada | Saddledome |
| April 28, 1984 | Edmonton | Canada | Northlands Coliseum |
| April 30, 1984 | Seattle | United States | Seattle Center Coliseum |
| May 1, 1984 | Vancouver | Canada | Pacific Coliseum |
| May 2, 1984 | Portland | United States | Portland Memorial Coliseum |
| May 4, 1984 | Boise | United States | BSU Pavilion |
| May 5, 1984 | Pocatello | United States | Minidome |
| May 7, 1984 | Reno | United States | Lawlor Events Center |
| May 9, 1984 | Daly City | United States | Cow Palace |
| May 10, 1984 | Daly City | United States | Cow Palace |
| May 11, 1984 | Daly City | United States | Cow Palace |
| May 13, 1984 | Inglewood | United States | The Forum |
| May 14, 1984 | Inglewood | United States | The Forum |
| May 15, 1984 | Las Vegas | United States | Thomas & Mack Center |
| May 17, 1984 | Phoenix | United States | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
| May 19, 1984 | Phoenix | United States | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
| May 20, 1984 | San Diego | United States | San Diego Sports Arena |
| May 21, 1984 | San Diego | United States | San Diego Sports Arena |
| June 2, 1984 | Denver | United States | McNichols Sports Arena |
| June 3, 1984 | Denver | United States | McNichols Sports Arena |
| June 5, 1984 | Salt Lake City | United States | Salt Palace |
| June 7, 1984 | Albuquerque | United States | Tingley Coliseum |
| June 8, 1984 | Albuquerque | United States | Tingley Coliseum |
| June 10, 1984 | Austin | United States | Frank Erwin Center |
| June 11, 1984 | San Antonio | United States | San Antonio Convention Center |
| June 13, 1984 | Baton Rouge | United States | LSU Assembly Center |
| June 15, 1984 | Oklahoma City | United States | Myriad Convention Center |
| June 16, 1984 | Oklahoma City | United States | Myriad Convention Center |
| June 17, 1984 | Valley Center | United States | Britt Brown Arena |
| June 20, 1984 | Kansas City | United States | Kemper Arena |
| June 21, 1984 | Kansas City | United States | Kemper Arena |
| June 23, 1984 | Omaha | United States | Omaha Civic Auditorium |
| June 24, 1984 | Omaha | United States | Omaha Civic Auditorium |
| June 26, 1984 | St. Louis | United States | St. Louis Arena |
| June 27, 1984 | St. Louis | United States | St. Louis Arena |
| June 29, 1984 | Peoria | United States | Peoria Civic Center |
| June 30, 1984 | Fort Wayne | United States | Allen County War Memorial Coliseum |
| July 1, 1984 | Rockford | United States | Rockford MetroCenter |
| July 3, 1984 | Madison | United States | Dane County Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
| July 5, 1984 | Indianapolis | United States | Market Square Arena |
| July 6, 1984 | Indianapolis | United States | Market Square Arena |
| July 7, 1984 | Evansville | United States | Roberts Municipal Stadium |
| July 10, 1984 | Houston | United States | The Summit |
| July 11, 1984 | Houston | United States | The Summit |
| July 12, 1984 | Houston | United States | The Summit |
| July 14, 1984 | Dallas | United States | Reunion Arena |
| July 15, 1984 | Dallas | United States | Reunion Arena |
| July 16, 1984 | Dallas | United States | Reunion Arena |
| Monsters of Rock ||||
| August 18, 1984 | Castle Donington | England | Donington Park |
| August 25, 1984 | Stockholm | Sweden | Råsunda Stadium |
| August 31, 1984 | Winterthur | Switzerland | Stadion Schützenwiese |
| September 1, 1984 | Karlsruhe | West Germany | Wildparkstadion |
| September 2, 1984 | Nuremberg | West Germany | Städtisches Stadion |

### Box office score data

List of box office score data with date, city, venue, attendance, gross, references :
| Date (1984) | City | Venue | Attendance | Gross | Ref(s) |
| June 10 | Austin, United States | Frank Erwin Center | 15,290 | $154,431 | |

## Personnel

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