Matt Melis, 54. Site Map In 1991, Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette was opening on tour for Vanilla Ice and probably still best remembered in America for being one of dozens of childhood stars regularly slimed on Nickelodeon in the 80s. Shania Twain- Come on Over Tour (1998-99), Come on Over is one of those albums that hit at the perfect moment. The tour opened ona cathedral backdrop with biblical scriptures booming from the speakersand men dressed as monks filling the stage, before quickly shifting into Madonnas #1 hits "Girl Gone Wild and "Material Girl. Later in the show, Madonna pulled out a fake gun and "shot multiple people, a move that didnt go over well with some audience members. Suddenly, the stakes for her festival rocketed upwards, despite already starting a frenzy beforehand. 1980s Uprising Tour was the largest in Europe that year and saw Marley playing several new countries, including Switzerland, Italy, Ireland, and Scotland. Matt Melis, Some might equate Pearl Jams live show with a young, longhaired Eddie Vedder scaling stage scaffolding and leaping into a sea of denim and flannel. Maybe not, but soon enough everyone else did. Matt Melis, Ramones spent their first two years as a band playing almost exclusively in New York City and, more often than not, at the legendary CBGB. The "A Bigger Bang" concert tour turned out to be the top grossing tour of 2006. Its a classic example of how dynamic music can bring people together from all walks of life. -- Matt Melis, 35. Nina Corcoran, Yes, we can look back to a time before Lindsey Buckingham was fired from Fleetwood Mac. What was the best concert you attended during the 1980s? Pop and the Stooges would go on to get their due as a seminal proto-punk outfit, but their largest impact may just be Pop demonstrating the lengths a frontman could go to connect to an audience. It took me a lifetime to get here, she told them. The honor for top-grossing music tour of all timeis held by U2. Come to think of it, that sounds like an episode of The Osbournes. 1 spot on the charts. Nina Corcoran, Lilith Fair, the brainchild of singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, struck an early victory for womens inclusion in the modern touring industry. However, the first few years were rough going. Though Earl Sweatshirt was still nowhere to be found, it was essentially Odd Future in full form, goofing off onstage, flexing their cadences, and occasionally incitingso-called riots. And live, he could flaunt that wide range of material while flaunting why he is, more than anything else, a born performer. Bee Gees - Spirits Having Flown Tour (1979), The Bee Gees are one of those groups that has more lives than a cat. Shows played: 120 All Rights reserved. December 3, 1980 Previous Dynasty Tour Next 10th Anniversary Tour The Unmasked Tour was a 1980 concert tour by the hard rock group KISS. Against Me! "The Farewell Tourwas no exception. By the time they branched out in 1976 to play new venues in other cities, their reputation had to have proceeded them. The chance to see Hendrix in smaller clubs already playing with his teeth and, yes, lighting his guitar on fire (often to the consternation of security) months before Americans got to see it overseas feels like the ultimate sneak preview. For an artist constantly reaching beyond our collective imagination, Bjrk outdid herself in a way few could have expected or understood, even while watching it unfold before their eyes. Discover with Concertful the best upcoming concerts, gigs and music festivals taking place in your area. Year(s): 200811. Matt Melis, Its understandable that The Jackson 5 and The Jacksons are treated as footnotes in Michael Jacksons career. While its true he wasnt quite yet the King of Pop, catching him on the Victory Tour could definitely be considered seeing him a mere shamone or two away from his throne. Total tour attendance: 2.66 million Neil Youngwith Crazy Horse - Rust Never Sleeps Tour (1978), Theres no denying that Neil Young is a dynamic live performer. Nina Corcoran, Def Jam in the mid-80s can be compared to Motown in its heyday. Their solution also mimicked Motowns strategy throughout the 60s. While it wouldnt be as ambitious as future programs like the narrative-based Velvet Rope Tour, Jacksons Rhythm Nation Tour saw the 23-year-old wow audiences with a virtually nonstop 80 minutes of dancing that many critics say rivalled her brothers. It was only because his records were still selling overseas that the founding father of rock agreed to take Sam Cooke and tour Europe in 62. The list below was born out of some pretty serious arguments. Still, it felt like the odd couple were truly homeward bound when they ended their 10-year separation to play before half a million in their now legendary Concert at Central Park. Critical darlings like Grizzly Bear and Bat for Lashes were tapped as openers, and Kraftwerk opened in Latin America. Between the big hits, the delightful absurd prog solos, and the remarkable improvisations that came from these live renditions, it was a tour thats revered for the vibe, the music, and the outstanding record it birthed as a result. Roger Waters, a founding member of Pink Floyd, embarked on a solo career in the mid-1980s. Arcade Fire was the band whose live shows spread like wildfire. 8 Pink Floyd - 75,250 Garth Brooks The Garth Brooks World Tour (1993-94), To non-country fans, barrel-chested Garth Brooks might be little more than that guy who sang jingles for Dr. Pepper in the early 2000s. -- Matt Melis, 78. In fact, Waters had left the band by the time this Pink Floyd tour took place and wasreplaced by David Gilmour. Nina Corcoran, 05. While its true that Iggy and the Stooges failed to sell records early on, its also documented that the unpredictable outfit put on some of the most intense shows anyone had ever seen. Matt Melis, 57. Matt Melis, 18. The complex arrangements on the new album saw her performing more nuanced, in-depth material both instrumentally and vocally. Shows played: 102 It would also be his last tour, as he would pass away from Melanoma only a few months after finishing the slate. Even more impressive than the bevy of talent was the fact that the tour raised more than 10 million dollars for charities in its successful short run. Odd Future- Golf Wang Tour 2011 (2011), Rap collectives come and go, but Odd Futures lasting effects were made to stand forever. Sadly, few festivals, can claim that kind of identity today. Stacker distribution partners receive a license to all Stacker stories, Matt Melis, 41. Not only did the tour break the record for the highest-grossing tour, but the bands Oct. 25, 2009date at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, also holds therecord for the highest attendance at a single concert with over 97,000 people. "Next to You. That was the first song on their 1978 debut LP. Shows played: 167 The legendary Beatle has everything going in his favor from the start and yet continues to outdo himself and the expectations set for him every time he hits the stage. Stayin alive, stayin alive. Others would say the band was never better than when setting endurance records on a nightly basis on the Wrecking Ball Tour. Matt Melis, 24. and more. Its just a question of which version of Young reigns supreme onstage: the solo folkie, the &Y sometimes added to CSN, or maybe the grunge godfather backed by Crazy Horse. It came as no surprise. Its The Boss at his best. Jorge Ben Jor at Copacabana Beach (1993) - 3 million attendees. So her sound engineer Martin Fisher used a wire clothes hanger to create a wireless headset microphone. Year(s): 200203. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - The So Far Tour (1974), Getting along doesnt always make for the best music. Matt Melis, For half a year, Beyonc didn't just run the world; the world ran around her. For a few years, the Rolling Stones held the title for the top-grossing tour of all timethanks to their "A Bigger Bang tour. Her performance, her costumes, and the stage and multimedia setup had all been taken to new levels for this tour. & Rakim, and elder statesman Whodini in a revue-style format that left no doubt that there was a new type of music on the block. So strange seeing Maynard in the daylight. On one hand, we love to brag when we experience something -- like a song premiere -- at our tour stop that others cant lay claim to. Of all the punk tours of the 2000s, its hard not to look at this 2007 trek and wish you were there. Taylor Swift- The 1989 World Tour (2015), If Taylor Swift is an icon who will go down in history, then the 1989 World Tour is what future generations will study to understand why. Debbie Harry and Blondie are one of the many iconic '80s acts going on tour in 2022.Evan Agostini/Invision/AP. Year(s): 200809, Celine Dions "Taking Chances World Tour marked her return to the touring circuit after taking an extended break for her first Las Vegas residency, "A New Day The tour wasdirected by Jamie King, who also directed Madonnas "Confessions World Tour, and included lots of new material from Dions album"Taking Chances, as well as several of her classics like "My Heart Will Go On and "The Prayer., Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $329,889,628 Though we lost her much too early, millions across the world had the chance to witness Houstons gift on journeys like The Moment of Truth World Tour. Both legs were out of this world, but lets face it: one just makes for a slightly cooler story to tell the grandkids -- Matt Melis, 15. Year(s): 201213. Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan, Tico Torres, Alec John Such, and Richie Sambora made up the original band, which had hits like "Livin on a Prayer and "You Give Love a Bad Name. Their "Because We Can tour was wildly successful, with the grouphitting multiple continents, but it was also full of drama, asSambora quit the band in the middle night, hours before their fourth show. The 35 Greatest Concerts of the Last 35 Years - SPIN For ZZ Top (which sported a much different look from the bearded act known today), the controversy added to their mystique. Year(s): 1994, When Pink Floydplayed their final tour in 1994, only two of the bands founding members (Nick Mason and Richard Wright) took the stage. Whitney Houston - The Moment of Truth World Tour (1987-88), Only a few voices like Whitney Houstons come along each generation. 1 $817,900,000: $870,000,000: Elton John: Farewell . So catching them during their prime would've been a treat not just for their youthful dexterity to play complex parts, but for the general bond that could be felt onstage before bitterness took over. Boz Scaggs - Summer 2023 Tour - Chevalier Theatre Boz Scaggs - Summer 2023 Tour Wed May 17th - 8:00PM Tickets Buy Drinks SEAT TYPE: Fully seated PRICE: $55 - $299 Bio It's appropriate that Boz Scaggs' new album is Out of the Blues, since the blues is what first sparked his five-decade musical career. Otis Redding - 1967 European Tour (1967), Like many on this list, especially artists of color during the American civil rights movement, Otis Redding toured as an ambassador as much as a soul singer. Neutral Milk Hotel - Reunion Tour (2013-15), If you wait long enough, eventually the impossible happens. Napalm Death's 1988 album knocked Sonic Youth out of the No. Total tour attendance: 4.62 million By proving they could outdo Blink-182 in a live comparison, Green Day stood out before release American Idiot shortly after and securing their spot as the pop punks who aged well and had fun doing it. --Matt Melis, Seeing the Goddess of Pop right after her commercial success exploded (yet again) would be one to brag about for the ages. The truth is that many of the same fans who had championed Dylan, revered his songwriting, or looked to him as the voice of their generation thought of plugging in as a waste of talent and a desecration of his message. Various Artists - The Grindcrusher Tour (1989), Back in the late '80s, grind and death metal were busy being born. They brought the squawkish guys in Beastie Boys on tour in support of Raising Hell, only to bring them out again for Together Forever, a tour that showed not only that rap deserved to blow up, but that young rappers did, too. The Rolling Stones: Bridges to Babylon Tour, #6. Year(s): 2017. The final Bruce Springsteen tour on this list, the "Wrecking Ball World Tour has been Springsteens most successful tour to date. The audience responses to Pennimans high-energy show were so intense that word spread, and Brian Epstein, manager of a young band called The Beatles, begged for his act to get to open for Little Richard on some of his dates. While 3.5 million fans were lucky enough to attend the concerts, millions more were able to watch a televised special thatwon three Emmy Awards. And while his fans have had many opportunities to see him play his old hits since then and even perform face-to-face with Elton John dozens of times, footage from the Innocent Man Tour makes us long for, or at least look back fondly on, the days when rock and roll was, well, still rock and roll to Billy Joel. It was a perfect combo of alt-rock come-ups with gusto-filled leaders that only seems more dreamy with age. tour, Cher committed to being over the top, which meant dancing through a variety of costumes or playing into the vaudevillian tinge of her voice. And who can forget those skin-tight pants and spangled jackets? Total tour attendance: 6.34 million Here is everything you need to know, The biggest music festivals in 2022: dates, cities, ticket information, lineups announced, What is MegaSeats? And I miss it when Im not doing it. Here are the people whove done it best. While artists like Madonna doubled down on creative costumes and Janet Jackson would go on to make her shows all about electric dance routines, Houston eschewed much of that showmanship in favor of wowing audiences with her musical creativity: improvising, scatting with her band, or adding jazzy or gospel inflections to her vocal arrangements. ), Future Past Tour by Duran Duran featuring Nile Rodgers and Chic, Against the Odds Tour by Blondie featuring The Damned, Tears for Fears Tipping Point Tour with Garbage, The B-52 Farewell Tour with KC and the Sunshine Band and The Tubes on select dates, Made of Rain Tour by Psychedelic Furs, Joy Division: A Celebration Tour by Peter Hook and The Light, Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour by Elton John, The Whos The Who fought back! The band was already at full force, with their rock and roll ethos well established and Angus Youngs signature schoolboy outfit and trademark hop across stage already iconic rock visuals. Shows played: 53 and Mastodon announced the co-headlining tour during critical points in both bands' careers, especially since it was just before Against Me! Jawbreaker- 2018 Reunion Tour (2018), For 10 solid years, punk fans and emo kids got to soak up the earnest talent that was Jawbreaker. Luckily, hes getting to follow that Yellow Brick Road one last time. Pink Floyd- The Dark Side of the Moon Tour (1972-73), Concertgoers can be a tough crowd to please. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Shows played: 69 Shows played: 88 When did Kanye hit his stride? His songs skipped from bizarre folk to outlier rap to heavy rock and glitchy pop. Nina Corcoran, 16. But Cave turned a period of mourning into a universal acknowledgement of life moving on no matter what you choose to do. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $421,251,623 The band's synthpop was at a musical peak, as was their energy. The alternative dream was still alive . It was The Police in their prime era at their highest point, before drama got in the way. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $320,710,513 Send a Message. Just like the music itself, the tour was a dazzling, repetitive, blisteringly loud spectacle, pushing each person to sensory overload. By this time, the band was not only playing dream venues like Madison Square Garden and Budokan, but selling them out multiple nights. Total tour attendance: 4.13 million It was the first time wireless mics would ever be used onstage. high school Live, the band played their greatest hits and every passage in between, nailing their sets. These days, shes very much a pop artist, and her sixth studio album, "Reputation, proves it. Total tour attendance: 3.65 million While preferences will vary, at least everyone can agree: the In Rainbows tour was a moment of magic in real life. It was the tour where a swatch of die-hard fans who would follow them on tour intentionally decided to fall off, certain Radiohead could never top a tour like this again. "USA for Africa," as the U.S. ensemble was known, featured Jackson, Richie, Geldof, Harry Belafonte, Bob Dylan, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder, and many. In some ways, it felt like Prince was the orchestra leader and finally had all the pieces to conduct his grand vision. But the tour saw him try to outdo himself with a smile once more, whether that was digging out songs that had been untouched for nearly 30 years, like "Long Tall Sally", or touring Asia for the first time in 13 years (and treating them to "Another Girl", marking the first time a Beatle ever played the song live). Like Santa himself, Stevens packed every toy he could imagine: inflatable toys, excessive hats, neverending garland, and one giant wheel to be spun at shows to decide which traditional Christmas songs should be added to a setlist of original Christmas songs. And from that came Horses/Horses, the recorded live set from the festival, including a cover of The Who's "My Generation", to blast from your stereo, a reminder that Patti Smith's longevity and relevance will never fade, nor will her goosebump-raising voice lose its strength. However, now that Sabbath has officially closed shop as of 2017 and Ozzy Osbourne insists his latest farewell (No More Tours II) will be his last extended goodbye, we find ourselves staring down the barrel of a potentially Ozzyless concert slate for the first time in decades. The disaster resulted in the tragic deaths of 7 concert-goers. Nina Corcoran, 77. Nina Corcoran, 09. On the live stage, Jack and Meg Whites crunchy, loud, perfectly imperfect sound came stomping out, unabashedly messy and all the more charming because of it. I'd rather go out and be a colour television set, he later said of the era and his take on performance at large. Looking unassuming and average, the members of Talking Heads took the stage on their Speaking in Tongues tour like any normal passersby. Year(s): 200810. By the mid-1980s, the rock and roll scene had begun to feel a little stale. Agora (Dec. 15, 1983) After releasing her 1986 monster album "True Colors," Cyndi Lauper became one of the biggest pop stars of the 1980s. Artists on Tour in 2023 - Concerts & Festivals - Concertful On their 1970 tour, The Who hit the road to support the recently released Tommy. Its a moment in time where both the group and their fandom was becoming larger than life -- yet the group was still blissfully unaware of how huge they would all get in a few years, both as a unit and as individuals, with Frank Ocean, Tyler, the Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, Syd tha Kid, and others rocketing upwards into successful solo careers. And for the final touch? Astroworld Festival Nov. 5, 2021 Houston, Texas Concert deaths: 9 Celine Dion: Taking Chances World Tour, #17. In a sense, they still havent found what theyre looking for, but are well ahead of schedule in their quest. Phish leveled up and its impossible to deny. Proving that we often dont know a good thing til its gone, The Polices reunion tour grossed more than any of their heyday tours. Bruce Springsteenand the E Street Band - Darkness Tour (1978), Road warriors might be the best way to describe Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. In many ways, the Highway to Hell Tour can be seen as Bon, on his last tour, handing the mic to Brian to continue down that satanic highway. Jean Michel Jarre at La Dfense (1990) - 2.5 million attendees. Kate Bush was adamant about dancing as she sang, using movements that were broad and wide, the type that would get you tangled in a cord should you try. Daft Punk Alive 2006/2007 (2006-07), Daft Punk have existed for 26 years now, yet the French electronic duo have only toured two times. It marked the zenith of the Eagles as a country-rock outfit, and many argue the band has never soared higher. Nina Corcoran, 83. As the album and its handful of singles climbed the charts and took the world by storm, the real storm was brewing backstage as romantic partnerships in the group fell apart. It was the first tour not to feature original drummer Peter Criss, and the touring debut of his replacement Eric Carr. --Matt Melis, 93. The shows themselves saw Prince, oozing sexuality, dive right into the best of Purple Rain and 1999, not hesitating to bring out openers Apolonia 6 or Sheila E. to sing along or to extend a jam by 20 or 30 mesmerizing minutes. Still, if we can only revisit one U2 tour, it would be 1983s War Tour, before many of their best-known hits came to dominate radio and prior to Bono becoming a slicked-back, leather-clad god who wears sunglasses indoors. Which was more awesome, The Joshua Tree or Zoo TV? Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $307,106,208 1984 and 85 was peak Prince. 9 Backstreet Boys - 73,337 The Backstreet Boys were at the height of their popularity when they drew over 73,000 fans into the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on February 19, 2000. Two of the tours on the list are still announcing new dates, so if you want to be part of concert tour history, consider snagging tickets now while you have the chance. Depeche Mode- World Violation Tour (1990), One of the most popular tours among Depeche Mode fans and electronic fans in general, the World Violation tour saw them kick off 1990 in style. Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour, #16. Total tour attendance: 2.07 million If live music is all about reaching out and connecting with an audience, Coyne can be credited for finally improving on the classic crowd surf. The 40 Most Anticipated Tours of 2023: Taylor Swift, SZA, Blink-182, Arctic Monkeys, Beyonc, and More Angel Olsen, Big Thief, Coldplay, Dry Cleaning, Fever Ray, Glorilla, Kelela, and more of the. To that end, most Stacker stories are freely available to Its no surprise, then, that this long-anticipated tour set attendance records at each of its stops and resulted in a hit HBO special, a successful VHS release (later DVD), and a multi-platinum live album -- not to mention several subsequent tours. They were merely a group of local musicians who came together for a paid gig (the album recording) and then ended up getting enough paid gigs after that (for both Springsteen and other musicians) that it made sense to become a band.