Highway to Hell Tour

The Highway to Hell Tour was a concert tour by Australian rock band AC/DC in support of the group's seventh studio album, Highway to Hell, which was released on 27 July 1979. The tour had 3 legs around Europe and North America lasting 5 months starting on 17 August 1979 at Haffmans Park in Bilzen, Belgium, and concluded on 27 January 1980 at Southampton, England. This was the last tour with Bon Scott, who died due to alcohol poisoning, three weeks after the Southampton show, which therefore cancelled the Japan and Australian legs of the tour.

Highway to Hell Tour

Tour by AC/DC
Angus Young (left) and Bon Scott (right) performing at Ulster Hall in Belfast
Location	Europe North America
Associated album	Highway to Hell
Start date	17 August 1979 (1979-08-17)
End date	27 January 1980 (1980-01-27)
Legs	3
No. of shows	99
AC/DC concert chronology

Background

During the band's tour in the United States, the band attracted capacity crowds, with one venue having to turn away over two thousand fans after being sold out minutes after the box office opened.^[1] The band were set to tour in Japan and Australia in early 1980,^[2] but the legs were cancelled following the death of vocalist Bon Scott as a result of alcohol poisoning.^[3]

Def Leppard was the opening act for part of the European leg after they were approached by Peter Mensch of Leber-Krebs management, who had booked them on a tour of the UK supporting the band.^[4][5] During the shows in Texas in the United States, Riot and Molly Hatchet were the opening acts for the band on their North American leg.^[6]

Set list

Europe (warm-up leg) "Live Wire" "Problem Child" "Walk All Over You" "Shot Down in Flames" "Bad Boy Boogie" "The Jack" "Highway to Hell" "Whole Lotta Rosie" "Rocker" Encore "Let There Be Rock"

North America "Live Wire" "Shot Down in Flames" "Walk All Over You" "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be" "Sin City" "Problem Child" "Bad Boy Boogie" "The Jack" "Highway to Hell" "High Voltage" "Whole Lotta Rosie" "Rocker" Encore "If You Want Blood You've Got It" "Let There Be Rock"

Europe "Live Wire" "Shot Down in Flames" "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be" "Sin City" "Walk All Over You" "Bad Boy Boogie" "The Jack" "Highway to Hell" "High Voltage" "Girls Got Rhythm" "Whole Lotta Rosie" "Rocker" Encore "T.N.T." or "If You Want Blood (You Got It)" "Let There Be Rock"

Tour dates

List of 1979 concerts, showing date, city country and venue^[7][8][9][5]

Date	City	Country	Venue
17 August 1979[a]	Bilzen	Belgium	Haffmans Park
18 August 1979[b]	London	England	Wembley Stadium
20 August 1979	Dublin	Ireland	Olympic Ballroom
21 August 1979
23 August 1979	Belfast	Northern Ireland	Ulster Hall
24 August 1979
27 August 1979	Aix-les-Bains	France	Verdure Theatre
1 September 1979[c]	Nuremberg	West Germany	Zeppelinfeld
5 September 1979	Oakland	United States	Oakland Civic Auditorium
6 September 1979	Reno		UNR Gym
7 September 1979	Santa Cruz		Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium
8 September 1979	Fresno		Warnors Theatre
9 September 1979	San Diego		San Diego Sports Arena
10 September 1979	Long Beach		Long Beach Arena
13 September 1979	Amarillo		Amarillo Civic Center
14 September 1979	Lubbock		Lubbock Municipal Auditorium
15 September 1979	Midland		Chaparral Center
16 September 1979	El Paso		El Paso County Coliseum
18 September 1979	McAllen		La Villa Real Convention Center
19 September 1979	Corpus Christi		Memorial Coliseum
20 September 1979	Houston		Houston Music Hall
21 September 1979[d]	Dallas		Dallas Convention Center
22 September 1979[e]	San Antonio		San Antonio Convention Center
24 September 1979	Beaumont		Beaumont City Auditorium
26 September 1979	Memphis		Dixon–Myers Hall
27 September 1979	Nashville		Nashville Municipal Auditorium
28 September 1979	Johnson		Freedom Hall Civic Center
29 September 1979[f]	Charlotte		Charlotte Coliseum
30 September 1979	Greenville		Greenville Memorial Auditorium
2 October 1979	Knoxville		Knoxville Civic Coliseum
3 October 1979	Greensboro		Greensboro Coliseum
5 October 1979	Jacksonville		Jacksonville Coliseum
6 October 1979	Birmingham		Boutwell Memorial Auditorium
7 October 1979	Dothan		Dothan Civic Center
8 October 1979	Atlanta		Fox Theatre
10 October 1979	Columbia		Carolina Coliseum
12 October 1979	Norfolk		Norfolk Municipal Auditorium[10]
13 October 1979	Wheeling		Wheeling Civic Center
14 October 1979	Charleston		Charleston Civic Center
16 October 1979	Towson		Towson Center
17 October 1979	Buffalo		Shea's Performing Arts Center
18 October 1979	Cleveland		Public Auditorium
19 October 1979	Chicago		Aragon Ballroom
20 October 1979	Toledo		Toledo Sports Arena
21 October 1979	Columbus		St. John Arena
26 October 1979[g]	Newcastle upon Tyne	England	Mayfair Ballroom
27 October 1979	Glasgow	Scotland	The Apollo
28 October 1979
29 October 1979	Manchester	England	Manchester Apollo
30 October 1979
1 November 1979	London		Hammersmith Odeon
2 November 1979
3 November 1979
4 November 1979
5 November 1979	Liverpool		Liverpool Empire Theatre
6 November 1979
8 November 1979	Stafford		Bingley Hall
9 November 1979	Leicester		De Montfort Hall
11 November 1979	Brussels	Belgium	Forest National
12 November 1979	Amsterdam	Netherlands	Jaap Edenhal
13 November 1979	Cologne	West Germany	Sartory-Saal
14 November 1979	Hanover		Eilenriedehalle
16 November 1979	Essen		Grugahalle
17 November 1979[h]	Kürnach		Kurnachtal-Halle
19 November 1979	Passau		Nibelungenhalle
20 November 1979	Offenbach		Stadthalle
21 November 1979	Dortmund		Westfalenhallen
23 November 1979	Hamburg		Messehallen
24 November 1979	Munich		Circus Krone Building
25 November 1979	Bern	Switzerland	Festhalle
27 November 1979[h]	Regensburg	West Germany	RT Halle
28 November 1979			Oberschwabenhalle
29 November 1979	Hof		Freiheitshalle
1 December 1979	Ludwigshafen		Friedrich-Ebert-Halle
2 December 1979	Neunkirchen		Hemmerleinhalle
3 December 1979	West Berlin		Eissportahalle
4 December 1979	Offenbach am Main		Stadthalle Offenbach
6 December 1979	Metz	France	Metz Expo Hall
7 December 1979	Reims		Palais Des Sports
8 December 1979	Lille		Foire Commerciale
9 December 1979[i][j]	Paris		Pavillon de Paris[11]
10 December 1979	Grenoble		Parc Expo
12 December 1979	Clermont-Ferrand		Clermont-Ferrand Sports Hall
13 December 1979	Montpellier		Palais Des Sports
14 December 1979	Nice		Théâtre de verdure de Nice
15 December 1979
17 December 1979	London	England	Hammersmith Odeon
19 December 1979	Brighton		Brighton Centre
20 December 1979	Birmingham		Birmingham Odeon
21 December 1979

List of 1980 concerts, showing date, city country and venue^[7][8][9][5]

Date	City	Country	Venue
16 January 1980	Poitiers	France	—
17 January 1980	Bordeaux
18 January 1980	Toulouse		Gymnase du Lycée Pierre Aragon
19 January 1980	Lyon		Palais des Sports de Gerland
20 January 1980	Rouen		—
21 January 1980	Nantes		Stade de la Beaujoire
22 January 1980	Brest		Parc de Penfeld
23 January 1980[k]	Le Mans		La Rotonde
25 January 1980	Newcastle	England	Mayfair Ballroom
27 January 1980[l]	Southampton		Gaumont Theatre

Cancelled dates

List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, and reason for cancellation^[7]

Date (1979)	City	Country	Venue	Reason
22 November	Bremen	West Germany	Stadthalle 4	—
30 December	Göppingen		Haldenberghalle

Box office score data

List of box office score data with date, city, venue, attendance, gross and references

Date (1979)	City	Venue	Attendance	Gross	Ref(s)
September 5	Oakland, United States	Civic Auditorium	5,000	$49,150	[12]
September 7	Santa Cruz, United States	Civic Auditorium	1,954	$16,694
September 8	Fresno, United States	Warnors Theatre	2,100	$16,800
September 18	McAllen, United States	Villa Real	2,439	$18,950	[13]
September 20	Houston, United States	Music Hall	3,005	$24,389
September 26	Memphis, United States	Dixon–Myers Hall	2,352	$16,710	[14]
September 27	Nashville, United States	Municipal Auditorium	5,093	$36,363
September 28	Johnson City, United States	Freedom Hall	7,710	$49,675

Personnel

• Bon Scott – lead vocals
• Angus Young – lead guitar
• Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Cliff Williams – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Phil Rudd – drums

Notes

1. This show on 17 August 1979 was a part of Jazz Bilzen.
2. This show on 18 August 1979 was an opening act for The Who's 1979 tour.
3. This show on 1 September 1979 was a part of the Open Air Festival.
4. Originally scheduled for 22 September 1979.
5. Originally scheduled for 21 September 1979.
6. Originally scheduled for 30 September 1979.
7. Originally scheduled for 25 October 1979.
8. Originally scheduled for 18 November 1979.
9. 2 shows have been played.
10. Originally scheduled for 7 December 1979.
11. Originally scheduled for 9 December 1979.
12. Originally scheduled for 18 December 1979.

References

Citations

1. "New Mac album out in 8 days". Sydney, Australia: The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 September 1979. p. 104. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
2. "LRB's tour nets tow hit singles". Sydney, Australia: The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 October 1979. p. 118. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
3. "'Schoolboy' rock group singer found dead". Glasgow, Scotland: The Glasgow Herald. 21 February 1980. p. 7. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
4. Konow 2009, p. 132.
5. Huxley 2015, p. 101.
6. Sharpe-Young 2007, p. 317.
7. Durieux, Arnaud. "AC/DC Tour History - 1979/80 "Highway To Hell" World Tour". ac-dc.net. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
8. Masino 2009.
9. Masino 2015.
10. "AC/DC Tour History - 12 Oct. 1979 Norfolk (Arena)". www.ac-dc.net. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
11. Perkins 2011.
12. "Top Box Office". Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 38. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 22 September 1979. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
13. "Top Box Office". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 6 October 1979. p. 46. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
14. "Top Box Office". Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 41. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 13 October 1979. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 15 July 2022.

Sources

• Sharpe-Young, Garry (2007). Metal: The Definitive Guide – Heavy, NWOBH, Progressive, Thrash, Death, Black, Gothic, Doom, Nu. Jawbone Press. ISBN 978-1-906002-01-5.
• Konow, David (2009). Bang Your Head: The Rise and Fall of Heavy Metal. Crown. ISBN 978-0-307-56560-0.
• Masino, Susan (2009). Let There Be Rock: The Story of AC/DC (Paperback ed.). London, England: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-8256-3701-8.
• Perkins, Jeff (2011). AC/DC - Uncensored on the Record. Warwickshire, England: Coda Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-908538-54-3.
• Masino, Susan (2015). AC/DC FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the World's True Rock 'n' Roll Band. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-4950-2601-0.
• Huxley, Martin (2015). AC/DC: The World's Heaviest Rock. New York City, New York: St. Martin's Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-250-09652-4.