Hemispheres Tour


The Hemispheres Tour was a concert tour by Canadian rock band Rush in support of their sixth studio album, Hemispheres.

Background

The tour began on October 14, 1978 which began with arenas in Canada, extending out into the United States. It was the first tour where the band was noted as a major headlining act, playing an hour and a half instead of a forty-five minute set, with hopes that the audience would appreciate the length of the set. While keeping a good lighting system, the band began extending their PA system, as well as becoming more active on stage with the usage of backdrops, giving the audience something to look at - something that became a major part of their performances. Rush toured Europe in April to May 1979, concluding their tour with a performance at the Pinkpop Festival in Holland, which had followed after Lifeson broke his finger, resulting in three shows being canceled, but however he had performed at the festival with no problems. The tour was accompanied by the release of the European compilation album, Rush Through Time, which was unauthorized at the time.

Reception

Reviewing the October 25, 1978 performance in Saskatoon, Star-Phoenix's Joe Rubin noted on the band's usage of special effects which he had stated held the audience 'spellbound' with balls of light, swirling spirals and spaceships depicted on the screen suspended behind the band as they performed. Regarding the audience, Rubin stated it was understandable as they were grogged on sound, later benumbed and ecstatic at the conclusion of the performance.
The Spokesman-Review's Dave Reagan, reviewing the November 8, 1978 performance in Spokane, wrote that the band had proved its reputation to be loud but talented. He observed that the music was relatively clean and low enough to not compound the echoing effects of the coliseum where the show took place. Also noting on the special effects and the lighting accompanied by the use of the synthesizer, Reagan stated that it had brought the audience to both its feet and knees, with the visuals keeping the longer songs exciting and alive, with no interest lost from the audience.

Set list

This is an example set list adapted from Rush: Wandering the Face of the Earth – The Official Touring History of what were performed during the tour, but may not represent the majority of the shows. "Circumstances" was removed from the set during the band's shows in the United Kingdom, with "Something for Nothing" and "Cygnus X-1" being removed from the set during the rest of the shows in Europe.
;Main Setlist
  1. "Anthem"
  2. "A Passage to Bangkok"
  3. "By-Tor and the Snow Dog"
  4. "Xanadu"
  5. "Something for Nothing"
  6. "The Trees"
  7. "Cygnus X-1"
  8. "Hemispheres"
  9. "Closer to the Heart"
  10. "Circumstances"
  11. "A Farewell to Kings"
  12. "La Villa Strangiato"
  13. "2112"
  14. ;Encore
  15. "Working Man" / "Bastille Day" / "In the Mood"

Tour dates

DateCityCountryVenueAttendance / Capacity / Gross
January 11, 1979BostonUnited StatesBoston Music Hall3,780 / 3,780 / $31,750
January 12, 1979SpringfieldUnited StatesSpringfield Civic Center3,200 / 8,000 / $24,000
January 13, 1979New York CityUnited StatesThe Palladium6,387 / 6,774 / $52,000
January 14, 1979New York CityUnited StatesThe Palladium6,387 / 6,774 / $52,000
January 16, 1979AlbanyUnited StatesPalace Theater??? / ??? / ???
January 17, 1979PassaicUnited StatesCapitol Theater3,456 / 3,456 / $28,172
January 19, 1979PittsburghUnited StatesPittsburgh Civic Arena14,240 / 14,240 / $110,421
January 20, 1979BaltimoreUnited StatesBaltimore Civic Center9,794 / 13,641 / $60,578
January 21, 1979PhiladelphiaUnited StatesThe Spectrum14,028 / 15,000 / $94,467
January 22, 1979SyracuseUnited StatesOncenter [War Memorial Arena|Onondaga War Memorial Auditorium]-
January 23, 1979AlbanyUnited StatesPalace Theater2,463 / 2,997 / ???
January 24, 1979BuffaloUnited StatesBuffalo Memorial Auditorium11,624 / 14,605 / $87,180
January 26, 1979CincinnatiUnited StatesRiverfront Coliseum8,236 / 10,687 / $57,652
January 27, 1979HuntsvilleUnited StatesVon Braun Civic Center6,619 / 9,000 / $46,333
January 28, 1979MemphisUnited StatesMid-South Coliseum7,380 / 9,263 / $47,970
January 30, 1979LouisvilleUnited StatesLouisville Gardens7,088 / 7,088 / $48,612
January 31, 1979BloomingtonUnited StatesIU Auditorium1,968 / 3,200 / $14,498
February 1, 1979ColumbusUnited StatesSt. John Arena7,355 / 10,000 / $57,950
February 2, 1979SaginawUnited StatesSaginaw Civic Center7,104 / 7,104 / $60,384
February 3, 1979RichfieldUnited StatesRichfield Coliseum16,336 / 17,500 / $130,688
February 15, 1979ColumbiaUnited StatesTownship Auditorium2,695 / 3,200 / $18,865
February 16, 1979AshevilleUnited StatesAsheville Civic Center3,978 / 7,000 / $27,846
February 17, 1979FayettevilleUnited StatesCumberland County Memorial Arena6,780 / 7,000 / $45,765
February 20, 1979KnoxvilleUnited StatesKnoxville Civic Coliseum3,792 / 6,673 / $28,440
February 22, 1979Little RockUnited StatesBarton Coliseum3,978 / 10,250 / $29,835
February 23, 1979ShreveportUnited StatesHirsch Memorial Coliseum4,465 / 5,000 / $33,488
February 24, 1979Oklahoma CityUnited StatesJim Norick Arena6,247 / 10,000 / $46,853
February 25, 1979AustinUnited StatesAustin Municipal Auditorium4,845 / 4,845 / $38,760
February 27, 1979Corpus ChristiUnited StatesCorpus Christi Memorial Coliseum4,784 / 6,000 / $37,076
March 1, 1979HoustonUnited StatesSam Houston Coliseum11,273 / 11,300 / $84,548
March 2, 1979DallasUnited StatesDallas Convention Center9,286 / 9,286 / $71,967
March 3, 1979San AntonioUnited StatesHemisFair Arena12,869 / 12,869 / $102,952
March 4, 1979BeaumontUnited StatesBeaumont Civic Center2,946 / 7,100 / $20,622
March 6, 1979New OrleansUnited StatesNew Orleans Municipal Auditorium4,835 / 6,000 / ???
March 8, 1979MobileUnited StatesMobile Expo Hall2,228 / 3,000 / $16,710
March 9, 1979JacksonvilleUnited StatesJacksonville Civic Auditorium3,125 / 3,338 / $20,875
March 10, 1979HollywoodUnited StatesHollywood Sportatorium10,069 / 12,837 / $60,757
March 11, 1979TampaUnited StatesCurtis Hixon Convention Hall7,600 / 7,600 / $45,077
March 13, 1979BirminghamUnited StatesBoutwell Auditorium3,461 / 6,000 / $25,958
March 15, 1979ChattanoogaUnited StatesSoldiers & Sailors Memorial Auditorium3,130 / 3,130 / $21,868
March 16, 1979NashvilleUnited StatesNashville Municipal Auditorium8,468 / 9,990 / $43,844
March 17, 1979Johnson CityUnited StatesFreedom Hall4,103 / 8,000 / $28,721
March 18, 1979WheelingUnited StatesWheeling Civic Center6,233 / 9,000 / $46,812
March 27, 1979Salt Lake CityUnited StatesSalt Palace10,251 / 13,000 / $76,883
March 28, 1979DenverUnited StatesDenver Auditorium4,119 / 6,841 / $36,247
March 29, 1979LincolnUnited StatesPershing Center4,597 / 7,500 / $30,800
March 30, 1979TopekaUnited StatesTopeka Municipal Auditorium4,200 / 4,200 / $28,400
April 2, 1979SyracuseUnited StatesOnondaga War Memorial Auditorium2,862 / 9,000 / ???
April 3, 1979PoughkeepsieUnited StatesMid-Hudson Civic Center3,325 / 3,325 / $28,263
April 4, 1979RochesterUnited StatesWar Memorial Auditorium10,442 / 10,442 / $89,253
April 6, 1979HempsteadUnited StatesNassau Coliseum10,428 / 15,546 / $85,160
April 7, 1979New HavenUnited StatesNew Haven Coliseum5,793 / 9,500 / $47,597
April 8, 1979ProvidenceUnited StatesProvidence Civic Center6,528 / 9,200 / $48,370
April 10, 1979SalemUnited StatesRoanoke Valley Civic Center1,874 / 8,000 / $14,055
April 11, 1979HamptonUnited StatesHampton Coliseum6,088 / 10,063 / $45,029
April 12, 1979CharlotteUnited StatesCharlotte Park Center2,017 / 3,102 / $15,128
April 13, 1979AtlantaUnited StatesFox Theater4,033 / 4,033 / $31,256
April 14, 1979GreensboroUnited StatesGreensboro Coliseum5,643 / 11,176 / $42,323
April 23, 1979NewcastleEnglandNewcastle City Hall4,266 / 4,266 / €13,865
April 24, 1979NewcastleEnglandNewcastle City Hall4,266 / 4,266 / €13,865
April 25, 1979GlasgowScotlandGlasgow Apollo7,000 / 7,000 / €21,000
April 26, 1979GlasgowScotlandGlasgow Apollo7,000 / 7,000 / €21,000
April 28, 1979EdinburghScotlandEdinburgh Odeon1,784 / 1,784 / €5,352
April 29, 1979ManchesterEnglandManchester Apollo7,000 / 7,000 / €24,500
April 30, 1979ManchesterEnglandManchester Apollo7,000 / 7,000 / €24,500
May 1, 1979LiverpoolEnglandEmpire Theater5,100 / 5,100 / ???
May 2, 1979LiverpoolEnglandEmpire Theater5,100 / 5,100 / ???
May 4, 1979LondonEnglandHammersmith Odeon15,148 / 15,148 / €49,231
May 5, 1979LondonEnglandHammersmith Odeon15,148 / 15,148 / €49,231
May 6, 1979LondonEnglandHammersmith Odeon15,148 / 15,148 / €49,231
May 7, 1979LondonEnglandHammersmith Odeon15,148 / 15,148 / €49,231
May 9, 1979CoventryEnglandCoventry Theater2,136 / 2,136 / ???
May 10, 1979BirminghamEnglandBirmingham Odeon4,878 / 4,878 / €17,073
May 11, 1979BirminghamEnglandBirmingham Odeon4,878 / 4,878 / €17,073
May 13, 1979SouthamptonEnglandGaumont Theater2,419 / 2,419 / €8,467
May 14, 1979BristolEnglandColston Hall3,864 / 3,864 / €13,524
May 15, 1979BristolEnglandColston Hall3,864 / 3,864 / €13,524
May 17, 1979ParisFranceLe Stadium-
May 18, 1979PoperingeBelgiumMaeke Blyde Hall??? / ??? / ???
May 22, 1979OsloNorwayChateau Neuf1,600 / 1,600 / ???
May 23, 1979GothenburgSwedenGothenburg Concert House1,300 / 1,300 / $27,300 SEC
May 25, 1979StockholmSwedenGrona Lund5,000 / 5,000 / ???
May 27, 1979ErlangenWest GermanyStadthalle1,500 / 1,500 / $27,000 DEM
May 28, 1979OffenbachWest GermanyStadthalle3,000 / 3,000 / $57,000 DEM
May 29, 1979HamburgWest GermanyHamburg Music Hall??? / ??? / ???
May 31, 1979MannheimWest GermanyRose Garden-
June 1, 1979ZurichSwitzerlandVolkshaus-
June 2, 1979MunichWest GermanyCircus Krone-
June 4, 1979GeleenNetherlandsDamen Sports Park50,000 / 50,000 / ???

Personnel