Permanent Vacation Tour


The Permanent Vacation Tour, was a headlining concert tour by American hard rock band Aerosmith, lasted from October 16, 1987, to September 15, 1988. It supported the band's commercially successful comeback album Permanent Vacation, released in September 1987.

Background

The tour was the band's first since completing drug rehabilitation. Guns N' Roses, notorious for drug abuse at the time, was the supporting act for part of the tour, primarily during the summer of 1988. Aerosmith asked Guns to not do drugs in their presence, so they wouldn't relapse. "I told those guys, 'This is my dressing room and, if you whip out the coke, I'm going to have to leave,'" Steven Tyler recalled. "That was it. Then it was printed that we banned them from drinking backstage. Never."
The two bands had a similar style, musically and personality-wise, and were both on Geffen Records at the time. Upon their first meeting, the band members couldn't help but notice how much they resembled each other. Guns N' Roses' video for "Paradise City" included footage from a show in which they opened for Aerosmith and Deep Purple at Giants Stadium on August 16, 1988. Duff McKagan can be seen wearing an Aerosmith T-shirt in the video.
"Thank God we got to meet some people that weren't fucked up!" remarked Guns guitarist Izzy Stradlin. "It influenced me, big-time… cos Tyler and those guys, they were always like my rock idols… When we toured with them, I'd go out to watch and they'd sound fucking amazing! I thought, We're gonna have to really pull this shit together to keep up."
Extreme, Dokken and White Lion also filled opening slots on the tour.
During a show on this tour, Liv Tyler, aged 11 at the time, learned that her sister was Mia Tyler and her father was Steven Tyler.

Setlist

The band consistently played six tracks from Permanent Vacation: the major singles "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)", "Angel", and "Rag Doll", as well as the rock radio hit "Hangman Jury", the rocking title track, and the Beatles cover "I'm Down". The band also played numerous songs from their classic 1973–1982 era. A typical setlist would be this:
  1. "Toys in the Attic"
  2. "Same Old Song and Dance
  3. "Big Ten Inch Record"
  4. "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)"
  5. "Lightning Strikes"
  6. "Rag Doll"
  7. "Hangman Jury"
  8. "Permanent Vacation"
  9. "Angel"
  10. "Back in the Saddle"
  11. "Last Child"
  12. "Draw [the Line (song)|Draw the Line]"
  13. "Rats in the Cellar"
  14. "One Way Street"
  15. "Dream On"
  16. "Train Kept A-Rollin'"
  17. "Sweet Emotion"
  18. "I'm Down"
  19. "Walk This Way"

    Tour dates

DateCityCountryVenueTickets sold / availableRevenue
January 16, 1988SeattleUnited StatesSeattle Center Coliseum13,768 / 13,768$240,940
January 18, 1988PullmanUnited StatesBeasley Performing Arts Coliseum5,694 / 6,500$93,951
January 20, 1988VancouverCanadaPacific Coliseum12,778 / 14,000$190,212
January 21, 1988PortlandUnited StatesMemorial Coliseum8,772 / 12,000$134,738
January 23, 1988RenoUnited StatesLawlor Events Center6,456 / 7,500$109,752
January 24, 1988SacramentoUnited StatesARCO Arena8,722 / 10,000$152,635
January 26, 1988FresnoUnited StatesSelland Arena7,207 / 10,748$118,916
January 27, 1988InglewoodUnited StatesThe Forum14,728 / 14,728$243,950
January 29, 1988Daly CityUnited StatesCow Palace--
January 30, 1988OaklandUnited StatesOakland–Alameda County Coliseum--
February 1, 1988San DiegoUnited StatesSan Diego Sports Arena11,713 / 11,713$197,085
February 2, 1988ParadiseUnited StatesThomas & Mack Center7,299 / 12,432$117,266
February 4, 1988Long BeachUnited StatesLong Beach Arena26,124 / 26,124$439,058
February 6, 1988Long BeachUnited StatesLong Beach Arena26,124 / 26,124$439,058
February 7, 1988PhoenixUnited StatesArizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum14,000 / 14,000$226,291
February 8, 1988TucsonUnited StatesTucson Community Center9,111 / 9,111$134,190
February 10, 1988El PasoUnited StatesThe Special Events Center7,075 / 8,268$105,013
February 12, 1988AustinUnited StatesFrank Erwin Center8,870 / 13,251$138,193
February 13, 1988DallasUnited StatesReunion Arena15,354 / 15,965$255,483
February 15, 1988HoustonUnited StatesThe Summit10,829 / 12,061$178,605
February 16, 1988San AntonioUnited StatesFreeman Coliseum--
February 18, 1988TulsaUnited StatesTulsa Convention Center8,358 / 8,992$135,523
February 19, 1988Kansas CityUnited StatesKemper Arena14,756 / 16,935$238,177
February 21, 1988CarbondaleUnited StatesSIU Arena--
February 22, 1988Cedar RapidsUnited StatesFive Seasons Center10,000 / 10,000$159,207
February 24, 1988Valley CenterUnited StatesKansas Coliseum8,493 / 8,493$133,997
February 25, 1988Oklahoma CityUnited StatesMyriad Convention Center8,268 / 15,291$136,973
February 27, 1988ShreveportUnited StatesHirsch Memorial Coliseum10,000 / 10,000$160,000
February 28, 1988New OrleansUnited StatesLakefront Arena8,768 / 8,768$139,105
March 21, 1988RoanokeUnited StatesRoanoke Civic Center6,889 / 11,000$99,397
March 23, 1988GreensboroUnited StatesGreensboro Coliseum6,534 / 15,780$101,029
March 25, 1988CharlotteUnited StatesCharlotte Coliseum11,294 / 11,900$186,351
March 26, 1988ColumbiaUnited StatesCarolina Coliseum6,897 / 12,456$104,560
March 28, 1988SavannahUnited StatesSavannah Civic Center6,225 / 8,532$97,235
March 29, 1988CullowheeUnited StatesRamsey Center7,826 / 8,556
March 31, 1988KnoxvilleUnited StatesJames White Civic Coliseum7,319 / 7,319$112,712
April 1, 1988NashvilleUnited StatesNashville Municipal Auditorium9,900 / 9,900$154,496
April 2, 1988Little RockUnited StatesBarton Coliseum9,911 / 9,911$158,576
April 5, 1988MemphisUnited StatesMid-South Coliseum9,061 / 12,035$135,984
April 6, 1988JacksonUnited StatesMississippi Coliseum10,200 / 10,200$145,995
April 8, 1988AtlantaUnited StatesOmni Coliseum14,118 / 15,291$247,065
April 9, 1988BirminghamUnited StatesBirmingham–Jefferson Civic Center14,309 / 14,309$236,099
April 11, 1988HuntsvilleUnited StatesVon Braun Civic Center8,446 / 10,000$135,136
April 12, 1988ChattanoogaUnited StatesUTC Arena5,479 / 11,648$87,252
April 14, 1988BiloxiUnited StatesMississippi Coast Coliseum9,240 / 9,240$139,755
April 15, 1988TallahasseeUnited StatesTallahassee-Leon County Civic Center8,128 / 10,004$117,570
April 16, 1988JacksonvilleUnited StatesJacksonville Memorial Coliseum8,765 / 11,676$127,650
April 17, 1988Pembroke PinesUnited StatesHollywood Sportatorium11,193 / 12,937$161,130
April 20, 1988LakelandUnited StatesLakeland Civic Center9,310 / 10,000$134,535
April 22, 1988North Fort MyersUnited StatesLee County Civic Center--
April 29, 1988Johnson CityUnited StatesFreedom Hall Civic Center9,070 / 9,070$145,514
April 30, 1988LouisvilleUnited StatesFreedom Hall11,000 / 19,293$172,266
May 2, 1988TrotwoodUnited StatesHara Arena8,000 / 8,000$131,093
May 3, 1988EvansvilleUnited StatesRoberts Municipal Stadium9,036 / 12,000$318,831
May 5, 1988PeoriaUnited StatesPeoria Civic Center8,069 / 9,667$127,562
May 6, 1988RochesterUnited StatesMayo Civic Center7,012 / 7,012$102,123
May 8, 1988WinnipegCanadaWinnipeg Arena9,612 / 12,443$161,980
May 9, 1988ReginaCanadaAgridome4,702 / 8,770$161,980
May 11, 1988SaskatoonCanadaSaskatchewan Place5,185 / 9,914$65,777
May 12, 1988EdmontonCanadaNorthlands Coliseum--
May 14, 1988CalgaryCanadaOlympic Saddledome10,197 / 17,305$155,140
May 17, 1988BoiseUnited StatesBSU Pavilion6,206 / 9,150$89,094
May 18, 1988Salt Lake CityUnited StatesSalt Palace10,577 / 12,100$166,588
May 20, 1988DenverUnited StatesMcNichols Sports Arena8,361 / 18,000$150,619
May 21, 1988PuebloUnited StatesColorado State Fair8,227 / 12,000$132,645
May 22, 1988AlbuquerqueUnited StatesTingley Coliseum6,747 / 10,000$112,910
June 17, 1988NagoyaJapanNagoya-Shi Kokaido--
June 20, 1988OsakaJapanOsaka Castle Hall--
June 21, 1988TokyoJapanNippon Budokan--
June 23, 1988TokyoJapanNippon Budokan--
June 24, 1988TokyoJapanNippon Budokan--
June 26, 1988YokohamaJapanYokohama Cultural Gymnasium--
July 2, 1988HonoluluUnited StatesNeal S. Blaisdell Arena13,313 / 17,442$231,618
July 3, 1988HonoluluUnited StatesNeal S. Blaisdell Arena13,313 / 17,442$231,618
July 17, 1988Hoffman EstatesUnited StatesPoplar Creek Music Theater23,674 / 25,202$348,714
July 19, 1988RichfieldUnited StatesRichfield Coliseum17,819 / 19,410$303,835
July 20, 1988WheelingUnited StatesWheeling Civic Center--
July 22, 1988Cape GirardeauUnited StatesShow Me Center--
July 24, 1988DallasUnited StatesCoca-Cola Starplex Amphitheatre14,440 / 14,440$204,668
July 26, 1988Bonner SpringsUnited StatesSandstone Amphitheater13,374 / 15,999$224,037
July 27, 1988AmesUnited StatesHilton Coliseum12,107 / 15,000-
July 29, 1988East TroyUnited StatesAlpine Valley Music Theatre19,473 / 34,000-
July 30, 1988MearsUnited StatesVal Du Lakes Amphitheatre--
August 1, 1988CincinnatiUnited StatesRiverbend Music Center--
August 2, 1988IndianapolisUnited StatesMarket Square Arena16,800 / 16,800$254,022
August 4, 1988PhiladelphiaUnited StatesThe Spectrum35,730 / 35,730$569,525
August 5, 1988PhiladelphiaUnited StatesThe Spectrum35,730 / 35,730$569,525
August 6, 1988Saratoga SpringsUnited StatesSaratoga Performing Arts Center19,455 / 19,455$347,254
August 7, 1988MiddletownUnited StatesOrange [County Fair (New York)|Orange County Fair]grounds15,645 / 15,645$246,028
August 9, 1988WeedsportUnited StatesCayuga County Fair Speedway--
August 11, 1988ClarkstonUnited StatesPine Knob Music Theatre44,153 / 44,153$790,165
August 12, 1988ClarkstonUnited StatesPine Knob Music Theatre44,153 / 44,153$790,165
August 13, 1988ClarkstonUnited StatesPine Knob Music Theatre44,153 / 44,153$790,165
August 16, 1988East RutherfordUnited StatesGiants Stadium55,799 / 63,000$1,224,292
August 17, 1988ColumbiaUnited StatesMerriweather Post Pavilion16,516 / 16,516$265,550
August 19, 1988PortlandUnited StatesCumberland County Civic Center--
August 21, 1988TorontoCanadaExhibition Stadium18,000 / 25,000$356,421
August 22, 1988OttawaCanadaLansdowne Park--
August 24, 1988MansfieldUnited StatesGreat Woods Center for the Performing Arts45,780 / 45,780$794,606
August 25, 1988MansfieldUnited StatesGreat Woods Center for the Performing Arts45,780 / 45,780$794,606
August 26, 1988MansfieldUnited StatesGreat Woods Center for the Performing Arts45,780 / 45,780$794,606
August 28, 1988ThornvilleUnited StatesBuckeye Lake Music Center19,137 / 30,000$351,094
August 30, 1988Plains TownshipUnited StatesPocono Downs22,869 / 22,869$444,851
August 31, 1988PittsburghUnited StatesCivic Arena16,658 / 16,658$292,503
September 2, 1988AntiochUnited StatesStarwood Amphitheatre16,750 / 16,750$253,194
September 3, 1988St. LouisUnited StatesSt. Louis Arena16,392 / 16,392$281,015
September 8, 1988ConcordUnited StatesConcord Pavilion--
September 9, 1988SacramentoUnited StatesCalifornia Exposition & State Fair12,200 / 12,200$225,700
September 10, 1988Mountain ViewUnited StatesShoreline Amphitheatre20,000 / 20,000$343,634
September 12, 1988ChandlerUnited StatesCompton Terrace22,827 / 22,827$365,861
September 14, 1988Costa MesaUnited StatesPacific Amphitheatre37,528 / 37,528$670,030
September 15, 1988Costa MesaUnited StatesPacific Amphitheatre37,528 / 37,528$670,030
----37,528 / 37,528$670,030