The Tracks Across America Tour '82 was a concert tour by the American band Blondie in 1982. The tour supported their latest album, The Hunter (the first tour since their European Tour in 1979–1980) and would be Blondie's last tour before disbanding in late 1982. The band would reconvene in the late 1990s.
Background Though the tour nominally supported the album The Hunter, songs from Autoamerican (1980) also saw their first live performances as the band had not toured in support of that album. The non-album hit single "Call Me" and Debbie Harry's solo track "Chrome" were also performed live for the first time.
For the tour, guitarist Frank Infante was replaced with a session musician Eddie Martinez due to Infante's conflicting relationship with other band members. The tour also featured a horn section performing with the band.
Originally, the tour was supposed to have two legs, the second being in Europe with 41 dates in total, but the second leg was cancelled after slow ticket sales. Only 19 of the concerts (all in North America) were performed.
The show at the Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which took place an 18 August 1982, was recorded and filmed for the broadcast on HBO. Since then, it has been released several times as a semi-official live album[ Live in Toronto] at Allmusic and on video (both on VHS and DVD).Blondie.net store
The tour turned out to be unsuccessful for Blondie with shows taking place at half-empty venues. Guitarist Chris Stein's health had been worsening during the tour. He was rapidly losing weight and shortly after the tour ended was diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris, a rare autoimmune disease. Shortly afterwards, Blondie disbanded. They would not have any further live performances until a series of reunion concerts in 1997 and 1998.
Opening acts Duran Duran: August 2, 4, 8, 14–18 Elvis Costello and the Attractions, The Greg Kihn Band, Talk Talk & Sussman Lawrence on August 7 at the Parade Stadium in Minneapolis. David Johansen: August 14 at the Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Blondie were third on the bill of an all-day stadium show on August 21 at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia. The line-up that day consisted of Robert Hazard and the Heroes, A Flock of Seagulls, Blondie, Elvis Costello and the Attractions & Genesis.
Set list "Rapture" "In the Sun" "Sunday Girl" "Little Caesar" "Union City Blue" "Chrome" "Island of Lost Souls" "Danceway" "The Tide is High" "Heart of Glass" "Hanging On The Telephone" "Dreaming" "One Way or Another" "War Child" "Start Me Up" (The Rolling Stones cover) "Call Me"
Notes Fab Five Freddy joined Blondie onstage on 14 August at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey.Meadowlands Sports Complex at Blondie.net
Tour dates Date City Country Venue North AmericaJuly 22, 1982SunriseUnited StatesSunrise Musical TheaterJuly 23, 1982Baton RougeLSU Assembly CenterJuly 24, 1982MobileMunicipal AuditoriumJuly 25, 1982AtlantaSix Flags Over GeorgiaJuly 26, 1982LakelandLakeland Civic CenterJuly 28, 1982Pembroke PinesHollywood SportatoriumJuly 30, 1982MemphisMid-South ColiseumAugust 2, 1982Kansas CityStarlight TheatreAugust 4, 1982RockfordRockford MetroCentreAugust 5, 1982Cedar RapidsFive Seasons CenterAugust 7, 1982MinneapolisParade StadiumAugust 8, 1982Hoffman EstatesPoplar Creek Music TheaterAugust 9, 1982ClarkstonPine Knob Music TheatreAugust 10, 1982ClevelandAgora Theatre and BallroomAugust 12, 1982ProvidenceProvidence Civic CenterAugust 13, 1982BostonBoston GardenAugust 14, 1982East RutherfordBrendan Byrne ArenaAugust 16, 1982ColumbiaMerriweather Post PavilionAugust 18, 1982TorontoCanadaExhibition StadiumAugust 21, 1982PhiladelphiaUnited StatesJohn F. Kennedy Stadium
Cancelled shows +DateCityCountryVenueReasonNorth AmericaAugust 20-21, 1982New YorkUnited StatesMadison Square GardenSlow ticket salesEuropeAugust 25, 1982BayonneFranceArena de BayonneSlow ticket salesAugust 27, 1982FrejusArena de FrejusAugust 29, 1982MarbellaSpainMarbella Music FestivalSeptember 1, 1982GlasgowScotlandThe ApolloSeptember 2, 1982September 4, 1982EdinburghEdinburgh PlayhouseSeptember 5, 1982September 7, 1982NewcastleEnglandNewcastle City HallSeptember 8, 1982September 11, 1982BirminghamNEC ArenaSeptember 12, 1982September 16, 1982LondonWembley ArenaSeptember 17, 1982September 18, 1982September 19, 1982September 23, 1982CopenhagenDenmarkGrondbyhallenSeptember 25, 1982StockholmSwedenIce Stadium StockholmSeptember 26, 1982Gothenburg ScandinaviumSeptember 29, 1982ParisFranceCasino de Paris
Personnel Blondie Debbie Harry – vocals Chris Stein – guitar Clem Burke – drums Jimmy Destri – keyboards Nigel Harrison – bass Additional musiciansEnd credits of Blondie Live it Toronto video Eddie Martinez – guitar Abel Domingues – keyboards Douglas Harris – horns Joseph Kohanski – horns Arthur Pugh – horns
References