The Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers Tour was a concert tour through North America and Europe, undertaken by American rock band ZZ Top. Arranged in support of their 2003 album Mescalero, the band visited arenas, amphitheaters, and festivals from 2003 to 2004. To match the artistic theme that the group created with Mescalero, the tour was intended to differ from their past and surpass expectations of the band. Contrary to ZZ Top's elaborately staged multimedia events from previous tours, the Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers Tour was a modest stage setup. It utilized minimalism by adorning "Mescalero" themed props on its stage. To escape their reputation for using stage gimmicks, ZZ Top embodied a more staid and focused image on tour. The Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers Tour was central to Mescaleros success.
The tour's concept was inspired by resemblances of Mexico and the American Southwest. The stage featured a plaster model of a cantina doorway that was decorated with glitter and neon finish. Day of the Dead skeletons, sombreros and a toast were incorporated into the shows. On stage, both Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill donned several costumes they designed, including rhinestone-embellished serapes, jackets, and oversized cowboy hats. In contrast to other ZZ Top tours, each of the Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers shows opened with four to ten consecutive older songs before newer material was played.
Consisting of five legs and 137 shows, the tour began in Bossier City, Louisiana on April 25, 2003 and ended in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 25, 2004. The band visited the United States, Europe, and Mexico during the first four legs, before the final leg alternated with visits between the US and Canada. After the first four legs, the tour's itinerary was expanded for fairs, festivals, and casinos during the final leg, which was branded accordingly as a summer excursion. Although the tour provoked a variety of reactions from music critics, it was generally well received. Along with being one of the top-grossing North American tours of 2003 and 2004, Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers sold over half-a-million tickets over its five legs. The band's compilation albums, Chrome, Smoke & BBQ and Rancho Texicano, were released during breaks in the tour, and most of their songs were incorporated into the main set. Critics held the Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers Tour in high regard—in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Scott McLennan described the show as "a joyride".
Tour dates + List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, tickets sold, number of available tickets and amount of gross revenue Date City Country Venue Opening act(s) Attendance Revenue Leg 1: arenas and amphitheaters in the United StatesApril 25, 2003Bossier CityUnited StatesCenturyTel CenterTed Nugent6,300 / 7,500$248,850April 26, 2003BirminghamOak Mountain AmphitheatreTed Nugent, Gov't Mulerowspan="4" rowspan="4" April 29, 2003SelmaVerizon Wireless AmphitheaterKenny Wayne ShepherdApril 30, 2003LaredoLaredo Entertainment CenterMay 2, 2003JacksonMississippi ColiseumTed NugentMay 3, 2003Oklahoma CityFord Center7,961 / 10,000$314,460May 4, 2003MemphisTom Lee ParkRobert Randolph and the Family Band, Cowboy Mouthrowspan="8" rowspan="12" May 7, 2003West Palm BeachSound Advice AmphitheatreTed Nugent, Kenny Wayne ShepherdMay 9, 2003RaleighAlltel Pavilion at Walnut CreekMay 10, 2003CharlotteVerizon Wireless Amphitheatre CharlotteMay 11, 2003Virginia BeachGTE Virginia Beach AmphitheaterMay 13, 2003BristowNissan PavilionMay 14, 2003ColumbusGermain AmphitheaterMay 16, 2003PittsburghPost Gazette PavilionMay 17, 2003NoblesvilleVerizon Wireless Music Center9,594 / 24,790May 18, 2003ClevelandTower City Amphitheaterrowspan="3" May 20, 2003MansfieldTweeter Center for the Performing ArtsMay 21, 2003CamdenTweeter Center at the WaterfrontMay 23, 2003ClarkstonDTE Energy Music TheatreKenny Wayne Shepherd15,202 / 15,202$366,578May 24, 2003Tinley ParkTweeter Center ChicagoTed Nugent, Kenny Wayne ShepherdMay 25, 2003East TroyAlpine Valley Music Theatre5,791 / 37,000$221,422May 27, 2003CincinnatiRiverbend Music Centerrowspan="16" rowspan="16" May 30, 2003NashvilleAmSouth AmphitheatreMay 31, 2003Maryland HeightsUMB Bank PavilionJune 1, 2003Bonner SpringsVerizon Wireless Amphitheater Kansas CityJune 3, 2003AlbuquerqueJournal PavilionJune 4, 2003PhoenixCricket Wireless PavilionJune 6, 2003MarysvilleSleep Train AmphitheatreJune 7, 2003DevoreHyundai PavilionJune 8, 2003Mountain ViewShoreline AmphitheatreJune 12, 2003TulsaTulsa Convention CenterKenny Wayne ShepherdJune 13, 2003AustinFrank Erwin CenterJune 14, 2003DallasAmerican Airlines CenterJune 17, 2003New OrleansLakefront ArenaTed NugentJune 18, 2003PensacolaPensacola Civic CenterJune 20, 2003OrlandoTD Waterhouse CentreJune 21, 2003DuluthGwinnett Civic Center Arena Leg 2: arenas and festivals in EuropeJuly 4, 2003SundsvallSwedenStora ScenenGES, Dilbarowspan="7" rowspan="25" July 5, 2003SunneRottneros ParkJuly 6, 2003OsloNorwayRockefeller Music HallJuly 8, 2003SchwerinGermanySport- und KongresshalleMike TrampJuly 9, 2003BonnMuseumsplatzJuly 11, 2003WeertNetherlandsBospopGary Moore, MotörheadJuly 12, 2003OberkornLuxembourgCentre Sportif de DifferdangeBornJuly 14, 2003MontereauFranceParc des NouesVan Wilks, Reverend Blues Gang2,700 / 10,000July 16, 2003HelsinkiFinlandHelsinki Olympic StadiumThe Hellacoptersrowspan="17" July 18, 2003ErfurtGermanyMesse ErfurtMike TrampJuly 20, 2003MontreuxSwitzerlandAuditorium StravinskiKrokusJuly 21, 2003ZürichLandesmuseum ZürichLe VibrazioniJuly 23, 2003BudapestHungaryPetofi CsarnokJuly 24, 2003DresdenGermanyElbeMike TrampJuly 25, 2003Lauda-KönigshofenTauber-Franken-HalleJuly 27, 2003BirminghamEnglandCarling Academy BirminghamThe VaultsJuly 28, 2003NewcastleTelewest ArenaJuly 29, 2003LiverpoolLiverpool Summer PopsJuly 30, 2003LondonCarling Academy BrixtonAugust 1, 2003XantenGermanyAmphitheatreMike TrampAugust 5, 2003HannoverGilde ParkbühneAugust 6, 2003HamburgHamburg StadtparkAugust 7, 2003SkanderborgDenmarkSmukfestKashmir, Robert PlantAugust 9, 2003LiègeBelgiumPlaine des TempliersMass Hysteria, MachiavelAugust 11, 2003ColmarFranceThéâtre de Plein Air de Colmar Leg 3: arenas and amphitheaters in the United StatesAugust 20, 2003Las VegasUnited StatesMandalay Bay Events CenterFranky Perezrowspan="16" rowspan="16" August 22, 2003KelseyvilleKonocti HarborAugust 23, 2003StatelineHarveys Outdoor ArenaAugust 24, 2003LancasterAntelope Valley FairAugust 26, 2003EnglewoodFiddler's Green AmphitheatreJimmie VaughanAugust 27, 2003LincolnBob Devaney Sports CenterFranky PerezAugust 29, 2003Grand RapidsVan Andel ArenaTed NugentAugust 31, 2003BrookfieldYankee LakeTed Nugent, Left EndSeptember 3, 2003PortlandCumberland County Civic CenterTed NugentSeptember 5, 2003GilfordMeadowbrook Musical Arts CenterSeptember 6, 2003Big FlatsSummer Stage at TagsSeptember 7, 2003HersheyGiant CenterDavid Lee RothSeptember 12, 2003Green BayResch CenterTed NugentSeptember 13, 2003SomersetFloat Rite Park AmphitheatreSeptember 17, 2003West Valley CityUSANA AmphitheatreSeptember 19, 2003RidgefieldClark County AmphitheaterSeptember 20, 2003GeorgeGorge Amphitheatre8,610 / 13,500$423,518 Leg 4: arenas and amphitheaters in North AmericaNovember 5, 2003CoarsegoldUnited StatesChukchansi Gold Resort & Casinorowspan="8" rowspan="8" November 7, 2003BakersfieldBakersfield Centennial GardenFranky PerezNovember 8, 2003Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara BowlNovember 9, 2003CastaicCastaic Lake State Recreation AreaLee RockerNovember 14, 2003Mexico CityMexicoPalacio de los DeportesTex TexNovember 20, 2003KnoxvilleUnited StatesKnoxville Civic ColiseumCross Canadian RagweedNovember 21, 2003RobinsonvilleGrand Casino TunicaNovember 22, 2003HoustonCompaq CenterLos Lobos, Cross Canadian Ragweed Leg 5: arenas and amphitheaters in North America ("El Cabron Tour")June 25, 2004Wichita FallsUnited StatesKay Yeager ColiseumThe Fabulous ThunderbirdsJune 26, 2004BeaumontFord ParkHank Williams Jr., Chris LeBlanc Band14,272 / 14,272$131,919June 28, 2004HidalgoDodge ArenaReckless Kelly6,578 / 6,578rowspan="10" July 1, 2004Mount PleasantSoaring Eagle Casino & ResortJuly 3, 2004MuskegonHeritage LandingLanding Strip17,000 / 17,000July 4, 2004Tinley ParkTweeter Center ChicagoThe Doors of the 21st Century, Teslarowspan="7" July 5, 2004LansingCommon Ground Music FestivalGunner Ross and TNTJuly 8, 2004KelownaCanadaWestside BluffPhat Betty, Mocking ShadowsJuly 10, 2004CravenQu'Appelle ValleyNazareth, Spin DoctorsJuly 11, 2004CamroseCamrose Exhibition GroundsSum 41, The Tea PartyJuly 14, 2004WalkerUnited StatesMoondance JamChris Robinson, Randall Zwarte BandJuly 16, 2004SarniaCanadaSarnia Bayfest9 House, The 88'sJuly 17, 2004St. ClairsvilleUnited StatesJamboree in the HillsChris LeDoux, Jo Dee Messina21,624 / 35,000$651,083July 23, 2004MinotNorth Dakota State Fairrowspan="10" rowspan="10" July 24, 2004CheyenneCheyenne Frontier DaysMarshall Tucker BandJuly 25, 2004Winter ParkWinter Park ResortWar, Dave MasonJuly 28, 2004PalaPala Casino Resort and SpaJuly 30, 2004KelseyvilleKonocti HarborCross Canadian RagweedJuly 31, 2004Paso RoblesMid-State Fairgrounds GrandstandReckless KellyAugust 1, 2004Costa MesaPacific AmphitheatreAugust 3, 2004KennewickThree Rivers ColiseumCross Canadian RagweedAugust 5, 2004Deer IslandColumbia MeadowsAugust 6, 2004SpokaneRiverfront ParkAugust 7, 2004Great FallsFour Seasons Arena4,079 / 5,870$155,002August 9, 2004SturgisBuffalo Chip Campgroundrowspan="11" rowspan="12" August 10, 2004Sioux FallsSioux Empire FairAugust 11, 2004HaywardLCO Casino Lodge & Convention CenterAugust 13, 2004SedaliaMissouri State FairFranky PerezAugust 14, 2004Oklahoma CityOklahoma City Zoo and Botanical GardenCardboard VampyresAugust 16, 2004AtlantaChastain Park AmphitheaterAugust 20, 2004LouisvilleFreedom HallSalivaAugust 21, 2004LimaAllen County FairAugust 24, 2004PuebloColorado State FairAugust 26, 2004Green BayOneida Casino PavilionAugust 27, 2004St. PaulMinnesota State FairSilvertideSeptember 1, 2004SyracuseNew York State FairCross Canadian Ragweed5,828 / 16,000September 2, 2004AllentownAllentown FairgroundsReckless Kelly5,440 / 10,440$212,160September 3, 2004Essex JunctionChamplain Valley Fairgrounds Grandstandrowspan="12" rowspan="12" September 10, 2004BlackfootEastern Idaho State FairSeptember 11, 2004Grand JunctionCountry Jam RanchDickey Betts, Eddie MoneySeptember 12, 2004AlbuquerqueSandia Casino AmphitheaterSeptember 16, 2004PuyallupPuyallup FairSeptember 17, 2004BendLes Schwab AmphitheaterEric SardinasSeptember 18, 2004RenoReno HiltonCowboy MouthSeptember 20, 2004LaughlinFlamingo LaughlinSeptember 21, 2004September 23, 2004AlpineViejas CasinoSeptember 24, 2004Las VegasLas Vegas HiltonSeptember 25, 2004
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