The Omni Coliseum – 80s Concerts

The Omni Coliseum was constructed in 1972 with 17,500 seats. The dramatic exterior of the building is unpainted Cor-Ten steel, which has oxidized to form a self-sealing coating. In my first post, I covered the concerts held there during the 70s. When I came to the Omni, if I had time, I would eat at the Chick-fil-A just inside the Omni International Hotel. Let’s get started with the 80s.

Max Webster opened for Rush on the Permanent Waves Tour, on January 30, 1980, Rick James and Twennynine with Lenny White opened for Prince on his Fire It Up Tour on March 6 and 14, 1980, Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band played brought their Against the Wind tour on March 29, 1980, Angel, Mother’s Finest, Humble Pie, and Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush came to the Omni with their Rock N’ Roll Marathon Tour on April 26, 1980, Heart performed their Bebe Le Strange tour on May 7, 1980, John Denver on May 23, 1980,

Blackfoot opened for Nazareth on their Malice in Wonderland tour on June 13, 1980, The Who stopped in on their Who Are You tour on July 9, 1980, The Cats opened for Van Halen who performed their World Invasion Tour on August 6, 1980, Rocky Burnette opened for Fleetwood Mac on their Tusk tour on August 8, 1980,

Queen brought The Game tour on August 12, 1980, Jackson Browne performed his Hold Out tour on August 25, 1980, LeRoux opened for Journey on their Departure tour on August 29, 1980, The Commodores played their Heroes Tour 1980 2-nights on August 30-31, 1980,

Riot V, Black Sabbath, Linda Ronstadt, and Sammy Hagar performed on September 12, 1980, Johnny Van Zant Band and Foghat opened for the Outlaws on their In The Eye Of The Storm Tour on October 4, 1980, The Motels opened for The Cars who performed their Panorama Tour on October 16, 1980,

Barry Manilow played the Omni on October 20, 1980, Dottie West opened for Kenny Rogers on October 26, 1980, Doobie Brothers were there on October 30, 1980, Stevie Wonder appeared on November 30, 1980, Daryl Hall & John Oates brought their Voices tour on December 14, 1980,

and the Rossington Collins Band came to finish the year with their Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere tour on December 31, 1980.

Styx brought their Paradise Theater tour to the Omni on January 28, 1981, 707 opened for REO Speedwagon on their Hi Infidelity tour on February 1, 1981, Bruce Springsteen brought The River tour on February 23, 1981, Jimmy Buffett was there on February 26, 1981, Willie Nelson played on May 1, 1981,

Nazareth opened for Krokus on their Hardware tour on May 2, 1981, The Jacksons brought the Triumph Tour on July 22, 1981, Stacy Lattisaw was there on August 12, 1981, Gary Moore opened for Van Halen on their Fair Warning tour on August 22, 1981,

David Johansen opened for Pat Benatar on her Precious Time tour on September 28, 1981, Joe Ely opened for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on his Hard Promises tour on September 29, 1981, Whitford/St. Holmes, Blue Oyster Cult (Fire of Unknown Origin tour), and Foghat (Girls to Chat & Boys to Bounce tour) were there on October 6, 1981, Cameo played on October 10, 1981, Kenny Rogers was there October 11, 1981, Loverboy opened for Journey on their Escape tour on October 17, 1981,

the Johnny Van Zant Band opened for the Electric Light Orchestra on their Time tour on October 21, 1981, Earth, Wind & Fire came with their Raise! tour on October 29, 1981, Rod Stewart was there on November 22, 1981, The Moody Blues performed their Long Distance Voyager tour on December 4, 1981, Riot V opened for Rush on their Exit Stage Left tour on December 9, 1981,

Zapp & Roger opened for Prince who brought his Controversy tour to the Omni on December 10, 1091, David Allan Coe opened for Willie Nelson with his Holiday tour on December 11, 1981, Black Sabbath was at the Omni on December 15, 1981, and Blackfoot and the Outlaws played December 29, 1981.

ZZ Top brought their El Loco-Motion tour to the Omni on January 3, 1982, Midnight Flyer opened for AC/DC on their For Those About to Rock tour on January 20 and 21, 1981, The Go-Go’s opened for The Police (Ghost In The Machine tour) on January 27, 1981,

Doc Holliday opened for Black Sabbath on their Mob Rules tour on February 27, 1982, Neil Diamond brought his North American Tour 81-82 tour to the Omni on March 1 and 2, 1982, UFO opened for Ozzy Osbourne on his Diary of a Madman tour on March 17, 1982, Jimmy Buffett performed March 19, 1982, Bryan Adams (You Want It, You Got It tour) opened for Foreigner on their “4” tour on March 24, 1982,

John Denver performed on May 22, 1982, .38 Special played the Omni on their Special Forces tour on June 1, 1982, The Gap Band came on their Gap Band IV Tour 1982 tour on July 16, 1982, Quarterflash opened for Elton John on his Jump Up! tour on July 20, 1982, Dolly Parton was there on July 24, 1982, Ray Parker Jr. and Rick James (Throwin’ Down tour) were there on July 30, 1982,

The Budweiser Superfest came to the Omni with Ashford & Simpson, Peabo Bryson, Patrice Rushen, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly and Lakeside on August 21, 1982, Billy Squier (Emotions In Motion tour) opened for Queen on their Hot Space tour on August 24, 1982, Fleetwood Mac came with their Mirage tour on September 2, 1982,

The Gap Band, Goodie, Zapp & Roger, and War played on September 5, 1982, Olivia Newton‐John brought her Physical Tour on September 10, 1982, John Mellencamp (American Fool) and Heart (: Private Audition) played the Omni on September 13, 1982, Ted Nugent came on September 21, 1982, Saga (Worlds Apart tour) opened for Jethro Tull who brought their Broadsword Tour on October 7, 1982, Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers Band opened for Kenny Rogers on October 9, 1982,

B.B. King brought Lucille and played on October 10, 1982, Crosby, Stills & Nash brought their Daylight Again tour on October 20, 1982, Van Halen played their Hide Your Sheep tour on November 3, 1982,

Billy Joel brought his The Nylon Curtain tour on November 24, 1982, Barr Manilow was there on November 28, 1982, .38 Special (Special Forces) and Eddie Money (No Control) were there on December 2, 1982, Judas Priest (World Vengeance tour) and Uriah Heep (Abominog tour) played December 11, 1982,

Rose Tattoo (Scarred for Life tour), and Pat Travers Band opened for Aerosmith on their Rock in a Hard Place tour on December 15, 1982, Willie nelson played the Omni on December 17, 1982.

Nick Lowe & His Noise To Go opened for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers who brought their Long After Dark tour on February 4, 1983, Red Rider opened for REO Speedwagon on their Good Trouble tour on February 5, 1983, Pat Benatar was there with her Net Nervous tour on February 23, 1983, Eric Clapton appeared on his Money and Cigarettes tour on February 25, 1983, Conway Twitty and Ronnie McDowell was there March 5, 1983, Diana Ross played the Omni on March 6, 1983,

Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band played three shows on his The Distance tour on March 14, 15, and 17, 1983, Billy Squier (Emotions In Motion tour) and Def Leppard (Pyromania tour) performed on March 18, 1983, Rush brought their Signals tour on March 23, 1983, Jon Butcher Axis was there March 23, 1983, Journey (Frontiers tour) and Bryan Adams (Cuts Like a Knife tour) played April 20 and 21, 1983, Sammy Hagar (Three Lock Box tour) and ZZ Top (Eliminator tour) were at the Omni on May 21, 1983,

Triumph brought their Never Surrender tour on May 27, 1983, Styx and Mr. Roboto dropped in on their Kilroy was Here tour on June 11, 1983, Daryl Hall & John Oates came on their H2O tour on March 26, 1983, Molly Hatchet (No Guts…No Glory tour) and Blackfoot (Siogo tour) were there July 8, 1983, Joe Walsh opened for Stevie Nicks on her Wild Heart tour on July 11, 1983, Men at Work were there on their Cargo tour on July 22, 1983, Sparks opened for Rick Springfield on July 26, 1983,

Jackson Browne brought his Lawyers in Love tour on August 12, 1983, The Budweiser Superfest returned with the Mary Jane Girls, Lakeside, Mtume, Rick James, and Midnight Star performed on September 4, 1983, Zebra opened for Loverboy on the Keep It Up tour on September 30, 1983, Kenny Rogers returned on October 9, 1983,

Iron Maiden (World Peace tour) and Quiet Riot (Metal Health tour) were there on October 21, 1983, The Fixx (Reach the Beach tour) opened for The Police on their Synchronicity tour played on November 2 and 3, 1983,

The Fixx returned on their Reach the Beach tour on November 11, 1983, Fastway opened for AC/DC who were there on their Flick of the Switch tour on November 21, 1983, Genesis performed The Mama Tour on December 13, 1983, and Axe, Pat Travers Band opened for KISS on their Lick It Up Tour on December 26, 1983.

Autograph opened for Van Halen who brought their 1984 tour on February 21, 22, and 23, 1984, Willie Nelson returned on March 3, 1984, John Mellencamp came on March 7, 1984, Golden Earring (N.E.W.S. tour) opened for .38 Special (Tour de Force tour) on March 8, 1984, Billy Joel performed An Innocent Man tour on March 20, 1984, Duran Duran played the Omni on their 1983-1984 Sing Blue Silver Tour on March 29, 1984, Yes appeared on their 9012Live tour on April 16, 1984,

Exotic Birds opened for Culture Club on their A Kiss Across The Ocean tour on April 18, 1984, Dan Fogelberg brought his Tour of America tour to the Omni on April 30, 1984, Waysted (Vices tour) opened for Ozzy Osbourne (Bark at the Moon tour) and Mötley Crüe (Shout at the Devil tour) on May 22, 1984, Lionel Richie brought his Running With The Night Tour on May 26, 1984, Robin Trower played on June 25, 1984,

Kick Axe (Vices tour) opened for Judas Priest on their Metal Conqueror tour on June 28, 1984, Scorpions (Love at First Sting tour) and Bon Jovi (Bon Jovi tour) were there on July 7, 1984, The Budweiser Superfest returned with O’Bryan, One Way, The Bar‐Kays, The Gap Band, and Zapp & Roger on August 5, 1984,

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble (Couldn’t Stand the Weather tour), and Huey Lewis and the News played on August 8, 1984, Neil Diamond played two nights on his Primitive World Tour on August 13 and 14, 1984, Taj Mahal, B.B. King, Bobby “Blue” Bland, and James Brown performed on August 31, 1984, Yes returned with their 9012Live tour on September 15, 1984,

Waylon Jennings and Neil Young & The International Harvesters (North American Tour) played on September 23, 1984, Rod Stewart came with his Camouflage tour on September 28, 1984, Elton John brought his Breaking Hearts tour to the Omni on Oct 6, 1984, the next night Kenny Rogers came back to town on October 7, 1984, Billy Squier (Signs Of Life tour) and Ratt (Out of the Cellar tour) was there on October 24, 1984, Fastway opened for Rush on their Grace Under Pressure tour on October 30, 1984,

Dio and Dokken were there with their The Last In Line tour on November 12, 1984, Sammy Hagar was there on his VOA tour on November 16, 1984, Tina Turner was there with Willie Nelson on November 27, 1984, and December 1, 1984. Bruce Springsteen came with his Born in the U.S.A. tour on December 16 and 17, 1984, and Quiet Riot performed their Condition Critical tour on December 26, 1984.

Sheila E and Prince were at the Omni on the Purple Rain Tour on January 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8, 1985, Krokus (The Blitz tour) opened for KISS on the Animalize tour on January 9, 1985, Triumph (Thunder Seven tour) and Molly Hatchet (The Deed Is Done tour) were there on January 19, 1984, Twisted Sister (Stay Hungry tour) and Iron Maidenygyhujj played there February 2, 1985, General Public (All the Rage tour) opened for Daryl Hall & John Oates (Big Bam Boom tour) on February 23, 1985, Chicago was at the Omni on March 1, 1985,

Survivor opened for REO Speedwagon on their Wheels Are Turnin’ tour on March 6, 1985, Run‐D.M.C. was there on March 22, 1985, Giuffria opened for Foreigner on their Agent Provocateur tour on March 25, 1985, Roger Waters came on The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking tour on April 11, 1985, The Firm played the Omni on April 18, 1985, Graham Parker & The Shot (Steady Nerves tour) opened for Eric Clapton who brought his Behind the Sun tour on April 20, 1985, Red Rockers opened for U2 on The Unforgettable Fire tour on April 29, 1985,

Hank Williams, Jr. and George Strait were there May 11, 1985, The Beastie Boys opened for Madonna on The Virgin Tour on May 14, 1985, Survivor (Vital Signs tour) opened for Bryan Adams on their Reckless Tour on May 18, 1985, Phil Collins brought The No Jacket Required World Tour on May 23, 1985, The Honeydippers opened for Robert Plant on hos Shaken and Stirred tour on June 27, 1985, Lone Justice (First Album Tour) opened for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Southern Accents tour) who were there on July 11, 1985, The Power Station played on July 15, 1985,

Rough Cutt opened for Dio who came on their Sacred Heart tour on September 28, 1985, Yngwie Malmsteen (Marching Out tour) opened for AC/DC on their Fly on the Wall tour on November 16, 1985, Barry Manilow was there with his Copacabana tour on November 22, 1985, Dolly Parton, Lee Greenwood, and Kenny Rogers were there on November 24, 1985, Mr. Mister came on their Welcome to the Real World tour on November 27, 1985, Tina Turner was there on her Private Dancer tour on December 1, 1985,

Ratt (Invasion of Your Privacy tour) and Bon Jovi (7800° Fahrenheit tour) came on December 3, 1985, Autograph opened for Mötley Crüe on their Theatre of Pain tour on December 16, 1985, and KISS ended the year with their Asylum tour on December 31, 1985.

Luther Vandross played the Omni on January 23, 1986, The Hooters (Nervous Night tour) opened for Loverboy on their Lovin’ Every Minute Of It tour on January 30, 1986, Hank Williams, Jr. was there on February 1, 1986, The Bellamy Brothers, Alabama and The Charlie Daniels Band performed on February 23, 1986, Autograph opened for Heart who was there on February 28, 1986, John Mellencamp played on March 2, 1986,

Diana Ross played the Omni on March 3, 1986, Rich Mullins opened for Amy Grant on March 15, 1986, Ted Nugent (Little Miss Dangerous tour) and Aerosmith (Done With Mirrors tour) were there on March 25, 1986, Jimmy Barnes opened for ZZ Top on their Afterburner tour on March 26, 27, and 28, 1986, Bachman–Turner Overdrive (North American Tour tour) and Van Halen (5150 tour) performed on April 14, 1986, and May 20, 1986,

The Firm brought their Mean Business tour on April 23, 1986, Blue Öyster Cult (Club Ninja tour) and Rush (Power Windoew tour) were there on April 25, 1986, Whodini, LL Cool J, and Run‐D.M.C. was there on their Raising Hell tour on May 24, 1986, Neil Diamond was there on June 6, 1986,

Joan Baez , The Police, Neville Brothers, Lou Reed, Bryan Adams, Peter Gabriel, and U2 were there on A Conspiracy of Hope tour on June 11, 1986, Colonel Abrams, Atlantic Starr, Ashford & Simpson, and Patti LaBelle played on June 13, 1986, Dokken (Under Lock and Key tour) and Judas Priest (Fuel for Life tour) were there on June 15, 1986,

Atlantic Starr, Jesse Johnson’s Revue, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, and New Edition on their Carefree Curl Summer Fest tour were all there on August 9, 1986, Stevie Wonder was there on his In Square Circle tour on August 23, 1986, Luciano Pavarotti performed on August 27, 1986, Queensrÿche (Rage for Order tour) and Ozzy Osbourne (The Ultimate Sin tour) performed on September 9, 1986, Elton John was there on his Ice on Fire tour on September 16, 1986,

.38 Special (Strength in Numbers tour) and Bon Jovi were there on September 27, 1986, Sheila E. (Romance 1600 Tour) and Lionel Ritchie (The Outrageous Tour) performed on October 10, 1986, The Grass Roots, Herman’s Hermits, Gary Puckett (North American Tour) and The Monkees (20th Anniversary Tour) were there on October 18, 1986, Cinderella (Night Songs Tour) and David Lee Roth (Eat ‘Em And Smile tour) played October 23, 1986,

Neil Young & Crazy Horse brought his Live in a Rusted Out Garage tour on October 25, 1986, Sting was there on November 6, 1986, Glass Tiger (The Thin Red Line tour) opened for Journey on their Raised on Radio tour on November 18 and 19, 1986, Triumph was there on The Sport of Kings tour on December 11, 1986,

Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band performed his American Storm tour on December 21, 22, and 23, 1986, and Cyndi Lauper closed the year with her True Colors tour on December 31, 1986.

Yngwie Malmsteen (Trilogy tour) and Iron Maiden (Somewhere On Tour) were there on January 20, 1987, Huey Lewis and the News was there on January 28, 1987, Hank Williams, Jr. performed on February 21, 1987, Genesis was there for two nights on their Invisible Touch World Tour on February 25 and 26, 1987,

Poison (Look What the Cat Dragged In tour) and Ratt (Dancing Undercover tour) were there on March 10, 1987, Billy Joel performed 3 nights on his The Bridge tour on March 20, 21 and 22, 1987, Bon Jovi (Slippery When Wet tour) and Cinderella (Night Songs tour) played on March 23 and 24, 1987, Randy Travis was there on April 11, 1987, REO Speedwagon performed their Life As We Know It tour on May 9, 1987,

Bryan Adams was there on his Into the Fire tour on May 16, 1987, Paul Simon played the Omni on his Graceland tour on June 15, 1987, Level 42 opened for Madonna on her Who’s That Girl tour on June 29, 1987, The Budweiser Superfest returned with Maze, Atlantic Starr, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and Patti LaBelle on July 3, 1987, Crosby, Stills & Nash was there on July 13, 1987, The Georgia Satellites and The Del Fuegos opened for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on his Rock ‘N’ Roll Caravan tour on July 22, 1987, Public Enemy and LL Cool J (1987 Def Jam Tour) were there on August 2, 1987, Whitney Houston brought her Moment of Truth World Tour on August 8, 1987,

Roger Waters performed his Radio K.A.O.S. TourOn September 2, 1987, Fahrenheit opened for Boston on their Third Stage tour on September 17, 1987, Fat Boys played their Wipe Out Tour ’87 on September 19, 1987, David Bowie performed on his Glass Spider tour on September 21 and 22, 1987, The Rossington Band opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd on the Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour on October 14 and 15, 1987, Icehouse (Crazy Tour) opened for the Cars on October 20, 1987,

Pink Floyd performed their A Momentary Lapse of Reason tour on November 3, 4 and 5, 1987, Cruzados opened for Fleetwood Mac who was there on November 9, 1987, Level 42 opened for Tina Turner on her Break Every Rule Tour on November 11, 1987, Yes was there on November 13, 1987, Guns N’ Roses (Appetite for Destruction tour) and Mötley Crüe (Girls, Girls, Girls tour) were there on November 20 and 22, 1987,

McAuley-Schenker Group (Perfect Timing Tour) opened for Rush on their Hold Your Fire tour on November 25, 1987, Mr. Mister opened for Heart on their Bad Animals tour on November 27, 1987, BoDeans opened for U2 on The Joshua Tree tour on December 8 and 9, 1987, and Tesla (Mechanical Resonance tour) opened for Def Leppard on their Hysteria tour on December 18, 1987.

Megadeth (So Far, So Good… So What tour) and Dio (Dream Evil tour), and Savatage (Hall Of The Mountain King tour) performed on January 22, 1988, Earth, Wind & Fire was there on their Touch of the World tour on February 5, 1988, Ted Nugent (If You Can’t Lick ‘Em…Lick ‘Em tour) opened for KISS (Crazy Nights tour) on February 10, 1988,

Earth, Wind & Fire dropped by on their Touch the World tour on February 11, 1988, Yes was there on the Big Generator tour on February 12, 1988, Whitesnake and Great White (Once Bitten tour) were there on February 17, 1988, Restless Heart opened for Hank Williams, Jr. who returned on February 18 and 20, 1988, Public Image Ltd opened for INXS on their Kick tour on March 3, 1988,

John Mellencamp performed his The Lonesome Jubilee tour on March 9, 1988, Bruce Springsteen was there with his Tunnel of Love Express tour on March 22 and 23, 1988, Grateful Dead were there on their Sping Tour on March 24, 1988, Warlock performed their Triumph and Agony tour on April 6 and 7, 1988, White Lion (Pide tour) opened for Aerosmith (Permanent Vacation tour) on April 8, 1988, Michael Jackson was there on his Bad World Tour on April 13, 14, and 15, 1988, Sandi Patty was there on April 23, 1988,

McAuley-Schenker Group (Perfect Timing Tour), Poison (Open Up and Say…Ahh! tour), and David Lee Roth (Skyscraper World Tour) were there on May 5, 1988, EPMD, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, Run‐D.M.C.(Run’s House tour), J.J. Fad, and Public Enemy (It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back tour) were all there on August 7, 1988, Daryl Hall & John Oates performed their Ooh Yeah! tour on August 14, 1988,

White Lion (Rock ‘N’ Roar Tour) opened for AC/DC (Blow Up Your Video tour) on August 23, 1988, Eric B. & Rakim was there on August 28, 1988, Jimmy Page played his Outrider tour on September 6, 1988, Judas Priest (Mercenaries of Metal tour) and Cinderella (Long Cold Winter Tour) were there on September 14, 1988, Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minnelli, and Frank Sinatra were there for The Ultimate Event on September 22, 1988,

Bobby Brown and The New Edition performed on September 24, 1988, Private Life opened for Van Halen on the OU812 tour on October 3, 1988, L.A. Guns (No Mercy Tour), Queensrÿche (Operation: Mindcrime tour), and Def Leppard (Hysteria Tour) played the Omni on October 7, 8, and 9, 1988,

Prince was there on the Lovesexy Tour on October 13 and 14, 1988, Cinderella (Long Cold Winter Tour) and AC/DC (Blow Up Your Video tour) were there on October 21, 1988, Rod Stewart brought his Out of Order Tour on October 30, 1988, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (Up Your Alley tour) opened for Robert Plant (Non Stop Go tour) on November 7, 1988, Luther Vandross was there for two night on his Any Love tour on November 10 and 11, 1988,

Ozzy Osbourne (No Rest for the Wicked tour) and Anthrax (State of Euphoria tour) were there on November 17, 1988, and December 21, 1988, Amy Grant was there on November 25, 1988, and EPMD, Public Enemy, Big Daddy Kane, Sir Mix‐A‐Lot, Stetsasonic, and The 2 Live Crew performed on December 28, 1988.

Poison (Open Up and Say…Ahh! tour) and Tesla (The Great Radio Controversy tour) performed on January 18, 1989, Tanya Tucker opened for Hank Williams, Jr. on February 10 and 11, 1989, Skid Row opened for Bon Jovi on the New Jersey Syndicate tour on February 15, 1989, Queensrÿche (Operation: Mindcrime) and Metallica (Damaged Justice tour) were there on February 18, 1989, Grateful Dead returned on another Spring tour on March 27 and 28, 1989, The Indigo Girls opened for R.E.M. on their Green tour on April 1, 1988,

BulletBoys, Winger (To Tuff to Tame Tour) opened for Cinderella on their Long Cold Winter Tour on April 14, 1989, Kix (Blow My Fuse), Ratt (Reach For The Sky Tour), and Great White (Twice Shy tour) played the Omni on April 22, 1989, Neil Diamond performed his The Best Years Of Our Lives tour on July 26 and 27, 1989, LL Cool J performed his Nitro tour on September 2, 1989,

Gloria Estefan was there on her Get on Your Feet tour on October 30, 1989, Debbie Gibson played at the Omni on November 15, 1989, New Kids on the Block were there for two nights on November 16 and 17, 1989, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble and Jeff Beck were there on The Fire Meets the Fury tour on November 19, 1989, Jethro Tull were there on the Rock Island tour on November 22, 1989.