The For Those About to Rock Tour (also known as the Cannon and Bell Tour) was a concert tour by the Australian hard rock band AC/DC, in support of their eighth studio album, For Those About to Rock We Salute You, which was released on 20 November 1981.
Background The For Those About to Rock Tour began with a North American leg in November 1981, with Japan and European legs throughout 1982. It was the first tour to feature two cannons on stage, which appeared during the band's encore, though it was not used at every show due to some venues refusing to let them use them.
It was the last tour to feature Phil Rudd on drums, due to issues regarding his addictions to drinking and drugs, as well as having caused the European tour that was set to begin in August to be cancelled and later rescheduled. Following an argument with Malcolm Young, Phil was fired from the band, and did not return until 1994.
During the North American tour, Midnight Flyer was the supporting act for the band. Y&T was the opening act for the band during the shows in the United Kingdom.
Reception Peter Robb from the Windsor Star who attended the second night at Cobo Hall in Detroit, gave the show a mixed review, opening that the band had succeeded to the top of heavy rock, but failed to innovate beyond the notability of bands like Slade and Bloodrock. Robb did however, state that AC/DC worked hard for their fans and gave each song they performed that night a marathon of effort for the audience whose cheers rose loud above the speakers when an older hit was performed.
Douglas E. Hall from Billboard, stated in his review that the band put on a hell of a show for a packed enthusiastic audience at Madison Square Garden, which had chanted along with the band's songs frequently, giving a big reaction when the band began performing the song "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" whilst the band gave a set of high energy and straight ahead rock 'n' roll, and delivering an impressive finale with simulated cannon blasts.
Lakeland Ledger's Rick Wilbur opened his review, stating that the sold out house of delighted and complacent heavy metal fans were "electrified" by the band, led by an energetic stage presence delivered by guitarist Angus Young, whom Wilbur had claimed stole the show with his showmanship and adroit musicianship. Malcolm Young, Williams and Rudd were also praised, sounding tight and appropriately high volume while Johnson's high energy screeches pleased the most demanding of fans. Wilbur later concluded his review, stating that while it wasn't harmonic and pleasant music, it was undeniably an effective heavy metal show that sounded good enough to support the thesis that AC/DC is a leader in the heavy metal interest.
Tour dates + List of 1981 concerts, showing date, city, country and venue Date City Country Venue14 November 1981DetroitUnited StatesCobo Hall16 November 198117 November 1981MilwaukeeMECCA Arena19 November 1981RosemontRosemont Horizon20 November 198121 November 198122 November 1981BloomingtonMet Center23 November 198125 November 1981CincinnatiRiverfront Coliseum26 November 1981St. LouisCheckerdome28 November 1981IndianapolisMarket Square Arena29 November 1981RichfieldRichfield Coliseum30 November 1981LexingtonRupp Arena2 December 1981New York CityMadison Square Garden3 December 1981HartfordHartford Civic Center4 December 1981ProvidenceProvidence Civic Center6 December 1981East RutherfordBrendan Byrne Arena7 December 1981PhiladelphiaThe Spectrum8 December 198110 December 1981TorontoCanadaMaple Leaf Gardens11 December 198112 December 1981MontrealMontreal Forum14 December 1981BostonUnited StatesBoston Garden15 December 198116 December 1981RochesterRochester Community War Memorial17 December 198120 December 1981LandoverCapital Centre21 December 1981
+ List of 1982 concerts, showing date, city, country and venue Date City Country Venue17 January 1982BirminghamUnited StatesBirmingham–Jefferson Civic Center18 January 1982NashvilleNashville Municipal Auditorium19 January 1982MemphisMid-South Coliseum20 January 1982AtlantaThe Omni21 January 198223 January 1982Baton RougeRiverside Centroplex24 January 1982MobileMobile Municipal Auditorium27 January 1982Pembroke PinesHollywood Sportatorium28 January 1982LakelandLakeland Civic Center29 January 19821 February 1982DallasReunion Arena2 February 19823 February 1982HoustonThe Summit4 February 19827 February 1982Salt Lake CitySalt Palace9 February 1982SeattleSeattle Coliseum10 February 198211 February 198212 February 198214 February 1982Daly CityCow Palace15 February 198216 February 198218 February 1982DenverMcNichols Sports Arena19 February 198221 February 1982InglewoodThe Forum22 February 198223 February 1982Los AngelesLos Angeles Memorial Sports Arena25 February 1982PhoenixCompton Terrace at Legend City 4 June 1982OsakaJapanFestival Hall6 June 1982Expo Hall8 June 1982KyotoKaikan Hall9 June 1982NagoyaShi Kokaido Hall10 June 1982TokyoNippon Budokan29 September 1982BirminghamEnglandNational Exhibition Centre30 September 19821 October 1982LeedsQueens Hall3 October 1982ManchesterManchester Apollo4 October 1982NewcastleNewcastle City Hall5 October 19826 October 19828 October 1982GlasgowScotlandApollo Theatre9 October 198210 October 1982EdinburghEdinburgh Playhouse11 October 198213 October 1982LondonEnglandHammersmith Odeon14 October 198215 October 198216 October 198218 October 1982Wembley Arena19 October 198221 October 1982BallsbridgeIrelandRoyal Dublin Society Arena22 October 198226 November 1982NurembergWest GermanyMessezentrum27 November 1982FrankfurtFesthalle Frankfurt28 November 1982MunichOlympiahalle30 November 1982LyonFrancePalais des Sports de Gerland2 December 1982AvignonParc Exposition De Chateaublanc4 December 1982ParisRothonde Du Borget6 December 1982BrusselsBelgiumVorst Nationaal9 December 1982CologneWest GermanySporthalle10 December 1982DortmundWestfalenhalle12 December 1982ZürichSwitzerlandHallenstadion
Box office score data +List of box office score data with date, city, venue, attendance, gross, referencesDateCityVenueAttendanceGross26 November 1981St. Louis, United StatesCheckerdome16,199$165,8843 December 1981Hartford, United StatesCivic Center15,190$168,0434 December 1981Providence, United StatesCivic Center13,200$132,1456 December 1981East Rutherford, United StatesBrendan Byrne Arena20,161$237,0377–8 December 1981Philadelphia, United StatesSpectrum30,955$285,10810–11 December 1981Toronto, CanadaMaple Leaf Gardens30,768 / 33,350$376,58218 January 1982Nashville, United StatesMunicipal Auditorium9,900$98,54027 January 1982Pembroke Pines, United StatesHollywood Sportarium12,804$144,04528–29 January 1982Lakeland, United StatesCivic Center19,835$233,3501 February 1982Dallas, United StatesReunion Arena19,012$227,628
Personnel Angus Young – lead guitar Cliff Williams – bass guitar, backing vocals Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Phil Rudd – drums Brian Johnson – lead vocals
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