The Appetite for Destruction Tour was a tour by the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses in 1987 and 1988 to promote their debut album Appetite for Destruction, which was released in July 1987. During the 16-month tour, the band opened for bands The Cult, Mötley Crüe, Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, and headlined shows across four continents.
It is the only tour in which the classic lineup of Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, and Steven Adler performed together, aside from opening four shows in at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for The Rolling Stones in October 1989.
"We started out as a hardcore band and we toured our fucking asses off," Slash recalled. "Next thing you know, we've turned into pop stars."
Background On August 20, 1988, Guns N' Roses performed at the Monsters of Rock festival at Donington Park in Castle Donington, England. At the start of their set, the capacity crowd of over 100,000 began jumping and surging forward. Despite Axl Rose's requests that the crowd move away from the stage, two fans were trampled to death. Media largely blamed the band for the tragedy, and reported that they continued playing despite the dangerous conditions. However, the venue's head of security noted that GN'R had not been aware of the extent of fan injuries, had immediately halted their set when requested to do so, and had attempted to calm the crowd.
The band's show at Texas Stadium on September 17, 1988, is remembered by the band as one of their worst performances.a-4-d.com/t1373-1988-09-17-texas-stadium-irving-usa "The band completely fell apart in front of this massive audience," recalled Slash. "It was desperate on stage, trying to keep everything together. I have nightmares about it."
Opening acts Faster Pussycat The Quireboys Ezo Funhouse Junkyard L.A. Guns T.S.O.L. U.D.O. Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction Kings of the Sun The Angels (Angel City) Knightshade
Tour dates + List of 1987 concertsDateCityCountryVenueJune 19, 1987LondonEnglandMarquee ClubJune 22, 1987June 28, 1987August 14, 1987HalifaxCanadaHalifax Metro CentreAugust 15, 1987MonctonMoncton ColiseumAugust 17, 1987MontrealVerdun AuditoriumAugust 18, 1987WaterlooSuper Skate 7August 19, 1987TorontoCNE StadiumAugust 21, 1987DetroitUnited StatesState TheatreAugust 25, 1987WinnipegCanadaWinnipeg ArenaAugust 26, 1987EdmontonEdmonton Convention CentreAugust 27, 1987CalgaryMax Bell CentreAugust 29, 1987VancouverPacific ColiseumAugust 30, 1987SeattleUnited StatesParamount TheatreSeptember 2, 1987San FranciscoThe WarfieldSeptember 3, 1987Santa CruzSanta Cruz Civic AuditoriumSeptember 4, 1987San DiegoSDSU Open Air TheaterSeptember 5, 1987Long BeachLong Beach ArenaSeptember 6, 1987TucsonTucson GardenSeptember 7, 1987PhoenixThe Mason JarSeptember 8, 1987El PasoEl Paso County ColiseumSeptember 11, 1987San AntonioThe Sunken GardensSeptember 12, 1987AustinPalmer AuditoriumSeptember 13, 1987DallasBronco Bowl AuditoriumSeptember 16, 1987HoustonHouston Music HallSeptember 17, 1987New OrleansSaenger TheatreSeptember 29, 1987Hamburg West GermanyMarkthalleSeptember 30, 1987Düsseldorf Gate 3October 2, 1987Amsterdam NetherlandsParadisoOctober 4, 1987Newcastle EnglandNewcastle City HallOctober 5, 1987Nottingham Nottingham Rock CityOctober 6, 1987Manchester Manchester Apollo TheatreOctober 7, 1987Bristol Colston HallOctober 8, 1987LondonHammersmith OdeonOctober 16, 1987Bay ShoreUnited StatesThe SundanceOctober 17, 1987AllentownAirport Road Music HallOctober 18, 1987Baltimore Hammerjack'sOctober 20, 1987PhiladelphiaTrocadero TheatreOctober 21, 1987AlbanyPalace TheatreOctober 23, 1987New York CityThe RitzOctober 25, 1987PoughkeepsieThe ChanceOctober 26, 1987ProvidenceThe Living RoomOctober 27, 1987Boston Paradise Rock ClubOctober 29, 1987New York CityL'AmourOctober 30, 1987CBGB'sOctober 31, 1987SyracuseThe Lost HorizonNovember 1, 1987Washington, D.C.The BayouNovember 3, 1987MobileMobile Municipal AuditoriumNovember 4, 1987AlbanyAlbany Civic CenterNovember 6, 1987LafayetteCajundomeNovember 7, 1987New OrleansLakefront ArenaNovember 8, 1987JacksonMississippi ColiseumNovember 10, 1987HuntsvilleVon Braun Civic CenterNovember 11, 1987CharlotteCharlotte ColiseumNovember 13, 1987SavannahSavannah Civic CenterNovember 14, 1987ColumbiaCarolina ColiseumNovember 15, 1987GreensboroGreensboro ColiseumNovember 17, 1987KnoxvilleKnoxville Civic ColiseumNovember 18, 1987BirminghamJefferson Civic CenterNovember 20, 1987AtlantaOmni ColiseumNovember 21, 1987ChattanoogaUTC ArenaNovember 22, 1987AtlantaOmni ColiseumNovember 24, 1987LakelandLakeland Civic CenterNovember 25, 1987November 27, 1987JacksonvilleJacksonville ColiseumNovember 28, 1987Fort MyersLee County Civic CenterNovember 29, 1987Pembroke PinesHollywood SportatoriumDecember 3, 1987McAllenLa Villa Real Convention CenterDecember 4, 1987DallasFair Park ColiseumDecember 5, 1987HoustonSam Houston ColiseumDecember 7, 1987San AntonioCameo TheaterDecember 8, 1987MidlandChaparral CenterDecember 11, 1987Cape GirardeauShow Me CenterDecember 12, 1987LouisvilleLouisville GardensDecember 17, 1987Saint PaulRoy Wilkins AuditoriumDecember 18, 1987ChicagoUIC PavilionDecember 19, 1987MadisonDane County Veterans Memorial ColiseumDecember 26, 1987PasadenaPerkins PalaceDecember 27, 1987December 28, 1987December 30, 1987December 31, 1987Los AngelesThe Glamour
+ List of 1988 concertsDateCityCountryVenueJanuary 5, 1988Santa MonicaUnited StatesSanta Monica Civic AuditoriumJanuary 14, 1988Los AngelesCoconut TeaszerJanuary 21, 1988The CathouseJanuary 31, 1988New York CityThe LimelightFebruary 2, 1988The RitzFebruary 4, 1988SacramentoCrest TheatreFebruary 5, 1988San FranciscoThe WarfieldFebruary 6, 1988FresnoWarnors TheatreFebruary 8, 1988San DiegoMontezuma HallFebruary 9, 1988AnaheimThe Celebrity TheaterFebruary 10, 1988February 12, 1988PhoenixCelebrity TheatreApril 26, 1988BurlingtonBurlington Memorial AuditoriumApril 27, 1988OshkoshOshkosh Conference HallApril 29, 1988RockfordCoronado TheatreApril 30, 1988DanvilleDanville Civic CenterMay 1, 1988ToledoToledo Sports ArenaMay 3, 1988Grand RapidsDeVos Performance HallMay 5, 1988ClevelandCleveland Music HallMay 6, 1988SaginawWendler ArenaMay 7, 1988DetroitState TheatreMay 9, 1988New York CityFelt ForumMay 10, 1988Upper Darby TownshipTower TheaterMay 11, 1988BostonOrpheum TheatreMay 13, 1988MonctonCanadaMoncton ColiseumMay 14, 1988HalifaxHalifax Metro CentreMay 16, 1988Quebec CityQuebec ColiseumMay 17, 1988MontrealMontreal ForumMay 18, 1988OttawaOttawa Civic ArenaMay 20, 1988TorontoCNE StadiumMay 23, 1988WinnipegWinnipeg ArenaMay 25, 1988EdmontonNorthlands ColiseumMay 27, 1988CalgaryThe SaddledomeMay 30, 1988VancouverPacific ColiseumMay 31, 1988SpokaneUnited StatesSpokane ColiseumJune 1, 1988SeattleSeattle ColiseumJune 3, 1988Salt Lake CitySalt PalaceJune 5, 1988Mountain ViewShoreline AmphitheatreJune 6, 1988SacramentoCal Expo AmphitheatreJuly 9, 1988PhoenixCelebrity TheatreJuly 10, 1988July 17, 1988Hoffman EstatesPoplar Creek Music TheaterJuly 19, 1988RichfieldRichfield ColiseumJuly 20, 1988WheelingWheeling Civic CenterJuly 22, 1988Cape GirardeauShow Me CenterJuly 24, 1988DallasStarplex AmphitheaterJuly 26, 1988Bonner SpringsSandstone AmphitheaterJuly 27, 1988AmesHilton ColiseumJuly 29, 1988East TroyAlpine Valley Music TheatreJuly 30, 1988MearsVal-Du-Lakes AmphitheaterAugust 1, 1988CincinnatiRiverbend Music CenterAugust 2, 1988IndianapolisMarket Square ArenaAugust 4, 1988PhiladelphiaThe SpectrumAugust 5, 1988August 6, 1988Saratoga SpringsSaratoga Performing Arts CenterAugust 7, 1988MiddletownOrange County Fairgrounds Stadium(Westwood 1/Pepsi Concert Series 1988 (#5))August 9, 1988WeedsportWeedsport SpeedwayAugust 11, 1988ClarkstonPine Knob Music TheatreAugust 12, 1988August 13, 1988August 16, 1988East RutherfordGiants StadiumAugust 17, 1988ColumbiaMerriweather Post PavilionAugust 20, 1988Castle Donington EnglandDonington ParkAugust 24, 1988MansfieldUnited StatesGreat Woods AmphitheaterAugust 25, 1988August 26, 1988August 28, 1988ThornvilleBuckeye Lake Music CenterAugust 30, 1988Wilkes-BarrePocono DownsAugust 31, 1988PittsburghCivic ArenaSeptember 2, 1988NashvilleStarwood AmphitheatreSeptember 3, 1988St. LouisSt. Louis ArenaSeptember 8, 1988ConcordConcord PavilionSeptember 9, 1988SacramentoCal Expo AmphitheaterSeptember 10, 1988Mountain ViewShoreline AmphitheaterSeptember 12, 1988ChandlerCompton TerraceSeptember 14, 1988Costa MesaPacific AmphitheatreSeptember 15, 1988September 17, 1988IrvingTexas Stadium (Survival of the Fittest 1988)December 4, 1988TokyoJapanNHK HallDecember 5, 1988OsakaOsaka Festival HallDecember 7, 1988TokyoNakano Sun Plaza HallDecember 9, 1988NHK HallDecember 10, 1988BudokanDecember 14, 1988MelbourneAustraliaMelbourne Sports and Entertainment CentreDecember 15, 1988December 17, 1988SydneySydney Entertainment CentreDecember 19, 1988AucklandNew ZealandMount Smart Stadium
Personnel Classic "Appetite for Destruction" line-up Axl Rose – lead vocals Slash – lead guitar, talkbox, slide guitar, backing vocals Izzy Stradlin – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Duff McKagan – bass, backing vocals Steven Adler – drums, backing vocals
Substitute musicians Fred Coury – drums (December 17, 1987 – January 5, 1988) Kid "Haggis" Chaos – bass, backing vocals (May 27, 1988)
References