Hold Your Fire Tour

{{Infobox concert | concert_tour_name = Hold Your Fire Tour | image = | type = | location = {{hlist|Europe|North America}} | album = ''[[Hold Your Fire]]'' | artist = [[Rush (band)|Rush]] | start_date = October 29, 1987 | end_date = May 5, 1988 | number_of_legs = 2 | number_of_shows = 78 | last_tour = [[Power Windows Tour]] <br> (1985–1986) | this_tour = '''Hold Your Fire Tour''' <br> (1987–1988) | next_tour = [[Presto tour|Presto Tour]] <br> (1990) }}

The '''Hold Your Fire Tour''' was a concert tour by Canadian rock band [[Rush (band)|Rush]], in support of the band's twelfth studio album ''[[Hold Your Fire]]''.

== Background == The band continued the trend of their usage of synthesizers, sequencers and onstage automation which continued from their [[Power Windows Tour]],{{sfn|Daly|Hansen|2019|p=278}} also featuring a laser system with red and green beams as well as a video screen that had animated segments of the three red orbs from the cover of ''Hold Your Fire''.<ref name="boothreview1988">{{cite news |last1=Booth |first1=Philip |title=Rock loses its way with Rush: Laser show offsets general monotomy of Rush concert |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RoIwAAAAIBAJ&dq=rush+concert&pg=PA15&article_id=1153,397104 |access-date=15 January 2025 |issue=118 |publisher=Lakeland Ledger |date=17 February 1988 |location=Lakeland, Florida |pages=1C; 6C |language=en}}</ref> Opening bands on the North American leg included [[Chalk Circle (Canadian band)|Chalk Circle]],{{sfn|Popoff|2021|pp=241–242}} the [[McAuley Schenker Group]], and [[Tommy Shaw]].{{sfn|Daly|Hansen|2019|p=280}} [[Wishbone Ash]] was the support act for the band's performances in Europe.{{sfn|Popoff|2021|p=242}} The first three European performances at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England were recorded for the band's live album and video, ''[[A Show of Hands]]''.{{sfn|Daly|Hansen|2019|p=280}}

== Reception == Reviewing the Lakeland concert on February 15, 1988, Philip Booth of the Lakeland Ledger who had given the concert a 'poor' review, criticized the band's performance, stating that the band "defined itself by self absorption to the max", referring to their music as "hollow" despite the state-of-the-art equipment they had, as well as calling their music "numbingly loud" and "repetitive". He closed his review, stating that the visuals and music couldn't compensate for Rush's musical substance, concluding that they were "overcooked".<ref name="boothreview1988"/> Jane E. Stephenson, a reader who had attended the performance, later sent a response to Booth to criticize him, defending the band's performance with a rebuttal that there were "ten thousand screaming fans" who were moved from the concert.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stephenson |first1=Jane E. |title=Letters to the Editor: Bummed Rush |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UIIwAAAAIBAJ&dq=rush+concert&pg=PA6&article_id=5447,5189690 |access-date=January 16, 2025 |issue=129 |publisher=Lakeland Ledger |date=February 28, 1988 |location=Lakeland, Florida |page=10A |language=en}}</ref>

== Set list == This is an example set list adapted from ''Rush: Wandering the Face of the Earth – The Official Touring History'' of what was performed during the tour, but may not represent the majority of the shows.{{sfn|Daly|Hansen|2019|p=281}} #"[[The Big Money]]" #"[[Subdivisions (song)|Subdivisions]]" #"[[Limelight (Rush song)|Limelight]]" #"[[Marathon (Rush song)|Marathon]]" #"Turn the Page" #"Prime Mover" #"[[Manhattan Project (song)|Manhattan Project]]" #"[[Closer to the Heart]]" #"[[Red Sector A]]" #"[[Force Ten (song)|Force Ten]]" #"[[Time Stand Still (song)|Time Stand Still]]" #"[[Distant Early Warning (song)|Distant Early Warning]]" #"[[Lock and Key (Rush song)|Lock and Key]]" #"[[Mission (song)|Mission]]" #"Territories" #"[[YYZ (instrumental)|YYZ]]" #"The Rhythm Method" (drum solo) #"[[Red Lenses]]" (abridged) #"[[The Spirit of Radio]]" #"[[Tom Sawyer (song)|Tom Sawyer]]" #;Encore #"[[2112 (song)|2112 Parts I & II: Overture/The Temples of Syrinx]]" #"[[List of Rush instrumentals#La Villa Strangiato|La Villa Strangiato]]" #"[[In the Mood (Rush song)|In the Mood]]"

== Tour dates == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of 1987 concerts{{sfn|Daly|Hansen|2019|pp=281–284}}<ref name="hyftour">{{cite web |title=Hold Your Fire Tour |url=https://www.rush.com/tour/hold-your-fire/ |website=Rush.com |access-date=16 January 2025 |language=en-CA}}</ref> ! style="width:220px;"|Date ! style="width:220px;"|City ! style="width:150px;"|Country ! style="width:300px;"|Venue |- |October 29, 1987 |rowspan="2"|[[St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador]] |rowspan="5"|[[Canada]] |rowspan="2"|[[Memorial Stadium (St. John's)|Memorial Stadium]] |- |October 30, 1987 |- |November 1, 1987 |[[Sydney, Nova Scotia]] |[[Centre 200]] |- |November 2, 1987 |[[Halifax, Nova Scotia]] |[[Scotiabank Centre|Halifax Metro Centre]] |- |November 4, 1987 |[[Moncton|Moncton, New Brunswick]] |[[Moncton Coliseum]] |- |November 6, 1987 |rowspan="2"|[[Providence, Rhode Island]] |rowspan="21"|[[United States]] |rowspan="2"|[[Amica Mutual Pavilion|Providence Civic Center]] |- |November 7, 1987 |- |November 9, 1987 |[[Springfield, Massachusetts]] |[[MassMutual Center|Springfield Civic Center]] |- |November 10, 1987 |[[Utica, New York]] |[[Adirondack Bank Center|Utica Memorial Auditorium]] |- |November 12, 1987 |[[Troy, New York]] |[[Houston Field House|RPI Fieldhouse]] |- |November 13, 1987 |[[Binghamton, New York]] |[[Visions Veterans Memorial Arena|Broome County War Memorial Arena]] |- |November 14, 1987 |[[Buffalo, New York]] |[[Buffalo Memorial Auditorium]] |- |November 24, 1987 |[[Johnson City, Tennessee]] |[[Freedom Hall Civic Center]] |- |November 25, 1987 |[[Atlanta|Atlanta, Georgia]] |[[Omni Coliseum|The Omni]] |- |November 27, 1987 |[[Charlotte, North Carolina]] |[[Charlotte Coliseum]] |- |November 30, 1987 |[[Landover, Maryland]] |[[Capital Centre (Landover, Maryland)|Capital Centre]] |- |December 2, 1987 |rowspan="2"|[[Worcester, Massachusetts]] |rowspan="2"|[[DCU Center|The Centrum]] |- |December 3, 1987 |- |December 5, 1987 |[[New Haven, Connecticut]] |[[New Haven Coliseum]] |- |December 7, 1987 |[[East Rutherford, New Jersey]] |[[Meadowlands Arena]] |- |December 9, 1987 |[[Uniondale, New York]] |[[Nassau Coliseum]] |- |December 11, 1987 |[[New York City|New York City, New York]] |[[Madison Square Garden]] |- |December 13, 1987 |rowspan="2"|[[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]] |rowspan="2"|[[Spectrum (arena)|The Spectrum]] |- |December 14, 1987 |- |December 16, 1987 |[[Pittsburgh|Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]] |[[Civic Arena (Pittsburgh)|Civic Arena]] |- |December 17, 1987 |[[Richfield, Ohio]] |[[Richfield Coliseum]] |}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of 1988 concerts<ref name="hyftour"/>{{sfn|Daly|Hansen|2019|pp=284–289}} ! style="width:220px;"|Date ! style="width:220px;"|City ! style="width:150px;"|Country ! style="width:300px;"|Venue |- |January 14, 1988 |[[Hampton, Virginia]] |rowspan="30"|United States |[[Hampton Coliseum]] |- |January 15, 1988 |[[Raleigh, North Carolina]] |[[Reynolds Coliseum]] |- |January 17, 1988 |[[Birmingham, Alabama]] |[[Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex|Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Coliseum]] |- |January 18, 1988 |[[Jackson, Mississippi]] |[[Mississippi Coliseum]] |- |January 20, 1988 |[[Dallas|Dallas, Texas]] |[[Reunion Arena]] |- |January 21, 1988 |[[San Antonio|San Antonio, Texas]] |[[HemisFair Arena|Convention Center Arena]] |- |January 23, 1988 |[[Oklahoma City|Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]] |[[Myriad Convention Center|Myriad Arena]] |- |January 24, 1988 |[[Shreveport, Louisiana]] |[[Hirsch Memorial Coliseum]] |- |January 26, 1988 |[[Little Rock, Arkansas]] |[[Barton Coliseum]] |- |January 27, 1988 |[[New Orleans|New Orleans, Louisiana]] |[[Lakefront Arena|UNO Lakefront Arena]] |- |January 29, 1988 |[[Houston|Houston, Texas]] |[[The Summit (TV series)|The Summit]] |- |January 30, 1988 |[[Austin, Texas]] |[[Frank Erwin Center]] |- |February 1, 1988 |[[Phoenix, Arizona]] |[[Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum]] |- |February 3, 1988 |[[San Diego|San Diego, California]] |[[Pechanga Arena|San Diego Sports Arena]] |- |February 4, 1988 |rowspan="2"|[[Inglewood, California]] |rowspan="2"|[[Kia Forum|The Forum]] |- |February 5, 1988 |- |February 15, 1988 |[[Lakeland, Florida]] |[[RP Funding Center|Lakeland Civic Center]] |- |February 16, 1988 |[[Pembroke Pines, Florida]] |[[Hollywood Sportatorium]] |- |February 18, 1988 |[[Jacksonville, Florida]] |[[Jacksonville Coliseum|Veterans Memorial Coliseum]] |- |February 19, 1988 |[[Pensacola, Florida]] |[[Pensacola Bay Center|Pensacola Civic Center]] |- |February 21, 1988 |[[Memphis, Tennessee]] |[[Mid-South Coliseum]] |- |February 22, 1988 |[[Nashville, Tennessee]] |[[Nashville Municipal Auditorium]] |- |February 23, 1988 |[[Cincinnati|Cincinnati, Ohio]] |[[Heritage Bank Center|Riverfront Coliseum]] |- |February 25, 1988 |rowspan="2"|[[Rosemont, Illinois]] |rowspan="2"|[[Allstate Arena|Rosemont Horizon]] |- |February 26, 1988 |- |February 28, 1988 |[[Peoria, Illinois]] |[[Peoria Civic Center]] |- |March 1, 1988 |[[St. Louis|St. Louis, Missouri]] |[[St. Louis Arena]] |- |March 2, 1988 |[[Indianapolis|Indianapolis, Indiana]] |[[Market Square Arena]] |- |March 4, 1988 |rowspan="2"|[[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]] |rowspan="2"|[[Joe Louis Arena]] |- |March 5, 1988 |- |March 7, 1988 |rowspan="2"|[[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]] |rowspan="5"|Canada |rowspan="2"|[[Maple Leaf Gardens]] |- |March 8, 1988 |- |March 10, 1988 |[[Montreal|Montreal, Quebec]] |[[Montreal Forum]] |- |March 11, 1988 |[[Quebec City|Quebec City, Quebec]] |[[Colisée de Québec|Colisee de Quebec]] |- |March 12, 1988 |[[Ottawa|Ottawa, Ontario]] |[[TD Place Arena|Ottawa Civic Centre]] |- |April 2, 1988 |[[Omaha, Nebraska]] |rowspan="6"|United States |[[Omaha Civic Auditorium]] |- |April 4, 1988 |[[Bloomington, Minnesota]] |[[Met Center]] |- |April 5, 1988 |[[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, Wisconsin]] |[[UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena|MECCA Arena]] |- |April 7, 1988 |[[Kansas City, Missouri]] |[[Hy-Vee Arena|Kemper Arena]] |- |April 9, 1988 |[[Louisville, Kentucky]] |[[Louisville Gardens]] |- |April 10, 1988 |[[Dayton, Ohio]] |[[Hara Arena]] |- |April 21, 1988 |rowspan="3"|[[Birmingham]] |rowspan="3"|[[England]] |rowspan="3"|[[Bp pulse LIVE|National Exhibition Centre Arena]] |- |April 23, 1988 |- |April 24, 1988 |- |April 26, 1988 |[[Glasgow]] |[[Scotland]] |[[SEC Centre|Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre]] |- |April 28, 1988 | rowspan="3" |[[London]] | rowspan="3" |England | rowspan="3" |[[Wembley Arena]] |- |April 29, 1988 |- |April 30, 1988 |- |May 2, 1988 |[[Rotterdam]] |[[Netherlands]] |[[Rotterdam Ahoy|Ahoy Sportpaleis]] |- |May 4, 1988 |[[Frankfurt]] |rowspan="2"|[[West Germany]] |[[Festhalle Frankfurt|Festhalle]] |- |May 5, 1988 |[[Stuttgart]] |[[Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle|Schleyer-Halle]] |}

=== Box office score data === {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+List of box office score data with date, city, venue, attendance, gross, references ! scope="col" style="width:9em;"|Date ! scope="col" style="width:13em;"|City ! scope="col" style="width:19em;"|Venue ! scope="col" style="width:9em;"|Attendance ! scope="col" style="width:7em;"|Gross ! scope="col" style="width:5em;" class="unsortable" |{{Abbr|Ref(s)|References}} |- |December 7, 1987 |East Rutherford, United States |Meadowlands Arena |14,483 / 17,963 |$272,503 |<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Amusement Business Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses |magazine=Billboard |date=December 26, 1987 |volume=99 |issue=52 |page=42 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JCgEAAAAMBAJ |access-date=January 14, 2025 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> |}

== Personnel == * [[Geddy Lee]] – vocals, bass, keyboards * [[Alex Lifeson]] – guitar, backing vocals * [[Neil Peart]] – drums

== References == === Citations === {{reflist}}

=== Sources === * {{cite book |last1=Daly|first1=Skip|last2=Hansen|first2=Eric|title=Rush: Wandering the Face of the Earth – The Official Touring History|year=2019|publisher=Insight Editions|isbn=978-1-68383-450-2}} * {{cite book |last1=Popoff |first1=Martin |title=Limelight: Rush in the '80s |date=2021 |publisher=ECW Press |location=Toronto, Canada |isbn=978-1-77041-569-0 |language=en}}

[[Category:Rush (band) concert tours]] [[Category:1987 concert tours]] [[Category:1988 concert tours]] [[Category:Concert tours of North America]] [[Category:Concert tours of the United States]] [[Category:Concert tours of Canada]] [[Category:Concert tours of Europe]]