# Moving Pictures Tour

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1980–1981 concert tour by Rush

Moving Pictures Tour Tour by Rush Location North America Associated album Moving Pictures Start date September 11, 1980 End date July 5, 1981 Legs 2 No. of shows 95 Rush concert chronology Permanent Waves Tour (1979–1980) Moving Pictures Tour (1980–1981) Exit... Stage Left Tour (1981)

The **Moving Pictures Tour** was a concert tour by Canadian [rock](/source/Rock_music) band [Rush](/source/Rush_(band)) in support of their eighth studio album, *[Moving Pictures](/source/Moving_Pictures_(Rush_album))*.

## Background

While preparing to enter the studio to record *Moving Pictures*, the band performed an isolated number of shows from September 11 to October 1, 1980 with [Saxon](/source/Saxon_(band)) as a support act. The tour began in Kalamazoo on February 20, 1981 and concluded on July 5 in East Troy. [Max Webster](/source/Max_Webster), [FM](/source/FM_(Canadian_band)), [Goddo](/source/Goddo) and [The Joe Perry Project](/source/The_Joe_Perry_Project) were also opening acts for Rush on the tour.[1] The March 27, 1981 performance in Montreal was recorded for the band's live album, *[Exit... Stage Left](/source/Exit..._Stage_Left)* and its [accompanying video](/source/Exit..._Stage_Left_(video)).[2][3] Each show was estimated to have cost $40,000 and featured back-projected film, pyrotechnics, and dry ice. 905,000 fans attended the shows overall, with the band making an estimated $4 million by the end of the tour. [4]

## Reception

John Griffin from the *Montreal Gazette* who attended the performance in Montreal, noted that Geddy Lee's vocals sounded like a guinea pig with an amphetamine habit, but praised both Lifeson, referring to his guitar playing as ordinary at best, and Peart, acknowledging his drumming as an interesting aspect that he made so little of the massive drum kit.[5]

Don Adair, a reporter from the Spokesman-Review opened his review of the band's show in Spokane, stating that the band gave the nearly full coliseum their money's worth, stating that it was heavy metal all the way complete with flash pot and thunderous decibels. Adair praised the band as a healthy rock and roll band, stating that it wouldn't bait the kids with pandering Van Halenesque sex and booze references, and healthy to do a two hour show with minimum posturing and carry the show with their orchestrated music. He also praised the lighting and effects that contributed to the dynamics of the performance which were designed by Howard Ungerlieder. He however, criticized that the music took it far too seriously, calling it pretentious.[6]

Roman Cooney from the *Calgary Herald* opened his review of the Edmonton performance, comparing Geddy Lee's vocals to a cat, but continued by stating that the band continued to push the heavy metal tide a little farther from imbecility. He claimed that if the band continued to spoil the heavy metal image and making their concerts more musically arresting than before, the group would be taken more seriously. Cooney commented on Peart's drum solo, noting it as "startlingly innovative". He later commented on the rest of the show with the band switching back and forth between "creative, exciting rock" and "insipid, banal exercises in needless noise and commotion". He concluded his review, stating that the band is becoming more adventurous on stage, being able to recreate the excitement their music had on vinyl.[7]

## Set list

These are example set lists adapted from *Rush: Wandering the Face of the Earth – The Official Touring History* of what were performed during the tour, but may not represent the majority of the shows.[8]

1980 Setlist "2112: Overture/Temples of Syrinx" "Freewill" "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" "Xanadu" "Limelight" "The Trees" "Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres – Prelude" "The Spirit of Radio" "Closer to the Heart" "Beneath, Between and Behind" "Tom Sawyer" "Jacob's Ladder" "A Passage to Bangkok" "Natural Science" "Working Man" "Finding My Way" "Anthem" "Bastille Day" "In the Mood" (with Neil Peart drum solo) Encore "La Villa Strangiato" 1981 Setlist "2112: Overture/Temples of Syrinx" "Freewill" "Limelight" "Book II: Hemispheres – Prelude" "Beneath, Between and Behind" "The Camera Eye" "YYZ" (with drum solo) "Broon's Bane" "The Trees" "Xanadu" "The Spirit of Radio" "Red Barchetta" "Closer to the Heart" "Tom Sawyer" "Vital Signs" "Natural Science" "Working Man" "Book II: Hemispheres – Armageddon" "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" "In the End" "In the Mood" "2112: Grand Finale" Encore "La Villa Strangiato"

## Tour dates

List of 1980 concerts, showing date, city, country, venue and opening act(s)[9][10][11][12][13] Date City Country Venue Opening Act(s) Attendance Gross September 11, 1980 Hampton United States Hampton Coliseum Saxon 4,283 / 10,000 $34,820 September 12, 1980 Charlotte Charlotte Coliseum 5,047 / 9,200 September 13, 1980 Charleston Charleston Civic Center 3,068 / 13,500 $25,894 September 14, 1980 Nashville Nashville Municipal Auditorium 7,251 / 9,900 September 16, 1980 Baton Rouge Riverside Centroplex 8,500 / 10,500 September 18, 1980 North Fort Myers Lee County Civic Center 3,149 / 7,000 September 19, 1980 Pembroke Pines Hollywood Sportatorium 5,722 / 15,533 September 20, 1980 Lakeland Lakeland Civic Center 10,000 / 10,000 $84,600 September 21, 1980 Jacksonville Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Coliseum 3,509 / 12,000 September 23, 1980 Cincinnati Riverfront Coliseum 4,616 / 17,500 September 25, 1980 Philadelphia The Spectrum 14,324 / 14,324 $120,483 September 26, 1980 Landover Capital Centre 15,895 / 18,000 September 27, 1980 South Yarmouth Cape Cod Coliseum 7,181 / 7,181 $61,637 September 28, 1980 Springfield Springfield Civic Center 2,200 / 7,500 September 30, 1980 Allentown Allentown Fairgrounds October 1, 1980 Portland Cumberland County Civic Center

List of 1981 concerts, showing date, city, country, venue and opening act(s)[9][10][14][15][16] Date City Country Venue Opening Act(s) Attendance Gross February 20, 1981 Kalamazoo United States Wings Stadium Max Webster 7,888 / 8,596 February 21, 1981 Dubuque Five Flags Arena 3,945 / 5,200 February 22, 1981 Davenport Palmer Alumni Auditorium 4,500 / 4,500 February 24, 1981 La Crosse La Crosse Center 4,608 / 7,000 February 26, 1981 Chicago International Amphitheatre 39,416 / 39,416 $450,856 February 27, 1981 February 28, 1981 March 1, 1981 March 2, 1981 Milwaukee Mecca Arena 9,741 / 9,741 $98,990 March 4, 1981 St. Louis Checkerdome 22,788 / 22,788 $212,824 March 5, 1981 March 7, 1981 Louisville Freedom Hall 8,145 / 8,145 $66,671 March 8, 1981 Dayton Hara Arena 8,000 / 8,000 $44,000 March 10, 1981 Evansville Roberts Municipal Stadium 5,054 / 10,500 $39,585 March 11, 1981 Indianapolis Market Square Arena 16,000 / 16,510 $121,363 March 13, 1981 Detroit Cobo Hall 34,809 / 34,809 $353,100 March 14, 1981 March 15, 1981 March 21, 1981 London Canada London Ice House FM 6,000 / 6,000 March 23, 1981 Toronto Maple Leaf Gardens 39,180 / 39,180 March 24, 1981 March 25, 1981 March 27, 1981[17] Montreal Montreal Forum Max Webster 14,055 / 14,055 March 28, 1981 Ottawa Ottawa Civic Centre FM 9,349 / 9,349 April 3, 1981 Tucson United States Tucson Community Center Max Webster 8,407 / 8,407 April 4, 1981 Phoenix Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 14,137 / 14,137 April 5, 1981 Albuquerque Tingley Coliseum 10,153 / 10,153 April 7, 1981 Houston Sam Houston Coliseum 18,926 / 18,926 April 8, 1981 April 10, 1981 Dallas Reunion Arena 15,439 / 15,439 April 11, 1981 San Antonio Convention Center 14,118 / 14,118 April 12, 1981 Fort Worth Tarrant County Convention Center 13,766 / 13,766 April 14, 1981 Little Rock T.H. Barton Coliseum 5,251 / 10,250 April 15, 1981 Jackson Mississippi Coliseum 6,676 / 10,000 $62,339 April 16, 1981 Memphis Mid-South Coliseum 9,537 / 9,537 $83,523 April 18, 1981 Mobile Municipal Auditorium —N/a 9,772 / 9,772 April 19, 1981 New Orleans Municipal Auditorium 8,100 / 8,100 April 21, 1981 Shreveport Hirsch Memorial Coliseum 8,182 / 8,182 April 23, 1981 Kansas City Kemper Arena 24,438 / 24,438 $230,280 April 24, 1981 April 25, 1981 Oklahoma City Myriad Arena 13,552 / 13,552 April 26, 1981 Tulsa Tulsa Assembly Center 5,287 / 8,000 May 6, 1981 Pittsburgh Civic Arena FM 13,265 / 13,265 $140,020 May 7, 1981 Richfield Richfield Coliseum 30,600 / 30,600 $275,890 May 8, 1981 May 9, 1981 Buffalo Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 15,020 / 15,020 May 11, 1981 Binghamton Broome County Memorial Arena 5,558 / 7,000 May 12, 1981 Rochester Rochester Community War Memorial 10,130 / 10,130 $107,100 May 13, 1981 Syracuse Onondaga County War Memorial Auditorium 7,072 / 8,200 May 15, 1981 Glens Falls Glens Falls Civic Center 6,759 / 6,759 $66,000 May 16, 1981 Landover Capital Centre 37,252 / 37,252 May 17, 1981 May 18, 1981 New York City Madison Square Garden 17,292 / 17,292 $195,000 May 20, 1981 Uniondale Nassau Coliseum 10,567 / 12,500 May 22, 1981 Philadelphia Spectrum 15,423 / 15,423 $137,703 May 23, 1981 Boston Boston Garden 11,406 / 11,406 $120,391 May 24, 1981 Providence Providence Civic Center 10,408 / 10,408 $93,251 June 1, 1981 Denver McNichols Sports Arena 14,572 / 14,572 June 3, 1981 Salt Lake City Salt Palace 12,228 / 12,228 June 5, 1981 Oakland Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 23,752 / 23,752 $212,668 June 6, 1981 June 7, 1981 Fresno Selland Arena 6,995 / 6,995 $66,291 June 9, 1981 San Diego San Diego Sports Arena 12,339 / 12,339 $114,670 June 10, 1981 Inglewood The Forum 29,344 / 29,344 $275,240 June 11, 1981 June 12, 1981 Anaheim Convention Center 7,321 / 7,321 $74,884 June 14, 1981 Long Beach Long Beach Arena 12,796 / 12,796 $131,438 June 15, 1981 Las Vegas Aladdin Theatre —N/a 7,450 / 7,450 $89,400 June 16, 1981 Reno Centennial Coliseum 6,500 / 6,500 June 18, 1981 Seattle Seattle Center Coliseum FM 24,640 / 24,640 $237,324 June 19, 1981 June 20, 1981 Portland Memorial Coliseum 9,780 / 9,780 $98,944 June 21, 1981[18] Spokane Spokane Coliseum 6,172 / 6,172 $53,930 June 23, 1981 Vancouver Canada Pacific Coliseum Goddo 11,645 / 11,645 $121,668 June 25, 1981 Edmonton Northlands Coliseum 11,363 / 11,363 $129,661 July 2, 1981 Bloomington United States Metropolitan Sports Center The Joe Perry Project 23,690 / 23,690 $249,390 July 3, 1981 July 4, 1981 East Troy Alpine Valley Music Theatre 28,211 / 40,000 $394,900 July 5, 1981

## Personnel

- [Geddy Lee](/source/Geddy_Lee) – vocals, bass, keyboards

- [Alex Lifeson](/source/Alex_Lifeson) – guitar, backing vocals

- [Neil Peart](/source/Neil_Peart) – drums

## References

### Citations

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPopoff202190–92_1-0)** [Popoff 2021](#CITEREFPopoff2021), pp. 90–92.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMobley2014_2-0)** [Mobley 2014](#CITEREFMobley2014).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBody2019_3-0)** [Body 2019](#CITEREFBody2019).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPopoff202193_4-0)** [Popoff 2021](#CITEREFPopoff2021), p. 93.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Griffin, John (March 28, 1981). ["Rush: Pomp-rock trio hot on tedium"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=Fr8DH2VBP9sC&dat=19810328&printsec=frontpage&hl=en). *The Montreal Gazette*. Montreal, Quebec. p. 117. Retrieved June 26, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Adair, Don (June 22, 1981). ["No one accused Rush of subtlety"](https://books.google.com/books?id=BUtOAAAAIBAJ&dq=rush+concert+review&pg=PA7&article_id=6064,3121747). No. 35. Spokane, Washington: The Spokesman-Review. p. 13. Retrieved May 16, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Cooney, Roman (June 26, 1981). ["Canning heavy metal moves Rush towards sanity"](https://books.google.com/books?id=FXNkAAAAIBAJ&dq=rush+moving+pictures+tour&pg=PA74&article_id=1447,3048188). Calgary, Alberta: The Calgary Herald. p. D1. Retrieved May 7, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDalyHansen2019199,_205_8-0)** [Daly & Hansen 2019](#CITEREFDalyHansen2019), pp. 199, 205.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDalyHansen2019197–213_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDalyHansen2019197–213_9-1) [Daly & Hansen 2019](#CITEREFDalyHansen2019), pp. 197–213.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-mptourdates_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-mptourdates_10-1) ["Moving Pictures Tour"](https://www.rush.com/tour/moving-pictures/). *Rush.com*. Retrieved April 30, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Top Box Office"](https://books.google.com/books?id=YSQEAAAAMBAJ&dq=rush+concert&pg=PT36). *Billboard*. Vol. 92, no. 39. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. September 27, 1980. p. 37. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0006-2510](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0006-2510). Retrieved April 30, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Top Box Office"](https://books.google.com/books?id=DCUEAAAAMBAJ&dq=rush+concert&pg=PT36). *Billboard*. Vol. 92, no. 40. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. October 4, 1980. p. 37. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0006-2510](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0006-2510). Retrieved April 30, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Top Box Office"](https://books.google.com/books?id=EiUEAAAAMBAJ). *Billboard*. Vol. 92, no. 41. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. October 11, 1980. p. 41. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0006-2510](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0006-2510). Retrieved May 6, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Top Box Office"](https://books.google.com/books?id=JiQEAAAAMBAJ). *Billboard*. Vol. 93, no. 26. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 4, 1981. p. 53. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0006-2510](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0006-2510). Retrieved May 12, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Top Box Office"](https://books.google.com/books?id=rCQEAAAAMBAJ). *Billboard*. Vol. 93, no. 27. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 11, 1981. p. 48. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0006-2510](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0006-2510). Retrieved May 12, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Top Box Office"](https://books.google.com/books?id=rSQEAAAAMBAJ). *Billboard*. Vol. 93, no. 28. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 18, 1981. p. 51. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0006-2510](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0006-2510). Retrieved May 12, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Friday: Evening"](https://books.google.com/books?id=uFFNAAAAIBAJ&dq=rush+exit+stage+left+montreal&pg=PA15&article_id=4105,5640997). No. 336. Rome, Georgia: Rome News-Tribune. May 30, 1986. p. 6. Retrieved May 12, 2022. This concert filmed in 1981 at the Montreal Forum

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Day by Day: Today"](https://books.google.com/books?id=BEtOAAAAIBAJ&dq=rush+concert+review&pg=PA33&article_id=5203,2309412). No. 34. Spokane, Washington: The Spokesman-Review. June 21, 1981. p. D10. Retrieved May 16, 2022. Concert - Rush, 7:30 p.m., Spokane Coliseum

### Sources

- Mobley, Max (2014). [*Rush FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Rock's Greatest Power Trio*](https://books.google.com/books?id=KM3dAwAAQBAJ). Hal Leonard Corporation. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-61713-604-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-61713-604-7).

- Body, Alex (2019). [*Rush: Song by Song*](https://books.google.com/books?id=VNygDwAAQBAJ&dq=exit+stage+left+montreal+glasgow+rush&pg=PT168). Fonthill Media. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-78155-729-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-78155-729-7).

- Daly, Skip; Hansen, Eric (2019). *Rush: Wandering the Face of the Earth – The Official Touring History*. Insight Editions. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-68383-450-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-68383-450-2).

- Popoff, Martin (2021). *Limelight: Rush in the '80s*. Toronto, Canada: ECW Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-77041-569-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-77041-569-0).

v t e Rush Alex Lifeson Geddy Lee Jeff Jones John Rutsey Neil Peart Studio albums Rush (1974) Fly by Night (1975) Caress of Steel (1975) 2112 (1976) A Farewell to Kings (1977) Hemispheres (1978) Permanent Waves (1980) Moving Pictures (1981) Signals (1982) Grace Under Pressure (1984) Power Windows (1985) Hold Your Fire (1987) Presto (1989) Roll the Bones (1991) Counterparts (1993) Test for Echo (1996) Vapor Trails (2002) Snakes & Arrows (2007) Clockwork Angels (2012) Live albums All the World's a Stage (1976) Exit... Stage Left (1981) A Show of Hands (1989) Different Stages (1998) Rush in Rio (2003) R30: 30th Anniversary World Tour (2005) Snakes & Arrows Live (2008) Grace Under Pressure Tour (2009) Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland (2011) Clockwork Angels Tour (2013) R40 Live (2015) Live videos Exit... Stage Left (1982) Grace Under Pressure Tour (1986) A Show of Hands (1989) Rush in Rio (2003) R30: 30th Anniversary World Tour (2005) Rush Replay X 3 (2006) Snakes & Arrows Live (2008) Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland (2011) Clockwork Angels Tour (2013) R40 Live (2015) Compilations Rush Through Time (1979) Chronicles (1990) Retrospective I (1997) Retrospective II (1997) The Spirit of Radio: Greatest Hits 1974–1987 (2003) Gold (2006) Retrospective III: 1989–2008 (2009) Working Men (2009) Video compilations Through the Camera Eye (1985) Chronicles (1990) Box sets The Studio Albums 1989–2007 (2013) Extended plays Feedback (2004) Cygnus X-1 (2017) Singles "In the Mood" "Fly by Night" "Lakeside Park" "The Twilight Zone" "Making Memories" "Closer to the Heart" "Circumstances" "The Trees" "The Spirit of Radio" "Entre Nous" "Limelight" "Tom Sawyer" "Vital Signs" "New World Man" "Subdivisions" "Countdown" "Red Sector A" "Afterimage" "The Big Money" "Mystic Rhythms" "Time Stand Still" "Show Don't Tell" "The Pass" "Dreamline" "Roll the Bones" "Ghost of a Chance" "Stick It Out" "Nobody's Hero" "Test for Echo" "Half the World" "Driven" "One Little Victory" "Secret Touch" "Summertime Blues" "Far Cry" "Caravan" "Headlong Flight" Other songs "Working Man" "Before" and "After" I. "Into the Darkness" "Didacts and Narpets" "2112" "A Passage to Bangkok" "Tears" "Xanadu" "Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres" (II. "Apollo Bringer of Wisdom" and III. "Dionysus Bringer of Love" IV. "Armageddon The Battle of Heart and Mind" VI. "The Sphere A Kind of Dream") "Freewill" "Red Barchetta" "YYZ" "Witch Hunt" "The Analog Kid" "Between the Wheels" "Marathon" "Manhattan Project" "Force Ten" "Mission" "Lock and Key" "Second Nature" "Heresy" "Animate" "Cold Fire" "The Larger Bowl (A Pantoum)" Tours Hemispheres Tour (1978–1979) Moving Pictures Tour (1980–1981) Exit... Stage Left Tour (1981) Power Windows Tour (1985–1986) Hold Your Fire Tour (1987–1988) Presto Tour (1990) Roll the Bones Tour (1991–1992) Counterparts Tour (1994) Test for Echo Tour (1996–1997) Snakes & Arrows Tour (2007–2008) Time Machine Tour (2010–2011) Clockwork Angels Tour (2012–2013) R40 Live Tour (2015) Fifty Something Tour (2026–2027) Related articles Discography Songs Awards Instrumentals Victor My Favourite Headache A Work in Progress Anatomy of a Drum Solo Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road Hugh Syme Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Working Man – A Tribute to Rush Category

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Moving Pictures Tour](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moving_Pictures_Tour) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moving_Pictures_Tour?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.