Start Making Sense

Why this blog?
The Talking Heads Concert History list started as a way to catalog tapes, then expanded to include information on concerts that were performed by the band while they were touring, between 1975 and 1984.

Where does all this concert information come from?
It was collected from ticket stubs, memorabilia on ebay, posters, old tapes, newspaper articles, concert reviews, college yearbooks, eyewitness accounts, and from all over the weber-tubes. We also visit libraries & research archives to examine & document primary sources (yay for old cassette tapes!) to notate the progression of the band's arrangements, instruments, set material, etc.

Is this a tape trading blog? Can I get shows here?
No! There are 100's of sites where you can do that. Get off your butt and get a membership at Dime.

Can I add info about shows I saw?
Yes! We love to receive new info and will update the blog with changes. Please send TH concert dates, ticket stub scans, etc to our email talkingheadsconcerthistoryATgmailDOTcom

How do I read the dates lists?
Each year has its own list. Dates in [brackets] are for shows that did not happen. Dates including ?question marks? refer to incomplete information; these are placed in logical parts of the list, but it's only a guess until we get better info.

Is this thing ever updated?
Yup! Check back because new info is added from time to time and as we receive it. BIG THANKS to all the fans who have generously emailed with new info! Thanks for your contributions! Last update: 01/28/2024

What does info in the "Recording" column mean?
Notations refer to known concert recordings that are circulating digitally, either as FLACs or WAVs (CDRs) or MP3s. "AUD" means an audience-made recording, "SBD" means a soundboard recording made from the band's mixing board or PA system, and "FM" means a SBD feed that was broadcast over the radio. "VID" refers to videos, these are generally available on Youtube for viewing.

Hey, I have a tape I wanna play?
If you have a concert tape to add that's not already listed here, please email us and we'll get it digitally transferred. talkingheadsconcerthistoryATgmailDOTcom

Can I copy this info? Can I re-post this info?
Yes, but... Please do not post on any for-pay websites or sites that host advertising. Also please include a link back to this homepage. Thanks! (haha everyone did exactly that[not]...so if you read it online, it came from here, congrats to all who monetized our content)

Hey! that's my pic or video?
Please email us and we'll credit your content, thanks.

Do I wanna learn more about all the TH albums?
Yes, you do. So go here:

https://www.thismustbetalkingheads.com/ 

https://talkingheadsofficial.com/discography/

How do I work this?
Navigate pages from menu on the right. Sorry, mobile view is disabled (the lists don't fit).

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CxGyld8Iz_m/ 

credit: Saar Mano

1984

1984...and beyond. Most people think the band stopped touring in 1983 after Stop Making Sense was shot in LA. But there were actually these few early 1984 shows. Read Tina's comments here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/aug/04/musicians-worst-gigs

 

 

Date	Venue	City	State	Country	Recording	Comment
[January 25, 1984]	see note					The widely circulated "Nature's Way Milwaukee" bootleg is actually the Stop Making Sense tracks from Westwood-1 radio special
January 28, 1984	Narara Festival	Somersby		AUS	AUD
January 30, 1984	Sports & Entertainment Centre	Melbourne		AUS
January 31, 1984	Sports & Entertainment Centre	Melbourne		AUS
February 4, 1984	Sweetwaters North Festival	Pukekawa		NZ	AUD
February 6, 1984	Sweetwaters South Festival, QE2 Park	Christchurch		NZ		Tina calls the final show the worst they ever did
Dates Beyond…
July 17, 1989	The Ritz	New York	NY	USA	VID	David & Jerry joined the Tom Tom Club for the end of their concert
March 18, 2002	R&RHoF Induction Ceremony	New York	NY	USA	VID	Final performance…….…………………………?

 

 

1983

1983 was the famous year in terms of TH live concerts, the year of the big suit. Most people find this tour to be the most memorable, while it also introduced 1000s of new fans to the band and their music. At the time, no one thought it would be their final big tour...

 

 

Date	Venue	City	State	Country	Recording	Comment
July 8, 1983	NBC Studios Rockefeller Center	New York	NY	USA	VID	David Letterman Show; Burning Down the House & I Zimbra were performed
July ?, 1983	Pier 61	New York	NY	USA		Private pre-tour run-thru performances
August 1, 1983	Roads Coliseum	Hampton	VA	USA		Half-house arena set-up
August 2, 1983	Civic Center	Springfield	MA	USA	AUD	Half-house arena set-up
August 3, 1983	Stade Olympique Ampitheater	Montreal	QC	CAN	AUD	TH opened for The Police
August 5, 1983	Performing Arts Center	Saratoga Springs	NY	USA	SBD + AUD	SBD plus Two AUD's circulating; tapes often mis-labled "08/03/83"
August 6, 1983	Cumberland County Civic Center	Portland	ME	USA	AUD	AUD is complete show made from two partial sources
August 8, 1983	Blossom Music Center	Cuyahoga Falls	OH	USA	AUD
August 9, 1983	Merriweather Post Pavilion	Columbia	MD	USA	AUD
August 11, 1983	Pine Knob Music Theater	Clarkston	MI	USA	AUD
August 12, 1983	Kingswood Music Theater	Maple	ON	CAN	AUD	Two AUD's circulating
August 13, 1983	Stanley Theater	Pittsburgh	PA	USA
August 14, 1983	Poplar Creek	Hoffman Estates	IL	USA	AUD
August 16, 1983	Mann Music Center	Philadelphia	PA	USA		originally scheduled for 08/20
August 17, 1983	Mid-Hudson Civic Center	Poughkeepsie	NY	USA		originally scheduled for 08/16, attendance: aprx 3100 tickets sold
August 19, 1983	Tennis Stadium	Forrest Hills	NY	USA	AUD	Three AUD's circulating (one is partial)
August 20, 1983	Cape Cod Coliseum	South Yarmouth	MA	USA	SBD + AUD
August 21, 1983	Tennis Stadium	Forrest Hills	NY	USA	AUD + VID	Five AUD's circulating, plus one video
August 22, 1983	Coliseum	New Haven	CT	USA	AUD
August 25, 1983	Civic Auditorium	Omaha	NE	USA
August 26, 1983	Red Rocks Ampitheater	Morrison	CO	USA	AUD	Four AUD's circulating (three are partial)
August 28, 1983	Compton Terrace	Phoenix	AZ	USA
August 29, 1983	Greek Theatre	Los Angeles	CA	USA	AUD	(Posters were printed for Aug 28th)
August 30, 1983	Greek Theatre	Los Angeles	CA	USA	AUD + VID	VID is incomplete & songs out of order
September 1, 1983	Pacific Ampitheater	Costa Mesa	CA	USA	AUD	Two AUD's circulating (one circulates mis-labeled as Greek Theater LA 08/30)
September 2, 1983	Greek Theater	Berkeley	CA	USA	AUD	Two AUD's circulating, Reserved Seating
September 3, 1983	County Bowl	Santa Barbara	CA	USA
September 4, 1983	Greek Theater	Berkeley	CA	USA	AUD	Four AUD's circulating (one circulates mislabled as Greek 09/02) G.A. Seating
[September ? 1983]	Santa Cruz Fairgrounds (?)	Watsonville	CA	USA		Planned but cancelled (original Sept 4th?)
September 29, 1983	Hotel Ballroom	Plattsburgh	NY	USA		Band rehearsal "Pull Up the Roots"
September 30, 1983	Fieldhouse, SUNY	Plattsburgh	NY	USA	AUD
October 1, 1983	Patrick Gym UVM	Burlington	VT	USA	AUD
October 2, 1983	Forum, UMass at Lowell	Billerica	MA	USA	AUD
October 4, 1983	Civic Center	Providence	RI	USA	AUD	Two AUD's circulating, Half-house arena set-up
October 5, 1983	Broome County Arena	Binghamton	NY	USA	AUD	Two AUD's circulating (one is partial)
October 6, 1983	War Memorial	Rochester	NY	USA	AUD
October 8, 1983	Millett Hall, Miami University	Oxford	OH	USA	AUD	Homecoming Concert
October 9, 1983	Alumni Arena, Univ. of Buffalo	Amherst	NY	USA	AUD	Two AUD's circulating (one is partial)
October 10, 1983	Smith Center, GWU	Washington	DC	USA	AUD	Two AUD's circulating
October 12, 1983	University Hall, UVA	Charlottesville	VA	USA
October 13, 1983	Carmichael Auditorium UNC	Chapel Hill	NC	USA
October 14, 1983	Leon County Civic Center	Tallahassee	FL	USA	AUD	F.S.U "Pow Wow". AUD is partial
October 15, 1983	Municipal Auditorium	Nashville	TN	USA	AUD
October 16, 1983	Coliseum	Charlotte	NC	USA		Attendees report venue "half empty"
October 18, 1983	Memorial Coliseum, Univ. Kty.	Lexington	KY	USA		Half-house arena set-up
October 19, 1983	Fox Theater	Atlanta	GA	USA	AUD
October 21, 1983	Municipal Auditorium	New Orleans	LA	USA	AUD	AUD is partial, original date Oct 29th
October 22, 1983	Sam Houston Coliseum	Houston	TX	USA	AUD
October 24, 1983	Convention Center Arena	Dallas	TX	USA
October 25, 1983	Lester E Palmer Auditorium	Austin	TX	USA
November 27, 1983	Silva Hall, Hult Center	Eugene	OR	USA		Rehearsal & video taping, no audience
November 28, 1983	Silva Hall, Hult Center	Eugene	OR	USA		Rehearsal & video taping, no audience
November 29, 1983	Silva Hall, Hult Center	Eugene	OR	USA	AUD	AUD is partial
December 1, 1983	Civic Auditorium	Portland	OR	USA	AUD
December 2, 1983	Center Arena	Seattle	WA	USA	AUD
December 3, 1983	PNE Coliseum	Vancouver	BC	CAN	AUD	Two AUD's circulating, "Concert Bowl" half-house set-up
[December 4, 1983]	MacArthur Court, Univ of OR	Eugene	OR	USA		Planned but moved to Hult Center
December 5, 1983	Pavilion at ARC, Univ. California	Davis	CA	USA
December 6, 1983	Civic Auditorium	San Francisco	CA	USA	AUD	AUD is partial
[December 7, 1983]	Aladdin Theatre	Las Vegas	NV	USA		Tickets sold, but concert was cancelled
December 8, 1983	Arena	Long Beach	CA	USA	AUD + VID	Three AUD's circulating (one is partial); VID is last 25 minutes of the 1st Set
[December 10, 1983]	Kabuki Theatre	San Francisco	CA	USA		Planned SMS filming, moved to LA
[December 11, 1983]	Kabuki Theatre	San Francisco	CA	USA		Planned SMS filming, moved to LA
December 12, 1983	Pantages Theater	Hollywood	CA	USA		Film rehearsal show, no audience
December 13, 1983	Pantages Theater	Hollywood	CA	USA		Filmed but none of this night was used
December 14, 1983	Pantages Theater	Hollywood	CA	USA	MOVIE
December 15, 1983	Pantages Theater	Hollywood	CA	USA	MOVIE	Most of the movie is from 12/15 show
December 16, 1983	Pantages Theater	Hollywood	CA	USA	AUD	Final concert of US tour (not filmed)