Power Windows Tour


The Power Windows Tour was a concert tour by Canadian rock band Rush, in support of the band's eleventh studio album Power Windows.

Background

Prior to the tour's start, the band embarked on a short warm-up tour of four shows in Florida which the band called the "Spring Training" tour. The tour officially started on December 4, 1985, at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine, and concluded on May 26, 1986, at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, California. Select songs at the two East Rutherford, New Jersey, shows were recorded for the 1989 live album A Show of Hands. Opening bands on the tour included Steve Morse, Marillion, FM, Blue Öyster Cult, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Kick Axe.

Reception

Ethlie Ann Vare from Billboard opened their review of the band's performance in Inglewood, noting the band as an anomaly in arena rock, stating that the band drew the same crowd as Van Halen or Mötley Crüe and delivered a jazz-based, laid-back sophisticated performance, yet continued to excite the sold out audience of fans attending the show. The only criticisms that were given was Geddy Lee's vocals which were considered "cruel and unusual punishment to some", as well as stating the band can be boring. However Ann Vare stated that it was refreshing to see a band in the heavy rock genre that satisfies its fans without pandering to them.
Greg Barr from the Ottawa Citizen gave the Ottawa performance he attended a positive review. He opened his review, stating that the band had reached a pinnacle of technical and musical prowess, being compared to familiar acts like Van Halen and Bruce Springsteen. He praised the visuals and music, noting on the show as well-paced and choreographed, noting on the inclusion of lasers, a laser-holograph generator, a 35mm rear screen movie projector and a group of masked native dancers on the film screen behind the band. Regarding the effects and visuals, Barr stated that it would have the audience talking about it for some time. He praised Peart's drum solo which has praised as "spell-binding", noting on him using two different drum sets that swiveled around like gun-turrets on the deck of a battleship.

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.
;Warm Up leg
  1. "The Spirit of Radio"
  2. "Subdivisions"
  3. "The Body Electric"
  4. "The Enemy Within"
  5. "The Weapon"
  6. "Witch Hunt"
  7. "The Big Money"
  8. "New World Man"
  9. "Between the Wheels"
  10. "Red Barchetta"
  11. "Distant Early Warning"
  12. "Red Sector A"
  13. "Closer to the Heart"
  14. "Middletown Dreams"
  15. "YYZ"
  16. "2112 Part II: The Temples of Syrinx"
  17. "Tom Sawyer"
  18. ;Encore
  19. "Red Lenses"
  20. "Vital Signs"
  21. "Finding My Way"
  22. "In the Mood"
;North American leg
  1. "The Spirit of Radio"
  2. "Limelight"
  3. "The Big Money"
  4. "New World Man"
  5. "Subdivisions"
  6. "Manhattan Project"
  7. "Middletown Dreams"
  8. "Witch Hunt"
  9. "Red Sector A"
  10. "Closer to the Heart"
  11. "Marathon"
  12. "The Trees"
  13. "Mystic Rhythms"
  14. "Distant Early Warning"
  15. "Territories"
  16. "YYZ"
  17. "Red Lenses"
  18. "Tom Sawyer"
  19. ;Encore
  20. "2112 Parts I & II: Overture/The Temples of Syrinx"
  21. "Grand Designs"
  22. "In the Mood"

Tour dates

DateCityCountryVenueAttendance / Capacity / Gross
January 9, 1986PensacolaUnited StatesPensacola Civic Center5,426 / 7,000 / $78,677
January 10, 1986LafayetteUnited StatesCajundome8,151 / 12,500 / $118,190
January 12, 1986DallasUnited StatesReunion Arena24,697 / 26,706 / $371,182
January 13, 1986DallasUnited StatesReunion Arena24,697 / 26,706 / $371,182
January 15, 1986HoustonUnited StatesThe Summit18,175 / 21,836 / $284,382
January 16, 1986HoustonUnited StatesThe Summit18,175 / 21,836 / $284,382
January 18, 1986AustinUnited StatesFrank Erwin Center13,671 / 13,671 / $199,154
January 19, 1986San AntonioUnited StatesHemisfair Arena9,397 / 10,500 / $135,486
January 30, 1986Daly CityUnited StatesCow Palace11,034 / 11,034 / $165,510
January 31, 1986OaklandUnited StatesOakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena13,711 / 13,711 / $219,376
February 2, 1986Las VegasUnited StatesThomas & Mack Center4,340 / 6,650 / $65,100
February 3, 1986San DiegoUnited StatesSan Diego Sports Arena10,817 / 10,817 / $154,344
February 6, 1986InglewoodUnited StatesThe Forum30,006 / 30,006 / $425,309
February 7, 1986InglewoodUnited StatesThe Forum30,006 / 30,006 / $425,309
February 8, 1986PhoenixUnited StatesArizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum13,755 / 13,755 / $191,325
February 10, 1986TucsonUnited StatesTucson Community Center5,002 / 8,600 / $72,529
February 12, 1986AlbuquerqueUnited StatesTingley Coliseum3,345 / 11,000 / $45,994
February 14, 1986DenverUnited StatesMcNichols Sports Arena11,474 / 18,590 / $173,562
February 27, 1986BuffaloUnited StatesBuffalo Memorial Auditorium11,258 / 14,605 / $157,612
February 28, 1986HamiltonCanadaCopps Coliseum6,797 / 12,500 / $125,745
March 1, 1986OttawaCanadaOttawa Civic Centre7,421 / 8,000 / $129,868
March 3, 1986Quebec CityCanadaColisee de Quebec13,059 / 13,059 / $228,532
March 4, 1986MontrealCanadaMontreal Forum14,168 / 14,168 / $283,481
March 6, 1986TorontoCanadaMaple Leaf Gardens22,145 / 24,000 / $431,827
March 7, 1986TorontoCanadaMaple Leaf Gardens22,145 / 24,000 / $431,827
March 20, 1986IndianapolisUnited StatesMarket Square Arena10,100 / 11,500 / $146,450
March 21, 1986RosemontUnited StatesRosemont Horizon26,447 / 26,982 / $409,929
March 22, 1986RosemontUnited StatesRosemont Horizon26,447 / 26,982 / $409,929
March 24, 1986MilwaukeeUnited StatesMECCA Arena8,883 / 11,000 / $127,615
March 25, 1986St. PaulUnited StatesSt. Paul Civic Center8,917 / 15,406 / $133,755
March 28, 1986DetroitUnited StatesJoe Louis Arena15,036 / 15,036 / $232,230
March 29, 1986CincinnatiUnited StatesRiverfront Coliseum11,378 / 12,500 / $170,670
March 31, 1986East RutherfordUnited StatesBrendan Byrne Arena31,009 / 42,000 / $438,016
April 1, 1986East RutherfordUnited StatesBrendan Byrne Arena31,009 / 42,000 / $438,016
April 3, 1986SpringfieldUnited StatesSpringfield Civic Center8,460 / 8,460 / $122,670
April 4, 1986UniondaleUnited StatesNassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum15,531 / 15,531 / $254,211
April 13, 1986BinghamtonUnited StatesBroome County Veterans Memorial Arena7,061 / 8,000 / $102,754
April 14, 1986PhiladelphiaUnited StatesThe Spectrum30,386 / 30,386 / $452,382
April 16, 1986PhiladelphiaUnited StatesThe Spectrum30,386 / 30,386 / $452,382
April 17, 1986BaltimoreUnited StatesBaltimore Civic Center10,036 / 13,641 / $145,522
April 19, 1986HamptonUnited StatesHampton Coliseum11,466 / 11,466 / $160,524
April 20, 1986CharlotteUnited StatesCharlotte Coliseum6,998 / 10,000 / $104,970
April 22, 1986GreensboroUnited StatesGreensboro Coliseum6,918 / 12,500 / $103,770
April 23, 1986AugustaUnited StatesAugusta-Richmond County Civic Center3,364 / 9,000 / $50,460
April 25, 1986AtlantaUnited StatesThe Omni Coliseum12,806 / 12,806 / $192,090
April 26, 1986BirminghamUnited StatesBJCC Coliseum5,454 / 12,500 / $76,356
April 28, 1986St. LouisUnited StatesSt. Louis Arena11,369 / 11,369 / $170,535
April 29, 1986Kansas CityUnited StatesKemper Arena11,236 / 12,200 / $162,922
May 1, 1986Oklahoma CityUnited StatesMyriad Convention Center7,719 / 10,000 / $111,926
May 2, 1986Valley CenterUnited StatesBritt Brown Arena6,357 / 12,500 / $95,355
May 11, 1986WinnipegCanadaWinnipeg Arena-
May 12, 1986Salt Lake CityUnited StatesSalt Palace7,495 / 13,000 / $112,425
May 15, 1986CalgaryCanadaOlympic Saddledome7,770 / 10,000 / $134,914
May 17, 1986VancouverCanadaPacific Coliseum8,354 / 9,000 / $151,617
May 19, 1986PortlandUnited StatesPortland Memorial Coliseum6,882 / 9,500 / $113,553
May 21, 1986SeattleUnited StatesSeattle Center Coliseum10,640 / 14,500 / $175,560
May 24, 1986SacramentoUnited StatesCal Expo Amphitheatre12,200 / 12,200 / $201,300
May 25, 1986Costa MesaUnited StatesPacific Amphitheatre21,533 / 36,000 / $322,995
May 26, 1986Costa MesaUnited StatesPacific Amphitheatre21,533 / 36,000 / $322,995

Personnel