Van Halen 1978 World Tour
Van Halen 1978 tour dates
Van Halen played 171 shows in 1978 on the Van Halen 1978 World Tour. The first was March 3, 1978 in Chicago; the last was December 3, 1978 in San Diego. On 126 of those nights Van Halen was the opening act: for Black Sabbath on 77, for Journey on 39 and for Ted Nugent on 2.
- 171 shows in 1978 (United States 126, United Kingdom 21, Germany 11, Japan 7)
- First: March 3, 1978, Chicago
- Last: December 3, 1978, San Diego
- Opening acts: Rick Derringer (3), Borealis (2), Carillo (2) and Lucy Grey (1)
- Van Halen opened for: Black Sabbath (77), Journey (39), Ted Nugent (2) and Montrose (1)
Every night
| Date | Where | On the bill | Night page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 3Fri | Chicago, ILAragon Ballroomopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 4Sat | Springfield, ILNelson Centeropening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 7Tue | Madison, WIShuffle Innwith Lucy Grey | with Lucy Grey | This one › |
| Mar 9Thu | Milwaukee, WIRiverside Theateropening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 10Fri | Detroit, MIMasonic Temple Theateropening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 11Sat | Trotwood, OHHara Arenaopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 12Sun | Homestead, PALeona Theateropening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 15Wed | Cleveland, OHCleveland Music Hallopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 16Thu | Columbus, OHColumbus Veterans Memorial Auditoriumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 17Fri | Louisville, KYLouisville Gardensopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 18Sat | Evansville, INEvansville Coliseumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 19Sun | South Bend, INMorris Civic Auditoriumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 20Mon | Schaumburg, ILB'Ginningswith Texas | with Texas | This one › |
| Mar 22Wed | Albany, NYPalace Theatreopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 23Thu | Buffalo, NYNew Century Theatreopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 24Fri | Upper Darby, PATower Theateropening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 25Sat | New York City, NYPalladiumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 26Sun | Hempstead, NYCalderone Concert Hallopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 27Mon | Boston, MAParadise Theaterwith Reddy Teddy | with Reddy Teddy | This one › |
| Mar 29Wed | Duluth, MNDuluth Auditoriumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 30Thu | Saint Paul, MNSt. Paul Civic Center Theateropening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Mar 31Fri | Kansas City, KSMemorial Hallopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 1Sat | St. Louis, MOKiel Opera Houseopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 2Sun | Omaha, NEOmaha Music Hallopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 3Mon | Wichita, KSPogo's | This one › | |
| Apr 4Tue | Tulsa, OKCain's Ballroomopening for Montrose | opening for Montrose | This one › |
| Apr 5Wed | Indianapolis, INMurat Temple Theateropening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 6Thu | Flint, MIIMA Auditoriumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 7Fri | Nashville, TNWar Memorial Auditoriumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 8Sat | Murray, KYMSU Field Houseopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 9Sun | Birmingham, ALBoutwell Memorial Auditoriumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 11Tue | Corpus Christi, TXCorpus Christi Memorial Coliseumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 12Wed | Austin, TXAustin Municipal Auditoriumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 13Thu | Shreveport, LAShreveport Memorial Auditoriumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 14Fri | Fort Worth, TXWill Rogers Memorial Auditoriumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 15Sat | Houston, TXHouston Music Hallopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 16Sun | New Orleans, LAThe Warehouseopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 18Tue | Memphis, TNEllis Memorial Auditoriumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 20Thu | Tallahassee, FLRuby Diamond Auditoriumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 21Fri | Pembroke Pines, FLHollywood Sportatoriumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 22Sat | Tampa, FLCurtis Hixon Hallopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 23Sun | Atlanta, GAFox Theatreopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Apr 25Tue | Virginia Beach, VARogues' Gallery | This one › | |
| Apr 26Wed | Virginia Beach, VARogues' Gallery | This one › | |
| Apr 27Thu | Norfolk, VAThe Scope | This one › | |
| Apr 28Fri | New York City, NYPalladium | This one › | |
| May 4Thu | Poperinge, BelgiumZaal Maeckeblijde | This one › | |
| May 5Fri | Delft, NetherlandsDe Stads Doelen | This one › | |
| May 6Sat | Amsterdam, NetherlandsParadiso | This one › | |
| May 8Mon | Hamburg, GermanyMarkthalle Hamburg | This one › | |
| May 9Tue | Hamburg, GermanyMarkthalle Hamburg | This one › | |
| May 10Wed | Hamburg, GermanyMarkthalle Hamburg | This one › | |
| May 12Fri | Paris, FranceThéâtre Mogador | This one › | |
| May 16Tue | Sheffield, United KingdomSheffield City Hallopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| May 17Wed | Southport, United KingdomSouthport Theatreopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| May 18Thu | Glasgow, United KingdomGlasgow Apolloopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| May 19Fri | Aberdeen, United KingdomCapitol Theatreopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| May 21Sun | Newcastle, United KingdomNewcastle City Hallopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| May 22Mon | Manchester, United KingdomManchester Apolloopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| May 23Tue | Stoke, United KingdomVictoria Hallopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| May 25Thu | Portsmouth, United KingdomPortsmouth Guildhallopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| May 26Fri | Bristol, United KingdomColston Hallopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| May 27Sat | London, United KingdomLewisham Odeonopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| May 28Sun | Ipswich, United KingdomIpswich Gaumont Theatreopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| May 30Tue | Coventry, United KingdomCoventry Theatreopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| May 31Wed | Leicester, United KingdomDe Montfort Hallopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Jun 1Thu | London, United KingdomHammersmith Odeonopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Jun 2Fri | Oxford, United KingdomApollo Theatre Oxfordopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Jun 3Sat | Southampton, United KingdomSouthampton Gaumont Theatreopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Jun 5Mon | Birmingham, United KingdomBirmingham Odeonopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Jun 7Wed | Bradford, United KingdomSt George's Hallopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Jun 8Thu | Preston, United KingdomPreston Guild Hallopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Jun 10Sat | London, United KingdomHammersmith Odeonopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Jun 17Sat | Tokyo, JapanTokyo Cultural Hall | This one › | |
| Jun 19Mon | Tokyo, JapanTokyo Cultural Hall | This one › | |
| Jun 21Wed | Tokyo, JapanNakano Sun Plaza Hall | This one › | |
| Jun 22Thu | Tokyo, JapanNakano Sun Plaza Hall | This one › | |
| Jun 24Sat | Nagoya, JapanNagoya Civic Assembly Hall | This one › | |
| Jun 25Sun | Osaka, JapanFestival Hall | This one › | |
| Jun 27Tue | Osaka, JapanOsaka Cultural Hall | This one › | |
| Jul 1Sat | Dallas, TXCotton Bowlopening for Aerosmith and Ted Nugent | opening for Aerosmith and Ted Nugent | This one › |
| Jul 2Sun | San Antonio, TXSan Antonio Municipal Auditoriumwith Head East | with Head East | This one › |
| Jul 3Mon | Austin, TXArmadillo World Headquarterswith Bugs Henderson Group | with Bugs Henderson Group | This one › |
| Jul 6Thu | Phoenix, AZCelebrity Theatrewith Borealis | with Borealis | This one › |
| Jul 7Fri | Phoenix, AZCelebrity Theatrewith Borealis | with Borealis | This one › |
| Jul 8Sat | San Diego, CASan Diego Sports Arenawith Carillo | with Carillo | This one › |
| Jul 9Sun | Long Beach, CALong Beach Arenawith Carillo | with Carillo | This one › |
| Jul 13Thu | New Orleans, LAThe Superdomeopening for The Rolling Stones | opening for The Rolling Stones | This one › |
| Jul 15Sat | Kansas City, MORoyals Stadiumopening for Kansas | opening for Kansas | This one › |
| Jul 16Sun | Davenport, IACredit Island Parkopening for The Doobie Brothers | opening for The Doobie Brothers | This one › |
| Jul 17Mon | La Crosse, WIMary E. Sawyer Auditoriumopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Jul 18Tue | Seymour, WISeymour Speedwayopening for Journey | opening for Journey | This one › |
| Jul 23Sun | Oakland, CAOakland Coliseumopening for Aerosmith | opening for Aerosmith | This one › |
| Jul 24Mon | Redding, CARedding Civic Centerwith Rolls Rock | with Rolls Rock | This one › |
| Jul 25Tue | Reno, NVWashoe County Fairgrounds | This one › | |
| Jul 29Sat | Lake Charles, LALake Charles Civic Center | This one › | |
| Jul 31Mon | Alexandria, LARapides Parish Coliseumwith Starcastle | with Starcastle | This one › |
| Aug 2Wed | Wichita Falls, TXWichita Falls Memorial Auditoriumwith Rick Derringer | with Rick Derringer | This one › |
| Aug 3Thu | Lubbock, TXLubbock Municipal Auditoriumwith Rick Derringer | with Rick Derringer | This one › |
| Aug 4Fri | Amarillo, TXHollywood Bowlwith Rick Derringer | with Rick Derringer | This one › |
| Aug 5Sat | Great Bend, KSSRCA Raceway | This one › | |
| Aug 6Sun | Oklahoma City, OKOklahoma State Fairgrounds Grandstand | This one › | |
| Aug 7Mon | Wichita, KSPogo's | This one › | |
| Aug 9Wed | Peoria, ILSecond Chancewith Bigfoot | with Bigfoot | This one › |
| Aug 10Thu | Salem, WIHooker Lake Innwith Pearl Handle | with Pearl Handle | This one › |
| Aug 12Sat | Landover, MDCapital Centreopening for Ted Nugent | opening for Ted Nugent | This one › |
| Aug 13Sun | Binghamton, NYBroome County Arenaopening for Ted Nugent | opening for Ted Nugent | This one › |
| Aug 19Sat | Bay City, MIEngel Stadiumopening for Bob Seger | opening for Bob Seger | This one › |
| Aug 22Tue | Milwaukee, WIMECCA Arenaopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Aug 23Wed | Chicago, ILInternational Amphitheateropening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Aug 24Thu | Chicago, ILInternational Amphitheateropening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Aug 25Fri | Terre Haute, INHulman Arenaopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Aug 27Sun | New York City, NYMadison Square Gardenopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Aug 28Mon | Uniondale, NYNassau Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Aug 29Tue | Philadelphia, PASpectrumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Aug 31Thu | Erie, PAErie County Field Houseopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 1Fri | Hampton, VAHampton Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 2Sat | Pittsburgh, PAPittsburgh Civic Arenaopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 4Mon | South Yarmouth, MACape Cod Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 5Tue | Portland, MECumberland County Civic Centeropening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 7Thu | Utica, NYUtica Memorial Auditoriumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 8Fri | Niagara Falls, NYNiagara Falls Convention Centeropening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 9Sat | Baltimore, MDBaltimore Civic Centeropening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 10Sun | New Haven, CTNew Haven Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 12Tue | Indianapolis, INIndianapolis Convention Centeropening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 14Thu | Detroit, MICobo Arenaopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 15Fri | Richfield, OHRichfield Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 16Sat | St. Louis, MOCheckerdomeopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 17Sun | Kansas City, MOKansas City Municipal Auditoriumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 18Mon | Tulsa, OKTulsa Assembly Centeropening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 21Thu | Bakersfield, CABakersfield Civic Auditorium | This one › | |
| Sep 22Fri | Fresno, CASelland Arenaopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 23Sat | Anaheim, CAAnaheim Stadiumopening for Boston | opening for Boston | This one › |
| Sep 27Wed | Portland, ORPortland Memorial Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 28Thu | Spokane, WASpokane Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 29Fri | Seattle, WASeattle Center Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Sep 30Sat | Seattle, WASeattle Center Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Oct 9Mon | Hamburg, GermanyAudimax Theatreopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Oct 10Tue | Essen, GermanyGrugahalleopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Oct 11Wed | Offenbach, GermanyStadthalle Offenbachopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Oct 13Fri | Uhingen, GermanyHaldenberg Hallopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Oct 14Sat | Ludwigshafen, GermanyFriedrich-Ebert-Halleopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Oct 15Sun | Kuernach, GermanyKuernach Hallopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Oct 17Tue | Neunkirchen, GermanyHemmerleinhalleopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Oct 18Wed | Bad Rappenau, GermanyBad Rappenau Sports Hallopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Oct 20Fri | Cambrai, FranceGrottos Palaceopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Oct 22Sun | London, United KingdomRainbow Theatrewith Bram Tchaikovsky's BattleAxe | with Bram Tchaikovsky's BattleAxe | This one › |
| Oct 27Fri | Koekelare, BelgiumKoekelare Sports Hall | This one › | |
| Nov 3Fri | St. Petersburg, FLBayfront Center | This one › | |
| Nov 4Sat | Jacksonville, FLJacksonville Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 5Sun | Pembroke Pines, FLHollywood Sportatoriumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 8Wed | Birmingham, ALBoutwell Memorial Auditoriumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 10Fri | Memphis, TNMid-South Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 11Sat | Cincinnati, OHRiverfront Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 12Sun | Nashville, TNNashville Municipal Auditoriumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 13Mon | Atlanta, GAOmni Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 14Tue | Mobile, ALMobile Municipal Auditoriumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 15Wed | Huntsville, ALVon Braun Civic Center | This one › | |
| Nov 17Fri | Austin, TXAustin Municipal Auditoriumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 18Sat | Midland, TXChaparral Centeropening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 19Sun | Houston, TXSam Houston Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 20Mon | Oklahoma City, OKMyriad Convention Centeropening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 22Wed | Corpus Christi, TXCorpus Christi Memorial Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 23Thu | Houston, TXSam Houston Coliseumopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 24Fri | San Antonio, TXSan Antonio Convention Centeropening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 25Sat | Dallas, TXDallas Convention Centeropening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 26Sun | Dallas, TXDallas Convention Centeropening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 28Tue | Denver, COMcNichols Sports Arenaopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Nov 29Wed | Ogden, UTDee Events Centeropening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Dec 2Sat | Oakland, CAOakland Arenaopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
| Dec 3Sun | San Diego, CASan Diego Sports Arenaopening for Black Sabbath | opening for Black Sabbath | This one › |
Who opened for Van Halen in 1978
- Rick Derringer: 3 nights, August 2, 1978 to August 4, 1978
- Borealis: 2 nights, July 6, 1978 to July 7, 1978
- Carillo: 2 nights, July 8, 1978 to July 9, 1978
- Lucy Grey: 1 nights, March 7, 1978 to March 7, 1978
- Texas: 1 nights, March 20, 1978 to March 20, 1978
- Reddy Teddy: 1 nights, March 27, 1978 to March 27, 1978
- Head East: 1 nights, July 2, 1978 to July 2, 1978
- Bugs Henderson Group: 1 nights, July 3, 1978 to July 3, 1978
- Van Halen opened for Black Sabbath: 77 nights, May 16, 1978 to December 3, 1978
- Van Halen opened for Journey: 39 nights, March 3, 1978 to July 18, 1978
- Van Halen opened for Ted Nugent: 2 nights, August 12, 1978 to August 13, 1978
- Van Halen opened for Montrose: 1 nights, April 4, 1978 to April 4, 1978
- Van Halen opened for Aerosmith and Ted Nugent: 1 nights, July 1, 1978 to July 1, 1978
- Van Halen opened for The Rolling Stones: 1 nights, July 13, 1978 to July 13, 1978
Opening acts change by leg, and some nights had local openers nobody wrote down. If a night matters, check its ticket stub or the local paper.
Questions
How many shows did Van Halen play in 1978?
171, from March 3, 1978 in Chicago to December 3, 1978 in San Diego.
Who opened for Van Halen in 1978?
Rick Derringer on 3 nights, Borealis on 2 nights and Carillo on 2 nights. The list above shows the opener for each night.
Who did Van Halen open for in 1978?
Black Sabbath on 77 nights, Journey on 39 nights and Ted Nugent on 2 nights.
Is there a recording of my Van Halen 1978 show?
For any night, our gift uses a recording of that exact night when one exists, or the closest nights from the same tour, labeled.
Were you there?
Pick the night above and we’ll turn it into a gift: live music from this tour, the setlist, and the story of the night, written to them by name. $89. Full refund if we can’t confirm the night.
Find the nightUpdated October 31, 2026. Dates, venues and opening acts checked against Wikipedia’s Van Halen 1978 World Tour article and Billboard Boxscore. Cancelled shows are left out. Look up any opening act