Frank Zappa Gig List: 1981

Version 11/12/13


This is a work in progress. Corrections and additions are welcome.

Frank Zappa Gig List: 1965-1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1988

Shows with SPURIOUS or CANCELED in the Status field did not happen.
Shows with QUESTIONABLE in the Status field or "conflicts with xxx" in the Comments field may not have happened.

Date Line-up Concert recordings
September-December 7a recordings in circulation

DateCityStateCountryVenueShowsStatusOther actsCommentsSources
81/09/27 Santa Barbara CA Events Center, UCSB CONFIRMED not Robertson Gym. bl, jn, dlcpc, frd, gr
81/09/28 Sacramento CA Memorial Auditorium CONFIRMED ticket stub. bl, frd, gr
81/09/29 Santa Cruz CA Civic Auditorium 2 shows bl, jn, gr
81/10/ Denver CO


SPURIOUS setting of "Carol You Fool"--as explained by FZ, 84/08/02 (early) Denver--must have been 81/12/06 Boulder (25 miles from Denver). bfpc says FZ didn't play Denver in 81. cyf, bfpc
81/10/01 Portland OR Paramount Theatre 2 shows CONFIRMED ticket stub for 10:30 show. bl, srct, srpc, ffct, frd, gr
81/10/02 Seattle WA
Rainbow Tavern
SPURIOUS Tom Rush correct date is 80/03/25. ragpc, scmpc, ST
81/10/02 Seattle WA Seattle Center Arena CONFIRMED ad. bl, ST, gr
81/10/03 Vancouver BC Canada Pacific Coliseum CONFIRMED listing and review. bl, jnpc, VS, gr
81/10/04 Eugene OR McArthur Court, University Of Oregon CONFIRMED bl, pnpc, gr
81/10/06 Reno NV Centennial Coliseum bl, dpkpc, gr
81/10/07 Las Vegas NV Aladdin Theater For The Performing Arts CONFIRMED ticket stub. attendee says only one show. bl, jscpc, jbrpc, gr
81/10/09 Tucson AZ Main Auditorium, University of Arizona 2 shows CONFIRMED ticket stubs for both shows. bl, jscpc, gr
81/10/10 Mesa AZ Mesa Amphitheater CONFIRMED ticket stubs. bl, jn, jscpc, rstpc, frd, gr
81/10/11 Albuquerque NM Johnson Gymnasium, UNM CONFIRMED ticket stub. bl, jscpc, gr
81/10/12 Fort Collins CO
Moby Gym, Colorado State University
SPURIOUS Moby Gym was under repair the whole 81/82 school year. correct date is 80/12/02. rjcaffz, bfpc
81/10/13 Norman OK Lloyd Noble Center, University Of Oklahoma CONFIRMED radio ad, ticket stub. bl, sanpc, fabpc, gr
81/10/14 Tulsa OK Brady Theater CONFIRMED two shows scheduled, but revised to one show due to poor ticket sales. advertised as "Old Lady Of Brady". poster, ticket stubs. bl, jnpc, pz, fdi, cfpc, kispc, frd, gpnpc, gr
81/10/16 Dallas TX Convention Center Arena CONFIRMED venue from two attendees and two ticket stubs. not Reunion Arena. bl, fabpc, jnpc, frd, jstpc, ubpc, gr
81/10/17 Houston TX The Summit CONFIRMED ticket stubs. bl, jn, gblpc, frd, kbcpc, zgpc, rgrpc, gr
81/10/18 Austin TX Erwin Center, University Of Texas CONFIRMED ticket stub. not Frank Crevin Center. full name = Frank C. Erwin, Jr., Special Events Center bl, jn, lgpc, johpc, fopc, frd, gr
81/10/20 New Orleans LA Saenger Performing Arts Center 2 shows bl, gr
81/10/22 St. Petersburg FL Bayfront Center Arena CONFIRMED ticket stub. bl, jn, mcrpc, gr
81/10/23 Sunrise FL Sunrise Musical Theatre 2 shows CONFIRMED ticket stub for both shows. near Fort Lauderdale. bl, ykpc, frd, gr
81/10/24 Gainesville FL O'Connell Center, University Of Florida CONFIRMED ticket stub. posters only mention one show. bl, jn, zbpc, mcrpc, pbpc, apceb, bsa, gr
81/10/25 Atlanta GA Fox Theatre 2 shows CONFIRMED ticket stub for 7:00 show. bl, frd, gr
81/10/27 Columbus OH Veterans Memorial Auditorium CONFIRMED rescheduled from 11/17. ad and review. jnpc, pbpc, CD
81/10/27 Charlotte NC


CANCELED conflicts with Columbus, which is confirmed by ads. bl, vd, jnpc, gr
81/10/29-11/01 New York NY Palladium 2 shows 10/31. CONFIRMED ticket stubs for 10/29, 10/30, 11:59 10/31. ad and review. second show 10/30 was canceled. bl, jn, NYT, klpc, frd, arazt, gr
81/11/03 Upper Darby PA Tower Theater 2 shows CONFIRMED ticket stub for 10:00 show. bl, jn, mslpc, frd, gr
81/11/04 Providence RI Ocean State Performing Arts Center 2 shows bl, gr
81/11/05-06 Hartford CT Civic Center CONFIRMED ticket stubs for both nights. bl, jn, mtrpc, frd, sgopc, gr
81/11/07 Boston MA Case Center, Boston University 2 shows CONFIRMED ticket stub for 10:00 show. bl, jn, bhpc, gr
81/11/08 Montreal Quebec Canada Forum CONFIRMED ticket stub, ad, and review. bl, nhpc, ccpc, frd, gr
81/11/09 Toronto Ontario Canada Maple Leaf Gardens CONFIRMED ticket stubs. bl, frd, nsspc, gr
81/11/11 Buffalo NY Shea's Theatre 2 shows CONFIRMED ticket stubs for both shows (7:30 and 10:30). venue officially known as Shea's Buffalo Center for the Performing Arts. bl, jn, mopc, frd, gr
81/11/12 Albany NY Palace Theater CONFIRMED ticket stub jnpc, gr
81/11/13 Syracuse NY Manley Field House, Syracuse University CONFIRMED poster. bl, pz99, gr
81/11/14 Troy NY Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute not Palace Theater, Albany. bl, fo, drqpc
81/11/15 Owings Mills MD Painter's Mill Star Theatre 2 shows CONFIRMED ticket stub for 10:30 show. moved from Baltimore Civic Center, which was double-booked. bl, jn, cmepc, jispc, gr
81/11/17 Columbus OH
Veterans Memorial Auditorium 2 shows CANCELED rescheduled for 10/27. bl, pbpc
81/11/17 New York NY Ritz 2 shows jn, vd, gr
81/11/19 Cleveland OH Public Hall bl, gr
81/11/20 Cincinnati OH Riverfront Coliseum CONFIRMED ticket stub. bl, pbpc, pmopc, frd, gr
81/11/21 Champaign IL Assembly Hall, University Of Illinois CONFIRMED confirmed by venue archives. bl, skupc, gr
81/11/22 Bloomington IN Indiana University Auditorium CONFIRMED ticket stub. bl, fdi, gr
81/11/23 Chicago IL Park West Club 2 shows aka 11/29 jn, jnpc, gr
81/11/24 Pittsburgh PA Stanley Theatre 2 shows CONFIRMED ticket stub for 7:30 show. bl, frd, gr
81/11/25 Detroit MI Cobo Hall CONFIRMED ticket stub. bl, jn, jscpc, gr
81/11/26 Cuyahoga Falls OH vd, gr
81/11/27 Chicago IL Uptown Theatre 2 shows CONFIRMED ticket stubs for both shows. conflicts with St. Louis. aka 11/28, 11/22. probably rescheduled from 11/28. jn, vd, jnpc, jscpc, frd, gr
81/11/27 St. Louis MO
Kiel Opera House 2 shows CANCELED conflicts with Chicago bl, jnpc
81/11/28 Chicago IL
Pavillion
CANCELED 11/27 Uptown Theater?? also 11/29? conflicts with Minneapolis. probably rescheduled for 11/27. bl, vd, jnpc
81/11/28 St. Louis MO
Kiel Auditorium
SPURIOUS correct date is 12/04. fo, jnpc, ribpc, SLPD
81/11/28 Minneapolis MN Northrop Auditorium CONFIRMED date from ticket stub jnpc
81/11/29 St. Paul MN Civic QUESTIONABLE probably canceled in favor of 11/28 Minneapolis. bl, jnpc, gr
81/11/30 Syracuse NY gr
81/12/ Los Angeles CA QUESTIONABLE sounds unlikely, given Santa Monica shows. gr has Hollywood. vd, gr
81/12/ New York NY The Pier QUESTIONABLE pbpc says outdoor venue unlikely in December. gr
81/12/01 Milwaukee WI Milwaukee Auditorium CONFIRMED listing recorded by Milwaukee Public Library. bl, hopc, klpc, gr
81/12/02 DeKalb IL Evans Fieldhouse, Northern Illinois University bl, gr
81/12/04 Omaha NE
Music Hall 2 shows CANCELED Civic Auditorium Music Hall, not Civic Auditorium proper. bl, ckpc, gr
81/12/04 St. Louis MO Kiel Opera House 2 shows CONFIRMED newspaper review. not Kiel Auditorium. jn, fo, fopc, jnpc, ribpc, SLPD, jbrpc
81/12/05 Kansas City MO Municipal Auditorium CONFIRMED venue and date confirmed by attendee. bl, fo, jnpc, copc, gr
81/12/06 Boulder CO Events Center, University Of Colorado CONFIRMED ticket stub. bl, bfpc, jscpc, dpipc, gr
81/12/07 Salt Lake City UT Terrace Ballroom 2 shows CONFIRMED Venue and 2 shows from poster and review. NOT Salt Palace. bl, jnpc, gr
81/12/10 Berkeley CA Community Theater 2 shows CONFIRMED review. ticket stub for 7:00 show. conflicts with San Francisco. jn, vd, frd, dlaffz, SFC, gr
81/12/10 San Francisco CA
Civic
SPURIOUS conflicts with Berkeley. bl
81/12/11 Santa Monica CA Civic Auditorium 2 shows also 12/12? bl, jn, dbaffz, gr
81/12/12 San Diego CA Fox Theater 2 shows CONFIRMED poster has no year or city, only one show. attendee dptpc and recordings say two shows. not Civic Center. bl, jn, vd, jme, pz120, dptpc, gr
81/12/20 Berkeley CA Community Theater 2 shows? QUESTIONABLE sounds unlikely vd, gr

Copyright © 2011 by Charles Ulrich. All rights reserved.


Frank Zappa Gig List: 1965-1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1988
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