Tag Archives: Sydney

Wanted All Over The World

Wanted All Over the World – George Thorogood and The Destroyers – Australia 1981 – Part 3

3 Comments

This is one of a series of posts expanding on my 50 States in 50 Dates blog by documenting the global touring adventures of George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers and the earlier years of their career.

Above: George Thorogood and the Destroyers on tour in Australia in 1981. Exact date and venue unknown. Jeff Simon’s kick drum is from the “Billy Hyde Drum Clinic”, a one-time chain of music stores that started in Melbourne. Source: Juke. Jan. 15, 1983. Pg. 9.

Quick Links:

Granada Tavern. Hobart, Tasmania.

Date:  September 1, 1981.

Venue: Granada Tavern. 666 Main Road. Berriedale, Tasmania. 7011. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/BBCYtd31vdC7aoK28

Venue Exterior: 

1978:

Source: YouTube.

2022:

Venue Interior: I am still looking for a good photo inside the Granada Tavern, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you know of any.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the Granada Tavern.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: 

Source: Roadrunner. August 1981. Pg. 18.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any information.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos:

Source: Facebook.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue: As of this writing, the Granada Tavern continues to operate as a pub and restaurant that hosts concerts, conferences, weddings and other public events.

Bombay Rock. Melbourne, Victoria.

Date:  September 2, 1981.

Venue: Bombay Rock. 303 Sydney Rd. Brunswick, Victoria. 3056. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/zjJQbkS1Vemo5BVU6

Venue Exterior: 

1990:

Above: Screenshot from the 1990 movie “Death in Brunswick”. Source: YouTube.

2022:

Venue Interior: I have not yet found a photo inside Bombay Rock, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ September 2nd, 1981 show at Bombay Rock in Melbourne.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: 

Source: The Age. Aug. 28, 1981. Pg. 14.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any details.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes:

Above: Backstage pass for the Destroyers’ September 2, 1981 concert at Bombay Rock in Melbourne, Australia.

Fate of the Venue:

A nightspot called “The World Club” was operating at this location as of October 1991. The building on Sydney Road that formerly housed Bombay Rock was “gutted” by a fire in May 1995.

Source: The Age. May 19, 1995. Pg. 9.

Thebarton Theatre. Adelaide, South Australia.

Date:  September 3, 1981.

Venue: Thebarton Theatre (aka Thebarton Town Hall). 112 Henley Beach Rd. Torrensville, SA. 5031. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/6jHaYRFkExPnezzq6

Venue Exterior: 

1928:

2022:

Venue Interior:

Date Unknown:

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the Thebarton Theatre.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: 

Source: Roadrunner. August 1981. Pg. 18.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any information.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue: At the time of this writing, the Thebarton Theatre continues to host concerts and other public events.

Nookenburra Hotel. Perth, Western Australia.

Date:  September 6, 1981.

Venue: Nookenburra Hotel. 401 Scarborough Beach Rd. Innaloo, Western Australia. 6018. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/fZQpBVpSUdSUPbqQ6

Venue Exterior: 

1976:

Source: State Library of Western Australia.

2020:

Venue Interior:

1981/1982:

Above: The Troupadores perform at the Nookenburra Hotel, circa 1981 or 1982. Source: Facebook.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the Nookenburra Hotel.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: 

Source: Roadrunner. August 1981. Pg. 18.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any information.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue:

The Nookenburra Hotel was redeveloped in 2006 and 2007. An establishment called “Botanica” was operating at the site as of 2008.

Raffles Hotel. Perth, Western Australia.

Date:  September 7, 1981.

Venue: Raffles Hotel. 70-72 Canning Beach Rd. Applecross, WA. 6153. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/An7WSpvmAzPHmY3T8

Venue Exterior: 

1980s:

2022:

Venue Interior: I am still looking for a good photo from inside Raffles Hotel, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you know of one.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the Raffles Hotel in Perth.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion:  I am looking for any print ads for this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any information.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes:

Above: Hand-written postcard from Perth, Australia, postmarked on September 9, 1981 and sent by George Thorogood to the I Like It Like That record store in Newark, Delaware. The message reads:

“Found this picture of the Commotions. Sold out in Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand!! Next, Jagger meets George! – Kid Rio”.

To annotate this scene slightly, I Like It Like That records and tapes was located at 58 E. Main Street in Newark, Delaware. I Like It Like That closed in 1987 after more than 10 years in business.

Don Challenger, one of the owners of I Like It Like That, played guitar for The Commotions.

Above: The Commotions perform at the Deer Park Tavern in 1981. Source: University of Delaware Review. Nov. 3, 1981. Pg. 11-1.

Above: The interior of the I Like It Like That record store in 1983.

Source: Wilmington News Journal. Aug. 17, 1978. Pg. 26 & The Morning News. Nov. 17, 1983. Compass Supplement. Pg. 01.

Fate of the Venue: At the time of this writing, the Raffles Hotel continues to function as a venue for parties, corporate functions, and other public events.

Sundowner Hotel. Sydney, New South Wales.

Date:  September 8, 1981.

Venue: Sundowner Hotel. Canterbury Rd & Punchbowl Rd. Punchbowl, NSW. 2196. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/uHiCa5hpkaLda5ez5

Venue Exterior: 

1977:

Source: Screenshot from the 1977 movie “The FJ Holden”.

1970:

Source: Australian National University Archives.

2022:

Venue Interior:

1977:

Source: Screenshots from the 1977 movie “The FJ Holden”.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the Sundowner Hotel.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: 

Source: Sydney Morning Herald. Sept. 6, 1981. Pg. 104.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any information.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes:

Above: The Destroyers’ 1981 tour of Australia was included in an end of the year trade ad from the Frontier Touring Company.

Source: Roadrunner. December 1981. Pg. 58.

Fate of the Venue: The Sundowner Hotel was purchased by the Punchbowl Croatian Club in 1982 and subsequently redeveloped.

Wanted All Over The World

Wanted All Over the World – George Thorogood and The Destroyers – Australia 1981 – Part 2

3 Comments

This is one of a series of posts expanding on my 50 States in 50 Dates blog by documenting the global touring adventures of George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers and the earlier years of their career.

Quick Links:

Wollongong Leagues Club. Wollongong, New South Wales.

Date:  August 26, 1981.

Venue: Wollongong Leagues Club. 16 Burelli St. Wollongong, New South Wales. 2500. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/Zodu5nrygmAEdqzS6

Venue Exterior: 

1963:

Source: Wollongong City Libraries.

2009:

Venue Interior:

1963:

Source: Wollongong City Libraries.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the Wollongong Leagues Club.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: 

Source: Roadrunner. August 1981. Pg. 18.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any information.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue:

The site of the former Wollongong Leagues Club was redeveloped in 2015.

Capitol Theatre. Sydney, New South Wales.

Date:  August 27, 1981.

Venue: Capitol Theatre. 13 Campbell Street. Haymarket, New South Wales. 2000. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/XJMUQnqZCm9fhmRh7

Venue Exterior: 

1989:

Source: City of Sydney Archives.

2021:

Venue Interior:

1972:

Source: City of Sydney Archives.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ August 27th, 1981 show at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: 

Source: Roadrunner. August 1981. Pg. 18.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald. Aug. 13, 1981. Pg. 15.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald. Aug. 23, 1981. Pg. 96.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown. The Capitol Theatre had capacity for an audience of 2,973 people at this time.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any details.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue: At the time of this writing, the Capitol Theatre continues to function as a venue for live performances and other public events.

Jamison Inn. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.

Date:  August 28, 1981.

Venue: Jamison Inn. 3 Bowman St. Macquarie, ACT. 2614. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/92MTz52Gqry9LXUt6

Venue Exterior: 

1971:

2009:

Venue Interior: I am looking for a photo inside the Jamison Inn, circa 1981. Please get in touch if you have one to share.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the Jamison Inn.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: 

Source: Roadrunner. August 1981. Pg. 18.

Source: Canberra Times. Aug. 8, 1981. Pg. 17.

Source: Canberra Times. Aug. 13, 1981. Pg. 14.

Source: Canberra Times. Aug. 19, 1981. Pg. 30.

Source: Canberra Times. Aug. 26, 1981. Pg. 24.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any information.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue: The Jamison Inn was demolished in 2013 and converted into housing.

Source: RiotAct.com

Manly Vale Hotel. Sydney, New South Wales.

Date:  August 29, 1981.

Venue: Manly Vale Hotel. 250 Condamine St. Manly Vale, New South Wales. 2093. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/EvSkpPpHnkwsbgcc7

Venue Exterior: 

1967:

2020:

Venue Interior:

1982:

Above: Nick Cave and Birthday Party perform at the Manly Vale Hotel in January 1982. Source: Getty Images / Bob King.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the Manly Vale Hotel.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion:  I am looking for any print ads for this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any information.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue:

The Manly Vale Hotel became the Peninsula Hotel. After several years of downsizing, the venue closed for large concerts in 1996. The site was ultimately razed and redeveloped as residential housing. Source: YouTube.

Palais Theatre. Melbourne, Victoria.

Date:  August 30, 1981.

Venue: Palais Theatre. Lower Esplanade. St Kilda, Victoria. 3182. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/KkHdVjQVZmG1ud1PA

Venue Exterior: 

1984:

Source: Getty Images / Peter Kevin Solness.

2022:

Venue Interior:

2008:

Source: Getty Images / Simon Schluter.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the Palais Theatre in Melbourne.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: 

Source: Roadrunner. August 1981. Pg. 18.

Source: The Age. Aug. 28, 1981. Pg. 14.

Ticket Price:  $13.00 (AUD).

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Est. 2,900. This concert was sold out.

Source: Concord Monitor. Nov. 5, 1981. Pg. 10.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any information.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction:

Of all places, a review for the Destroyers’ August 30, 1981 concert at the Palais Theatre in Melbourne appeared in the letters page of the Concord (New Hampshire) Monitor newspaper:

“On August 30, I had one of the best nights of my life. Eight of us went to see George Thorogood in concert. The concert was completely sold out a couple weeks beforehand. The band came on at 8:30, and after doing the show and three encores, finally left the stage at 11:30 p.m. The energy was incredible! The band gave as much as the audience gave, which turned out to be everything they had. By the end of it, the audience was just as exhausted as the guys on stage. There was not an ounce of trouble from anyone either, as you sometimes expect at concerts.”

Source: Concord Monitor. Nov. 5, 1981. Pg. 10.

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue: At the time of this writing, the Palais Theatre continues to function as a venue for concerts and other public events.

Wanted All Over The World

Wanted All Over the World – George Thorogood and The Destroyers – Australia 1981 – Part 1

3 Comments

This is one of a series of posts expanding on my 50 States in 50 Dates blog by documenting the global touring adventures of George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers and the earlier years of their career.

Quick Links:

1979 Australian Tour Announcement.

The Destroyers found early international success in Australia in the form of record sales and radio airplay of their first two albums. In June 1978, the band’s territorial record label, Eureka Records, announced an Australian tour to take place in February or March 1979. In the end, the Destroyers toured Canada, England and other parts of Europe during the (Australian) summer of 1979.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald. June 25, 1978. Pg. 83.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Nov. 11, 1978. Pg. 87.

1981 Australian Tour Announcement.

Above: George Thorogood on tour in Australia in 1981. Exact date and venue unknown. Source: Roadrunner. December 1981. Pg. 43.

The Destroyers’ 1981 tour of Australia was publicly announced in July 1981.

Source: Billboard. July 18, 1981. Pg. 80.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald. July 26, 1981. Pg. 98.

Above: Print ad for the Destroyers’ 1981 Australian tour. Additional dates were ultimately added and the Brisbane concert took place at a different venue. Source: Roadrunner. August 1981. Pg. 18.

Belmont 16ft Sailing Club. Belmont, New South Wales.

Date:  August 20, 1981.

Venue: 16ft Sailing Club. The Parade. Belmont, New South Wales. 2280. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/WJXtgmaPB5k8oCZu9

Venue Exterior: 

1982:

Source: From Brooks Parade to Mill Creek: 100 Years of Belmont 16s. 2022. Pg. 41.

2019:

Venue Interior:

1982:

Source: From Brooks Parade to Mill Creek: 100 Years of Belmont 16s. 2022. Pg. 41.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the 16′ Sailing Club in Belmont.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: 

Source: Roadrunner. August 1981. Pg. 18.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown. The 16ft Sailing Club’s auditorium currently has capacity for 600 people.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any information.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue: At the time of this writing, the 16ft Sailing Club continues to host weddings, galas and other public events.

Capitol Theatre. Sydney, New South Wales.

Date:  August 21, 1981.

Venue: Capitol Theatre. 13 Campbell Street. Haymarket, New South Wales. 2000. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/XJMUQnqZCm9fhmRh7

Venue Exterior: 

1989:

Source: City of Sydney Archives.

2021:

Venue Interior:

1972:

Source: City of Sydney Archives.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ August 21st, 1981 show at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: 

Source: Sydney Morning Herald. July 16, 1981. Pg. 98.

Source: Roadrunner. August 1981. Pg. 18.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald. Aug. 13, 1981. Pg. 15.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald. Aug. 20, 1981. Pg. 15.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown. The Capitol Theatre had capacity for an audience of 2,973 people at this time.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any details.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes:

At one of the band’s stops in Sydney, George Thorogood posed for photos with a group of models in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.

Source: George Thorogood and the Destroyers’ 1982 tour program.

Above: Photograph sent by George Thorogood from Australia to the I Like It Like That record store at 58 E. Main Street in Newark, Delaware. On the reverse, George has written, “Remember that beautiful melody?”

Fate of the Venue: At the time of this writing, the Capitol Theatre continues to function as a venue for live performances and other public events.

The Playroom. Gold Coast, Queensland.

Date:  August 22, 1981.

Venue: The Playroom. Gold Coast Highway.  North Palm Beach, Queensland.  Australia (approx. 1527 State Route 2.  Palm Beach, Queensland.  Australia).

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/4ia3PtnMrwfwqdNh9

Venue Exterior: 

1980s:

Source: Facebook.

2021:

Venue Interior:

1977:

Above: Little River Band on stage at the Playroom in 1977. Source: Facebook.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the Playroom.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: 

Source: Roadrunner. August 1981. Pg. 18.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown. The Playroom had capacity for 1,500 people in 1991.

Source: Rarlo Magazine. June 9, 2018.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any information.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue:

The Playroom closed in 1999. The building was demolished and turned into a parking lot for a recreation centre.

Queensland University Refectory. Brisbane, Queensland.

Date:  August 23, 1981.

Venue: Queensland University Refectory. Union Complex. Sir Fred Schonell Dr. St. Lucia, Queensland. 4072. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/xjoJXGQeG3ktNnJGA

Venue Exterior: 

1960s:

2014:

Venue Interior:

1978:

Above: Perfect Strangers perform at the Queensland University Refectory in 1978. Source: State Library of Queensland.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the Queensland University Refectory in Brisbane.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: 

Above: This print ad for the Destroyers’ 1981 Australian tour lists the venue as Brisbane’s “Cloudlands” (sic) Dance Hall. Jeff Simon’s master list of Destroyers’ tour dates has this show taking place at the Refectory. Source: Roadrunner. August 1981. Pg. 18.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown. The University of Queensland Refectory had capacity for an audience of 600 people in 1961.

Source: University of Queensland Gazette. Sept. 1961. Pg. 2.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any information.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue: At the time of this writing, Queensland University’s Union Complex, including the Refectory, continues to function as a venue for student events on the university campus. Redevelopment of the Union Complex is being actively considered.

Italo Australian Club. Lismore, New South Wales.

Date:  August 24, 1981.

Venue: Italo Australian Club. North Lismore, New South Wales. 2480. Australia.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/P2aiXG8nz8AKMmzH9

Venue Exterior: 

1960s:

Source: Facebook.

2010:

Venue Interior: I am still looking for a photo inside the Italo Australian Club, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you know of one.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the Italo Australian Club in Lismore.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: 

Source: Roadrunner. August 1981. Pg. 18.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!

Attendance:  Unknown.

Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any information.

Was the Concert Recorded? Possibly. In a 1981 Billboard Magazine interview, Mike Kappus of the Rosebud Agency announced plans to record the Destroyers’ 1981 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Billboard Magazine. Aug. 29, 1981. Pg. 37.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.  

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue: At the time of this writing, the Italo Australian Club continues to function as a venue for public events.