Location North America, Europe Start date November 22, 1986 Legs 6 Leg 6 | Associated album Live Alive End date December 31, 1988 No. of shows 209 | |
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The Live Alive Tour was a worldwide concert tour by American blues rock band Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Staged in support of their 1986 live album Live Alive, the band visited North America and Europe from 1986 through 1988. A week before it began, guitarist and singer Stevie Ray Vaughan and bassist Tommy Shannon had achieved sobriety and it was their first tour after succeeding in overcoming their addictions. Consisting of six legs and 209 shows, the tour began in Towson, Maryland on November 22, 1986 and concluded in New York City on December 31, 1988. The first four legs alternated between the United States and Canada, before the fifth leg visited Europe. The tour was mostly well-received and provoked positive reactions from music critics. The band's 1989 album In Step, which included song ideas that were being performed on the tour, was recorded after the tour's conclusion.
Contents
Background
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble's 1985 album Soul to Soul and the supporting tour consisted of controversial performances, particularly in Europe. After years of touring, Vaughan had earned a reputation for his alcohol and cocaine addictions, an image that eventually had a negative effect on his performance, business and personal relationships. The band's European tour in 1986—which was cancelled after sixteen shows—brought Vaughan to the peak of his substance abuse; a September 29 performance in Zürich, Switzerland was described by drummer Chris Layton as "weak" and "no energy". At the end of the tour, Vaughan checked into Atlanta's Peachford Hospital, where he spent four weeks in rehabilitation.
Planning, itinerary, and ticketing
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble's initial planning for the Live Alive tour emerged after Vaughan checked out of rehab, particularly when they hired a new tour manager, Skip Rickert. The wild antics of drug dealers and groupies being present backstage were eliminated after they changed their hospitality rider; Vaughan removed alcohol from his rider. They were also adamant about improvements in time management and itinerary planning.
Rehearsals for the tour began on November 19, 1986. During this time, Vaughan had feelings of self-doubt and was nervous about how his playing would sound after rehabilitation. Unlike many of the group's previous tours, which began either before or after the release of a new album, the tour started just five days after Live Alive was released. Vaughan had requested a reduction of touring time, and the routing for the tour generally allowed no more than one show per day. This was intended to allow Vaughan to tour at a relaxed pace and enjoy the longevity of his future.