Babylon by Bus Tour
Encyclopedia
The Babylon by Bus Tour was a concert tour
organised to support the album Babylon by Bus
by Bob Marley & The Wailers
. It was also to popularize Marley and reggae
music in Asia
and Oceania
.
The tour started in Japan
on April 5, 1979, and ended in Honolulu, Hawaii
, on May 6, 1979. The tour should have started with two shows in the Ivory Coast in mid-March, but both concerts had been cancelled due to unknown reasons. The first leg led Marley through Japan where he performed for the first time, the second leg took place in various Oceania
n places (New Zealand
, Australia
, Hawaii
). It was Marley's only tour including concerts in Asia and Oceania.
After the tour Marley performed two historical concerts: his last performance in Jamaica
, at the Reggae Sunsplash
, and at the Amandla Festival
in Boston
's Harvard Stadium
where he made a powerful and historical speech.
The setlist was very similar to that from the previous Kaya Tour
, but in different order. There were also performances of an earlier song, "Punky Reggae Party", which is not featured on any of Marley's Island albums released at that time, but was released as a single in 1977.
From show to show sometimes an additional song was edged in the middle of the setlist, like "Stir It Up", "Punky Reggae Party" or "Natty Dread". Live performances of each of these songs happened very rarely during the tour.
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
organised to support the album Babylon by Bus
Babylon by Bus
Babylon By Bus is a live album released by Bob Marley & The Wailers in 1978. The tracks on this album are considered, with two exceptions, to be from the Pavillon de Paris concerts over 3 nights, 25-27th June 1978, during the Kaya Tour, though there are discrepancies in the track listing.Like the...
by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Bob Marley & The Wailers were a Jamaican reggae, ska and rocksteady band formed by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer in 1963. Additional members were Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, Cherry Smith and Aston and Carlton Barrett...
. It was also to popularize Marley and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
music in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
.
The tour started in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on April 5, 1979, and ended in Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, on May 6, 1979. The tour should have started with two shows in the Ivory Coast in mid-March, but both concerts had been cancelled due to unknown reasons. The first leg led Marley through Japan where he performed for the first time, the second leg took place in various Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
n places (New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
). It was Marley's only tour including concerts in Asia and Oceania.
After the tour Marley performed two historical concerts: his last performance in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, at the Reggae Sunsplash
Reggae Sunsplash
Reggae Sunsplash is a reggae music festival first staged in 1978 in the northern part of Jamaica. In 1985 it expanded with the addition of an international touring festival...
, and at the Amandla Festival
Amandla Festival
Amandla--Festival of Unity—was a world music festival held at Harvard Stadium in Boston, Massachusetts, on July 21, 1979. The goals of the concert were to support and celebrate the liberation of Southern Africa as well as the on-going efforts of people in Boston to end racism in their families,...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
's Harvard Stadium
Harvard Stadium
Harvard Stadium is a horseshoe-shaped football stadium in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States. Built in 1903, the stadium seats 30,323. The stadium seated up to 57,166 in the past, as permanent steel stands were installed in the north end of the stadium in 1929...
where he made a powerful and historical speech.
Setlist
The standard setlist of the tour mostly looked like the following:- "Positive Vibration"
- "Concrete Jungle"
- "Burnin' And Lootin'"
- "Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)"
- "The Heathen"
- "Running Away" / "Crazy Baldhead" (medley)
- "I Shot The Sheriff"
- "No Woman, No Cry"
- "Lively Up Yourself"
- "Jammin'"
- "Is This Love?"
- "War" / "No More Trouble" (medley)
- "Get Up, Stand Up"
- "Exodus"
The setlist was very similar to that from the previous Kaya Tour
Kaya Tour
The Kaya Tour was a concert tour organised to support the album Kaya by Bob Marley & The Wailers.The tour was initially set to begin in early May in Miami, Florida, but the first six shows had to be postponed due to lead guitarist Junior Marvin's cocaine problems. Therefore the tour began in Ann...
, but in different order. There were also performances of an earlier song, "Punky Reggae Party", which is not featured on any of Marley's Island albums released at that time, but was released as a single in 1977.
From show to show sometimes an additional song was edged in the middle of the setlist, like "Stir It Up", "Punky Reggae Party" or "Natty Dread". Live performances of each of these songs happened very rarely during the tour.
Tour dates
Date | City | Country | Venue | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
March 16, 1979 | Abidjan Abidjan Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal... |
Ivory Coast | Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, nicknamed "le Félicia", is a multi-purpose stadium, which can host football, rugby and athletics, in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. It is the national stadium of the Côte d'Ivoire national football team. It is named after the first president of the country, Félix... |
cancelled |
March 17, 1979 | Palais des Congrès Palais des Congrès Palais des Congrès *Belgium**Palais des congrès de Liège*France** Centre des congrès de Saint-Étienne** Cité Internationale des Congrès de Nantes** Palais des congrès de Beaune** Palais des congrès de Bordeaux... |
cancelled | ||
April 5, 1979 | Shinjuku, Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... |
Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Shinjuku Kosei Nenkin Kaikan | |
April 6, 1979 | ||||
April 7, 1979 | Shibuya Shibuya, Tokyo is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it has an estimated population of 208,371 and a population density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km².... , Tokyo |
Shibuya Public Hall Shibuya Public Hall or is a live theatre in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It was completed in 1964. In the 1964 Summer Olympics, the weightlifting events took place there.The theatre was sponsored by Dentsu and Suntory, which paid ¥80 million to have its name associated with the building from 2006 to 2011.-External links:*... |
2 shows | |
April 10, 1979 | Nakano Nakano -People:Nakano is also a Japanese family name.* Ayako Nakano* Chikayo Nakano* Daisuke Nakano* George Nakano* Hiroko Nakano* Hiroyuki Nakano* Junya Nakano* Kansei Nakano* Kazuo Nakano* Keiko Nakano* Koichi Nakano* Kiyoshi Nakano* Kumiko Nakano... , Tokyo |
Nakano Sun Plaza Nakano Sun Plaza is a hotel in Nakano, Tokyo. The hotel includes a concert hall, the Nakano Sun Plaza Hall.- Nakano Sun Plaza Hall :Built in 1973, this concert hall seats 2,222 people and attracts performers from around the world... |
2 shows | |
April 11, 1979 | Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... |
Osaka Kosei Nenkin Kaikan | ||
April 13, 1979 | Festival Hall Festival Hall, Osaka was a concert hall, in Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan. The Hall seats 2,709 patrons and is home to the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra.It was run by the Asahi Building Co., Ltd., a Japanese real estate company controlling properties of the Asahi Shimbun Company, and is housed in the Shin Asahi Building, an... |
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April 16, 1979 | Auckland Auckland The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world... |
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
Western Springs Stadium Western Springs Stadium Western Springs Stadium is an entertainment venue in Auckland, New Zealand, that consists of a natural amphitheatre. During the winter it is used for club rugby union matches and over summer it is used for speedway. It is also occasionally used for large music concerts and festivals.Western Springs... |
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April 18, 1979 | Brisbane Brisbane Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of... |
Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
Festival Hall Brisbane Festival Hall Brisbane Festival Hall was an indoor arena, located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.The Festival Hall was originally known as Brisbane Stadium, which was built in 1910. In 1958, the venue was demolished and a new building constructed, by then leading Queensland Construction Company E.J.Taylor &... |
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April 20, 1979 | Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million... |
Apollo Stadium Apollo Stadium Apollo Stadium was an indoor arena located at 41 Kingston Avenue, Richmond in the Adelaide Metropolitan Area, South Australia... |
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April 21, 1979 | ||||
April 23, 1979 | Perth Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.... |
Entertainment Centre Perth Entertainment Centre Perth Entertainment Centre is a former indoor arena and cinema complex, located in Wellington Street, in the city centre of Perth, Western Australia.-History:... |
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April 25, 1979 | Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... |
Festival Hall Festival Hall, Melbourne Festival Hall is a concert and sporting venue, located at 300 Dudley Street, West Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is one of Melbourne's larger concert venues and has hosted a variety of local and international acts over many years.... |
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April 26, 1979 | ||||
April 27, 1979 | Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... |
Hordern Pavilion Hordern Pavilion The Hordern Pavilion is a building located in Moore Park, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on the grounds of the old Sydney Showground. "The Hordern", as it is affectionally known by Sydneysiders, has been an architecturally and socially significant Sydney landmark since its construction in 1924... |
according to itinary 2 concerts were played, one on the 27 and then on the 28th, the last concert played in Australia. | |
May 1, 1979 | Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... |
Festival Hall Festival Hall, Melbourne Festival Hall is a concert and sporting venue, located at 300 Dudley Street, West Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is one of Melbourne's larger concert venues and has hosted a variety of local and international acts over many years.... |
according to the itinary this date didn't exist or was played, last concert was Sydney April 28. | |
May 5, 1979 | Lahaina, Hawaii | United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Lahaina Civic Center Lahaina Civic Center The Lahaina Civic Center is a sports, convention and entertainment complex located at Kaaahi St & Honoapiilani Hwy in Lahaina, Hawaii, on the island of Maui. The zip code is 96761. It is the site of the annual Maui Invitational Tournament, held every November during Thanksgiving week and hosted by... |
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May 6, 1979 | Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and... |
Waikiki Shell Waikiki Shell The Waikiki Shell is a venue for outdoor concerts and other large gatherings in Waikiki area of Honolulu, Hawaii. The Waikiki Shell seats 2,400 persons and the lawn area has capacity for an additional 6,000 persons. It is under the management of the Neal S. Blaisdell Center... |