These Are the 5 Best Rock Concerts in Cedar Rapids During the 80s

Yesterday on Facebook we talked about the best concert you have ever seen. That inspired me to look into the biggest concerts to hit Eastern Iowa. Well, that's way WAY too broad, so instead, I narrowed it down to the best concerts to roll through Cedar Rapids in the 1980s. I did some research online using a called Concert Archives and reached out to some folks on KRNA's Facebook to see what they thought, based on their comments on the best concert post.

Here's the list we've come up with including setlists thanks to Concert Archives, in no particular order:

KISS - The Animalize Tour 12/18/1984 - Five Seasons Center (now the PowerHouse)

I love KISS. They're one of the if not the greatest live bands of all time. Pyros, lights, stunts... BLOOD. A KISS show's got it all. For the Cedar Rapids stop, the boys brought Queensrÿche with 'em.

KISS' setlist:

1. Detroit Rock City
2. Cold Gin
3. Creatures of the Night
4. Fits Like a Glove
5. Heaven's on Fire
6. Guitar Solo
7. Under the Gun
8. War Machine
9. Drum Solo
10. Young and Wasted
11. Bass Solo
12. I Love It Loud
13. I Still Love You
14. Love Gun
15. Black Diamond
16. Lick It Up
17. Rock and Roll All Nite

Aerosmith - Done with Mirrors Tour 5/12/1986 - Five Seasons Center

In the spring of 1986, Aerosmith was on tour with Ted Nugent promoting Done with Mirrors which was a big comeback album for them. They rolled in CR in May.

Aerosmith' setlist:

1. "Rats in the Cellar"
2. "Same Old Song and Dance"
3. "Big Ten Inch Record"
4. "My Fist Your Face"
5. "Last Child"
6. "She's on Fire"
7. "Walking the Dog"
8. "Sweet Emotion"
9. "Red House"
10. "Back in the Saddle"
11. Shela
12. "Walk This Way"
13. "Let the Music Do the Talking"
14. "Milk Cow Blues"
15. "Toys in the Attic"
16. "Dream On"
17. "The Train Kept A-Rollin'"

Van Halen - OU812 Tour - Halloween Night (10/31) 1988 - Five Seasons Center

This tour was the band's second to feature lead singer Sammy Hagar, with the first being the 5150 tour two years earlier. That tour brought the band to Des Moines, but not Cedar Rapids. Bachman-Turner Overdrive joined Van Halen on this tour.

Note that this video is from the band's stop in Tokyo, Japan.

Van Halen's setlist:

1. A.F.U. (Naturally Wired)
2. There's Only One Way to Rock
3. Summer Nights
4. Panama
5. Bass Solo
6. Runnin' With the Devil
7. Why Can't This Be Love
8. Mine All Mine
9. Drum Solo
10. Cabo Wabo
11. Finish What Ya Started
12. 5150
13. When It's Love
14. Eagles Fly
15. I Can't Drive 55
16. Best of Both Worlds
17. Guitar Solo
18. Black and Blue
19. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
20. You Really Got Me
21. Rock and Roll

Blue Öyster Cult & Cheap Trick - 11/16/1983 - Five Seasons Center

This tour, which I could not find a name for, rolled into CR on November 16th in '83, and Sioux City, Iowa the very next evening. Featuring Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Cheap Trick, this show was probably pretty sweet. I couldn't find exact setlists for these shows, so I used ones from other shows in the tour.

Blue Öyster Cult Setlist (may not be exactly accurate):

1. "Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll"
2. "Harvester of Eyes"
3. "E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)"
4. "Hot Rails to Hell"
5. "Feel the Thunder"
6. "(Don't Fear) The Reaper"
7. Godzilla
8. "Born to Be Wild"
9. "Burnin' for You"
10. "Roadhouse Blues"

Cheap Trick Setlist (may not be exactly accurate):

1. Hello There"
2. "California Man"
3. "Reach Out"
4. "Southern Girls"
5. "I Want You to Want Me"
6. Voices
7. "Dancing the Night Away"
8. "Heaven's Falling"
9. "Everything Works If You Let It"
10. "If You Want My Love"
11. Borderline
12. "Stop This Game"
13. "Next Position Please"
14. "Ain't That a Shame"
15. "She's Tight"
16. "Dream Police"
17. Surrender
18. "I Can't Take It"
19. "Day Tripper"

Motley Crue - Girls, Girls, Girls Tour 9/8/1987 - Five Seasons Center

What a show this must have been... Whitesnake opened for the Crue. Sure, Vince Neil recently had a... poor outing in Boone, Iowa, but I have no doubt in '87, he was on fire. Though it is funny the band did covers, including "Helter Skelter", which Vince pretty much butchered last weekend in Boone.

Motley Crue Setlist:

1. "All in the Name Of..."
2. "Live Wire"
3. "Dancing on Glass"
4. "Looks That Kill"
5. "Ten Seconds to Love"
6. "Red Hot"
7. "Home Sweet Home"
8. "Wild Side"
9. "Guitar Solo"
10. "Drum Solo"
11. "Shout at the Devil"
12. "Too Young to Fall in Love"
13. "Smokin' in the Boys Room"
14. "Jailhouse Rock"
15. "Helter Skelter / Highway to Hell / Walk This Way / Rock and Roll"
16. "Girls Girls Girls"

Whitesnake Setlist (may not be exactly accurate):

1. "Bad Boys / Children of the Night"
2. "Slide It In"
3. "Here I Go Again"
4. "Give Me All Your Love"
5. "Crying in the Rain"
6. "Still of the Night"

Here's to many more awesome shows in Cedar Rapids!