Jethro Tull: the "Rock Island Tour" started on September 18, 1989

 

The line-up of Rock Island Tour 1989

"Savage night on a misty island

wink out in the canyon walls.

Two old boys in a stolen racer.

Black rubber contrails in the unwashed halls.

And all roads out of here,

Seem to lead right back to the Rock Island"

(From Rock Island 1989)

The "Rock Island Tour" started on September 18, 1989 from Inverness, Scotland.

The album "Rock Island" was released in August 1989 and came after the "rediscovered" success of "Crest of Kneve", the celebrations of the "20 Years of Jethro Tull" and the unexpected Grammy Award...

A transitional album, driven by the allusive single and video "Kissing Willie".

However, there is no shortage of excellent ideas, such as "Strange Avenue", "The Whaler's dues" and yet another Christmas song, "Another Christmas Song".

The album sees the entry of the multi-instrumentalist "Martin Allcock" engaged as keyboardist, with the famous gag of the "charcoal" organ (those who have seen the tour know what I'm talking about), but also the return of Peter John Vettese as a guest.

The tour ended on December 10, 1989 in San Francisco; in Italy they played two dates in October, 15 Milan and 16 Turin.

The tour continued the following year with a modified setlist, the "Tull '90"

… of a whole Pop

Wazza

 

 

Maart playng fretless bass with Doane Perry and Martin Barre, Jethro Tull, Manchester Apollo, 24th September 1989, while Ian and Peggy were on "tiddle break"

Tour Program