The Take Me Home Tour was the first solo concert tour by American singer-actress Cher. It premiered in June 1979 at the Sahara Reno Opera House Theatre in Reno, featuring an elaborate production and cast assembled by Joe Layton. The tour, which concluded in August 1982, marked Cher's solo debut on the nightclub circuit.
Background Running from June 1979 to August 1982, most performances of the Take Me Home Tour took place at the Circus Maximus Showroom at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Cher performed two shows nightly, at 9p.m. and 12:30a.m., seven days a week, earning $300,000 weekly. Although Cher took the show to other North American cities, as well as Europe, South Africa and Australia, the media often labeled it a Vegas residency, with shows in other cities marketed as Cher taking her "Vegas act" on the road.
This residency phase shaped both public perception and Cher's own view of her career. Despite its financial success, she found the experience unfulfilling, describing a Vegas residency as an "elephant's graveyard" for fading stars. She later commented, "I was making a fortune ... but I was dying inside. Everyone kept saying, 'Cher, there are people who would give anything to have standing room only at Caesars Palace. It would be the pinnacle of their careers.' And I kept thinking, 'Yes, I should be satisfied' ... But I wasn't."
The Press of Atlantic City called the show "the biggest cabaret act ever seen on any stage". The tour spawned two television specials: Standing Room Only: Cher in Concert (1981) and Cher... A Celebration at Caesars (1983), with the latter earning her a CableACE Award for Best Actress in a Variety Program. A concert from Monte Carlo was also taped and aired as the premiere episode of The Monte Carlo Show in September 1980.
Cher described the show as "a bit Sonny & Cher-ish", blending cabaret, disco and rock and roll. With twelve costume changes, she never wore any outfit for more than eight minutes. Inspired by her television shows Cher, Cher... Special and Cher... and Other Fantasies, the concert featured three backing singers, six dancers and elaborate props, including a mechanical bull named El Toro and a giant high-heeled shoe. In 1980, one of Cher's midnight shows at Caesars Palace was fined $180 by Nevada state officials for exceeding the legal sound limit of 115 decibels.
The concert also included three drag performers impersonating Bette Midler, Cher and Diana Ross. During Cher's costume changes, Kenny Sacha (as Midler) performed "In the Mood", and J.C. Gaynor (as Ross) performed "I'm Coming Out". Audiences were often unaware they were impersonators until the end of the show, when Cher introduced them out of drag. She recalled, "We got Diana and Bette to record their voices in the intro but I didn't think it would fool them. I was never afraid to take risks like that." After their performances, Cher regularly joined them for a rendition of "Friends". Russell Elliott opened the show as Cher. Maclean's journalist Elio Iannacci recognized Cher as "one of the first to bring drag to the masses".
During the tour, Cher also released two solo studio albums: Prisoner (1979), her second on Casablanca Records, and I Paralyze (1982), her sole release on Columbia Records. Neither charted on the Billboard 200, and both failed to produce a top-40 single. In 1980, Cher balanced her solo performances with her role as lead vocalist of the rock band Black Rose, co-founded with guitarist Les Dudek, continuing both commitments until the band parted ways after releasing their self-titled album. During this period she also released two collaborations: "Bad Love" (her last solo recording for Casablanca), co-written and recorded with Giorgio Moroder for the soundtrack to Foxes (1980); and "Dead Ringer for Love" (1981), a duet with Meat Loaf that reached number five on the UK Singles Chart—her first UK chart entry since "Dark Lady" (1974).
Set list June 1979 to February 1981
"Ain't Nobody's Business" "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" "Fire"Cher singing "Fire" in her 1980 concert in Monte-Carto: "Easy To Be Hard" "The Way of Love" "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (performed by J.C. Gaynor and Cher) "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" (performed by Kenny Sacha) "Friends" (performed by Sacha, Gaynor, and Cher) "Jailhouse Rock" / "Dream Lover" / "Great Balls Of Fire" "Rockin' Robin" "Johnny B. Goode" "Dedicated to the One I Love" "Hand Jive" / "Honky Tonk Women" / "Old Time Rock and Roll" "Take It to the Limit" "Take Me Home" "Takin' It to the Streets" "Ain't Got No Money"
May 1981 to August 1982
"Could I Be Dreaming" "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" "You Make My Dreams" "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" "Those Shoes" "Out Here On My Own" "Take It to the Limit" "I'm Coming Out" (performed by J.C. Gaynor) "In the Mood" (performed by Kenny Sacha) "Friends" (performed by Sacha, Gaynor and Cher) "Lookin' for Love" (contains elements of "Devil Went Down to Georgia") "When Will I Be Loved" "More Than You Know" "Fame"
Notes "Git Down (Guitar Groupie)" was performed at O'Keefe Centre on July 23, 1979. "My Song (Too Far Gone)" was performed at O'Keefe Centre from July 23 to 29, 1979. "Still The One" and "My Song (Too Far Gone)" were performed at the Universal Amphitheatre from July 31 to August 2, 1979. "Whip It" and "Turning Japanese" were performed on select dates in 1981.
Tour dates 1979 The 1979 leg of Cher's Take Me Home Tour had dates. DateCityCountryVenueOpening actsJune 3, 1979RenoUnited StatesSahara Reno Opera House Theatrerowspan="37" June 4, 1979June 5, 1979June 6, 1979June 7, 1979June 8, 1979June 9, 1979June 10, 1979June 11, 1979June 12, 1979June 13, 1979June 14, 1979June 15, 1979June 16, 1979June 17, 1979June 18, 1979June 19, 1979June 29, 1979Las VegasCircus MaximusJuly 9, 1979Atlantic CityResorts International Grand BallroomJuly 10, 1979July 11, 1979July 12, 1979July 13, 1979July 14, 1979July 16, 1979Washington, D.C.Kennedy Center Opera HouseJuly 17, 1979July 18, 1979Los AngelesUniversal AmphitheatreJuly 19, 1979July 21, 1979Washington, D.C.Kennedy Center Opera HouseJuly 22, 1979 July 23, 1979TorontoCanadaO'Keefe CentreJuly 24, 1979July 25, 1979July 26, 1979July 27, 1979July 28, 1979July 29, 1979July 31, 1979Los AngelesUnited StatesUniversal AmphitheatreSister SledgeAugust 1, 1979August 2, 1979August 16, 1979Las VegasCircus Maximusrowspan="43" August 17, 1979August 18, 1979August 19, 1979August 20, 1979August 21, 1979August 22, 1979August 23, 1979August 24, 1979August 25, 1979August 26, 1979August 27, 1979August 28, 1979August 29, 1979August 31, 1979October 29, 1979 StatelineSahara TahoeOctober 30, 1979October 31, 1979November 1, 1979November 2, 1979November 3, 1979November 4, 1979November 5, 1979November 6, 1979November 7, 1979November 8, 1979November 9, 1979November 10, 1979November 11, 1979November 15, 1979Las VegasCircus MaximusNovember 16, 1979November 17, 1979November 18, 1979November 19, 1979November 20, 1979November 21, 1979November 22, 1979November 23, 1979November 24, 1979November 25, 1979November 26, 1979November 27, 1979November 28, 1979
1980 The tour's 1980 leg had dates. DateCityCountryVenueOpening actsJanuary 10, 1980Las VegasUnited StatesCircus Maximusrowspan="95" January 11, 1980January 12, 1980January 13, 1980January 14, 1980January 15, 1980January 16, 1980January 25, 1980StatelineSahara TahoeJanuary 26, 1980January 27, 1980February 1, 1980February 2, 1980February 3, 1980April 3, 1980Atlantic CityResorts InternationalApril 4, 1980April 5, 1980April 6, 1980Las VegasCircus MaximusApril 7, 1980April 8, 1980April 9, 1980April 10, 1980April 11, 1980April 12, 1980April 13, 1980April 14, 1980April 15, 1980April 16, 1980May 10, 1980Monte CarloMonacoSalle des ÉtoilesMay 12, 1980ParisFranceL'OlympiaMay 14, 1980LondonEnglandHammersmith OdeonMay 22, 1980Las VegasUnited StatesCircus MaximusMay 23, 1980May 24, 1980May 25, 1980May 26, 1980May 27, 1980May 28, 1980June 5, 1980June 6, 1980June 7, 1980June 8, 1980June 10, 1980June 11, 1980June 14, 1980Atlantic CityResorts InternationalJune 15, 1980June 16, 1980June 17, 1980June 18, 1980June 19, 1980July 3, 1980Las VegasCircus MaximusJuly 4, 1980July 5, 1980July 6, 1980July 8, 1980July 9, 1980July 14, 1980Atlantic CityResorts InternationalJuly 15, 1980July 16, 1980July 17, 1980July 18, 1980July 19, 1980July 20, 1980August 28, 1980Las VegasCircus MaximusAugust 29, 1980August 30, 1980August 31, 1980September 2, 1980StatelineCaesars TahoeSeptember 3, 1980September 11, 1980Las VegasCircus MaximusSeptember 12, 1980September 13, 1980September 14, 1980September 16, 1980September 17, 1980September 18, 1980September 19, 1980September 20, 1980September 21, 1980September 22, 1980September 23, 1980September 24, 1980September 25, 1980StatelineCaesars TahoeSeptember 26, 1980September 27, 1980September 28, 1980September 29, 1980September 30, 1980October 1, 1980October 2, 1980November 6, 1980Las VegasCircus MaximusNovember 7, 1980November 8, 1980November 9, 1980November 11, 1980November 12, 1980
1981 The tour's 1981 leg had dates. DateCityCountryVenueOpening actsJanuary 22, 1981Las VegasUnited StatesCircus Maximusrowspan="20" January 23, 1981January 24, 1981January 25, 1981January 27, 1981January 28, 1981February 5, 1981February 6, 1981February 7, 1981February 8, 1981February 9, 1981February 10, 1981February 11, 1981May 28, 1981May 29, 1981May 30, 1981May 31, 1981June 1, 1981June 2, 1981June 3, 1981June 5, 1981Los AngelesGreek TheatreMartin MullJune 6, 1981June 7, 1981June 8, 1981June 18, 1981Las VegasCircus Maximusrowspan="34" June 19, 1981June 20, 1981June 21, 1981June 22, 1981June 23, 1981June 24, 1981June 25, 1981June 26, 1981June 27, 1981June 28, 1981June 29, 1981June 30, 1981July 1, 1981July 8, 1981July 9, 1981July 10, 1981July 11, 1981July 12, 1981July 13, 1981July 14, 1981July 16, 1981StatelineCaesars TahoeJuly 17, 1981July 18, 1981July 19, 1981July 20, 1981July 21, 1981July 22, 1981July 31, 1981Monte CarloMonacoSalle des ÉtoilesAugust 1, 1981August 6, 1981North WestSouth AfricaSun City HotelAugust 7, 1981August 8, 1981August 9, 1981August 17, 1981Atlantic CityUnited StatesResorts InternationalFreddie RomanAugust 18, 1981August 19, 1981August 20, 1981August 21, 1981August 22, 1981August 27, 1981Las VegasCircus Maximusrowspan="28" August 28, 1981August 29, 1981August 30, 1981August 31, 1981September 1, 1981September 2, 1981September 10, 1981September 11, 1981September 12, 1981September 13, 1981September 14, 1981September 15, 1981September 16, 1981October 22, 1981October 23, 1981October 24, 1981October 25, 1981October 26, 1981October 27, 1981October 28, 1981November 12, 1981November 13, 1981November 14, 1981November 15, 1981November 16, 1981November 17, 1981November 18, 1981November 25, 1981SydneyAustraliaCapitol TheatreDigger Revell and the DenvermenNovember 26, 1981November 27, 1981November 28, 1981November 30, 1981December 4, 1981MelbournePalais Theatrerowspan="3" December 5, 1981December 6, 1981
1982 The tour's 1982 leg had dates. DateCityCountryVenueOpening actsMarch 11, 1982Las VegasUnited StatesCircus Maximusrowspan="41" March 12, 1982March 13, 1982March 14, 1982March 15, 1982March 16, 1982March 17, 1982June 19, 1982June 20, 1982June 21, 1982June 22, 1982June 24, 1982June 25, 1982July 1, 1982July 2, 1982July 3, 1982July 4, 1982July 5, 1982July 6, 1982July 7, 1982July 8, 1982July 9, 1982July 10, 1982July 11, 1982July 12, 1982July 13, 1982July 14, 1982July 29, 1982July 30, 1982July 31, 1982August 1, 1982August 2, 1982August 3, 1982August 4, 1982August 5, 1982August 6, 1982August 7, 1982August 8, 1982August 9, 1982August 10, 1982August 11, 1982
Cancelled shows DateCityCountryVenueReasonJuly 1981MontrealCanadaPlace des Artsrowspan="5" July 13, 1981Hoffman EstatesUnited StatesPoplar Creek Music TheaterJuly 14, 1981September 4, 1981Los AngelesIrvine Meadows AmphitheatreSeptember 5, 1981
Broadcasts and recordings The Monte Carlo Show: Cher (20th Century Fox Television; aired September 14, 1980)