FZ chronology

1981

Early 1981 Aborted Holland Festival probable band:
FZ—guitar
Steve Vai—guitar
Richard Emmet—guitar
Tommy Mars—keyboards
Steve Goldstein—keyboards
David Ocker—clarinet
Ed Mann—percussion
Jeff Berlin—bass
Vinnie Colaiuta—drums
 
April 2, 1981 UMRK
Ed Mann
April 17, 1981 "A Tribute To Edgar Varèse"
The Palladium, NYC
 
May 11, 1981 Frank Zappa Tinsel Town Rebellion (2 LPs, Barking Pumpkin PW2 37336)
Zappa Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar (LP, Barking Pumpkin BPR 1111)
Zappa Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar Some More (LP, Barking Pumpkin BPR 1112)
Zappa Return Of The Son Of Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar (LP, Barking Pumpkin BPR 1113)
May 19, 1981 Rockline, KLOS-FM, Los Angeles, CA
  • That Makes Me Mad [B11]
May 27-June 13, 1981 UMRK
Arthur Barrow—click tracks, bass, guitar, piano
June 1, 1981 UMRK
FZ—piano, vocals
JCB—voice
June 1981 UMRK
Scott Thunes—bass audition
June 1981 Studio session with the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra  
c. summer 1981 UMRK
c. summer 1981 UMRK
Roy Estrada—vocals
FZ—vocals
July 20, 1981 Scott Thunes joins the group  
Summer 1981 Chad Wackerman joins the group  
August 24, 1981 Bobby Martin joins the group  
Early August-September 25, 1981 Rehearsals  
September 23, 1981 Zappa You Are What You Is (2 LPs, Barking Pumpkin PW2 37537)

September 27-December 12, 1981
US Tour

  Zappa Band:
FZ—guitar, vocals
Ray White—guitar, vocals
Steve Vai—guitar
Tommy Mars—keyboards, vocals
Bobby Martin—keyboards, sax, vocals
Ed Mann—percussion
Scott Thunes—bass
Chad Wackerman—drums
Zappa '81-82
October 31, 1981 The Palladium, NYC
(early show)
UMRK Mobile (24-track analog)
Recording engineer: Mark Pinske
(The same for the rest of the tour)
October 31, 1981 The Palladium, NYC (late show)
October 31, 1981 The Palladium, NYC
November 1, 1981 The Palladium, NYC
November 15, 1981 Painter's Mill Music Fair, Owings Mills, Maryland
November 17, 1981 Ritz, NYC
  WLIR
November 21, 1981 Assembly Hall, University Of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois
November 27, 1981 Uptown Theatre, Chicago, Illinois
November 28, 1981 Northrop Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN
December 7, 1981 Terrace Ballroom, Salt Lake City, Utah
December 10, 1981 Community Theater, Berkeley, CA
December 11, 1981 Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, CA
Lisa Popeil—guest vocals*
December 12, 1981 Fox Theater, San Diego, CA (late show)
September 27-December 12, 1981 USA
(unknown locations)
September
27-December 12, 1981
Unknown location, USA (or Europe, May-July 1982)

1982

Early 1982 UMRK
Moon Zappa—lead vocals
FZ—vocals
Ike Willis—vocals
Ray White—vocals
March 10, 1982 UMRK
Arthur Barrow—bass
March 15-April 28, 1982 Rehearsals  
c. April 1982 UMRK
Scott Thunes—bass overdubs
May 3, 1982 Zappa Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch (LP, Barking Pumpkin FW 38066)

May 5-July 14, 1982
European Tour

May 10, 1982 Grandmothers Looking Up Granny's Dress (LP, Rhino RNLP-804) including Deseri (Collins/Buff)
May 11, 1982 Brondbyhallen, Copenhagen, Denmark
UMRK Mobile (24-track analog)
Recording engineer: Mark Pinske
(The same for the rest of the tour)
May 21, 1982 Sporthalle, Cologne, Germany
May 22, 1982 Philipshalle, Düsseldorf, Germany
May 28, 1982 Palais des Sports, St. Etienne, France
May 29, 1982 Les Arenes, Frejus, France
May 30, 1982 Les Arenes, Cap d'Agde, France
June 1, 1982 La Patinoire, Bordeaux, France
June 3, 1982 Palais des Sports, Dijon, France
June 10, 1982 Grugahalle, Essen, Germany
June 11, 1982 Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany
June 11-12, 1982 Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany
June 18, 1982 Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK
June 19, 1982 Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK (early show)
June 19, 1982 Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK (late show)
June 22, 1982 Le Parc des Expositions, Metz, France
June 23, 1982 Sporthalle, Boeblingen, Germany
June 24, 1982 Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland
June 26, 1982 Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany
June 28, 1982 Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria
July 1, 1982 La Patinoire des Vernets, Geneva, Switzerland
July 3, 1982 Stadio Comunale, Bolzano, Italy
July 5, 1982 Stadio Ferraris, Genoa, Italy
July 7, 1982 Parco Redecesio, Milan, Italy
July 8, 1982 Stadio Communale, Pistoia, Italy
July 9, 1982 Ex Mattatoio do Testaccio, Rome, Italy
July 14, 1982 Stadio Communale La Favorita, Palermo, Italy (soundcheck)
July 14, 1982 Stadio Communale La Favorita, Palermo, Italy
May 5-July 14, 1982 Europe
(unknown location)
May 5-July 14, 1982 Unknown locations, Europe (or USA, September-December 1981)
July-October 1982 UMRK
1982 Shooting of Uncle Meat at Zappa's house
August 26, 1982 Compact Video, LA
September 1982 UMRK
Massimo Bassoli—vocals
October 31, 1982 Ritz, NYC, NY

1983

January 11, 1983 Barbican Centre, London, UK
LSO conducted by Kent Nagano
David Ocker—solo clarinet
Ed Mann—percussion
Chad Wackerman—drums
 
January 12-14, 1983 Twickenham Film Studio, London, UK
Island Mobile Remote Truck (24-track digital)
Recording engineer: Mark Pinske

LSO conducted by Kent Nagano
David Ocker—solo clarinet
Ed Mann—percussion
Chad Wackerman—drums
February 9, 1983 Varèse And Webern: One Hundreth Anniversary Celebration
War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, CA
Jean-Louis LeRoux—conductor
FZ—conductor (*)
March 28, 1983 Zappa The Man From Utopia (LP, Barking Pumpkin FW 38403)
Frank Zappa Baby Snakes (LP, Barking Pumpkin BPR 1115)
June 9, 1983 Zappa The London Symphony Orchestra Vol. 1 (LP, Barking Pumpkin FW 38820)
1983 Netherlands
Netherlands Wind Ensemble
  UMRK
August 1983 UMRK
Arthur Barrow—bass overdubs
  UMRK
including:
Johnny "Guitar" Watson—guitar & vocal overdubs
c. 1983 UMRK
Jay Anderson—upright bass
  UMRK
including:
Johnny "Guitar" Watson—vocal overdubs

1984

January 9, 1984 Thèâtre de la Ville, Paris
Ensemble InterContemporain
Lucia Meeuwsen—Mezzo-soprano
conducted by Pierre Boulez 
January 10-11, 1984 IRCAM, Paris
Ensemble InterContemporain
conducted by Pierre Boulez
February-April 1984 UMRK
FZ—Synclavier
April 30, 1984 Bing Theater, L.A. County Museum Of Art, LA, CA
E.A.R. Unit
May 18-19, 1984 Herbst Theatre, San Francisco
The Chamber Symphony Of San Francisco
conducted by Jean-Louis LeRoux
May 20, 1984 Speaking Of Music With Frank Zappa
Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA
c. May-June 1984 Rehearsals:
FZ—guitar, vocals
Napoleon Murphy Brock—sax, vocals
Ike Willis—guitar, vocals
Ray White—guitar, vocals
Bobby Martin—keyboards, vocals
Brad Cole—keyboards
Scott Thunes—bass
Chad Wackerman—drums
 
c. May-June 1984 UMRK
FZ—Synclavier, vocals
Napoleon Murphy Brock—vocals
Ike Willis—vocals
Ray White—vocals
Bobby Martin—sax, vocals
Brad Cole—piano
Scott Thunes—bass
Chad Wackerman—drums
c. June 1984 Brad Cole leaves and
Allan Zavod joins
 
June 15-16, 1984 "A Zappa Affair"
Zellerbach Auditorium, Berkeley
Berkeley Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Kent Nagano
June 20, 1984 "A Zappa Affair"
San Jose Center for Performing Arts
(cancelled)
 

July 17-September 2, 1984
US & Canada

  Zappa Band:
FZ—guitar, vocals
Napoleon Murphy Brock—sax, vocals (until August 1, 1984)
Ike Willis—guitar, vocals
Ray White—guitar, vocals
Bobby Martin—keyboards, vocals
Allan Zavod—keyboards
Scott Thunes—bass
Chad Wackerman—drums
 
August 1, 1984 Paolo Soleri Amphitheater, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Napoleon Murphy Brock leaves the band
 
August 11, 1984 Oscar Mayer Theater, Madison, Wisconsin
UMRK Mobile (24-track digital)
Recording engineer: Mark Pinske with Thom Ehle
(The same for the rest of the tour)
August 16, 1984 Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY
August 23, 1984 Frank Zappa Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger (LP, Angel DS-38170)
August 24, 1984 Detroit, Michigan
August 25, 1984 Pier 84, NYC
August 26, 1984 Pier 84, NYC

September 7-October 16, 1984
Europe

September 25, 1984 Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK
September 24-25, 1984 Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK

October 25-December 23, 1984
US & Canada

October 18, 1984 Zappa Them Or Us (2 LPs, Barking Pumpkin SVBO-74200)
October 26, 1984 Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island
October 28, 1984 Fine Arts Center Concert Hall, Amherst, Massachusetts
Archie Shepp—guest tenor saxophone*
November 2, 1984 Forum, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
November 10, 1984 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA
November 21, 1984 Zappa Thing-Fish (3 LPs, Barking Pumpkin SKCO-74201)
Frank Zappa Francesco Zappa (LP, Barking Pumpkin ST-74202)
November 21, 1984 Royal Oak Music Theatre, Royal Oak, MI
November 23, 1984 Bismarck Theater, Chicago, IL (early show)
November 23, 1984 Bismarck Theater, Chicago, IL (late show)
November 25, 1984 Civic Center, Atlanta, Georgia
November 30, 1984 Sunrise Musical Theatre, Sunrise, Florida (early show)
November 30, 1984 Sunrise Musical Theatre, Sunrise, Florida (late show)
December 1, 1984 Bayfront Center Arena, St. Petersburg, Florida
December 4, 1984 Orpheum Theater, Memphis, Tennessee
December 10, 1984 Majestic Performing Arts Center, San Antonio, Texas
December 17, 1984 Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA
December 18, 1984 Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
December 20, 1984 Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, Oregon
December 23, 1984 Universal Amphitheater, Universal City, CA
Dweezil Zappa—guest guitar*
This project researched & developed by Román García Albertos
http://www.donlope.net/fz/
WARNING: This is not a complete list of FZ concerts, as only those of special significance or which are represented in FZ's official output appear in this chronology. If you're looking for an exhaustive list of FZ concerts go to Charles Ulrich's Frank Zappa Gig List, and if you're looking for the complete known setlists go to Oscar Bianco's FZShows, v. 7.1.
Here's a list of main sources & contributions
Release dates and sessions information taken from Greg Russo, Cosmik Debris: The Collected History And Improvisations Of Frank Zappa (The Son Of Revised), 2003
Concert dates and venues taken from Charles Ulrich's Frank Zappa Gig List
Corrections & additions welcome
This page updated: 2023-09-26