van halen tour 1981

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All setlist songs ( 1792 )

Years on tour

2015 ( 44 )
2013 ( 7 )
2012 ( 53 )
2008 ( 37 )
2007 ( 40 )
2004 ( 80 )
1998 ( 81 )
1995 ( 136 )
1993 ( 61 )
1992 ( 51 )
1991 ( 51 )
1989 ( 10 )
1988 ( 65 )
1987 ( 1 )
1986 ( 111 )
1984 ( 107 )
1983 ( 16 )
1982 ( 84 )
1981 ( 86 )
1980 ( 131 )
1979 ( 117 )
1978 ( 174 )
1977 ( 42 )
1976 ( 87 )
1975 ( 48 )
1974 ( 67 )
1973 ( 3 )
1972 ( 2 )

Show all tours

1978 World Tour ( 172 )
1984 Tour ( 102 )
5150 ( 111 )
A Different Kind of Truth ( 57 )
Balance Tour ( 132 )
Best of Both Worlds ( 80 )
Fair Warning ( 86 )
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Tour ( 98 )
Hide Your Sheep ( 100 )
III Tour ( 80 )
Monsters of Rock 1984 ( 5 )
Monsters of Rock 1988 ( 28 )
North American Tour 2007-2008 ( 77 )
North American Tour 2015 ( 41 )
OU812 ( 47 )
Right Here Right Now Tour ( 61 )
World Invasion Tour ( 131 )
World Vacation Tour ( 117 )
Avg Setlist
Concert Map

Average setlist for year: 1981

Note: only considered 80 of 86 setlists (ignored empty and strikingly short setlists)

On Fire Play Video
Sinner's Swing! Play Video
Drum Solo Play Video
Hear About It Later Play Video
So This Is Love? Play Video
Jamie's Cryin' Play Video
Bass Solo Play Video
Runnin' With the Devil Play Video
Dance the Night Away Play Video
Sunday Afternoon in the Park Play Video
Romeo Delight Play Video
Everybody Wants Some!! Play Video
Ice Cream Man ( John Brim cover) Play Video
Mean Street Play Video
Guitar Solo Play Video
Feel Your Love Tonight Play Video
You Really Got Me ( The Kinks cover) Play Video
Unchained Play Video
Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love Play Video

Show Openers

Main set closers, show closers, encores played.

This feature is not that experimental anymore. Nevertheless, please give feedback if the results don't make any sense to you.

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When Van Halen Took a Victory Lap Opening for the Rolling Stones

Van Halen were already kings of the hard-rock heap by the time they embarked on their Fair Warning tour in mid-1981, and they concluded the mostly sold-out trek with a two-night victory lap opening for the Rolling Stones .

The spectacular double-header was booked for Oct. 24, 1981 at Orlando Stadium. The 60,000-plus-capacity venue sold out within hours, prompting a second show to be added for the following day (which sold out in roughly the same amount of time). The event was dubbed Rock Super Bowl XII , the latest in a string of supersized rock concerts at Orlando Stadium dating back to 1977, which included heavy hitters such as Fleetwood Mac , Bob Seger , Eagles , Aerosmith , Heart and dozens more.

Orlando Stadium opened its doors at 9AM, and the Henry Paul Band kicked off the daytime show at 11AM. Fans quickly flooded the venue to watch two generations of rock 'n' roll royalty conquer the same stage. The Stones were riding high on the success of their chart-topping Tattoo You , which spawned the monster hit "Start Me Up" and was heralded by critics as a return to form. Meanwhile, Fair Warning had become Van Halen's third consecutive Top 10 LP and was on its way to platinum status, and its ensuing tour saw the Pasadena quartet packing arenas across North America.

The Stones had assumed elder statesmen status by 1981, but a 38-year-old Mick Jagger still possessed the same animal magnetism of his youth and could go toe-to-toe with the lascivious, lion-maned David Lee Roth , who was a decade his junior. "The crowds were young, real young in Florida," Jagger told the New York Times . "The front rows in Orlando were filled with these 12- or 13-year-old girls, some of whom were making the most unseemly suggestions."

According to setlist.fm , Van Halen stuffed their truncated, hourlong set to the brim with high-octane hits like "Ain't Talkin' Bout Love," "Everybody Wants Some!!" and "You Really Got Me," along with new Fair Warning cuts like "Sinner's Swing!" and "Hear About It Later." (Curiously, they cut "Unchained," which was released as a single in Europe and Japan and became one of their most-played songs ever.)

Rock File contributing editor Mac Cancribbe attended the Oct. 25 show and recalled Roth ribbing the reporters in attendance. "Do you know what the first thing the newspaper critic with the Elvis Costello haircut is going to write about this show in tomorrow’s paper? How fucked up Van Halen was!" he reportedly told the crowd. "And you know what the second thing they are going to write is? How fucked up the audience was!"

After a round of rapturous applause, Roth then shouted, "Well, this one's for the press!" and mooned the press box as the band launched into "So This Is Love?"

This was a much more seasoned, confident band than the one that previously opened for the Stones in July 1978 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Van Halen's eponymous debut album had been certified gold less than two months earlier, and the band had been starstruck at the mere sight of the Stones. "I couldn't believe it when Mick Jagger walked onstage when we were soundchecking at the Superdome. My jaw hit the floor," bassist Michael Anthony recalled in the book Van Halen Rising . Their excitement may have deflated slightly when Jagger took a look at the bombshell-like rig housing Eddie Van Halen 's guitar effects and tut-tutted, "Well, we won't be needing it onstage."

Three years and millions of album sales later, Van Halen were arguably as big a concert draw as the Stones (if not bigger), and they proved their mettle onstage at Orlando Stadium. The shows were smashing successes, as evidenced by a black and white photo snapped by Richard Aaron on Oct. 24 that shows the band basking in the adulation of 60,000 fans. Van Halen later used the picture for the back cover of their Diver Down LP, released in April 1982.

Offstage, the Orlando Stadium shows were a little messier for certain members of Van Halen's team. During one of the shows, Anthony had trouble with his favorite bass, and his tech, Kevin "Dugie" Dugan, rushed backstage to get a set of strings from a storage box. In his hurry, Dugan shouted at concert promoter Bill Graham to get out of his way and unknowingly knocked Jagger to the ground.

Years later, Jagger got back at Dugan when they crossed paths at Los Angeles International Airport, ordering his crewmen to stuff the bass tech in the back of his limo. After exchanging pleasantries, Jagger issued a threat. "All of the sudden, his facial expression changed, and he lunged at me, grabbed me by my shirt … pulls me towards him and says, 'If you ever knock me on my ass again, I'll have you killed!'" Dugan recalled. He was scared stiff until Jagger started cracking up and the handful of crew outside the limo all yelled, "We got you!"

There was at least one person who was unimpressed with Van Halen's performance at the Orlando Stadium shows: Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards . When asked in 2020 if he had any recollection of those shows, Richards told the Los Angeles Times , "I don't remember a thing about Van Halen in those days. I appreciated the work later on and everything, but I’m not a virtuoso soloist. ... The rock players, they’re good and they've all got their little thing going. But it’s never been my bag."

Van Halen Albums Ranked

The Van Halen Holy Grail: 1981 Oakland Footage

March 19, 2009 —by VHND 69 Comments

Mystery of the Fair Warning tour footage — Does a complete Oakland concert exist on film?

Anyone even remotely familiar with the third Indiana Jones film “The Last Crusade” is aware the film dealt with Dr. Jones pursuit of the Holy Grail. Through much intrigue, action and hardship, Jones finally had the Grail in his grasp…

A similar chase has been undertaken by die-hard Van Halen fans and bootleg collectors for nearly thirty years now: the Sacred Footage of Van Halen’s three night stand at the Oakland Coliseum, June 11-13, 1981, which in and of itself constitutes the Holy Grail in Van Halen mythology.

This footage was filmed during the incredible Fair Warning tour, to be aired on MTV, as well as such television programs as Don Kirshner Rock Concert , Entertainment Tonight , and American Bandstand . The band even hoped that Solid Gold would at least air the “ So This Is Love ” video, but the program director refused, saying they wouldn’t air it unless the band made an in-person appearance, which never came to pass.

Since only three videos have emerged from this taping, this begs two questions from the VH faithful: Were any or all of the three Oakland concerts filmed in their entirety? And, if so, then where the hell is the footage??

As with any object bordering on myth-like status, the answer depends solely upon what the seeker wishes to believe. In interviews with The Inside magazine several years ago, Mike Anthony’s longtime bass tech, Kevin Dugan, expressed doubt that the shows were filmed in their entirety, and that only the three songs presently circulating were captured. A second former VH roadie, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Inside staff the same thing. He said that the reason the band didn’t film a whole show was simply because filming was very expensive and they felt there was no reason to film a whole concert when they just wanted to put together some videos for MTV. And then last year, when Michael Anthony told the Van Halen News Desk that, unfortunately, he, too, believes the full shows weren’t filmed, many fans considered that to be the final nail in the coffin.

So if footage of a complete Fair Warning concert does indeed exist, who has it, and when is Van Halen finally going to release it?

This is where things get nebulously speculative. The band has never been exactly forthcoming with what resides in its vaults. And even if a member of Van Halen tells you that it does or doesn’t exist, how much trust could you put in their memory?

The VHND has recently learned that the footage was jointly financed by Warner Bros. Records and Van Halen, and that Warner Bros. may not stand in Van Halen’s way if they wanted to release the footage, as both parties would simply share the profits.

So the footage could be in a warehouse owned by Time/Warner, and/or gathering dust in some closet at 5150 studios. In a recent interview Edward Van Halen has mentioned that the band has a stockpile of footage that remains unreleased, including “things like me playing guitar at the 6th grade talent show. There’s all kinds of cool and funny shit we could put out.” If this footage does exist and happens to be in rough shape, the technology is available today to make it potentially viable for release, either as a complete show, or as the three songs used as supplementary material in a home viewing package, as in the 2003 Led Zeppelin DVD.

For the fans that have been seeking this material for nearly three decades, let’s hope the wait isn’t much longer.

You can watch upgrades of the three videos here .

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Wolfgang Van Halen Reveals How He Honors Late Father Eddie During Every Concert

B orn to Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen, Wolfgang Van Halen grew up surrounded by the entertainment industry. With his father the guitarist for Van Halen, it seemed on fitting that one day, his son would follow in his footsteps. And that is exactly what happened as Wolfgang performed alongside his father from 2007 to 2020. Sadly, in 2020, Eddie passed away after battling cancer. Never forgetting his father’s impact on his life and career, Wolfgang recently shared the sweet gesture he makes after every concert.

Speaking with PEOPLE about his father and time on stage, Wolfgang admitted to pointing to the sky after each performance. The reasoning behind the gesture, “The reason I do what I do is because of my dad. So if I didn’t or at least think about him throughout the process, I’d be doing a disservice to my existence. So I think it’s very important to establish that to thank my dad every night, every time I’m on stage. Just to thank my father and to know that he’s always there with me every night.”

The Reason Wolfgang Van Halen Doesn’t Cover Father’s Songs

While loving the time he spent with his father and Van Halen, Wolfgang explained the reason why he doesn’t cover the band’s hit songs during his concerts. Appearing on the Talk Is Jericho podcast, the musician said, “I’m happy to be able to prove myself. The important key distinction is that I’m not doing what my dad did, I’m my own person, I’m my own musician … it’s why I don’t play any Van Halen music or have a plan to play Van Halen music during my sets.”

[RELATED: Slash & Wolfgang Van Halen’s Oscars Performance of “I’m Just Ken” With Ryan Gosling Rocks the Internet]

Not wanting to just cover songs, Wolfgang noted how his father also hated covering songs. “Even my dad hated doing covers back in the day, his quote resonates with me all the time where he says: ‘I’d rather bomb with my own music than succeed with somebody else’s’, and that’s exactly how I feel about playing Van Halen music. I’d much rather fail on my own than succeed heartlessly by playing ‘Panama’.”

(Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

The post Wolfgang Van Halen Reveals How He Honors Late Father Eddie During Every Concert appeared first on American Songwriter .

Wolfgang Van Halen Reveals How He Honors His Later Father Eddie During Concerts

1974-1977 – Club Days
1978 – Van Halen I
1979 – Van Halen II
1980 – Women and Children First
1981 – Fair Warning
1982 – Diver Down
1984 – 1984
Best Bootlegs (Grade A)
Decent Bootlegs (Grade B)
All Bootlegs
Tour Date Archive

8/2/1981 – Cleveland, OH @ Richfield Coliseum

Van Halen live on 8/2/1981 in Cleveland, OH. This is a 2015 remaster. Decent quality (B) bootleg missing a few songs though.

Audio Bootleg Quality: B

On Fire *Missing
Sinner’s Swing
Hear About It Later
So This Is Love? *Missing
Jamie’s Cryin’ *Missing
Bass Solo *Missing
(cuts in) Runnin’ With The Devil
Dance The Night Away
Sunday Afternoon In The Park
Romeo Delight
Everybody Wants Some!!
Ice Cream Man
Mean Street *Missing
(cuts in) Guitar Solo
Feel Your Love Tonight
You Really Got Me
Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love

Photos and Media>/span>

Fair Warning

Similar posts, 1984 – david lee roth interview – discussing crazy from the heat, 8/25/1984 – monsters of rock sweden @ rasunda stadium, 8/18/1984 – monsters of rock england @ castle donington.

[…] August 2, 1981 […]

Posts From 1981

1981 – belgian tv “unchained” & “hear about it later”, 1981 – albuquerque, nm @ tingley coliseum, 7/10/1981 – chicago, il @ international amphitheater, 1981 – oakland, ca @ oakland arena, 1981 – phoenix, az @ veterans memorial coliseum, 1981 tour dates – fair warning tour.

Best Bootlegs

1982 – Dallas, TX @ Reunion Arena

1979 – fresno, ca @ selland arena, 1984 – quebec city, canada @ le colisee de quebec, 10/6/1979 – san diego, ca @ san diego sports arena, 1980 – milwaukee, wi @ milwaukee arena, 1980 – largo md @ capitol centre, 5/21/1984 – san diego, ca @ san diego sports arena #2.

Tour Archive

1978 – Tour Dates

1979 tour dates – world vacation tour, 1980 tour dates – world invasion tour, 1982 tour dates – hide your sheep tour, 1984 tour dates.

This site is not affiliated with Van Halen, their management or record label. The only goal of this site is to share, celebrate and chronicle Van Halen's history from 1973-1985. The resources and documents presented here are strictly for archival purposes only. This site does not condone the sale of unauthorized recordings. Photo credit has been given when known. If there's a photo you want credited or removed, please let me know: [email protected]

The Mighty Van Halen

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Pro/Am: Professional
Weight: 185 lbs (83.9 kg)

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Tour Details

Moscow metro tour: architectural styles of the subway.

Duration: 2 hours

Categories: Culture & History, Sightseeing

This metro tour of Russia’s capital and most populous city, Moscow, is your chance to get a unique insight into the beautiful and impressive architecture of the city's underground stations. Admire their marble walls and high ceilings representing Stalin's desire for glory after World War 2, and see first-hand how the interiors change with the rise of new political eras. Your guide will lead you through the complex network, which is one of the most heavily used rapid transit systems worldwide, with over two billion travelers in 2011.

Opened in 1935, Moscow’s underground system, now 190 miles (305 km) long with 185 stations, is today one the largest and most heavily used rapid transit systems in the world. On this Moscow metro tour, discover the impressive architecture of Moscow’s underground stations and learn how they reflect the Soviet era.

Getting around by metro, your local guide will take you through parts of Moscow’s infamous history. Stop at stations built during the time of the USSR (Soviet Union) that are praised as one of the most extravagant architectural projects from Stalin’s time. After World War 2, he was keen on establishing Stalinist architecture to represent his rising regime and a recognized empire. Learn how when his successor started the de-Stalinization of the former Soviet Union in 1953, the extravagancy of the architecture was toned down.

Discover how the unique character of each station reflected several different eras. While stations like Kievskaya and Slavyansky Bulvar have pompous halls and high stucco ceilings brimming with extravagant decorations, those built later, like Volzhskaya, are lightly adorned with sparse furnishings. Architect Alexey Dushkin and painter Alexander Deyneka were just two of the many artists who made these magnificent landmarks possible.

Revel in Moscow's glory days, as well as the years of scarcity, on this fascinating Moscow metro experience. Conclude your tour at one of the central stations in Moscow. If you're lucky, you may even find the secret entrance to the unconfirmed Metro-2, a parallel underground system used by the government -- a mystery which has neither been denied nor confirmed today.

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Culture Shock Rating

We have a wide range of tours designed to give you an insight into the destination you're travelling in and there is something for everybody. The culture shock ratings considers the destination visited, transport used, activities undertaken and that "Wow, I'm really not at home now!" factor. While generalisations are always tricky, a summary of our gradings is as follows…

This is the least confronting of our tour range. Transport used on the trip is either private or a very comfortable public option, the activities included are usually iconic sites and locations that are not all too confronting.

The tour can include a mix of private and public transport providing a level of comfort that is slightly below what you would experience at home. Sites visited are usually iconic sites, tours can also include market visits, visits to communities etc that provide the traveller with a fantastic insight into destination.

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether it's a packed public bus where you are forced to stand, a visit to a local market, a local community, you are sure to have an experience that is very different from what you're used to at home.

The comforts of your home town and the environment you are used to are more of a rarity. Expect some challenging transport options, visits to local sites and areas that don't resemble anything at home.

You're out there in the global community! You are likely to be exposed to the elements, travel in whatever means of transport is available and basically take it as it comes, whatever comes! It can be tough.

Physical Rating

Our physical rating gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour. While generalisations are always tricky, a summary of our gradings is as follows…

These tours have very limited physical activity. Usually climbing in and out of the transport provided, walking through sites, markets etc included in the itinerary.

These tours have a bit of physical activity but nothing that should challenge you too much. This could be climbing on and off public transport through to a walk through the destination you're travelling in, they can include walking only tours or a combination of walking and transport.

These tours involve a bit of physical activity from walking up and down hills in the destination you're travelling in or the surrounding areas. Climbing on and off local transport or riding a bike up to 30 kms along predominantly flat terrain or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

These Tours will provide you with some solid physical activity. Whether its bike riding, walking, trekking, kayaking or riding on public transport you will need to have a good level of fitness to enjoy this tour.

Be prepared for some serious physical activity. These tours are our most challenging and involve some serious walking, hiking or bike riding. Can involve step climbs by foot or pedal and some challenging public transport options in the destination you are travelling.

Luxury Rating

Some trips are like a stroll on the beach, while others have you trekking alpine passes. Some of you thrive on camping out on the savannah, while others may prefer a hot shower and a comfortable bed in a lodge. Follow the grading systems below to find the right trip for you.

To help you choose the trip that's right for you, we've broken all of our trips down into four service levels. Measuring the comfort level of the accommodation and transport. So whether you're travelling on a budget and want to save money by using public transport, or prefer upgraded accommodation and are happy to pay a little more, then we have a level for you.

This is grassroots travel at its most interesting

Authentic experiences with some of the comforts of home

For those who like to travel in comfort

All the unique experiences wrapped up with a gold ribbon

Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

2-hour tour $87: 10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
3-hour tour $137: 20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off.
Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
Have fun time with a very friendly local;
+ Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

Drop-off at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
+ Russian lunch in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

Every day each car in Moscow metro passes more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
Moscow subway system is the 5th in the intensity of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is 90 seconds .

What you get:

+ A friend in Moscow.
+ Private & customized Moscow tour.
+ An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
+ An authentic experience of local life.
+ Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
+ Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
+ A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
+ Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
+ Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

Write your review

Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow. Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂