Dokken

1988 Monsters of Rock Tour

Metalhead Marv May 27, 2022

May 27, 1988

LOCATION : East Troy, WI

Metalhead Marv takes us back to that time in ‘88.

Tom Hank’s Big was about to be released in theatres and George Michael’s One More Try was on the radio.

It was the second highest grossing event of 1988 earning $26.7 million. Tour promotion included giving away 100 autographed guitars that were specially designed for these concerts.

Reportedly, Van Halen added a contract rider calling for a fluffer to be present backstage for each stop on the route (a fluffer is a woman found on adult film sets and her job is to ensure the male actors remain “at attention”).

Witnesses in multiple cities reported attendees passing out from dangerously overheated conditions, stadium-wide out-of-control food & water (sod, shoes, trash, anything) fights between people in the stands against those on the field, and a list of other incidents that signaled this was the decade-closing tour for that genre.