3 played on this day in 1988 at After the Gold Rush in Tempe, Arizona.
The group were currently moving eastward after a set of dates in California. They took a southwest-oriented path through the country, beginning in Arizona. Touring this region of the country had always proved a struggle for progressive rock artists, as Keith Emerson had learned during the Emerson, Lake & Powell Tour when the group had endured a very difficult set of first concerts. Playing at smaller venues likely alleviated some of the worries about failing to attract large audiences.
There is no known recording of this particular concert.
All the information I could find suggested that this concert took place not in Phoenix, but in Tempe, as that was where the venue was located. After the Gold Rush, sharing a name with an album by Neil Young, was a venue which had previously been known as Dooley’s and would later be known as the Electric Ballroom.
The venue was noted for the wide variety of acts it managed to attract; some of them can be found here. While the club closed in the late 90s, the building still has some connections to the world of music, as it is now used by the New School for the Arts and Academics.
Venue Sources