The album was recorded during week-long stints in New York City (The Bottom Line), Los Angeles (The Roxy), and Cleveland (The Agora).

The music featured the best of Rundgren's most commercial work spanning seven of the eight solo albums released in the 1970s up to, but not including, his most recent at the time.

The finale included past and present members of Rundgren's Utopia: Roger Powell, Kasim Sulton, Willie Wilcox, John Siegler, Ralph Schuckett and Moogy Klingman.

Special guest stars were Rick Derringer, Spencer Davis, Daryl Hall, John Oates, and Stevie Nicks.

Despite a hard push to replicate the success of Frampton Comes Alive!, Back to the Bars did not generate any significant singles or lift for Rundgren.