Faith_World_Tour

The Faith Tour

The Faith Tour

1988–89 concert tour by George Michael

The Faith Tour was the first solo concert tour by English singer-songwriter George Michael, launched in support of his multi-million selling debut solo album Faith. The tour spanned nine months between February and October 1988 with three final shows in the summer of 1989 comprising 109 shows across sixteen countries.[3] It was choreographed by Paula Abdul.

Quick Facts Location, Associated album ...

Overview

The Faith Tour began in Tokyo, Japan at the Budokan arena.

On 30 October 1987, Michael released his debut solo studio album, Faith.[4] After receiving a 1988 Brit Award for "Best British Male" at the Royal Albert Hall in London, George Michael embarked on a massive sold out world tour which would occupy most of that year.[5] It started in Tokyo's Budokan indoor arena in February and ended at Pensacola Civic Center in Pensacola, Florida.[6] Most of the set list was based on the Faith track listing with a couple of songs from Wham! ("Everything She Wants" and "I'm Your Man"). Michael also paid a tribute to artists that he had been influenced by such as "Lady Marmalade" by Labelle, Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music" and Stevie Wonder's "Love's in Need of Love Today". When Michael performed at Birmingham's Genting Arena, Andrew joined him briefly onstage for a performance of "I'm Your Man".[6] With already two U.S. number ones, new singles continued to be released while on tour with "One More Try" and "Monkey" also reaching No. 1 in late May and August 1988 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.[7][8]

On Saturday 11 June, Michael performed three songs including Gladys Knight's "If You Were My Woman" for the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute at Wembley Stadium. Michael used the concert as preparation for a show later the same day at London's Earls Court.[6]

For the first five months, Michael had consulted eight doctors in a variety of countries for throat pain which had caused some concert cancellations. Eventually in London he was diagnosed with a cyst in the throat. The demanding schedule took a pause for Michael to recuperate.[6] In August 1988, Michael toured the United States beginning in Landover, Maryland and closing late October in Pensacola, Florida. In August, in Auburn Hills, Michigan, George was joined on stage by Aretha Franklin for a duet on "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)". The 43-date American tour alone grossed a total of $15 million (about $38.6 million in today's dollars[2]), performing to over 750,000 fans.[9] Michael also topped the Billboard Year-End of 1988 charts in the U.S. with his album Faith and single of the same title. According to RIAA, he was the top-selling artist of the year 1988 in the United States.

Last shows (1989)

In early July 1989, nine months after the tour ended, Michael performed three special concerts (shows in Spain had been previously cancelled) at Madrid's Las Ventas, La Rosaleda Stadium, Málaga and Sarrià Stadium in Barcelona.[10][11][12]

Broadcast and recordings

The concert on 16 April 1988 in Rotterdam was professionally recorded for a commercial release.[13] No DVD has been released.

The concert on 31 May 1988 in Paris was officially recorded as audio and 11 tracks from that show were broadcast on several radio stations in several countries.[14]

The concert on 1 July 1989 in Madrid was recorded and broadcast live on the television channel TVE1 in Spain and various European and Latin American countries.[15][16]

Opening acts

Set list

1988

1989

1–6 July 1989

Shows

More information Date, City ...
Cancellations and rescheduled shows
29 February 1988 Yokohama, Japan Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium Cancelled
21 March 1988 Sydney, Australia Sydney Entertainment Centre Cancelled
23 March 1988 Brisbane, Australia Brisbane Entertainment Centre Cancelled
30, 31 March 1988 Melbourne, Australia Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre Cancelled
25 April 1988 Helsinki, Finland Jäähalli Cancelled
27, 28 April 1988 Copenhagen, Denmark Valby-Hallen Cancelled
29, 30 April 1988 Hamburg, West Germany Sporthalle Hamburg Cancelled
2 May 1988 West Berlin, West Germany Deutschlandhalle Cancelled
4 May 1988 Dortmund, West Germany Westfalenhalle Cancelled
6 May 1988 Frankfurt, West Germany Festhalle Cancelled
7 May 1988 Stuttgart, West Germany Schleyer-Halle Cancelled
14 May 1988 Verona, Italy Verona Arena Cancelled. Concert rescheduled to 21 May 1988
18 May 1988 Genova, Italy PalaSport Cancelled
1 June 1988 Paris, France Palais des Sports Cancelled
5 June 1988 Dortmund, West Germany Westfalenhalle Cancelled
6 June 1988 Stuttgart, West Germany Schleyer-Halle Cancelled
29 June 1988 Belfast, Northern Ireland King's Hall Cancelled
1 July 1988 Dublin, Ireland Royal Dublin Society Cancelled
8 July 1988 Copenhagen, Denmark Valby-Hallen Cancelled
10 July 1988 Leysin, Switzerland Leysin Rock Festival Cancelled
12 July 1988 Antwerp, Belgium Sportpaleis Cancelled
15 July 1988 Rotterdam, Netherlands Feijenoord Stadion Cancelled
18 July 1988 Viareggio, Italy Sports Stadium Cancelled
20, 21 July 1988 Fréjus, France Arènes de Fréjus Cancelled
23 July 1988 Barcelona, Spain Estadi de Sarrià Cancelled. Concert rescheduled to 6 July 1989
27, 28 July 1988 Madrid, Spain Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas Cancelled. Concert rescheduled to 1 July 1989

Personnel

As printed in the official tour programme:

References

  1. [1]
    THE SELLING OF ROCK ON THE MEGABUCKS MUSIC CIRCUIT - By Richard Harrington 24 September 1989
  2. [2]
    1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  3. [3]
    Herbert, Emily (16 February 2017). George Michael - The Life: 1963-2016: The Man, The Legend, The Music. John Blake Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78606-471-4. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  4. [4]
    TRIBUTE: Celebrating 30 Years of George Michael’s Debut Album ‘Faith’ - 27 October 2017
  5. [5]
    1988 BRIT Awards - Award ceremony Date: 8 February 1988
  6. [6]
    Careless Whispers: The Life & Career of George Michael: Revised & Updated - By Robert Steele
  7. [7]
    GEORGE MICHAEL | CHART HISTORY - Billboard Hot 100
  8. [8]
    Celebrity Biographies - The Amazing Life of George Michael - Famous Stars - By Matt Green
  9. [9]
    Billboard - 22 July 1995
  10. [10]
    Careless Whispers: - The Life & Career of George Michael: Revised & Updated By Robert Steele
  11. [11]
    George Michael volvió a convertirse en el ídolo de la juventud madrileña El Festival Europa Joven - ABC (Madrid) - 2 July 1989, p. 101 - ABC.es
  12. [12]
    What George left behind on the Costa del Sol - surinenglish.com
  13. [13]
    George Michael (April, 1988)
  14. [14]
    George Michael (May, 1988)
  15. [15]
    Elvis del siglo XXI - 3 July 1989
  16. [16]
    George Michael actuará en Madrid el 1 de julio Será la presentación del cantante en España - Madrid 13 JUN 1989
  17. [17]
    Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses - Billboard, 27 August 1988 (P. 34)
  18. [18]
    Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses - Billboard, 12 November 1988 (P. 27)
  19. [19]
    Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses - Billboard, 3 December 1988 (P. 20)
  20. [20]
    Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses - Billboard, 10 September 1988 (P. 30)
  21. [21]
    George Michael Setlist - at Estadi de Sarrià, Barcelona, Spain
  22. [22]
    Faith Tour schedule - George Michael concerts
  23. [23]
    Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses - Billboard, 23 April 1988 (P. 23)
  24. [24]
    Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses - Billboard, 3 September 1988 (P. 22)
  25. [25]
    "Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 39. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 24 September 1988. p. 24. ISSN 0006-2510.
  26. [26]
    Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses - Billboard, 17 September 1988 (P. 26)
  27. [27]
    Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses - Billboard, 1 October 1988 (P. 24)
  28. [28]
    Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses - Billboard, 8 October 1988 (P. 34)
  29. [29]
    Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses - Billboard, 15 October 1988 (P. 24)
  30. [30]
    Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses - Billboard, 22 October 1988 (P. 46)
  31. [31]
    Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses - Billboard, 29 October 1988 (P. 28)
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