Dangerous World Tour

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"Dangerous Tour" redirects here. For the film, see Dangerous Tour (film).

Dangerous World Tour
Tour by Michael Jackson
Dangerous World Tour (Michael Jackson tour - emblem).png
Promotional image for the tour
Location
  • Eurasia
  • Latin America
Associated albumDangerous
Start dateJune 27, 1992
End dateNovember 11, 1993
Legs3
No. of shows69
Attendance4,019,500
Box officeUS $140 million ($250.81 million in 2021 dollars)[1]
Michael Jackson concert chronology

The Dangerous World Tour was the second world concert tour by American singer Michael Jackson to promote his eighth studio album Dangerous. The tour was sponsored by Pepsi-Cola. All profits were donated to various charities including Jackson's own "Heal the World Foundation". It began in Munich, Germany, on June 27, 1992, and concluded in Mexico City, Mexico, on November 11, 1993, playing 69 concerts in Eurasia and Latin America. At the tour's end, it grossed over $140 million and was attended by over 4 million people. A leg in 1994, featuring shows in North America, was scheduled, but ended up being cancelled when Jackson announced he was seeking rehabilitation for his dependency on painkillers, which he began taking amidst accusations of child molestation.

Background[]

 

Jackson in Monza
Jackson In Lisbon
Jackson performing in 1992 in Monza, Italy (top) and Lisbon, Portugal (bottom).

In January 1989, Jackson finished his Bad tour, his first as a solo artist, which had grossed over $125 million. Initially he planned not to tour again and concentrate on making albums and films. Following the release of his eighth studio album Dangerous in November 1991, a press conference was held on February 3, 1992 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City to announce the Dangerous Tour.[2][3] The event, attended by 200 people, was organized by Jackson's sponsor Pepsi with the artist also present. Jackson explained his sole reason for touring once more was to raise funds for his newly-formed Heal the World Foundation to aid children and the environment. He aimed to raise $100 million for the charity by Christmas 1993.[3] It was revealed that Jackson planned to perform across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Australia, with no dates in the United States or Canada.[2] Jackson commented: "I am looking forward to this tour because it will allow me to devote time to visiting children all around the world, as well as spread the message of global love, in the hope that others will be moved to do their share to help heal the world".[4]

Preparation[]

In June 1992, a Russian Antonov AN-124 cargo jet, then the world's largest operating airplane, was booked to transport the equipment and stage set from Los Angeles to London for the opening European leg.[5] However, problems regarding its civilian aircraft certification led to Jackson using a Federal Express Boeing 747 instead.[6] Upon arrival, the equipment was transported across Europe by 65 lorries.[5] The cargo included 1,000 lights, 10 miles of electrical cable, 9 video screens, and 168 speakers.[7] Around 2 tons of clothing was transported. The outfits were designed by Michael Bush and Dennis Tompkins, who worked with Jackson to gain an idea on what he wanted, and aimed to "bring his ideas to life".[8] Two outfits were 9 feet tall, 7 feet wide, and weighed 40 lbs each, with fibre optic lights controlled by a computerised laser. One jacket was fitted with a battery belt generating 3,000 volts to light the 36 strobe lights on it. Another had hidden flaps to conceal explosive effects.[8] 1,000 yards of fabric from Europe was used to make the costumes, including a black and gold outfit for Jackson which included 18-karat gold.[8] The costumes alone cost $2 million.[9]

The show incorporated various stage illusions. Among them was the "toaster" effect where Jackson entered the stage on a rapidly rising catapult from underneath, sending off pyrotechnics at the same time. His sister Janet Jackson said: "That opening was kick-ass. I'm sitting in the sound tower and all the kids are everywhere. And when he jumped out of whatever the hell that thing was [...] the kids in front of me were looking back and I didn't even know it".[10] Most of the 1992 shows included a stage trick during the transition from "Thriller" to "Billie Jean", whereby Jackson walks into two pillars and is secretly switched with a werewolf-masked backup dancer while he changes outfits for "Billie Jean". The masked "Jackson" is placed into a coffin which disappears when dancers posing as the skeletons and zombies drape a cloth over the coffin and pull it out. Jackson then appears on an upper stage level and sings "Billie Jean". When the full trick was not performed, it featured a sequence with the Jackson impersonator and the backup dancers performing dances from "Thriller". In some concerts, the Jackson impersonator would go back stage after singing the main chorus of the song, instead of doing a reprise of the "Thriller" dance, and the Zombie backup-dancers would do a reprise of the dance by themselves.

Michael Jackson performing in Tel Aviv, Israel, during the second leg of the Dangerous World Tour

The show[]

The original set list for the 1992 leg featured "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Bad", but these were taken out after the eighth concert in Oslo, Norway. However, these two songs were returned for the performances in Tokyo, Japan.

During the Europe leg in 1992, MTV was allowed to film backstage and broadcast six fifteen-minute episodes of the tour. The show was called The Dangerous Diaries and was presented by Sonya Saul. MTV released footage of "Billie Jean" and "Black Or White" at the first show in Munich. "Billie Jean" was released with two different versions, one by MTV as a special, and the other on the Dangerous Diaries documentary. Both versions have placed a snippet of Jackson's original a cappella recording for "Billie Jean" over the live vocals when Jackson throws his fedora.

The October 1, 1992, concert in Bucharest, Romania was filmed for broadcast on the HBO network on October 10. Jackson sold the film rights for the concert for $20 million, then the highest amount for a concert performer to appear on television.[11] The special earned Jackson the second of two CableACE Awards of his career, this one for Outstanding Performance Musical Special.[12]

Jackson performing "Human Nature".

The Toulouse, France concert performed on September 16, 1992, featured a special instrumental performance of the first half of the song "In the Closet" as an interlude between the songs "Heal the World" and "Man in the Mirror". Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, who was the "Mystery Girl" in the actual song, was in attendance at this concert. This concert marked the first and only time that this song was performed during this tour, although it was performed on his next tour.

Between the two legs of the tour, Jackson performed a brief but very widely seen and highly acclaimed concert at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show on January 31, 1993. The National Football League donated $100,000 to the Heal the World Foundation in lieu of payment to Jackson.[13]

Slash made guest appearances for three performances of "Black or White": Oviedo, Spain in September 1992, the New Year's Eve concert in Tokyo, Japan on December 31, 1992, and the last concert in Spain September 26, 1993, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands).

The September 1, 1993 concert in Singapore was scheduled for August 30, 1993, but was rescheduled due to Jackson collapsing before the show. During his visit to Moscow in September, Jackson came up with the song "Stranger in Moscow" which would be released on his 1995 album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I It was during a time when Jackson felt very alone, far away from his family and friends, yet every night throughout his tours fans would stay by his hotel and support him.[14]

Set lists[]

1992
  1. "Brace Yourself" (Video Introduction)
  2. "Jam"
  3. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
  4. "Human Nature"
  5. "Smooth Criminal"
  6. "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" (with Siedah Garrett)
  7. "She's Out of My Life"
  8. "I Want You Back" / "The Love You Save" / "I'll Be There"
  9. "Thriller"
  10. "Billie Jean"
  11. "Black Or White Panther" (Video Interlude)
  12. "Working Day and Night"
  13. "Beat It"
  14. "Someone Put Your Hand Out" (Instrumental Interlude)
  15. "Will You Be There"
  16. "The Way You Make Me Feel" (removed after July 15th, 1992, appeared again in certain Tokyo shows)
  17. "Bad" (removed after July 15th, 1992, appeared again in certain Tokyo shows)
  18. "Black or White"
  19. "We Are The World" (Video Interlude)
  20. "Heal the World"
  21. "Man in the Mirror" / "Rocket Man"
1993
  1. "Brace Yourself" (Video Introduction)
  2. "Jam"
  3. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
  4. "Human Nature"
  5. "Smooth Criminal"
  6. "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" (with Siedah Garrett)
  7. "She's Out of My Life"
  8. "I Want You Back" / "The Love You Save" / "I'll Be There" (not performed in Mexico City)
  9. "Thriller"
  10. "Billie Jean"
  11. "Black Or White Panther" (Video Interlude)
  12. "Will You Be There"
  13. "Dangerous"
  14. "Black or White"
  16. "We Are The World" (Video Interlude)
  17. "Heal the World"
  18. "Man in the Mirror" / "Rocket Man" (select dates)
Notes
  • During the first four Tokyo dates, "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Bad" were performed after "Beat It" instead of after "Will You Be There".
  • "Rock With You", "Remember the Time", and "In the Closet" were rehearsed for the initial setlist in 1992, but were cut for time and technical reasons.
  • "Workin' Day and Night", "Beat It", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Bad", and the instrumental of "Someone Put Your Hand Out" were rehearsed for the 1993, but were removed.
  • At October 17, 1993, at the Morumbi Stadium, The Jackson Five Medley was not performed.
  • The instrumental for "In the Closet" as played as an interlude in between "Heal The World" and "Man In The Mirror" in Toulouse. Princess Stéphanie of Monaco (who was the mystery girl in the song), was in attendance that night.

Broadcasts and recordings[]

Jackson performing "Smooth Criminal".
Jackson performing "Beat It".
Jackson performing Smooth Criminal and Beat It during the Dangerous World Tour.

All concerts were professionally filmed by Nocturne Productions Inc., which filmed all of Jackson's tours and private affairs. During the 1992 European leg of the tour, MTV was given permission to film backstage reports, interview the cast and film live performance. The mini-show was hosted by Sonya Saul and had six, 15-minute mini-episodes of concerts in Munich, Werchter, Dublin, Stockholm, Hamburg, Cardiff, London, Leeds, Berlin, Oviedo, and Madrid. Performances include "Billie Jean", "Black or White", "Jam", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", and "Will You Be There". The concert in Bucharest on October 1, 1992, was filmed and broadcast on television all across the world, giving HBO the highest rating garnered in cable TV History, with an unedited version airing on the BBC. The concert film titled Live in Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour was officially released on DVD on July 25, 2005. Full concerts at Oslo (July 15, 1992) and Copenhagen (July 20th, 1992) were fundraised for online by the fans & purchased from private owners of those respective concerts, and performances at Bremen (August 8, 1992), Buenos Aires (October 12th, 1993) and several scattered amateur recordings have been shared online and can be found on YouTube.[15]

Opening acts[]

Tour dates[]

Date City Country Venue Attendance
Europe
June 27, 1992 Munich Germany Olympiastadion 75,000
June 30, 1992 Rotterdam Netherlands De Kuip 100,000
July 1, 1992
July 4, 1992 Rome Italy Stadio Flaminio 40,000
July 6, 1992 Monza Stadio Brianteo 93,000
July 7, 1992
July 11, 1992 Cologne Germany Müngersdorfer Stadion 50,000
July 15, 1992 Oslo Norway Valle Hovin 35,000
July 17, 1992 Stockholm Sweden Stockholm Olympic Stadium 106,000
July 18, 1992
July 20, 1992 Copenhagen Denmark Gentofte Stadion 30,000
July 22, 1992[a] Werchter Belgium Werchter Festivalpark 60,000
July 25, 1992 Dublin Ireland Lansdowne Road 43,000
July 30, 1992 London England Wembley Stadium 160,000
July 31, 1992
August 5, 1992 Cardiff Wales Cardiff Arms Park 50,000
August 8, 1992 Bremen Germany Weserstadion 42,000
August 10, 1992[b] Hamburg Volksparkstadion 50,000
August 13, 1992[c] Hamelin Weserbergland Stadium 25,000
August 16, 1992 Leeds England Roundhay Park 90,000
August 18, 1992 Glasgow Scotland Glasgow Green 65,000
August 20, 1992 London England Wembley Stadium 240,000
August 22, 1992
August 23, 1992[d]
August 26, 1992 Vienna Austria Praterstadion 50,000
August 28, 1992 Frankfurt Germany Waldstadion 60,000
August 30, 1992 Ludwigshafen Südweststadion 48,000
September 2, 1992 Bayreuth Wild Stadion 32,000
September 4, 1992 Berlin Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Stadion 35,000
September 8, 1992 Lausanne Switzerland Stade olympique de la Pontaise 55,000
September 13, 1992 Paris France Hippodrome de Vincennes 85,000
September 16, 1992 Toulouse Stade de Toulouse 40,000
September 18, 1992 Barcelona Spain Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc 60,000
September 21, 1992 Oviedo Estadio Carlos Tartiere 25,000
September 23, 1992 Madrid Vicente Calderón Stadium 54,907
September 26, 1992 Lisbon Portugal Estádio José Alvalade 55,000
October 1, 1992[e] Bucharest Romania Lia Manoliu National Stadium 90,000
Asia
December 12, 1992 Tokyo Japan Tokyo Dome 360,000
December 14, 1992
December 17, 1992
December 19, 1992
December 22, 1992
December 24, 1992
December 30, 1992
December 31, 1992
August 24, 1993[f] Bangkok Thailand Suphachalasai Stadium 140,000
August 27, 1993[f]
August 29, 1993 Singapore Singapore National Stadium 94,000
September 1, 1993[g]
September 4, 1993 Taipei Taiwan Taipei Municipal Stadium 80,000
September 6, 1993
September 10, 1993 Fukuoka Japan Fukuoka Dome 70,000
September 11, 1993
Eurasia
September 15, 1993 Moscow Russia Luzhniki Stadium 100,000
September 20, 1993 Tel Aviv Israel Yarkon Park 180,000
September 21, 1993
September 23, 1993[h] Istanbul Turkey BJK İnönü Stadium 48,000
September 26, 1993 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Spain Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife 45,000
Latin America
October 8, 1993 Buenos Aires Argentina River Plate Stadium 225,000
October 10, 1993
October 12, 1993
October 15, 1993 São Paulo Brazil Estádio do Morumbi 250,000
October 17, 1993
October 23, 1993 Santiago Chile Estadio Nacional 78,500
October 29, 1993 Mexico City Mexico Estadio Azteca 500,000
October 31, 1993
November 7, 1993[i]
November 9, 1993[i]
November 11, 1993[i]
Total 4,019,500 / 4,019,500
(100%)


Cancelled shows[]

List of cancelled concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, and reason for cancellation
Date City Country Venue Reason
July 9, 1992 Venice Italy N/A Tour restructuring
September 6, 1992 Gelsenkirchen Germany Parkstadion Health problems
September 11, 1992 Basel Switzerland St. Jakob Stadium
October 4, 1992[j] Izmir Turkey İzmir Atatürk Stadium
October 6, 1992[k] Istanbul BJK İnönü Stadium
October 10, 1992[l] Athens Greece Olympic Stadium
August 15, 1993 Hong Kong Sha Tin Racecourse Racing season conflicts
August 16, 1993
September 30, 1993 Johannesburg South Africa N/A Conflicts within the country
October 2, 1993
October 21, 1993 Santiago Chile Estadio Nacional Back problems[16][17]
October 26, 1993 Lima Peru Estadio Nacional del Perú
November 13, 1993[m] Seoul South Korea Seoul Olympic Stadium Banned by authorities
November 14, 1993[m]
November 19, 1993[n] Caracas Venezuela Poliedro de Caracas Rehabilitation
November 21, 1993 Monterrey Mexico Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey
November or December 1993 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia N/A
December 3, 1993 Sydney Australia Sydney Cricket Ground
December 4, 1993
December 7, 1993 Melbourne Waverley Park
January 3, 1994 Bayamón Puerto Rico Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium
January 4, 1994
March 5, 1994 Bronx United States Yankee Stadium
March 6, 1994
March 7, 1994
March 15, 1994 Chicago Wrigley Field
March 16, 1994
March 30, 1994 Honolulu Aloha Stadium
March 31, 1994
N/A New Delhi India Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
Dubai United Arab Emirates Al Maktoum Stadium Banned by authorities
Rio de Janeiro Brazil Maracanã Stadium Tour restructuring
Jakarta Indonesia Gelora Bung Karno Stadium Banned by authorities

Personnel[]

Musical[]

Main article: MJ the Musical

MJ the Musical is a jukebox musical that premiered on Broadway in February 2022. "The show takes audiences behind the scenes as Michael prepares for the 1992 Dangerous Tour, providing an in-depth look at his process. As Michael and his collaborators rehearse their epic setlist, we are transported to pivotal creative moments from his career." The show is set to feature over 25 of Michael Jackson's biggest hits.[18][19]

References[]

Notes
  1. ^ Part of Rock Werchter.
  2. ^ Originally scheduled for August 9, 1992.
  3. ^ Originally scheduled for August 11, 1992.
  4. ^ Originally set to take place on August 1, 1992, but postponed due to health issues.
  5. ^ Originally set to take place on September 29, 1992, but was rescheduled due to health problems.
  6. ^ a b Originally set to take place on August 25 and 26, 1993, but was rescheduled due to dehydration.
  7. ^ Originally set to take place on August 30, 1993, but was rescheduled due to exhaustion.
  8. ^ The September 23, 1993, concert at BJK İnönü Stadium, Istanbul was originally set for October 4, 1992, but was rescheduled.
  9. ^ a b c Originally set to take place on November 2, 3, and 6, 1993, but was rescheduled due to Jackson's oral surgery and subsequent recovery.
  10. ^ Originally set to take place on October 2, 1992, but was rescheduled to throat problems.
  11. ^ Originally set to take place on October 4, 1992, but was rescheduled to throat problems.
  12. ^ Originally set to take place on October 8, 1992, but was rescheduled to throat problems.
  13. ^ a b Originally scheduled to take place on September 7 and 8, 1993.
  14. ^ Originally set to take place on October 2, 1992, but was rescheduled to throat problems.
Citations
  1. ^ 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 January 1, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Michael Jackson to tour the world". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. February 4, 1992. Retrieved June 21, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b Hunt, Dennis (February 4, 1992). "Jackson plans tour to fund charity". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 21, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Crampton, Luke (2009). Michael Jackson (Music Icons (Taschen)). Taschen. ISBN 9783836520812. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Jackson hires giant Russian transport". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. June 15, 1992. p. 1. Retrieved June 21, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Jackson tour changes planes". The Desert Sun. Palm Springs, California. June 19, 1992. p. 37. Retrieved June 21, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Sing a simple song". Chicago Tribune. June 18, 1992. p. 24. Retrieved June 21, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b c "Michael Jackson ships explosives, 2 tons of clothes for tour". The Times. Munster, Indiana. June 18, 1992. p. 2. Retrieved June 21, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Jackson's clothes take a 'Dangerous' turn". Post-Tribune. June 26, 1992. Archived from the original on June 24, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2018 – via Highbeam Research.
  10. ^ Q, June 1993
  11. ^ Zad, Martin (October 10, 1992). "Michael Jackson on HBO". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on June 23, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2018 – via Highbeam Research.
  12. ^ George, pp. 37–52.
  13. ^ "How Jackson Redefined the Super Bowl". The New York Times. June 30, 2009.
  14. ^ Frank Cascio's Book: My Friend Michael: An Ordinary Friendship With An Extraordinary Man
  15. ^ "Michael Jackson: Live in Bucharest -The Dangerous Tour". Amazon. July 26, 2005.
  16. ^ https://mjbeats.com.br/michael-jackson-chega-ao-chile-e-cancela-o-primeiro-show-28ddae7fdd52/
  17. ^ https://conciertosperu.com.pe/noticias/la-historia-del-concierto-cancelado-de-michael-jackson-en-peru-1993/
  18. ^ https://www.forbes.com/sites/leeseymour/2021/07/19/from-michael-jackson-to-the-music-manheres-every-new-show-coming-to-broadway-when-it-reopens/?sh=28e511067d40
  19. ^ https://www.thebroadwaytheatre.co.uk/pages/about_us.htm

Sources

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