Janet World Tour

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Janet. World Tour
Tour by Janet Jackson
Janet. World Tour.jpg
Tour Book Cover
Associated album janet.
Start date November 24, 1993 (1993-11-24)
End date April 22, 1995 (1995-04-22)
Legs 7
No. of shows 81 in North America
9 in Asia
11 in Australia
22 in Europe
123 in total
Janet Jackson concert chronology

Janet. World Tour (stylized as janet. World Tour) was the second concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson. It was launched in support of her fifth studio album janet. (1993). It began in November 1993 and continued through May 1995, the tour ending with a 3-show residency at Wembley Arena. Concerts were held in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.[1][2]

Jackson's Rhythm Nation World Tour of 1990 made history as the most successful debut concert tour in history. Like its predecessor, the Janet World Tour became reputable for its theatrical grandeur—incorporating complex choreography, pyrotechnics, video display, stage design and costuming—drawing comparison to Broadway theatre. Janet visited four continents and eighteen countries within the span of 17 months. The tour had 123 dates and is the most shows Jackson has done for any concert. The show received positive reviews, and a number of reviews observed her showmanship had improved since the Rhythm Nation World Tour.

Development[edit]

Costumes and wardrobe for the tour were designed by stylist Tanya Gill, with outfits "rang[ing] from pipebone vests with high-heeled moccasin boots to zoot suits top-hats to circus-ringmaster bustiers."[3] With a show encompassing over 100 costumes, a team of over 50 costume makers was led by wardrobe supervisor Helen Hiatt.[3]

Promotion[edit]

MTV promoted the Janet World Tour with a one-hour special in Jackson's honor, "hosted by MTV VJs Bill Bellamy and John Norris, [which featured] performance highlights, interviews with Jackson and her dancers, and behind-the-scenes production and rehearsal footage."[4] MTV publicist Jennifer Barner stated the channel wanted to give extensive coverage to Jackson's opening concert in Cincinnati, "because it is such a big tour and she's really, really hot now."[4] Despite heavy anticipation for the tour, news media were discouraged from attending opening night, which was seen as a dress rehearsal.[5] A spokeswoman for the tour stated "[w]e really don't want a lot of out-of-town media" even though music critic Rick Bird observed "[n]ormally, such an important tour opening would be attended by pop-music media and paparazzi from around the world.[5] However, Bird also noted a low-key premier was a strategic move for Jackson and her management, "since the complicated high-tech dance show will likely have some bugs to be worked out before it plays in larger media centers. And, given the adverse publicity the Jackson family is facing these days, the low-key opening night may indeed be the best strategy."[5]

Critical reception[edit]

Jackson performing on the tour.

Prior to the tour's launch, the Los Angeles Sentinel commented on the anticipation surrounding Jackson's return, stating: "Her first-ever concert tour in 1990 was the most successful premiere tour by any artist in pop music history. And now, amid great anticipation, Janet Jackson is set to return to the concert trail with her world tour in connection with her already triple platinum-plus 'janet' album ... The tour promises to be an innovative feast of sight and sound, a theatrical experience with spectacular choreography, staging and lighting."[6] Lenny Stoute in the Toronto Star gave a positive review to her performance at the SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, stating that "as she'd done with the tour opener in Cincinnati Wednesday, it was a superb production that came with an emotional subtext."[7] Commenting on the highly athletic and sexually provocative performances of such songs as "If", "What Have You Done for Me Lately" and "Nasty", he states: "This pelvic-thrusting, butt-wiggling, lip-licking high-energy temptress is a long way from the cute 'n' chubby girl next door of her previous Rhythm Nation tour. And she came equipped with the tough dance moves, firm muscles and seven costume changes to emphasize the difference."[7]

In December, 1993, the Jackson had a five-day engagement in New York City at Madison Square Garden, which saw its last concert on New Year's Eve. Jon Pareles of The New York Times stated: "The video-age arena spectacle is in good hands with Janet Jackson. Her current tour, which started a four-night run at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, piles on the production values: music, dancers, costumes, moving sets, video, lights, fireworks, everything but confetti and balloons."[8] He criticized the fact that the concert seemed overtly calculated, leaving little room for spontaneity. However, he compared her musical diversity favorably to other pop icons such as Prince, Madonna and her brother Michael.[8] In reference to her vocal capabilities, Pareles comments that "[l]ike many other video-promoted singers, Ms. Jackson doesn't have a big voice ... But Ms. Jackson is a stronger vocalist than she was when she last toured, three years ago."[8]

According to Andy Smith of the Providence Journal, "Jackson and company created a sensory overload of lights, dancers, video, fireworks, explosions, costumes and sets ... The music was competently performed, but this was a concert for the age of MTV, more satisfying to the eye than the ear."[9] Although he believed she gave a well performed production, he felt she lacked the stage presence of rivals such as Madonna and Tina Turner.[9] Greg Kot of Rolling Stone wrote: "If a performance can be faulted for being too well-rehearsed and too tautly paced, this was certainly an example ... Small of voice and slight of stature, Jackson seems more at home in a Fame-style ensemble than she does as a larger-than-life performer. Yet it's exactly that quality that makes her so endearing. Despite her impressive string of musical successes, Jackson still acts like the members of her audience."[10] Roberta Fusaro of the Telegram & Gazette, who reviewed her performance at the Worcester Centrum stated that Jackson "has shown incredible improvement as a performer since her Rhythm Nation tour ... specifically her dancing and her working of the crowd. She still lacks some of the spontaneity that could raise the level of her concerts from good ones to damn memorable ones, but Janet seemed pretty comfortable on stage last night in front of an all-forgiving near sold-out crowd, commanding the boards like a cross between Tina Turner and Madonna at some points."[11]

In reviewing her concert at the San Jose Arena, Michael Snyder of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote: "That once-blurry line between stadium-size pop music concerts and full-scale theatrical extravaganzas ... is completely eradicated."[12] Citing her tightly choreographed performance, Snyder comments "[h]er theatrical inclinations elevated the concert at San Jose, but some of the music was truncated in the service of the production."[12] Giving his opinion that Jackson proved to be a better performer than singer, he likened her concert to productions by Broadway theatre and Cirque du Soleil.[12] Karla Peterson of The San Diego Union-Tribune remarked: "Expertly designed, energetically choreographed, and engagingly performed by the large group of musicians and dancers, the 100-minute show ... had everything you'd expect from a pop pro of Jackson's stature."[13] Despite criticism that the show appeared overly structured, Peterson expressed: "To criticize Janet Jackson for cranking out a pre-programmed block of hits is like criticizing a cat for sleeping all day. It is simply what she does, and with the exception of Madonna, Jackson does this high-concept schtick better than anybody. She is a sharp dancer, an appealing performer, and as "That's the Way Love Goes" proves—an ace pop-song writer."[13] Renee Graham of The Boston Globe commented that "Jackson is not so much a singer as a performer and entertainer, more concerned with the visual presentation than scintillating vocals."[14]

Setlist[edit]

  1. "If" (contains elements of the Brothers In Rhythm Swing Yo Pants Mix)
  2. Medley: "What Have You Done for Me Lately" / "Nasty"
  3. "Let's Wait Awhile"
  4. "Come Back to Me"1
  5. "Throb"
  6. Whimsical Medley: "When I Think of You" / "Escapade" / "Miss You Much"
  7. "Love Will Never Do (Without You)"
  8. "Alright"
  9. "What'll I Do"
  10. "Any Time, Any Place"
  11. "Where Are You Now"1
  12. "Again"
  13. "And On and On"2
  14. "Black Cat"4
  15. "Rhythm Nation"
  16. "This Time"
  17. "That's the Way Love Goes"
  18. "New Agenda"1
Encore
  2. "Because of Love"
  4. "You Want This"3
  6. "Whoops Now"5

1 Only performed in a few early performances
2 Only performed in a few last dates of summer leg due to the song's fame at the time, replacing "Black Cat"
3 Only performed on Australian leg and summer US leg
4 Not performed at open venues during summer US leg
5 Only performed on European leg

Opening acts[edit]

The band[edit]

Tour dates[edit]

Date City Country Venue
North America
November 24, 1993 Cincinnati United States Riverfront Coliseum
November 26, 1993 Toronto Canada SkyDome
November 28, 1993 Landover United States Capital Centre
November 29, 1993
December 1, 1993 Rosemont Rosemont Horizon
December 2, 1993 Minneapolis Target Center
December 4, 1993 Detroit Joe Louis Arena
December 17, 1993 New York City Madison Square Garden
December 18, 1993
December 22, 1993
December 23, 1993
December 28, 1993 Providence Providence Civic Center
December 30, 1993 Hartford Hartford Civic Center
December 31, 1993 New York City Madison Square Garden
January 3, 1994 Richfield Township Richfield Coliseum
January 5, 1994 Atlanta Omni Coliseum
January 6, 1994
January 9, 1994 Charlotte Charlotte Coliseum
January 12, 1994 Birmingham BJCC Coliseum
January 14, 1994 Richmond Richmond Coliseum
January 16, 1994 Knoxville Thompson–Boling Arena
January 18, 1994 Orlando Orlando Arena
January 20, 1994 Miami Miami Arena
January 22, 1994 St. Petersburg Suncoast Dome
January 24, 1994 Albany Knickerbocker Arena
January 30, 1994 Worcester The Centrum
January 31, 1994 Philadelphia The Spectrum
February 3, 1994 Indianapolis Market Square Arena
February 4, 1994 Fairborn Nutter Center
February 6, 1994 Peoria Carver Arena
February 7, 1994 Milwaukee Bradley Center
February 12, 1994 Tacoma Tacoma Dome
February 16, 1994 San Jose San Jose Arena
February 17, 1994 Sacramento ARCO Arena
February 18, 1994 Oakland Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
February 24, 1994 San Diego San Diego Sports Arena
Asia
March 25, 1994 Sasebo Japan Huis Ten Bosch
March 27, 1994 Osaka Osaka-jō Hall
March 29, 1994 Tokyo Tokyo Dome
March 30, 1994
North America
April 7, 1994 Inglewood United States Great Western Forum
April 8, 1994
April 9, 1994
April 14, 1994 San Jose San Jose Arena
April 16, 1994 Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena
April 20, 1994 Cuyahoga Falls Blossom Music Center
April 22, 1994 Albuquerque Tingley Coliseum
April 23, 1994 Las Cruces Pan American Center
April 24, 1994 Denver McNichols Sports Arena
April 26, 1994 Salt Lake City Delta Center
April 27, 1994
June 10, 1994 Columbia Merriweather Post Pavilion
June 11, 1994
June 13, 1994 Vaughan Canada Kingswood Music Theatre
June 18, 1994 Mansfield United States Great Woods Center
June 21, 1994 Saratoga Springs Saratoga Performing Arts Center
June 23, 1994 Burgettstown Coca-Cola Star Lake Amphitheater
June 24, 1994 Philadelphia The Spectrum
June 26, 1994 Wantagh Jones Beach Theater
June 27, 1994
June 30, 1994 Holmdel Township Garden State Arts Center
July 3, 1994 Hershey Hersheypark Stadium
July 5, 1994 Milwaukee Marcus Amphitheater
July 6, 1994 Moline The MARK of the Quad Cities
July 8, 1994 Bonner Springs Sandstone Amphitheater
July 9, 1994 Maryland Heights Riverport Amphitheatre
July 12, 1994 Hoffman Estates Poplar Creek Music Theater
July 13, 1994
July 18, 1994 Clarkston Pine Knob Music Theatre
July 19, 1994 Richfield Township Coliseum at Richfield
July 21, 1994 Cincinnati Riverbend Music Center
July 23, 1994 Noblesville Deer Creek Music Center
July 24, 1994 Columbus Polaris Amphitheater
July 26, 1994 New York City Radio City Music Hall
July 27, 1994
July 29, 1994 Raleigh Hardee's Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
July 31, 1994 Atlanta Coca-Cola Lakewood Amphitheatre
August 1, 1994 New Orleans Louisiana Superdome
August 2, 1994 The Woodlands Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
August 3, 1994 Dallas Coca-Cola Starplex Amphitheatre
August 5, 1994 Greenwood Village Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre
August 9, 1994 Irvine Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre
August 10, 1994 San Bernardino Blockbuster Pavilion
August 12, 1994 Mountain View Shoreline Amphitheatre
August 14, 1994 George The Gorge Amphitheatre
Australia
February 6, 1995 Brisbane Australia Brisbane Entertainment Centre
February 7, 1995
February 10, 1995 Sydney Sydney Entertainment Centre
February 11, 1995
February 12, 1995
February 15, 1995
February 17, 1995 Melbourne National Tennis Centre
February 18, 1995
February 20, 1995
February 21, 1995 Adelaide Adelaide Entertainment Centre
February 23, 1995 Perth Perth Entertainment Centre
Asia
February 27, 1995 Singapore Singapore Indoor Stadium
February 28, 1995
March 3, 1995 Pasay Philippines Folk Arts Theater
March 5, 1995 Bangkok Thailand Indoor Stadium Huamark
March 6, 1995
Europe
March 8, 1995 Oslo Norway Oslo Spektrum
March 9, 1995 Copenhagen Denmark Forum Copenhagen
March 11, 1995 Stockholm Sweden Globe Arena
March 14, 1995 Berlin Germany Arena Berlin
March 16, 1995 Hamburg Alsterdorfer Sporthalle
March 21, 1995 Rotterdam Netherlands Sportpaleis van Ahoy
March 22, 1995
March 25, 1995 Toulouse France Palais des Sports de Toulouse
March 26, 1995 Barcelona Spain Palau Sant Jordi
March 29, 1995 Marseille France Le Dôme de Marseille
March 31, 1995 Zürich Switzerland Hallenstadion
April 1, 1995 Munich Germany Olympiahalle
April 4, 1995 Sheffield England Sheffield Arena
April 7, 1995 Birmingham NEC Arena
April 8, 1995 London London Docklands Arena
April 10, 1995 Paris France Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
April 11, 1995 Stuttgart Germany Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle
April 13, 1995 Frankfurt Festhalle Frankfurt
April 15, 1995 Dortmund Westfalenhallen
April 19, 1995 London England Wembley Arena
April 20, 1995
April 22, 1995

Commercial reception[edit]

Commercial reception
Date Venue City Attendance Ticket grossing
Tickets sold Tickets on sale Percentage sold
Nov 26, 1993 SkyDome Toronto 17,737 18,000 98% $506,042
Dec 4, 1993 Joe Louis Arena Detroit, Michigan 15,070 15,070 100% $455,122
Dec 17, 1993 [17] Madison Square Garden New York City 14,621 14,621 100% $548,902
Dec 18, 1993 [17] 14,621 14,621 100% $548,902
Dec 31, 1993 [17] 15,472 15,472 100% $838,500
January 12, 1994 [18] BJCC Coliseum Birmingham, Alabama 7,650 10,846 70% $212,288
January 30, 1994 The Centrum Worcester, Massachusetts 12,681 13,128 96% $372,821
January 31, 1994 [15] Spectrum Philadelphia 15,513 15,513 100% $467,204
Feb 4, 1994 Ervin J. Nutter Center Fairborn, Ohio 12,445 12,445 100% $359,174
April 24, 1994 McNichols Sports Arena Denver, Colorado 12,891 13,327 96% $421,436
June 27–28, 1994 Jones Beach Theater Wantagh, New York 21,658 21,658 100% $846,215

Miscellaneous[edit]

  • Pioneer signed contracts with many major music artists, including Janet, to release their concerts exclusively on Laserdisc. To date the contracts are still standing and the concerts have not been released on DVD by Pioneer or others. As a result, the tour has never been released on home video. The tour has aired on television, although it has never aired in full. MTV covered the opening night of the tour as well as the European leg.
  • Janet plans to release the "Janet. World Tour", as well as the "Rhythm Nation 1814 World Tour", on DVD or package it with an upcoming studio album in the near future.[19][20]
  • Janet performed two concerts at Radio City Music Hall to benefit the Rwandan crisis. The shows were also recorded for a television special which never aired. The concert special was directed and filmed by her then husband Rene Elizondo, Jr.
  • "Come Back to Me", "What'll I Do", and "Where are You Now" were only performed on the first few dates of the tour before being cut from the set list. "And On and On" was only performed at select shows during the "Summer Escapade" leg of the tour. "Black Cat" and "This Time" were exclusively performed during the first leg in North America.
  • During each show, one of these three songs would be performed as the last song of each concert. "Because Of Love" was performed on the first, second and third legs in North America and Japan; "You Want This" was performed on the fourth and fifth legs in North America, Australia and Asia; and "Whoops Now" was performed on the sixth leg in Europe.
  • The "Janet. World Tour" spanned 18 countries in 17 months, and marked the first time Janet performed in Australia and in South Asia.
  • Janet's show at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina had to be canceled when the venue board refused to grant a permit allowing the fireworks and chemicals used to create the show's effects.
  • Janet had to postpone the concert in Worcester, Massachusetts twice, and finally a date was set on Super Bowl Sunday. As an apology for scheduling the show on the day of the Super Bowl XXVIII, Janet screened the game on her four Jumbotrons before she took the stage.
  • Janet Jackson took ill 40 minutes into her Salt Lake City concert. She was treated at a hospital emergency room for what was reported to be "flu-like symptoms and dehydration."
  • In Kansas City, city organizers offered a gun-control program in which guns were swapped for cash and other much sought after items, including tickets to the tour.
  • Janet was the first pop artist to perform at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in 1994.
  • Multiple bootleg recordings of the tour have surfaced:
    • Sex is Happiness CD Live in Minneapolis on December 2, 1993.
    • Live in Peoria, Illinois on February 6, 1994.
    • Jones Beach New York June 27, 1994.
    • Jones Beach New York June 28, 1994.
    • Live in Rotterdam, Netherlands at The Ahoy on March 21, 1995.
    • Live in Barcelona Spain on March 26, 1995.
    • Clips live in Australia performing "If"
    • Clips live in Philippines performing "If"
    • Clips live in Tokyo, Japan "If"

References[edit]

  1. ^ "(In Portuguese) Janet Jackson adia show no Brasil por "tempo indeterminado" – At UOL Music's Web Site". Archived from the original on 2012-01-02. Retrieved 2011-12-17. 
  2. ^ "(In Portuguese) Janet Jackson adia show no Brasil por tempo indeterminado – At Veja Magazine's Web Site". Retrieved 2011-12-17. 
  3. ^ a b McHugh, Catherine (1994-08-01). "Janet. (Janet Jackson)(Concerts – Costumes)". Theatre Crafts International. 28. p. 36. ISSN 1063-9497. 
  4. ^ a b Dave Larsen (1993-11-24), "Janet Jackson Tour Opens in Cincinnati Tonight", Dayton Daily News, ISSN 0897-0920 
  5. ^ a b c Rick Bird (1993-11-24), "Janet tour opener kept low-key", Cincinnati Post, p. 4.B 
  6. ^ "Janet Jackson Launches Worldwide Concert Tour", Los Angeles Sentinel, p. B-4, 1993-11-17, ISSN 0890-4340 
  7. ^ a b Lenny Stoute (1993-11-27), "Sexy Janet Jackson defies family woes in SkyDome smash", Toronto Star, p. A.2 
  8. ^ a b c Jon Pareles (1993-12-20), "Wrapped in Song and Spectacle, Janet Jackson Plays the Garden", The New York Times, p. C.11, ISSN 0362-4331 
  9. ^ a b Andy Smith (1993-12-29), "Janet Jackson more satisfying to the eye than to the ear", Providence Journal, p. E.01 
  10. ^ Greg Kot (1994-01-27), "Performance: Janet Jackson", Rolling Stone (674), p. 25 
  11. ^ Roberta Fusaro (1994-01-31), "Janet's gotten better", Telegram & Gazette, p. C.3 
  12. ^ a b c Michael Snyder (1994-02-18), "Janet Jackson Makes All The Right Moves / Singer brings extravaganza to San Jose", San Francisco Chronicle, pp. C.1 
  13. ^ a b Karla Peterson (1994-02-26), "Pop goes Janet in concert full of programmed flash", The San Diego Union-Tribune, p. E.6 
  14. ^ Graham, Renee (1994-06-20), "Janet Jackson: looks good, sounds bad", Boston Globe, p. 34 
  15. ^ a b Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 14. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2015-04-13. 
  16. ^ Tamsier Joof (Tam Jo) interview : West Africa Magazine : "Senegambian taking the dance world by storm" – June 5, 1995, p. 4
  17. ^ a b c Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 17. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2015-04-13. 
  18. ^ "Billboard Magazine" (PDF). Amusement Business boxscore. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 10 September 2016. 
  19. ^ CNN.com – Transcripts, February 28, 2008 
  20. ^ "Darren speaks to Janet at premiere of Why Did I Get Married Too? in London". Janet Love. Archived from the original on 2010-07-18. Retrieved 2010-06-28. 
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