HIStory World Tour

HIStory World Tour

Tour by Michael Jackson
Associated album	HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I and Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix
Start date	September 7, 1996
End date	October 15, 1997
No. of shows	44 in Europe 20 in Asia 11 in Oceania 6 in Africa 2 in North America 83 played
Attendance	4.5 million
Box office	US $165 million ($243.63 in 2016 dollars)[1]
Michael Jackson concert chronology

The HIStory World Tour was the third and final worldwide solo concert tour by American artist Michael Jackson, covering Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania and North America. The tour included a total of 83 concerts and was attended by approximately 4.5 million fans, beating his previous Bad World Tour with 4.4 million. The HIStory World Tour spanned the globe with stops in 57 cities, 35 countries on 5 continents.

Overview

Jackson performed a concert at Letna Park in Prague, one of Jackson's largest single attended concerts in his career. On October 7, 1996, he performed for the first time ever in Arab world in front of 60,000 fans in Tunis in a solo tour. During the tour's stopover in Sydney, Australia, he married his wife (later ex-wife), Debbie Rowe in a private and impromptu ceremony. He was interviewed by Molly Meldrum In Brisbane. On January 3 and 4, 1997 Jackson only performed two concerts in North America. He did not perform in the USA mainland, but rather in Honolulu, Hawaii at the Aloha Stadium to a crowd of 35,000 each.

The second leg started on May 31, 1997 at the Weserstadion in Bremen, Germany. Set list changes included the addition of "Blood on the Dance Floor" and later on the removal of the Off the Wall Medley and "The Way You Make Me Feel". "Blood on the Dance Floor" was taken off the set list after the concert in Oslo on August 19, 1997.

Also, Jackson performed at the Parken Stadium on his 39th birthday with 50,000 fans. He was presented with a surprise birthday cake, marching band, and fireworks on stage after You Are Not Alone. Pro footage of this is found in Michael's private home movies. The concert at Hippodrome Wellington of Ostend, Belgium, was supposed to be held on August 31, 1997, but was postponed to September 3 following Princess Diana's death.

Set list

1. "Gates of Kiev" (Video Introduction)
2. HIStory Medley: "Scream" / "They Don't Care About Us" (contains excerpts of "HIStory)" / "In the Closet" (contains excerpts of "She Drives Me Wild)"
3. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
4. "Stranger in Moscow"
5. "Childhood" (Instrumental)
6. "Smooth Criminal"
7. "The Wind" (Video Interlude)
8. "You Are Not Alone"
9. "The Way You Make Me Feel" ¹
10. The Jackson 5 Medley: "I Want You Back" / "The Love You Save" / "I'll Be There"
11. "Off the Wall" Medley: ¹ "Rock with You" / "Off the Wall" / "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
12. "Remember the Time" (Video Montage Interlude)
13. "Billie Jean"
14. "Thriller"
15. "Beat It"
16. "Come Together"/"D.S."
17. "Blood on the Dance Floor"
18. "Black Panther" (Video Interlude)
19. "Dangerous"
20. "Black or White"
21. "Earth Song"
22. "We Are the World" (Video Interlude)
23. "Heal the World"
24. "They Don't Care About Us" (Instrumental Interlude)
25. "HIStory"

¹ performed on select dates only

Notes

• This concert marked the debut live performances of "Scream"/"They Don't Care About Us"/"In the Closet", "The Wind" (Video Interlude), "You Are Not Alone", "Remember the Time" (Video Montage Interlude), "Come Together"/"D.S.", "Earth Song", and "HIStory".
• "Gates of Kiev" (Video Introduction) replaces "Brace Yourself" (Introduction).
• HIStory Medley replaces "Jam".
• "Stranger in Moscow" replaces "Human Nature".
• "You Are Not Alone" replaces "I Just Can't Stop Loving You".
• "The Way You Make Me Feel" replaces "She's Out of My Life".
• "Off the Wall" Medley is present in this concert.
• At the start of the second leg in 1997, Jackson replaced "Come Together"/"D.S." for "Blood on the Dance Floor". The song was performed in every concert (in exception of Vienna, Austria on July 2, 1997) until the one in Oslo, Norway on August 19, 1997.
• "Earth Song" is present after "Black or White"
• "HIStory" replaces "Man in the Mirror".

Tour dates

Michael Jackson in Lausanne, June 20, 1997

Box office score data

Legacy

Jackson was the first artist in history to sell out the Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. He performed two sold out concerts there on January 3 and 4, 1997.^[8]

Personnel

Credits

• Executive Director: MJJ Productions
• Artistic Director: Michael Jackson
• Assistant Director: Peggy Holmes
• Choreographed by: Michael Jackson & LaVelle Smith
• Staged & Designed by: Kenny Ortega
• Set Designed by: Michael Cotton & John McGraw
• Lighting Designer: Peter Morse
• Director of Security: Bill Bray
• Costumes Designed by: Dennis Tompkins & Michael Bush
• Hair & Make-up: Karen Faye
• Stylist: Tommy Simms
• Artist Manager: Tarak Ben Amar
• Personal Management: Gallin Morey Associates

References

• "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard. New York City. 109 (37): 22. 1997-09-13. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2014-04-18. 
• "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard. New York City. 109 (34): 14. 1997-08-23. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2014-04-18. 
• "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard. New York City. 109 (35): 14. 1997-08-30. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2014-04-18.