User:MJ Live Singing/sandbox

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". The tour ran from June 27, 1992, to November 11, 1993, playing 69 concerts to nearly 4 million people.

Background
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. 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. It was revealed that Jackson planned to perform across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Australia, with no dates in the United States or Canada. 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".

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. However, problems regarding its civilian aircraft certification led to Jackson using a Federal Express Boeing 747 instead. Upon arrival, the equipment was transported across Europe by 65 lorries. The cargo included 1,000 lights, 10 miles of electrical cable, 9 video screens, and 168 speakers. Around 2 tons of clothing was transported. The outfits were designed by Michael Bush and Angelenos Dennis Tompkins, who worked with Jackson to gain an idea on what he wanted, and aimed to "bring his ideas to life". 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. 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. The costumes alone cost $2 million.

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". 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 legs of the tour, 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 reprise of the dance by themselves.

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 2 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. The special earned Jackson the second of two CableACE Awards of his career, this one for Outstanding Performance Musical Special.

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 HIStory. On December 31, 1992 during the New Year's Eve concert in Tokyo, Japan, Slash made a special guest appearance for the performance of "Black or White". Slash also made a special appearance for "Black or White" at the concert in Oviedo, Spain in September 1992, and 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.

Super Bowl XXVII halftime show
Unlike many previous years, Jackson was the only performer in the entire Super Bowl XXVII halftime show. The show started with Jackson dancing on certain jumbotrons, followed by impersonators that posed on top of the screen, which gave the illusion of Jackson moving from one side of the stadium to the other. Then Jackson himself catapulted on stage and simply stood frozen in front of the audience.

Jackson's set began with a mashup of "Jam" and "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", followed by performances of "Billie Jean" and "Black or White". The finale featured an audience card stunt, a video montage showing Jackson participating in various humanitarian efforts around the world, and a choir of 3,500 local Los Angeles area children singing "We Are the World", later joining Jackson as he sang his single "Heal the World".

It was the first Super Bowl where the audience figures increased during the half-time show. Jackson was chosen to boost interest and viewership. in 1992, a live episode of In Living Color drew higher ratings than the halftime show, prompting NFL and FOX television officials to look at signing high-level talent to perform. Jackson originally asked a $1 million fee to perform. The NFL, which normally only pays the expenses for performers, instead donated $100,000 to Jackson's Heal the World Foundation.

Opening acts

 * Kris Kross
 * Rozalla
 * TLC
 * D'Influence (England and Scotland)
 * Snap! (Bucharest)

Broadcasts and recordings
All concerts were professionally filmed by Nocturne Productions Inc., which filmed all of Jackson's tours and private affairs. During 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, 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.

Personnel
Dangerous World Tour


 * Lead performer
 * Lead vocals, dance and choreographer: Michael Jackson


 * Dancers
 * LaVelle Smith (choreographer)
 * Jamie King
 * Evaldo Garcia
 * Randy Allaire (2nd leg leg)
 * Travis Payne (1st leg)
 * Damon Navandi
 * Bruno "Taco" Falcon
 * Michelle Berube
 * Yuko Sumida


 * Band members
 * Musical director: Greg Phillinganes (1st leg), Brad Buxer (2nd leg)
 * Assistant musical director: Kevin Dorsey
 * Keyboards/Synthesizers: Greg Phillinganes (1st leg) Brad Buxer, Isaiah Sanders (2nd leg)
 * Drums: Ricky Lawson
 * Lead/rhythm guitar: Jennifer Batten (1st leg), Becky Barksdale (2nd leg), David Williams
 * Bass guitar/Synth bass: Don Boyette
 * Vocal director: Kevin Dorsey
 * Background vocals: Darryl Phinnessee, Dorian Holley, Siedah Garrett Kevin Dorsey

Template:Unbreakable (album) Template:Michael Jackson

Category:Michael Jackson concert tours Category:2020 concert tours