The Faith Tour

Overview

On 30 October 1987, George Michael released his debut solo studio album, Faith. After receiving a 1988 Brit Award for "Best British Male" at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Michael embarked on a massive sold out world tour which would occupy most of that year. It started in Tokyo's Budokan indoor arena in February and ended at Pensacola Civic Center in Pensacola, Florida. 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 NEC Arena, former Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley joined him briefly onstage for a performance of "I'm Your Man". With already two US number ones, new singles continued to be released while on tour, with "One More Try" and "Monkey" reaching number 1 in late May and August 1988 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

On 11 June 1988, 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.

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. 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, Michael 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 $ in today's dollars), performing to over 750,000 fans. Michael also topped the Billboard Year-End of 1988 charts in the US with 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.

Broadcast and recordings

The concert on 16 April 1988 in Rotterdam was professionally recorded for a commercial release of the tour. 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.

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.

Opening acts

• Deon Estus (North America, selected dates)
• The Bangles (North America, selected dates)
• Johnny Clegg & Savuka (Toronto)

Set list

1988

;First leg

1. "I Want Your Sex"
2. "Hard Day"
3. "Love's in Need of Love Today"
4. "Everything She Wants"
5. "Father Figure"
6. "I'm Your Man"
7. "A Different Corner"
8. "Faith"
9. "Monkey"
10. "Hand to Mouth"
11. "One More Try"
12. "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"
13. "Careless Whisper"
14. "I Want Your Sex "
15. "Lady Marmalade"

;Second leg

1. "I Want Your Sex"
2. "Hard Day"
3. "Everything She Wants"
4. "I'm Your Man"
5. "A Different Corner"
6. "Love's in Need of Love Today"
7. "Father Figure"
8. "One More Try"
9. "Faith"
10. "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"
11. "Careless Whisper"
12. "Lady Marmalade"
13. "I Want Your Sex"

;Third leg

1. "I Want Your Sex (Part I)"
2. "Hard Day"
3. "Father Figure"
4. "I'm Your Man"
5. "Love's in Need of Love Today"
6. "Everything She Wants"
7. "A Different Corner"
8. "Faith"
9. "Monkey"
10. "Hand to Mouth"
11. "Play That Funky Music"
12. "One More Try"
13. "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"
14. "Careless Whisper"
15. "Lady Marmalade"
16. "I Want Your Sex (Part II & III)"

;Fourth leg

1. "I Want Your Sex"
2. "Faith"
3. "Hard Day"
4. "Everything She Wants"
5. "I'm Your Man"
6. "A Different Corner"
7. "Love's in Need of Love Today"
8. "Father Figure"
9. "One More Try"
10. "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"
11. "Lady Marmalade"
12. "Careless Whisper"

1989

Madrid

1. "Faith (intro)"
2. "I Want Your Sex"
3. "Hard Day"
4. "Father Figure"
5. "Calling You"
6. "Everything She Wants"
7. "Faith"
8. "I'm Your Man"
9. "A Different Corner"
10. "Love's in Need of Love Today"
11. "One More Try"
12. "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"
13. "Lady Marmalade"
14. "Careless Whisper"

Barcelona

1. "I Want Your Sex" (Part I & II)
2. "Hard Day"
3. "Calling You"
4. "Everything She Wants"
5. "Father Figure"
6. "I'm Your Man"
7. "Pastime Paradise"
8. "Faith"
9. "Monkey"
10. "One More Try"
11. "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"
12. "Careless Whisper"
13. "Lady Marmalade"
14. "I Want Your Sex (Part I, II & III)"

Shows

;Cancellations and rescheduled shows

Personnel

As printed in the official tour programme:

• George Michael – Lead vocals
• Chris Cameron – Musical Director
• Carlos Rios – Guitarist
• Deon Estus – Bassist
• Moyes Lucas – Drummer
• Tony Patler – Keyboards
• Andy Hamilton – Saxophone
• Russ Powell - Guitarist
• Lynn Mabry – Vocalist
• Eric Henderson/Art Palmer – Dancers
• Lippmann Kahane Entertainment – Management
• Jake Duncan – Tour Manager
• Albert Lawrence – Production Manager
• Jonathan Smeeton/Shawn Richardson – Lighting Designers
• Benji Lefevre – Sound Engineer
• Chris Porter – Sound Co-ordinator
• Mark Fisher/Jonathan Park – Stageset Designer
• Gerry Raymond Barker – Stage Manager
• Ian Tucker – Lighting Crew Chief
• Chris Wade Evans – Monitor Engineer
• Bob Weber – Head Carpenter
• Michael Garabedian – Carpenter
• Dean Hart/Steve Olean – Riggers
• Siobhan Bailey – Asst. to George Michael
• Rusty Hooker – Tour Accountant
• Triad – Agency
• Nick Sizer – Drum Technician
• Adrian Wilson – Guitar Technician
• Gary Hodgson – Keyboard Technician
• Wells Christie III – Programming Technician
• Ronnie Franklin/Bill Greer – Security Officers
• Melanie Panayiotou – Hair
• Kathy Jeung/Melanie Panayiotou – Make Up
• Michael Putland/Chris Cuffaro – Tour Photographers
• Alan Keyes – Wardrobe Master
• Debra De Luca – Asst. Tour Manager
• Paul Corkill – Fitness Trainer
• Michael Deissler/Alastair Walsh – Laser Technicians
• Brian Latt/John Brant – Color Ray Technicians
• Lori Goldklang – Management Assistant
• Deirdre Pratt – Tour Manager Assistant
• Showco INC. – Sound
• Samuelsons – Lighting
• VARI*LITE INC. – Moving Lights

References

;Bibliography

References

1. Harrington, Richard. (24 September 1989). "THE SELLING OF ROCK ON THE MEGABUCKS MUSIC CIRCUIT". [[The Washington Post]].
2. Harrison, Quentin. (28 October 2022). "George Michael's Debut Solo Album 'Faith' Turns 35".
3. "The BRITs 1988". [[Brit Awards]].
4. "George Michael Chart History (Hot 100)".
5. (22 July 1995). "George Michael Goes From Pinup To Respected Solo Artist".
6. (2 July 1989). "George Michael volvió a convertirse en el ídolo de la juventud madrileña". [[ABC (newspaper).
7. Sotorrío, Regina. (17 January 2017). "What George left behind on the Costa del Sol". [[Diario Sur.
8. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOhjnZvWnAA George Michael (April, 1988)]
9. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAMjVl-ICwk George Michael (May, 1988)]
10. Pérez de Albeniz, Javier. (3 July 1989). "Elvis del siglo XXI". [[El País]].
11. Saenz de Tejada, Ignacio. (13 June 1989). "George Michael actuará en Madrid el 1 de julio". [[El País]].
12. [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-08-27.pdf Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses] - ''Billboard'', 27 August 1988 (P. 34)
13. [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-11-12.pdf Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses] - ''Billboard'', 12 November 1988 (P. 27)
14. [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-12-03.pdf Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses] - ''Billboard'', 3 December 1988 (P. 20)
15. [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-09-10.pdf Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses] - ''Billboard'', 10 September 1988 (P. 30)
16. [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-04-23.pdf Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses] - ''Billboard'', 23 April 1988 (P. 23)
17. [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-09-03.pdf Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses] - ''Billboard'', 3 September 1988 (P. 22)
18. (24 September 1988). "Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses". Nielsen Business Media, Inc..
19. [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-09-17.pdf Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses] - ''Billboard'', 17 September 1988 (P. 26)
20. [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-10-01.pdf Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses] - ''Billboard'', 1 October 1988 (P. 24)
21. [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-10-08.pdf Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses] - ''Billboard'', 8 October 1988 (P. 34)
22. [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-10-15.pdf Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses] - ''Billboard'', 15 October 1988 (P. 24)
23. [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-10-22.pdf Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses] - ''Billboard'', 22 October 1988 (P. 46)
24. [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-10-29.pdf Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses] - ''Billboard'', 29 October 1988 (P. 28)