Who's That Girl World Tour

Infobox concert tour
concert_tour_name = Who's That Girl World Tour


image_caption = Madonna performing during her 1987 World Tour
artist = Madonna
album = "True Blue"
"Who's That Girl"
start_date = June 14 1987
end_date = September 6 1987
number_of_legs = 3
number_of_shows = 4 in Japan
22 in North America
11 in Europe
37 in Total
last_tour = The Virgin Tour
(1985)
this_tour = Who's That Girl World Tour
(1987)
next_tour = Blond Ambition World Tour
(1990)

The Who's That Girl World Tour was the debut world concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna, visiting cities in Japan, North America and Europe. cite web|url=http://www.madonna-online.ch/m-online/tours/87_wtgt/facts/wtgt-facts.htm|title=madonna's tours; the who's that girl world tour|accessdate=2008-09-10|work=Madonna Online]

About the tour

Madonna's first world concert tour ventured to Japan, North America and Europe, covering the main countries of her popularity. In 1987, it was the biggest and highest-grossing tour ever. In total it grossed approx. US$ 20 million on this tour (Madonna grossed over a half million dollars for every date she played).

Madonna has 7 costume changes during the show. All the costumes, from the opening-number bustier to the Andy Warhol-inspired jacket, were designed by Marlene Stewart. In comparison with Madonna's first tour, The Virgin Tour, the show was elaborate, dramatic and controversial. Several times during the show the gigantic video-screens and projections were used to make comments on society and religion (The Pope and then-President of the United States, Ronald Reagan) and sexuality ('Safe Sex').

Joining her on the tour was 16-year old Christopher Finch. He replaced Felix Howard, the boy from the "Open Your Heart" music video, who couldn't get a working permit in order to participate on the tour.

In Japan, a thousand troops had to restrain a crowd of 25,000 fans seeking to greet Madonna at the airport. When severe storms forced the cancellation of her first shows, despondent fans nearly rioted, and Madonna was confronted with out-of-control teenagers soaking themselves in the rain outside the stadium. Promoters had no choice but to refund US$7 million to ticket-buyers.Madonna's Madison Square Garden show in New York City was an AIDS benefit with all the proceeds from the show going to AmFAR. She dedicated her performance of "Live to Tell" to her late friend Martin Burgoyne, the designer of her 1983 "Burning Up" single sleeve.

Madonna's first 2 shows at Wembley Stadium in London, UK sold out at a then record-breaking time of 18 hours and 9 minutes (144,000 tickets).

Opening Act

*Level 42

etlist

# "Open Your Heart"
# "Lucky Star"
# "True Blue"
# "Papa Don't Preach"
# "White Heat"
# "Causing a Commotion"
# "The Look of Love"
# Medley:
##"Dress You Up"
##"Material Girl"
##"Like a Virgin" (contain excerpts from "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)")
# "Where's the Party"
# "Live to Tell"
# "Into the Groove"
# "La Isla Bonita"
# "Who's That Girl"
# "Holiday"

Source: [cite web|url=http://www.mad-eyes.net/tours/whos-that-girl-tour/index.htm|title=Who's That Girl Tour|accessdate=2008-09-10|work=Mad Eyes] [cite web|url=http://madonna.com/tours/tour.php?tourid=8|title=Tour Achieves: Who's That Girl World Tour|accessdate=2008-09-10|work=Madonna's Official Website]

Tour dates

Additional Notes

* June 20, 1987 (Tokyo, Japan) canceled due to heavy rain

Personnel

*Director: Jeffrey Hornaday
*Tour Manager: Eric Barnett
*Musical Director: Patrick Leonard
*Set Designer: Jerome Sirlin
*Lighting Design & Direction: Peter Morse
*Costume Design: Marlene Stewart
*Wardrobe: Christopher Ciccone & Rob Saduski
*Make-Up & Hair: Debi Mazar (credited as Debi M.)
*Props: Mario Ciccone
*Choreography: Shabba Doo

Band

*Keyboards: Patrick Leonard and Jai Winding
*Guitar: James Harrah and David Williams
*Bass: Kerry Hatch
*Drums: Jonathan Moffet
*Percussion: Luis Conte
*Backing Vocals: Donna DeLory (a.k.a. Donna de Lory), Niki Haris (credited as Nadirah Shakoor on Japanese video recording), and Debra Parson (a.k.a. Debra Parsons)
*Dancers: Shabba Doo, Angel Ferreira, and Christopher Finch

Reception

Upon completion, the tour was considered the largest and highest-grossing musical concert tour ever, even though some shows failed to sell-out, like her concert at the Orange Bowl. Despite this, the tour grossed $20 million, grossing over a half-million dollars for every date she played. It is notable, however, that the Madison Square Garden show in New York City was an AIDS benefit, with all proceeds from the show going toward the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR). The first two shows at Wembley Stadium in London sold-out at a then record-breaking time of 18 hours and 9 minutes for 144,000 tickets. However around 10,000 concert tickets were still left unsold for her Leeds concert. A concert was also planned in Basel, Switzerland for the 31st of August, but negotiations between Madonna's management and local organizers failed due to the high fee (1 million US Dollars) that Madonna's camp demanded. As a result Nice, France was booked in the itinerary. Her first-ever Italian concert in Turin, was presented by the Italian state broadcaster RaiUno and broadcast around the world. Just in Italy, the show was watched by around 13 million households.

Broadcasts and recordings

"Who's That Girl - Live In Japan" was released in Japan only in 1987 it includes a show from Tokyo, Japan.In 1988 an international VHS, "Ciao, Italia! - Live from Italy" was released. Later it was available on laserdisc and DVD.

References