The I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour was a concert tour by American singer Whitney Houston, in support of her multi-platinum third studio album I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990). Prior to Houston performing two dates in Japan early-March, the official tour started on April 18, in North America. Houston's performed nearly 100 concert dates throughout 1991 in North America and Europe.
| Tour by Whitney Houston | |
 I'm Your Baby Tonight Tour Book | |
| Location | North America • Europe • Asia |
|---|---|
| Associated album | I'm Your Baby Tonight |
| Start date | March 14, 1991 |
| End date | October 2, 1991 |
| Legs | 3 |
| No. of shows | 66 in North America 2 in Asia 28 in Europe 96 in total |
| Whitney Houston concert chronology | |
Background
editAfter a successful series of concerts in Japan during March 1991, Houston returned to the United States to prepare for the world tour to support the four-times platinum selling album of the same name. Houston was initially planned to start the tour in the U.K. However, due to the Gulf War, the European leg was rescheduled until the fall.[1] Houston instead started the tour in the US. Houston kicked things off with her "Welcome Home Heroes Concert" on March 31 in Norfolk Virginia. The special, which aired on HBO, was dedicated to the troops who were fighting in the Gulf War. All proceeds went to the Red Cross.[2] Mid-1991 was considered one of the worst touring seasons ever. Many big names were cancelling dates and playing to low capacities. Houston was no exception. The singer played to low attendances and even cancelled some dates due to poor ticket sales. Experts cited the ongoing recession and financial crisis as the main reason.[3][4] In August, Houston also developed a throat ailment. As a result, the singer was forced to cancel the end of her Canadian tour to rest her voice.[5]
The tour resumed in late August when Houston reached the U.K. She played 10 consecutive dates at Wembley Arena in London, surpassing her own record of 9 straight dates at the same arena during the Moment of Truth World Tour, in 1988.
A month and a half after the tour concluded in Paris, October 1991, Houston would begin production on her first feature film, The Bodyguard in December.[6]
The show
editUnlike her previous tours, the shows had more focus on visuals. The stage was lit by 300 lights spinning and flashing in synch with the music. The state of the art system was designed by Mark Fisher and Jonathan Park. The system had only been used previously by Pink Floyd in his "The Wall" show in Berlin and the Rolling Stones' "Urban Jungle Tour".[7] Houston also incorporated costume changes during her sets for the first time. She often wore skin tight jump suits. Houston also took part in choreographed dancing with backup dancers. Unlike her previous tours, the stage was not in the round. She was backed by a seven piece band. After her previous musical director John Simmons died, bass player Rickey Minor became the tour's musical director. R&B group After 7 opened during the North American leg. Dance act Snap! supported her on the European leg.
Houston reworked most of the songs during the show with improvisations and spontaneity, adding funk to the uptempos while slowing down the ballads.[8] According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, "Saving All My Love for You" was "sultry, taking excursions through the church and jazz world that aren't heard on the recorded version."[9] She incorporated her popular love songs into a "Love Medley", giving her time to try out the newer uptempo/new jack swing numbers on her current album.[8] Midway through the shows, Houston introduced her band while singing the gospel "Revelation". This started the gospel set which included a cappella and solos from her backup singers. Her brother Gary Houston also performed a Marvin Gaye medley. With hip hop music becoming popular during the time, Houston incorporated rappers into the show. Rappers were given verses during "How Will I Know" while shouting "yo Whitney yo" throughout other songs.[8] During some of the shows, Houston incorporated her hit "All The Man That I Need" into a medley with the Billie Holiday classics "Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?)" and "My Man", which she dedicated to her own man at the time. At the time, Houston was rumored to be dating singer Bobby Brown. The rumor of course turned out to be true.[10] The Holliday cover earned praise from many critics. The Vancouver Sun said "her delivery was achingly soulful" and that the singer should continue towards that direction musically.[11] For some of the US dates, she performed her top ten pop hit "Miracle". Houston ended her show with "I'm Your Baby Tonight" before the encore, "Greatest Love of All", in Europe for some of the London, UK dates included the encore "I Belong to You".
Some criticized Houston for focusing on the MTV trend of relying on dancing and big production lighting. The Sun Sentinel noted that the singer should opt for smaller venues and theaters that are "far more suitable to her sophistication and talent."[12] USA Today praised the singer because she "shakes the confinements of her recordings' calculated productions and gets downright gutsy and soulful"[13]
Opening acts
edit- After 7 (US leg)
- Snap! (European leg)
- D'Influence (Glasgow Scotland)
- Gerald Alston (European leg, select dates)
Set list
editThis set list is representative of the concert on May 11, 1991 at Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Arena in Oakland, California.[14] It does not represent all concerts for the duration of the tour.
- "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)"
- "So Emotional"
- "Saving All My Love for You"
- "How Will I Know"
- "All at Once" / "A House Is Not a Home" / "Didn't We Almost Have It All" / "Where Do Broken Hearts Go"
- "Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)" / "My Man" / "All the Man That I Need"
- "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" / "What's Going On" (performed by Gary Houston)
- "My Name Is Not Susan"
- "Anymore"
- "Miracle"
- "Revelation" (contain elements of "He's All Right")
- "In Return"[a]
- "This Day"[b]
- "Who Do You Love"
- "I'm Your Baby Tonight"
- "I Belong to You"[b]
- "Greatest Love of All"
Notes
Additional notes
- March 14 and 15: in Yokohama, Japan, Houston performed a stirring rendition of "In Return".
- May 11: her performances of "My Name Is Not Susan", "Miracle" and "Greatest Love of All" at her Oakland, California concert were shown during a televised telethon that aired on MTV, May 12, for The Simple Truth: A concert for Kurdish Refugees.
- September 29: the concert in A Coruña, Spain was recorded and aired on TV in several markets of Spain, and select countries in Europe.
Shows
edit| Date | City | Country | Venue | Attendance | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | |||||
| March 14, 1991 | Yokohama | Japan | Yokohama Arena | — | — |
| March 15, 1991 | |||||
| North America[15] | |||||
| March 31, 1991 | Norfolk | United States | Naval Air Station | 3,500 / 3,500 | — |
| April 18, 1991 | Knoxville | Thompson–Boling Arena | 6,836 / 16,786 | $136,637 | |
| April 20, 1991 | Lexington | Rupp Arena | — | — | |
| April 21, 1991 | Champaign | Assembly Hall | |||
| April 23, 1991 | Columbia | Hearnes Center | |||
| April 24, 1991 | Ames | Hilton Coliseum | 6,175 / 13,000 | ||
| April 26, 1991 | Iowa City | Carver–Hawkeye Arena | — | ||
| April 27, 1991 | Minneapolis | Target Center | |||
| April 29, 1991 | Winnipeg | Canada | Winnipeg Arena | 5,832 / 12,470 | $156,624 |
| May 1, 1991 | Saskatoon | Saskatchewan Place | — | — | |
| May 3, 1991 | Edmonton | Northlands Coliseum | |||
| May 5, 1991 | Calgary | Olympic Saddledome | 9,736 / 14,114 | $238,662 | |
| May 7, 1991 | Vancouver | Pacific Coliseum | — | — | |
| May 8, 1991 | Portland | United States | Memorial Coliseum | 9,387 / 10,000 | $218,422 |
| May 9, 1991 | Seattle | Seattle Center Coliseum | 8,807 / 11,993 | $203,520 | |
| May 11, 1991 | Oakland | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | — | — | |
| May 12, 1991 | Sacramento | ARCO Arena | 9,031 / 12,786 | $208,640 | |
| May 16, 1991 | Inglewood | Great Western Forum | — | — | |
| May 17, 1991 | Costa Mesa | Pacific Amphitheatre | |||
| May 19, 1991 | Phoenix | Desert Sky Pavilion | 10,774 / 12,000 | $221,576 | |
| May 21, 1991 | Las Vegas | Thomas & Mack Center | — | — | |
| May 23, 1991 | Albuquerque | Tingley Coliseum | |||
| May 24, 1991 | Greenwood Village | Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre | |||
| May 25, 1991 | Salt Lake City | Salt Palace | |||
| May 28, 1991 | New Orleans | Lakefront Arena | |||
| May 30, 1991 | Oklahoma City | Myriad Convention Center | |||
| May 31, 1991 | Dallas | Coca-Cola Starplex Amphitheatre | 8,837 / 20,111 | $188,511 | |
| June 2, 1991 | The Woodlands | Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion | — | — | |
| June 4, 1991 | San Antonio | HemisFair Arena | |||
| June 5, 1991 | Austin | Frank Erwin Center | |||
| June 7, 1991 | Birmingham | BJCC Coliseum | |||
| June 9, 1991 | Pensacola | Pensacola Civic Center | |||
| June 10, 1991 | Orlando | Orlando Arena | 7,093 / 15,500 | $159,593 | |
| June 11, 1991 | Miami | Miami Arena | 9,530 / 10,000 | $238,250 | |
| June 13, 1991 | Columbia | Carolina Coliseum | — | — | |
| June 15, 1991 | Atlanta | Coca-Cola Lakewood Amphitheatre | |||
| June 16, 1991 | Greensboro | Greensboro Coliseum | |||
| June 19, 1991 | Chattanooga | McKenzie Arena | |||
| June 20, 1991 | Nashville | Starwood Amphitheatre | 8,000 / 17,137 | ||
| June 27, 1991[A] | Milwaukee | Marcus Amphitheater | — | ||
| June 28, 1991 | Noblesville | Deer Creek Music Center | 7,746 / 12,000 | $157,199 | |
| June 30, 1991 | Tinley Park | World Music Theatre | 8,525 / 20,000 | $221,965 | |
| July 3, 1991 | Detroit | Joe Louis Arena | — | — | |
| July 6, 1991 | Charlotte | Blockbuster Pavilion | |||
| July 7, 1991 | Raleigh | Hardee's Walnut Creek Amphitheatre | |||
| July 10, 1991 | Cuyahoga Falls | Blossom Music Center | |||
| July 11, 1991 | Grove City | Capitol Music Center | |||
| July 13, 1991 | Burgettstown | Coca-Cola Star Lake Amphitheater | 10,763 / 20,089 | $208,566 | |
| July 14, 1991 | Richmond | Richmond Coliseum | — | — | |
| July 16, 1991 | Columbia | Merriweather Post Pavilion | |||
| July 17, 1991 | Providence | Providence Civic Center | 7,012 / 12,000 | $164,782 | |
| July 19, 1991 | Philadelphia | The Spectrum | — | — | |
| July 20, 1991 | Hershey | Hersheypark Stadium | |||
| July 21, 1991 | Saratoga Springs | Saratoga Performing Arts Center | |||
| July 23, 1991 | New York City | Madison Square Garden | 13,850 / 14,000 | $401,773 | |
| July 26, 1991 | East Rutherford | Brendan Byrne Arena | — | — | |
| July 27, 1991 | Cincinnati | Riverbend Music Center | 8,114 / 17,000 | ||
| July 29, 1991 | Lenox | Tanglewood | — | ||
| July 30, 1991 | Hopewell | Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center | |||
| August 1, 1991 | Buffalo | Buffalo Memorial Auditorium | |||
| August 3, 1991 | Hartford | Hartford Civic Center | |||
| August 4, 1991 | Rutland | Paramount Theater | |||
| August 6, 1991 | Mansfield | Great Woods Performing Arts Center | |||
| August 7, 1991 | |||||
| August 9, 1991 | Old Orchard Beach | Seashore Performing Arts Center | |||
| August 10, 1991 | Nashua | Holman Stadium | |||
| Europe | |||||
| August 27, 1991 | Birmingham | England | NEC Arena | — | — |
| August 28, 1991 | |||||
| August 29, 1991 | |||||
| August 30, 1991 | |||||
| August 31, 1991 | |||||
| September 1, 1991 | |||||
| September 3, 1991 | London | Wembley Arena | |||
| September 4, 1991 | |||||
| September 6, 1991 | |||||
| September 7, 1991 | |||||
| September 9, 1991 | |||||
| September 10, 1991 | |||||
| September 11, 1991 | |||||
| September 13, 1991 | |||||
| September 14, 1991 | |||||
| September 15, 1991 | |||||
| September 17, 1991 | Glasgow | Scotland | Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre | ||
| September 18, 1991 | |||||
| September 19, 1991 | |||||
| September 21, 1991 | Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ahoy Sportpaleis | ||
| September 22, 1991 | |||||
| September 23, 1991 | |||||
| September 25, 1991 | |||||
| September 26, 1991 | |||||
| September 27, 1991 | |||||
| September 29, 1991 | A Coruña | Spain | Coliseum da Coruña | ||
| October 1, 1991 | Paris | France | Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy | ||
| October 2, 1991 | |||||
- Festivals and other miscellaneous performances
- Cancellations and rescheduled shows
| May 13, 1991 | Mountain View, California | Shoreline Amphitheatre | Cancelled[17] |
| June 22, 1991 | Maryland Heights, Missouri | Riverport Amphitheatre | Cancelled[18] |
| June 23, 1991 | Kansas City, Missouri | Starlight Theatre | Cancelled[18] |
| June 25, 1991 | Omaha, Nebraska | Omaha Civic Auditorium | Cancelled[18] |
| July 5, 1991 | Hampton, Virginia | Hampton Coliseum | Cancelled[19] |
| August 11, 1991 | Moncton, Canada | Magnetic Hill Concert Site | Cancelled[20] |
| August 13, 1991 | Halifax, Canada | Halifax Metro Centre | Cancelled[20] |
| August 15, 1991 | Montreal, Canada | Montreal Forum | Cancelled[20] |
| August 16, 1991 | Ottawa, Canada | Lansdowne Park | Cancelled[20] |
| August 17, 1991 | Toronto, Canada | CNE Grandstand | Cancelled[20] |
Personnel
editBand
- Musical Director – Rickey Minor
- Bass guitar, bass synthesizer – Ricky Minor
- Guitar – Ray Fuller
- Keyboard: Michael Bearden
- Drums – Ricky Lawson
- Keyboard – Bette Sussman
- Saxophone – Kirk Whalum
- Keyboard – Kevin Lee
- Percussion – Bashiri Johnson
- Background vocalists – Gary Houston, Vonchita Rawls, Carmen Rawls, Tiawana Rawls
Choreography Choreographer – Khandi Alexander
Dancers
- Diesko Boyland, Bryant Cash-Welch, Jonathan Webbe, Luca Tommassini
Tour Management
- Manager – Tony Bulluck
External links
editReferences
edit- ^ AllWhitney.com
- ^ Smith, Patricia. "Mom, apple pie and Whitney Houston in concert for troops". Boston Globe April 1, 1991.
- ^ Watrous, Peter. "Pop Life". The New York Times. August 7, 1991. Page C15.
- ^ Dafoe, Christopher M. "Rock 'n' Ruin Not just the recession is to blame for the small crowds at rock concerts this summer" The Globe and Mail. August 17, 1991. Page C1.
- ^ "Houston cancels rest of tour". The Globe and Mail. August 10, 1991. Page C3.
- ^ Dutta, Nishitha (December 26, 2020). "Where Was The Bodyguard Filmed? All The Bodyguard Filming Locations". The Cinemaholic. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
- ^ Stout, Gene. "Whitney Houston will be Impossible to Ignore when she comes to Seattle." Seattle Post. May 3, 1991. Page 5.
- ^ a b c Considine, JD. "Houston gives her hits a new spin, and her fans applaud at every turn". The Baltimore Sun. July 17, 1991. Page 1E.
- ^ Bream, Jon. "Whitney (Hit Woman) Houston's concert packs quite a punch." Minneapolis Star Tribune. April 28, 1991. Page 07.B
- ^ Racine, Mary. "Whitney love songs". Houston Chronicle. June 4, 1991. Page 1.
- ^ Mackie, John. "Houston strikes up the bland: Voice can thrill, but lyrics shallow." The Vancouver Sun. May 8, 1991. Page B5.
- ^ Wilker, Deborah. "Whitney Houston: Bigger – but better?" Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel. June 13, 1991. Page 3E.
- ^ Jones, James T. "Whitney is so emotional, soulful in concert". USA Today. April 19, 1991. Page 01D.
- ^ "Whitney Houston concert Setlist at Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Arena". setlist.fm. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ North American box score data:
- "Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 18. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. May 4, 1991. p. 32. ISSN 0006-2510.
- "Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 20. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. May 18, 1991. p. 34. ISSN 0006-2510.
- "Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 22. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. June 1, 1991. p. 34. ISSN 0006-2510.
- "Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 23. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. June 8, 1991. p. 34. ISSN 0006-2510.
- "Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 24. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. June 15, 1991. p. 30. ISSN 0006-2510.
- "Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 26. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. June 29, 1991. p. 34. ISSN 0006-2510.
- "Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 28. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 13, 1991. p. 34. ISSN 0006-2510.
- "Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 29. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 20, 1991. p. 34. ISSN 0006-2510.
- "Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 31. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. August 3, 1991. p. 27. ISSN 0006-2510.
- "Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 32. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. August 10, 1991. p. 28. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "Summerfest: Gig has had many high notes". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Journal Media Group. June 28, 2007. Archived from the original on August 3, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ Selvin, Joel. "Whitney Houston Strands fans at Shoreline." The San Francisco Chronicle. May 15, 1991. Page E1.
- ^ a b c "Whitney Houston Cancels Omaha Date". Omaha World-Herald. June 26, 1991. Page 47.
- ^ Chastain, Sue. "The Latest." The Philadelphia Inquirer. July 4, 1991. Page C2
- ^ a b c d e Howell, Peter. "Whitney Houston hits Ex with second major no-show". The Toronto Star. August 9, 1991. Page A1.