Whamamerica!
Tour by Wham! | |
Location | North America |
---|---|
Associated album | Make It Big |
Start date | 23 August 1985 |
End date | 10 September 1985 |
No. of shows |
|
Supporting acts | |
Attendance | 200,000[1] – 302,568[2] |
Box office | US $8.6 million[2] ($24.36 in 2023 dollars)[3] |
Wham! concert chronology |
Whamamerica! (also promoted as the Make It Big Tour '85) was a concert tour by English pop duo Wham!.[4] The tour was launched following the success of their 1984 certified multi-platinum studio album Make It Big, which sold four million copies in the United States by the end of the year.[5] The tour spanned nineteen days between August and September 1985, comprising nine shows across the United States and Canada.[6]
Overview
[edit]The Whamamerica! tour began in late August 1985. It travelled around the United States, opening at Poplar Creek Music Theater in Illinois in the Midwest, then heading across the border to Canada and all the way down the West Coast to northern and Southern California, south to Texas and then back east to Philadelphia and Detroit. Michael’s look had changed with his hair cut to a shorter length and the colour being close to his natural darker shade. He also had a new designer stubble and larger earrings, a yellow fringed jacket and leather gloves. Their last ever live US performance was at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit.[7] They had played to over 302,568 fans.[2][1]
Opening acts
[edit]- Katrina and the Waves (Los Angeles, Houston, Oakland, Miami and Philadelphia)[1]
- The Pointer Sisters (Toronto, Oakland, Miami)[2]
- Chaka Khan (Los Angeles, Philadelphia)[2][1]
Set list
[edit]Philadelphia
- "Everything She Wants"
- "Credit Card Baby"
- "Blue (Armed with Love)"
- "If You Were There"
- "The Edge of Heaven"
- "Like a Baby"
- "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)"
- "Heartbeat"
- "Where Did Your Heart Go?"
- "Love Machine"
- "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"
- "Freedom"
- "Careless Whisper"
- "Good Times"
- "Everything She Wants"
Tour dates
[edit]Date | City | Country | Venue | Attendance | Gross | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North America | ||||||
18 August 1985 | Houston | United States | Six Flags AstroWorld | |||
19 August 1985 | ||||||
23 August 1985 | Hoffman Estates | Poplar Creek Music Theater | [8] | |||
25 August 1985 | ||||||
28 August 1985 | Toronto | Canada | CNE | 50,098 / sellout | $1,042,059 (CA$1,302,548) | [9] |
30 August 1985 | Los Angeles | United States | Hollywood Park | [10][11] | ||
1 September 1985 | Oakland | Oakland Coliseum | 46,737 / sellout | $817,897 | [9] | |
4 September 1985 | Houston | Southern Star Amphitheater | [4] | |||
6 September 1985 | Miami | Miami Baseball Stadium | 36,390 / sellout | $545,855 | [12] | |
8 September 1985 | Philadelphia | Veterans Stadium | 43,000 / 50,000 | $698,000 | [12] | |
10 September 1985 | Pontiac | Pontiac Silverdome |
Personnel
[edit]- George Michael – lead vocals
- Andrew Ridgeley – guitar
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Wham! On the Edge of Heaven". Number One. No. 119. 28 September 1985. p. 17. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Grein, Paul (28 September 1985). "Video Called Crucial to Wham!'s Stadium Success". Billboard. p. 86. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ a b "Wham by Years". Rockin Houston. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ "American album certifications – Wham – Make It Big". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ Ridgeley, Andrew (2019). Wham! George & Me. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-0-241-38583-8. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ Steele, Robert (2017). Careless Whispers: The Life & Career of George Michael: Revised & Updated. Omnibus Press. p. 123. ISBN 978-1-78323-968-9. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
- ^ Van Matre, Lynn (25 August 1985). "Wham!'s Brand Of Blue-eyed Soul Makes It Big With Young Chicago Fans". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ a b "Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses" (PDF). Billboard. 14 September 1985. p. 54. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ Lewis, Randy (2 September 1985). "Pop Review: Wham!—Specks in a Spectacle". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ "They're your men..." Number One. No. 127. 23 November 1985. p. 9. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses" (PDF). Billboard. 28 September 1985. p. 52. Retrieved 30 December 2022.