25 Live
Encyclopedia
25 Live was a concert tour by English singer / songwriter George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...

. The tour was the most commercially successful tour of 2006–2007 in Europe. The tour has grossed over $200 million, with positive reviews from music critics. The 106 tour shows were performed in 41 countries and seen by 2 million fans across the globe.

History

It was George Michael's first in over 15 years. The tour, running for 50 dates, began in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...

, Spain on 23 September and was originally to be ended at Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...

 in London, England in December, but—due to great feedback from fans—continued into 2007 providing more gigs throughout Europe, concluding in Belfast. The tour is described as "a celebration of his 25-year career in music", and was accompanied by a Greatest Hits album
Twenty Five (album)
Twenty Five is singer George Michael's 2006 greatest hits album, which celebrates the 25th anniversary of his music career. It was released on 13 November 2006 via Sony BMG...

, released in late 2006. The news of the tour came amid increased media speculation about Michael's personal life, in particular his drug use and sex life. After the success of the autumn leg, new shows were added for summer 2007, in large arenas and stadiums. Popstar Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Sophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor is an English singer, songwriter, model and occasional DJ. She first came to prominence in the late 1990s, as the lead singer of the indie rock band Theaudience. After the group disbanded, Ellis-Bextor went solo, achieving widespread success in the early 2000s...

 was announced as the supporting act for 6 of the 8 UK shows. She will not open the show at Wembley Stadium as George is to be the first artist ever to play in the new stadium.

On 25 March 2008 a Third Leg of the 25 LIVE Tour was announced for North America. This leg included 21 dates in the United States and Canada. This was Michael's first tour of North America in 17 years. The tour coincided with the 1 April 2008 release of his new Greatest Hits album
Twenty Five (album)
Twenty Five is singer George Michael's 2006 greatest hits album, which celebrates the 25th anniversary of his music career. It was released on 13 November 2006 via Sony BMG...

.

The tour ended with two concerts at Earls Court
Earls Court
Earls Court is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It is an inner-city district centred on Earl's Court Road and surrounding streets, located 3.1 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It borders the sub-districts of South Kensington to the East, West...

 in London named "The Final Two". Wham!
WHAM!
Wham! were a short-lived British musical duo formed by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley in the early 1980s. They were briefly known in the United States as Wham! UK due to a naming conflict with an American band....

 fans would recognise the reference to Wham!'s last gig at Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...

 in London in 1986, The Final. Another final concert was later announced. The concert was held in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...

, Denmark, on 30 August and called The Final One. Australian dates were added in November 2009, involving stops in Perth, Sydney, and later Melbourne in February/March 2010.

Ticket Sales

Ticket sales in the UK and Europe have been brisk. Within two hours of initial sales, 240,000 tickets were snatched up by eager fans. First to sell out were UK shows in London's Wembley Arena and Earls Court as well as Birmingham's NEC Arena and Manchester's MEN Arena. The large capacity Manchester Evening News Arena show sold out within minutes, and the two 25 Live dates added to the venue were sold out by lunchtime. To meet demand, 14 gigs were added to the tour, including three additional shows in London alone. George Michael's dates around Europe were met with equally extraordinary enthusiasm. In Norway, the Oslo show at the Spektrum sold out in an hour and a half. In Copenhagen, 49,000 tickets sold out at the Parken venue in just 3 hrs. The first Rotterdam concert at Ahoy Arena sold out in a mere 6 minutes, and the second saw tickets vanish in 16 minutes. In fact, a third Rotterdam show was added by popular demand that also sold out in 16 minutes. This unprecedented response has stood out as the fastest sell of tickets ever experienced by Barrie Marshall, whose London-based promotion firm, Marshall Arts Limited, has been promoting shows for 30 years. George Michael's 47-date European tour kicks off on 23 September in Barcelona, culminating with four dates at London's Wembley Arena.

The 25 Live tour broke several ticket sales records, most notably in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...

. Michael's concert at The Parken Stadium sold over 50,000 tickets in the matter of minutes, shattering the previous ticket sales record at the venue, formerly held by U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...

.

In North America, Although ticket sales waren't fast as they were in Europe, every venue was sold out in time for the concert. For a period of 25 hours during the week leading up to the Los Angeles Show on 25 June 2008, tickets were sold for a promotional price of $25.00 (down from $95) in celebration of George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...

's birthday, 25 June 1963.

All the tickets for the Final Two shows in London, England and the Finale One show in Denmark where sold out in 2 hours.

Ticket sales for the Australian leg were also brisk, the concerts in Perth at the 25,000 seat Burswood Dome and the 42,000 seat Sydney Football Stadium both being sellouts.

The Finals

On 11 June 2008 2 dates were added, titled "The final two", taking place in Earls Court
Earls Court Exhibition Centre
The Earls Court Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre, conference and event venue located in west London, United Kingdom in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea . It is the largest exhibition venue in central London. It is served by two underground stations, Earl's Court and West...

, London on 24 August and 25 August 2008. These concerts were filmed for a 25 Live DVD release entitled "Live in London
George Michael Live in London
Live in London is a live concert recording of George Michael's finals two concerts in London's Earls Court Exhibition Centre on 24 and 25 August 2008 as part of his 25 Live tour. This is the first live DVD of George Michael's career. It will be released on both DVD and Blu-ray formats...

".

On 30 June 2008 George Michael announces one last show in Copenhagen at Copenhagen's Parken Stadium on 30 August. This special performance, entitled "The Final One", allowed Michael to say "thank you" to his loyal fans, not only in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...

, but also across Europe.

On 1 November 2008 George Michael announced another last concert. This time it was held at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on 1 December 2008 in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...

, UAE. It was the first event to be held at the new stadium and was billed as the biggest concert ever held in the UAE. It was also his first concert in the Middle East. The event also helped to launch National Day celebrations and an outdoor extravaganza of fireworks and lasers gave fans a spectacular and unforgettable experience.

These concerts were the last time George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...

 embarked on extensive touring.

First leg

  1. "Waiting (Reprise)"
  2. "Flawless (Go to the City)
    Flawless (Go to the City)
    "Flawless " is a song co-written and performed by George Michael and released by Sony BMG on June 28, 2004. It samples "Flawless", originally recorded by the electronic music band The Ones and "Keep On Dancin'" , originally recorded by Gary's Gang...

    "
  3. "Fastlove
    Fastlove
    "Fastlove" is a song by George Michael, released by Virgin Records in the United Kingdom and Dreamworks Records in the United States in 1996.-History:...

    "
  4. "Father Figure"
  5. "Star People '97"
  6. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
    The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
    "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a 1957 folk song written by British political singer/songwriter Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger, who was later to become his wife. At the time the couple were lovers, although MacColl was married to someone else. MacColl and Seeger included the song in their...

    "
  7. "Praying for Time
    Praying for Time
    "Praying for Time" is a U.S. number-one song written and performed by George Michael, released on Epic Records in 1990. It spent one week in the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, and was the last solo single from Michael to occupy the top of the chart in the US.-History:The song was...

    "
  8. "Too Funky
    Too Funky
    "Too Funky" is a song written and performed by English singer George Michael and released by Columbia Records in the United States and Epic Records elsewhere in 1992.-History:...

    "
  9. "You Have Been Loved
    You Have Been Loved
    "You Have Been Loved" / "The Strangest Thing '97" is a double A-side single by dance-pop artist George Michael. Both songs are from his 1996 album Older. The single reached #2 on the UK charts, only behind Elton John's "Candle in the Wind" '97 charity single...

    "
  10. "Everything She Wants
    Everything She Wants
    "Everything She Wants" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released in 1984 on Epic Records on a double A-side with "Last Christmas". It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo.- History :...

    "
  11. "My Mother Had a Brother
    Patience (2004 album)
    Patience is a 2004 album by George Michael. The much delayed follow-up to Older, it was very successful, debuting at number one on the UK Albums Chart, and at number two in Australia on 22 March 2004. The work became one of the fastest selling albums in the United Kingdom, selling over 200,000...

    "
  12. "Shoot the Dog
    Shoot the Dog
    "Shoot the Dog" is a single by the singer-songwriter George Michael, released as the second single from his album, Patience, though released a year and a half prior to the album. The song is an anti-George W. Bush song. Released on 29 July 2002, it peaked at number one in Denmark and number twelve...

    "
    Break
  13. "Faith
    Faith (George Michael song)
    "Faith" is a #1 song, written and performed by George Michael, released as a single on Columbia Records, from his 1987 Faith album. According to Billboard magazine, it was the top-selling single of the year in the United States in 1988....

    "
  14. "Spinning the Wheel
    Spinning the Wheel
    "Spinning the Wheel" is a song by George Michael. The song was co-written by Michael and Jon Douglas. It was performed by George Michael and released on Virgin Records in 1996....

    "
  15. "Jesus to a Child
    Jesus to a Child
    "Jesus to a Child" is a song by British musician George Michael. The song peaked at number 1 in Britain and Australia, and at number 2 in the mainland European charts. The song has also become George Michael's highest direct entry in the American charts. The song is one of George Michael's...

    "
  16. "An Easier Affair
    An Easier Affair
    "An Easier Affair" is the first single from George Michael's second greatest hits album Twenty Five. It was released on July 3, 2006 and peaked at number one in Italy and Hungary. In the United Kingdom, it reached number thirteen...

    "
  17. "A Different Corner
    A Different Corner
    "A Different Corner" is a song written and performed by George Michael which was released on Epic Records in 1986.- History :...

    "
  18. "Amazing
    Amazing (George Michael song)
    "Amazing" is a dance-pop song co-written, arranged, produced and performed by George Michael, which was released by Sony BMG on 1 March 2004. It was included on Michael's fifth studio album, Patience. The song is about and dedicated to George Michael's partner, Kenny Goss.-Music video:The music...

    "
  19. "I'm Your Man"
  20. "Outside
    Encore
  21. "Careless Whisper
    Careless Whisper
    "Careless Whisper" is a 1984 single by George Michael , released by Epic Records in the UK, Japan, and other countries; and by Columbia Records in North America. The song was George Michael's first solo single although he was still performing in Wham! at the time...

    "
  22. "Freedom! '90
    Freedom! '90
    "Freedom '90" is a song written and performed by George Michael, and released on Columbia Records in 1990. The "'90" added to the end of the title is to prevent confusion with an international hit by Michael's former band, Wham!, also titled "Freedom".It was the third single taken from Listen...

    "

Second leg

  1. "Waiting (Reprise)"
  2. "Flawless (Go to the City)
    Flawless (Go to the City)
    "Flawless " is a song co-written and performed by George Michael and released by Sony BMG on June 28, 2004. It samples "Flawless", originally recorded by the electronic music band The Ones and "Keep On Dancin'" , originally recorded by Gary's Gang...

    "
  3. "Fastlove
    Fastlove
    "Fastlove" is a song by George Michael, released by Virgin Records in the United Kingdom and Dreamworks Records in the United States in 1996.-History:...

    "
  4. "Precious Box"
  5. "Father Figure
    Father Figure
    "Father Figure" is the U.S. number-one song written and performed by George Michael and released on Columbia Records in 1988 as the third single from the album Faith.-History:...

    "
  6. "Everything She Wants
    Everything She Wants
    "Everything She Wants" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released in 1984 on Epic Records on a double A-side with "Last Christmas". It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo.- History :...

    "
  7. "Ticking
    Caribou (album)
    Caribou is the 8th studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1974 . It was John's 4th chart-topping album in the U.S. and his 3rd in the U.K. The album contains the singles, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", which reached # 16 in the UK Singles Chart and # 2 in the U.S.,...

    "
  8. "Praying for Time
    Praying for Time
    "Praying for Time" is a U.S. number-one song written and performed by George Michael, released on Epic Records in 1990. It spent one week in the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, and was the last solo single from Michael to occupy the top of the chart in the US.-History:The song was...

    "
  9. "Too Funky
    Too Funky
    "Too Funky" is a song written and performed by English singer George Michael and released by Columbia Records in the United States and Epic Records elsewhere in 1992.-History:...

    "
  10. "Star People"
  11. "Shoot the Dog
    Shoot the Dog
    "Shoot the Dog" is a single by the singer-songwriter George Michael, released as the second single from his album, Patience, though released a year and a half prior to the album. The song is an anti-George W. Bush song. Released on 29 July 2002, it peaked at number one in Denmark and number twelve...

    "
    Break
  12. "Faith
    Faith
    Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...

    "
  13. "Spinning the Wheel
    Spinning the Wheel
    "Spinning the Wheel" is a song by George Michael. The song was co-written by Michael and Jon Douglas. It was performed by George Michael and released on Virgin Records in 1996....

    "
  14. "An Easier Affair
    An Easier Affair
    "An Easier Affair" is the first single from George Michael's second greatest hits album Twenty Five. It was released on July 3, 2006 and peaked at number one in Italy and Hungary. In the United Kingdom, it reached number thirteen...

    "
  15. "Jesus to a Child
    Jesus to a Child
    "Jesus to a Child" is a song by British musician George Michael. The song peaked at number 1 in Britain and Australia, and at number 2 in the mainland European charts. The song has also become George Michael's highest direct entry in the American charts. The song is one of George Michael's...

    "
  16. "Amazing
    Amazing (George Michael song)
    "Amazing" is a dance-pop song co-written, arranged, produced and performed by George Michael, which was released by Sony BMG on 1 March 2004. It was included on Michael's fifth studio album, Patience. The song is about and dedicated to George Michael's partner, Kenny Goss.-Music video:The music...

    "
  17. "I'm Your Man"
  18. "Outside"
    Encore
  19. "Careless Whisper
    Careless Whisper
    "Careless Whisper" is a 1984 single by George Michael , released by Epic Records in the UK, Japan, and other countries; and by Columbia Records in North America. The song was George Michael's first solo single although he was still performing in Wham! at the time...

    "
  20. "Freedom! '90
    Freedom! '90
    "Freedom '90" is a song written and performed by George Michael, and released on Columbia Records in 1990. The "'90" added to the end of the title is to prevent confusion with an international hit by Michael's former band, Wham!, also titled "Freedom".It was the third single taken from Listen...

    "

Third leg

  1. "Waiting (Reprise)"
  2. "Fastlove
    Fastlove
    "Fastlove" is a song by George Michael, released by Virgin Records in the United Kingdom and Dreamworks Records in the United States in 1996.-History:...

    "
  3. "I'm Your Man"
  4. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
    The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
    "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a 1957 folk song written by British political singer/songwriter Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger, who was later to become his wife. At the time the couple were lovers, although MacColl was married to someone else. MacColl and Seeger included the song in their...

    "
  5. "Father Figure"
  6. "Hard Day
    Hard Day
    "Hard Day" is a promotional single from George Michael's Faith album. It was released on 30 October 1987 in the United States."Hard Day" was written and originally produced by George Michael, and only released in America and Australia....

    "
  7. "Everything She Wants
    Everything She Wants
    "Everything She Wants" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released in 1984 on Epic Records on a double A-side with "Last Christmas". It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo.- History :...

    "
  8. "One More Try
    One More Try (George Michael song)
    "One More Try" is a U.S. number-one hit song written and performed by George Michael and released by Epic Records in 1988 as the fourth single from Faith.-History:...

    "
  9. "A Different Corner
    A Different Corner
    "A Different Corner" is a song written and performed by George Michael which was released on Epic Records in 1986.- History :...

    "
  10. "An Easier Affair
    An Easier Affair
    "An Easier Affair" is the first single from George Michael's second greatest hits album Twenty Five. It was released on July 3, 2006 and peaked at number one in Italy and Hungary. In the United Kingdom, it reached number thirteen...

    "
  11. "Too Funky
    Too Funky
    "Too Funky" is a song written and performed by English singer George Michael and released by Columbia Records in the United States and Epic Records elsewhere in 1992.-History:...

    "
  12. "Star People'97"
    Break
  13. "Faith
    Faith (George Michael song)
    "Faith" is a #1 song, written and performed by George Michael, released as a single on Columbia Records, from his 1987 Faith album. According to Billboard magazine, it was the top-selling single of the year in the United States in 1988....

    "
  14. "Feeling Good
    Feeling Good
    "Feeling Good" is a song written by English singer-songwriters Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd starring Cy Grant, who sang the original version of the song...

    "
  15. "Roxanne
    Songs from the Last Century
    Songs from the Last Century is an album of cover versions by singer George Michael and acclaimed producer Phil Ramone, released in December 1999...

    "
  16. "Spinning the Wheel
    Spinning the Wheel
    "Spinning the Wheel" is a song by George Michael. The song was co-written by Michael and Jon Douglas. It was performed by George Michael and released on Virgin Records in 1996....

    "
  17. "Kissing a Fool
    Kissing a Fool (song)
    "Kissing a Fool" is a song written and performed by George Michael and released by Columbia Records in 1988.A ballad with minimal instrumentation and a jazz feel, the song was written about George's insecurities as a soulmate and partner because of the baggage and reputation with which he came....

    "
  18. "Amazing
    Amazing (George Michael song)
    "Amazing" is a dance-pop song co-written, arranged, produced and performed by George Michael, which was released by Sony BMG on 1 March 2004. It was included on Michael's fifth studio album, Patience. The song is about and dedicated to George Michael's partner, Kenny Goss.-Music video:The music...

    "
  19. "Flawless (Go to the City)
    Flawless (Go to the City)
    "Flawless " is a song co-written and performed by George Michael and released by Sony BMG on June 28, 2004. It samples "Flawless", originally recorded by the electronic music band The Ones and "Keep On Dancin'" , originally recorded by Gary's Gang...

    "
  20. "Outside
  21. "Praying For Time
    Praying for Time
    "Praying for Time" is a U.S. number-one song written and performed by George Michael, released on Epic Records in 1990. It spent one week in the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, and was the last solo single from Michael to occupy the top of the chart in the US.-History:The song was...

    "
    Encore
  22. "Careless Whisper
    Careless Whisper
    "Careless Whisper" is a 1984 single by George Michael , released by Epic Records in the UK, Japan, and other countries; and by Columbia Records in North America. The song was George Michael's first solo single although he was still performing in Wham! at the time...

    "
  23. "Freedom 90"

The Finals

  1. "Waiting (Reprise)"
  2. "Fastlove
    Fastlove
    "Fastlove" is a song by George Michael, released by Virgin Records in the United Kingdom and Dreamworks Records in the United States in 1996.-History:...

    "
  3. "I'm Your Man"
  4. "Father Figure"
  5. "You Have Been Loved
    You Have Been Loved
    "You Have Been Loved" / "The Strangest Thing '97" is a double A-side single by dance-pop artist George Michael. Both songs are from his 1996 album Older. The single reached #2 on the UK charts, only behind Elton John's "Candle in the Wind" '97 charity single...

    "
  6. "Everything She Wants
    Everything She Wants
    "Everything She Wants" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released in 1984 on Epic Records on a double A-side with "Last Christmas". It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo.- History :...

    "
  7. "Precious Box"
  8. "One More Try
    One More Try (George Michael song)
    "One More Try" is a U.S. number-one hit song written and performed by George Michael and released by Epic Records in 1988 as the fourth single from Faith.-History:...

    "
  9. "Jesus to a Child
    Jesus to a Child
    "Jesus to a Child" is a song by British musician George Michael. The song peaked at number 1 in Britain and Australia, and at number 2 in the mainland European charts. The song has also become George Michael's highest direct entry in the American charts. The song is one of George Michael's...

    "
  10. "An Easier Affair
    An Easier Affair
    "An Easier Affair" is the first single from George Michael's second greatest hits album Twenty Five. It was released on July 3, 2006 and peaked at number one in Italy and Hungary. In the United Kingdom, it reached number thirteen...

    "
  11. "Too Funky
    Too Funky
    "Too Funky" is a song written and performed by English singer George Michael and released by Columbia Records in the United States and Epic Records elsewhere in 1992.-History:...

    "
  12. "Shoot the Dog
    Shoot the Dog
    "Shoot the Dog" is a single by the singer-songwriter George Michael, released as the second single from his album, Patience, though released a year and a half prior to the album. The song is an anti-George W. Bush song. Released on 29 July 2002, it peaked at number one in Denmark and number twelve...

    "
    Break
  13. "Faith
    Faith (George Michael song)
    "Faith" is a #1 song, written and performed by George Michael, released as a single on Columbia Records, from his 1987 Faith album. According to Billboard magazine, it was the top-selling single of the year in the United States in 1988....

    "
  14. "Spinning the Wheel
    Spinning the Wheel
    "Spinning the Wheel" is a song by George Michael. The song was co-written by Michael and Jon Douglas. It was performed by George Michael and released on Virgin Records in 1996....

    "
  15. "Feeling Good
    Feeling Good
    "Feeling Good" is a song written by English singer-songwriters Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd starring Cy Grant, who sang the original version of the song...

    "
  16. "Roxanne
    Songs from the Last Century
    Songs from the Last Century is an album of cover versions by singer George Michael and acclaimed producer Phil Ramone, released in December 1999...

    "
  17. "My Mother Had a Brother
    Patience (2004 album)
    Patience is a 2004 album by George Michael. The much delayed follow-up to Older, it was very successful, debuting at number one on the UK Albums Chart, and at number two in Australia on 22 March 2004. The work became one of the fastest selling albums in the United Kingdom, selling over 200,000...

    "
  18. "Kissing a Fool
    Kissing a Fool (song)
    "Kissing a Fool" is a song written and performed by George Michael and released by Columbia Records in 1988.A ballad with minimal instrumentation and a jazz feel, the song was written about George's insecurities as a soulmate and partner because of the baggage and reputation with which he came....

    "
  19. "Amazing
    Amazing (George Michael song)
    "Amazing" is a dance-pop song co-written, arranged, produced and performed by George Michael, which was released by Sony BMG on 1 March 2004. It was included on Michael's fifth studio album, Patience. The song is about and dedicated to George Michael's partner, Kenny Goss.-Music video:The music...

    "
  20. "Flawless (Go to the City)
    Flawless (Go to the City)
    "Flawless " is a song co-written and performed by George Michael and released by Sony BMG on June 28, 2004. It samples "Flawless", originally recorded by the electronic music band The Ones and "Keep On Dancin'" , originally recorded by Gary's Gang...

    "
  21. "Fantasy
    Freedom! '90
    "Freedom '90" is a song written and performed by George Michael, and released on Columbia Records in 1990. The "'90" added to the end of the title is to prevent confusion with an international hit by Michael's former band, Wham!, also titled "Freedom".It was the third single taken from Listen...

    "
  22. "Outside"
    Encore
  23. "Careless Whisper
    Careless Whisper
    "Careless Whisper" is a 1984 single by George Michael , released by Epic Records in the UK, Japan, and other countries; and by Columbia Records in North America. The song was George Michael's first solo single although he was still performing in Wham! at the time...

    "
  24. "Freedom! '90
    Freedom! '90
    "Freedom '90" is a song written and performed by George Michael, and released on Columbia Records in 1990. The "'90" added to the end of the title is to prevent confusion with an international hit by Michael's former band, Wham!, also titled "Freedom".It was the third single taken from Listen...

    "

The band

  • George Michael
    George Michael
    George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...

     - vocals
  • Chris Cameron - musical director/arranger
  • Lea Mullen - percussion
  • Phil Palmer - guitars
  • Andy Hamilton - sax, keyboards, Ewi
  • Steve Walters - bass
  • Mike Brown - guitars
  • Carlos Hercules - drums
  • Graham Kearns - guitars
  • Luke Smith - keyboards
  • Shirley Lewis - backing vocals
  • Jay Henry - backing vocals
  • Lincoln Jean-Marie
    Lincoln Jean-Marie
    Lincoln Jean-Marie is a British singer, born in London, EnglandJean-Marie has over fifteen years working experience as a singer, songwriter and arranger of both lead and backing vocals. He was also a member of the four-piece a cappella group "Peace by Piece" who were signed to Warner Bros...

     - backing vocals
  • Lori Perry - backing vocals
  • Sharon Perry - backing vocals
  • Lucy Jules - backing vocals

Management and production

  • Michael Lippman - artist manager
  • Andy Stephens - artist manager
  • Ken Watts - tour director
  • Lisa Johnson - assistant tour director
  • Looloo Murphy - GM tour manager
  • Sharon Ashley - band tour manager
  • Ronnie Franklin - security consultant
  • Mark Spring - production manager
  • Di Eichorst - production coordinator
  • Scott Chase - stage manager
  • James Kelly - show manager
  • Willie Williams
    Willie Williams (lighting designer)
    Willie Williams is a video director, stage and lighting designer for concerts, theatre, & multimedia projects...

     - video staging designer and director
  • Vince Foster - set and lighting design and operator
  • Gary Bradshaw - front of house sound
  • Andy Bramley - video director
  • Barrie Marshall and Doris Dixon - agents

Promoters

  • Belgium - Live Nation
  • Denmark - DKB & Motor
  • France - Interconcerts
  • Germany - Peter Rieger Konzertagentur
  • Greece - Cosmote
  • Holland - MOJO Concerts
  • Hungary - Live Nation Hungary (previously Multimedia Concerts)
  • Ireland - Aiken Promotions
  • Italy - D'Alessandro E Galli
  • Norway - Gunnar Eide
  • Spain - Sagliocco Group
  • Sweden - EMA Telstar
  • Switzerland - Good News
  • UK - Marshall Arts
  • USA - Live Nation
  • Australia - Paul Dainty

Europe

Date City Country Venue
23 September 2006 Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...

Spain Palau Sant Jordi
Palau Sant Jordi
Palau Sant Jordi is an indoor sporting arena and multi-purpose installation that is part of the Olympic Ring complex located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain...

26 September 2006 Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...

Spain Palacio de Deportes
Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid
Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid is an indoor sporting arena located in the City of Madrid, Spain. Its capacity is 15,000 people for basketball matches, 14,000 for handball matches and 18,000 for concerts .The former building, which was built in 1960, was destroyed by a fire in 2001...

29 September 2006 Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...

France Zenith de Toulouse
30 September 2006 Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....

France Zenith Omega
2 October 2006 Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....

France Halle Tony Garnier
Halle Tony Garnier
The Halle Tony Garnier is a concert hall in Lyon, France.-Capacity:The maximum seated capacity is approximatively 8,000 spectators. For large events, the maximum capacity including standing can reach 16,500 people - making it the third biggest venue in France after the Palais Omnisports de...

5 October 2006 Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...

Italy Forum Milano
6 October 2006 Milan Italy Forum Milano
9 October 2006 Paris France Bercy
Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
Opened in 1984, Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, often abbreviated as POPB or Bercy, is an indoor sports arena on boulevard de Bercy located in the 12th arrondissement of Paris...

10 October 2006 Paris France Bercy
13 October 2006 Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...

France Galaxie
Galaxie
Galaxie is a Canadian multilingual digital pay television audio service owned by Stingray Digital.-Programming:Galaxie consists of 49 commercial-free music based audio channels, each devoted to a particular genre, distributed through digital television platforms. Each channel consists of a...

14 October 2006 Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....

Germany Schleyerhalle
16 October 2006 Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...

Germany Leipzig Arena
Leipzig Arena
The Arena Leipzig is an indoor sporting arena located in Leipzig, Germany. The capacity of the arena is 8,000 people.It is currently the home venue of HC Leipzig a german handball team....

17 October 2006 Oberhausen
Oberhausen
Oberhausen is a city on the river Emscher in the Ruhr Area, Germany, located between Duisburg and Essen . The city hosts the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen and its Gasometer Oberhausen is an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage. It is also well known for the...

Germany Oberhausen Arena
König Pilsener Arena
König Pilsener Arena, formerly Arena Oberhausen, is an indoor sports arena, located in Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The capacity of the arena is 13,000 and was opened in 1998....

20 October 2006 Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...

Sweden Scandinavium
Scandinavium
Scandinavium is the primary indoor sports and event arena in Gothenburg, Sweden. Construction on Scandinavium began in 1969 after decades of setbacks, the arena was built in time for the 350th year anniversary celebration of the City of Gothenburg and was inaugurated on May 18, 1971.Scandinavium...

21 October 2006 Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

Norway Oslo Spektrum
Oslo Spektrum
Oslo Spektrum is an indoor multi-purpose arena in east central Oslo, Norway. It opened in December 1990. It is currently owned and operated by Norges Varemesse , who also own and operate the Norges Varemesse conference center in Lillestrøm which is Norway's largest conference center...

22 October 2006 Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...

Sweden Globen
25 October 2006 Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...

Germany Festhalle
Festhalle
Festhalle is a term used to describe a German arena or community center. The root meaning of the name "Fest-halle" literally means Feast-Hall, but is best translated as Festival Hall or Civic Center...

26 October 2006 Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...

Switzerland Hallenstadion
Hallenstadion
The Hallenstadion is a multi-purpose facility, in the Swiss city of Zurich.Designed by Bruno Giacometti, it opened on July 18, 1939, and was renovated in 2005....

29 October 2006 Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...

Germany Olympiahalle
Olympiahalle
Olympiahalle is a multi-purpose arena in Munich, Germany, part of the Olympic Park and close to the Olympic Stadium.The arena is used for concerts, sporting events, exhibitions or trade fairs. In the past, it served as a part-time home for the defunct ice hockey team EC Hedos München...

1 November 2006 Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...

Netherlands Ahoy
2 November 2006 Rotterdam Netherlands Ahoy
4 November 2006 Rotterdam Netherlands Ahoy
6 November 2006 Berlin Germany Velodrom
Velodrom
The Velodrom is an indoor track cycling arena, in the Prenzlauer Berg, locality of Berlin, Germany. Holding up to 12,000 people, it was also Berlin's largest concert venue, until the opening of O2 World in 2008....

7 November 2006 Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...

Germany Color Line Arena
Color Line Arena
O2 World is a multi-purpose arena in Hamburg, Germany. It opened in 2002 and can hold up to 16,000 people. It is located adjacent to the football stadium Imtech Arena and the new Volksbank Arena in the Bahrenfeld district...

9 November 2006 Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....

Germany SAP Arena
SAP Arena
SAP Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Mannheim, Germany. It is primarily used for ice hockey and handball, and is the home arena of the Adler Mannheim ice hockey club and the "Rhein-Neckar-Löwen" handball club. Inaugurated in 2005, the arena has a capacity of up to 15,000 people.More than a...

11 November 2006 Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...

Denmark Parken
13 November 2006 Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...

Germany Cologne Arena
14 November 2006 Antwerp Belgium Sports Paleis
17 November 2006 Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...

United Kingdom MEN Arena
18 November 2006 Manchester United Kingdom MEN Arena
21 November 2006 Manchester United Kingdom MEN Arena
22 November 2006 Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

United Kingdom SECC Arena
25 November 2006 London United Kingdom Earls Court
Earls Court Exhibition Centre
The Earls Court Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre, conference and event venue located in west London, United Kingdom in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea . It is the largest exhibition venue in central London. It is served by two underground stations, Earl's Court and West...

26 November 2006 London United Kingdom Earls Court
28 November 2006 London United Kingdom Earls Court
2 December 2006 Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...

United Kingdom NEC Arena
3 December 2006 Birmingham United Kingdom NEC Arena
4 December 2006 Birmingham United Kingdom NEC Arena
7 December 2006 Dublin Ireland The Point
Point Theatre
The Point Theatre was a concert and events venue in Ireland, that ran from 1988–2007, enjoyed by in excess of 2 million people. It was located on the North Wall Quay of the River Liffey, amongst the Dublin Docklands...

8 December 2006 Dublin Ireland The Point
11 December 2006 London United Kingdom Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...

12 December 2006 London United Kingdom Wembley Arena
14 December 2006 London United Kingdom Wembley Arena
15 December 2006 London United Kingdom Wembley Arena

Europe #2

Date City Country Venue
12 May 2007 Coimbra
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...

Portugal Estádio Cidade de Coimbra
Estádio Cidade de Coimbra
The Estádio Finibanco Cidade de Coimbra is a stadium in Coimbra, Portugal. This stadium belongs to the Municipality of Coimbra and is mainly used by the Académica de Coimbra's football team...

18 May 2007 Aarhus
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...

Denmark NRGi Park
19 May 2007 Aarhus
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...

Denmark NRGi Park
23 May 2007 Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...

Hungary Stadium Puskás Ferenc
Stadium Puskás Ferenc
Ferenc Puskás Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Budapest, Hungary. It is situated on the Pest side of the capital between the Stadionok and the Keleti Palyaudvar metro stations. It is currently used mainly for football matches. The stadium is going to be demolished sometime in 2012 and...

25 May 2007 Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...

Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...

Inter Football Stadium
FK Inter Bratislava
FK Inter Bratislava is a Slovak football club, playing in the city of Bratislava.FK Inter Bratislava merged with FK Senica on June 18, 2009. Players of Inter Bratislava had to move to other clubs. In season 2010/2011 has been renewed and will start in 5.league...

28 May 2007 Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...

Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...

Lokomotiv Stadium
31 May 2007 Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....

Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

Lia Manoliu
Lia Manoliu
Lia Manoliu was a Romanian discus thrower who won three Olympic medals, including one gold. She was the first Track & Field athlete to compete at six Olympics....

2 June 2007 Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...

Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

Strahov Stadium
Strahov Stadium
The Great Strahov Stadium is a stadium in the Strahov district of Prague, Czech Republic. The stadium is the largest in the world, and is the second largest sports facility worldwide after the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, seating around 220,000....

2 June 2007 Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...

Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

Spodek
Spodek
Spodek is a multipurpose arena complex in Katowice, Poland, opened in 1971 at 35 Korfanty Street under the name Wojewódzka Hala Widowiskowo-Sportowa w Katowicach , under which it is known in the Polish technical/architectural literature, and under which it formally functioned until 1997.Aside from...

6 June 2007 Dublin Ireland RDS Arena
RDS Arena
RDS Arena is a multi-purpose sports stadium, owned by the Royal Dublin Society and located in the Dublin suburb of Ballsbridge, Ireland.The arena was originally developed to host equestrian events, including the annual Dublin Horse Show, which was first held there in 1868. The site was acquired in...

7 June 2007 Dublin Ireland RDS Arena
RDS Arena
RDS Arena is a multi-purpose sports stadium, owned by the Royal Dublin Society and located in the Dublin suburb of Ballsbridge, Ireland.The arena was originally developed to host equestrian events, including the annual Dublin Horse Show, which was first held there in 1868. The site was acquired in...

9 June 2007 London United Kingdom Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...

10 June 2007 London United Kingdom Wembley Stadium
12 June 2007 Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...

United Kingdom Carrow Road
Carrow Road
Carrow Road is a football stadium in Norwich, England, and is the home of Norwich City Football Club. The stadium is located toward the easterly end of the city, not far from Norwich railway station and the River Wensum....

15 June 2007 Manchester United Kingdom City of Manchester Stadium
City of Manchester Stadium
The City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester, England – also known as the Etihad Stadium for sponsorship purposes– is the home ground of...

17 June 2007 Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

United Kingdom Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...

19 June 2007 Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...

United Kingdom Home Park
Home Park
Home Park is an all-seater football stadium in the Central Park area of Plymouth, England, and is the home of Football League Two club Plymouth Argyle. The ground, given the nickname the Theatre of Greens by the club's supporters, has been Argyle's permanent residence since 1901...

22 June 2007 Paris France Stade de France
Stade de France
The Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in Europe, and is used by both the France national football team and French rugby union team for...

23 June 2007 Antwerp Belgium Sportpaleis
26 June 2007 Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

Netherlands Amsterdam Arena
Amsterdam ArenA
Amsterdam Arena is a stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is the largest stadium in the nation and it was built from 1993 to 1996 at a cost of €140 million, and was officially opened on 14 August 1996. It has been used for association football, American football, concerts, and other events...

29 June 2007 Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...

Sweden Globe Arena
1 July 2007 Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...

Finland Hartwall Arena
5 July 2007 Moscow Russia Olympisky Stadium
Olympic Stadium (Moscow arena)
Olympic Stadium, known locally as the Olimpiyskiy or Olimpiski, is a large indoor arena, located in Moscow, Russia. It was built for the 1980 Summer Olympics and hosted the basketball and boxing events. A part of the Olimpiyskiy Sports Complex, it makes up one architectural ensemble with another...

6 July 2007 Moscow Russia Olympisky Stadium
Olympic Stadium (Moscow arena)
Olympic Stadium, known locally as the Olimpiyskiy or Olimpiski, is a large indoor arena, located in Moscow, Russia. It was built for the 1980 Summer Olympics and hosted the basketball and boxing events. A part of the Olimpiyskiy Sports Complex, it makes up one architectural ensemble with another...

9 July 2007 Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....

Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

Olympic Stadium
Olimpiysky National Sports Complex
The Olympic National Sports Complex is a multi-use sports facility in Kiev, Ukraine, located on the slopes of city's central Cherepanov Hill, Pechersk Raion. The stadium is the premier sports venue of Ukraine and one of the world's largest...

10 July 2007 Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...

Poland Służewiec
12 July 2007 Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...

Poland Służewiec
13 July 2007 Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...

Austria Stadthalle
15 July 2007 Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...

Germany EasyCredit-Stadion
17 July 2007 Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...

Italy Stadio Plebiscito
Stadio Plebiscito
Stadio Plebiscito is a multi-use stadium in Padua, Italy. The stadium holds 9,600 all-covered seats.It is currently used mostly for rugby union matches as the home of Petrarca Padova; but by 2010/'11 season will be used also for the home matches of the second football team of the city, San Paolo...

19 July 2007 Lucca
Lucca
Lucca is a city and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plainnear the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca...

Italy Stadio Porta Elisa
Stadio Porta Elisa
Stadio Porta Elisa is a multi-use stadium in Lucca, Italy. The authorized capacity is 7,386, but it can hold about 12,000; 2,500 of them are covered.It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of A.S. Lucchese-Libertas....

21 July 2007 Rome Italy Stadio Olimpico
Stadio Olimpico
The Stadio Olimpico is the main and largest sports facility of Rome, Italy. It is located within the Foro Italico sports complex on the north of the city. An asset of the Italian National Olympic Committee, the structure is intended primarily for football...

26 July 2007 Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...

Greece OAKA Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium (Athens)
The Olympic Stadium "Spiros Louis" , is part of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex. It is named after the first modern Olympic marathon race winner in 1896, Spiros Louis.-History:...

4 August 2007 Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

United Kingdom Odyssey Arena

North America

Date City Country Venue
17 June 2008 San Diego United States San Diego Sports Arena
19 June 2008 San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...

United States HP Pavilion
21 June 2008 Las Vegas
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...

United States MGM Grand Garden Arena
22 June 2008 Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...

United States U.S. Airways Center
25 June 2008 Los Angeles United States The Forum
The Forum (Inglewood, California)
The Forum is an indoor arena, in Inglewood, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. From 2000 to 2010, it was owned by the Faithful Central Bible Church, which occasionally used it for church services, while also leasing the building for sporting events, concerts and other events.Along with Madison...

27 June 2008 Anaheim United States Honda Center
2 July 2008 Seattle United States KeyArena
KeyArena
KeyArena at Seattle Center , is a multipurpose arena, in Seattle, Washington. It is located north of downtown in the entertainment complex known as Seattle Center, the site of the 1962 World's Fair, the Century 21 Exposition...

4 July 2008 Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

Canada General Motors Place
General Motors Place
Rogers Arena Rogers Arena Rogers Arena (nicknamed "The Phone Booth" and "The Cable Box" and also "The Garage" (when it was called GM Place) is an indoor sports arena located at 800 Griffiths Way in the downtown area of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...

7 July 2008 Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...

United States XCEL Energy Center
Xcel Energy Center
The Xcel Energy Center is a multi-purpose arena located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is named for its locally-based corporate sponsor Xcel Energy. With an official capacity of 18,064, the arena has four spectator levels: one suite level and three general seating levels. The arena is owned by the...

9 July 2008 Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

United States United Center
United Center
The United Center is an indoor sports arena located in Chicago. It is named after its corporate sponsor, United Airlines. The United Center is home to both the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...

13 July 2008 Dallas United States American Airlines Center
American Airlines Center
The American Airlines Center is a multi-purpose arena, located in the Victory Park neighborhood, near downtown Dallas, Texas.It is home to the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA, and the Dallas Stars of the NHL....

14 July 2008 Houston United States Toyota Center
Toyota Center (Houston)
The Toyota Center is an indoor arena located in downtown Houston, Texas. It is named after the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. The arena is home to the Rockets of the National Basketball Association, the principal owners of the building, and the Aeros of the American Hockey League.Rockets...

17 July 2008 Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

Canada Air Canada Centre
Air Canada Centre
The Air Canada Centre is a multi-purpose indoor sporting arena located on Bay Street in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.The arena is popularly known as the ACC or the Hangar ....

18 July 2008 Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

Canada Bell Centre
Bell Centre
The Bell Centre , formerly known as the Molson Centre , is a sports and entertainment complex in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It opened on March 16, 1996 after nearly three years under construction...

21 July 2008 New York City United States Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...

23 July 2008 New York City United States Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...

26 July 2008 Philadelphia United States Wachovia Center
Wachovia Center
The Wells Fargo Center is an indoor arena located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....

27 July 2008 Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

United States TD Banknorth Garden
TD Banknorth Garden
TD Garden is a multi-purpose arena in Boston, Massachusetts. It is named after its sponsor, TD Bank, N.A. and is often simply referred to by local Bostonians as, The Garden, The Fleet Center, or the traditional Boston Garden...

29 July 2008 Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

United States Verizon Center
Verizon Center
Verizon Center is a sports and entertainment arena in Washington, D.C., USA, named after telecommunications sponsor Verizon Communications, and has been nicknamed the "Phone Booth" because of its association with telecommunications companies...

31 July 2008 Atlanta United States Philips Arena
Philips Arena
Philips Arena is an indoor arena in Atlanta, Georgia.Completed in 1999 to replace The Omni, at a cost of $213.5 million, it is home to the Atlanta Hawks, of the National Basketball Association, and the Atlanta Dream, of the Women's National Basketball Association...

2 August 2008 Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...

United States Times Forum
St. Pete Times Forum
The St. Pete Times Forum is an arena in Tampa, Florida, that has been used for ice hockey, basketball, and arena football games, as well as concerts....

3 August 2008 Fort Lauderdale United States BankAtlantic Center
BankAtlantic Center
The BankAtlantic Center is an indoor arena located in Sunrise, Florida, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and adjacent to the popular Sawgrass Mills Mall.The arena features 70 suites & 2,623 club seats.The arena is directly accessible from the Sawgrass Expressway...


The Finals

Date City Country Venue
24 August 2008 London United Kingdom Earls Court
Earls Court Exhibition Centre
The Earls Court Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre, conference and event venue located in west London, United Kingdom in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea . It is the largest exhibition venue in central London. It is served by two underground stations, Earl's Court and West...

25 August 2008 London United Kingdom Earls Court
30 August 2008 Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...

Denmark Parken Stadium
Parken Stadium
Parken Stadium is a football stadium in the Indre Østerbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark, built from 1990–1992. It currently has a capacity of 38,065 for football games, and is the home ground of F.C. Københaven and the Danish national football team...

1 December 2008 Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...

United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...

Zayed Sports City Stadium

Critical reception

The tour received positive reviews, with praise for the set list and all over production of the show.

Features

  • 25 Live Tour features the first time a 3000 piece LED screen has been used.
  • 25 Live Tour features a three dimensional video wall. The video screen isn't just a backdrop to the stage, it also lies on the stage surface. Paul McCartney used a similar concept in his 2005 US Tour.
  • 25 Live tour features the first time that motion tracking comes from the artist to video.
  • 25 Live Tour features the first time 490 frequency channels are transmitted to the audio mixing board, producing dynamic, richer sound for the performance
  • 25 Live Tour features the first time that on-screen visuals respond to the musicians performing.

Trivia

  • On 31 December 2006 George Michael was paid $3 million for a 75 minute private concert in Moscow, Russia, which made him the highest paid entertainer in Russian history.
  • George Michael became the first music artist to perform at the new Wembley Stadium
    Wembley Stadium
    The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...

     when he played two shows at the venue on 9 June 2007 and 10 June 2007 during his 25 Live tour.
  • During his concert in Sofia
    Sofia
    Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...

    , Bulgaria
    Bulgaria
    Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...

     George Michael devoted to the Bulgarian nurses prosecuted in the HIV trial in Libya
    HIV trial in Libya
    The HIV trial in Libya concerns the trials, appeals and eventual release of six foreign medical workers charged with conspiring to deliberately infect over 400 children with HIV in 1998, causing an epidemic at El-Fatih Children's Hospital in Benghazi, Libya.The defendants were a Palestinian...

    .
  • On 17 June 2008 George Michael launched the NA leg of his final world tour by congratulating lawmakers for legalising gay marriage in California.
  • On 25 June 2008, during the L.A. concert, George celebrated his 45th birthday. The band played "Happy Birthday", while Bo Derek
    Bo Derek
    Mary Cathleen Collins , better known as Bo Derek, is an American film and television actress, model, and sex symbol, known for her role as Jenny Hanley in the 1979 comedy film 10. However, Derek's film career soon faltered; her later films, including, Bolero and Ghosts Can't Do It , were poorly...

     walked on stage with a huge birthday cake.
  • On 27 July 2008, George Michael's concert at TD Banknorth Garden
    TD Banknorth Garden
    TD Garden is a multi-purpose arena in Boston, Massachusetts. It is named after its sponsor, TD Bank, N.A. and is often simply referred to by local Bostonians as, The Garden, The Fleet Center, or the traditional Boston Garden...

     in Boston, Massachusetts was delayed 1½ hours due to weather conditions and flight delays. He later apologized for the delay and despite the holdup, played a full 3 hour set.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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