Charmbracelet World Tour


The Charmbracelet World Tour was the fifth worldwide concert tour in 2003–2004 by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey in support of her ninth studio album Charmbracelet. The tour started on June 21, 2003 in Seoul, South Korea, and visited several countries in Asia, Europe, and North America before ending on February 26, 2004 in Dubai. At the end of 2003, the tour placed 83rd on Pollstar's "Top 100 Tours", grossing more than $6.0 million with 25 shows from her first North American leg.

Background

In April 2003, Carey announced a world tour in support of her recent studio album Charmbracelet. The tour followed her Rainbow World Tour in 2000 and was her most extensive lasting for sixty-nine shows over eight months. The tour reached many places in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
Since her debut on the music scene in 1990, Carey has toured very infrequently compared to many other established acts. As such, the length of this tour had actually been extended due to Carey attempting to promote the Charmbracelet album which was underperforming. After the initial stretch of the tour, Carey decided to add additional dates. For the new dates, she performed a more condensed show, removing several songs from the set list and performing a few new songs in their place with Christmas elements during the seasonal period.
In the United States, venues were switched from large arenas to smaller, more intimate theatre shows due to slow sales in some cities. According to Carey, however, the change was made in order to give fans a more intimate show. She said, "It's much more intimate so you'll feel like you had an experience. You experience a night with me." However, while smaller venues were booked for the US leg of the tour, Carey performed at some arenas in Asia and Europe, and performed for a crowd of over 35,000 in Manila, 50,000 in Malaysia, and to over 70,000 people in China. In the UK, it was Carey's first tour to feature shows outside London; she performed in Glasgow, Birmingham and Manchester.

Critical response

The tour garnered praise from music critics and audiences, many of whom complimented the quality of Carey's live vocals and the production of the shows. Fans were given the opportunity to request songs from Carey's catalog, which added to its positive reception. At her concert in Manila, Rito P. Asilo from Philippine Daily Inquirer wrote, "I didn't expect her voice to be that crystal clear!" He added, "After 15 songs, we couldn't seem to get enough of Mariahand we became a believer!".
Carey's sexual image also generated some controversy during the tour. In various countries, she was often criticized for her choice of dress, and a Pan-Islamic youth leader attempted to have her banned from performing in Malaysia.

Set list

  1. "Looking In"
  2. "Heartbreaker"
  3. "Dreamlover"
  4. "Through the Rain"
  5. "My All"
  6. "Marionette Show"
  7. "Clown"
  8. "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)"
  9. "Honey"
  10. "Honey"
  11. "I Know What You Want"
  12. "Subtle Invitation"
  13. "My Saving Grace"
  14. "I'll Be There"
  15. "Friend of Mine"
  16. "Bringin' On the Heartbreak"
  17. "Fantasy"
  18. "Always Be My Baby"
  19. "Make It Happen"
Encore
  2. "Vision of Love"
  3. "Hero"
  4. "Butterfly Reprise"

Shows

Date
CityCountryVenueAttendance
Revenue
July 26Las VegasUnited StatesColosseum at Caesars Palace
July 29ChicagoUnited StatesUnited Center
August 1St. LouisUnited StatesFox Theatre
August 3ClevelandUnited StatesThe Scene Center
August 5ColumbiaUnited StatesMerriweather Post Pavilion
August 7TorontoCanadaSears Theater
August 10MorrisonUnited StatesRed Rocks Amphitheatre
August 13ConcordUnited StatesChronicle Pavilion
August 15San DiegoUnited StatesSDSU Open Air Theatre
August 18Los AngelesUnited StatesUniversal Amphitheatre
August 21Los AngelesUnited StatesUniversal Amphitheatre
August 23PhoenixUnited StatesDodge Theatre
August 26Grand PrairieUnited StatesNextStage Theatre
August 28The WoodlandsUnited StatesThe Woodlands Pavilion
August 30OrlandoUnited StatesBob Carr Performing Arts Center
September 1Fort LauderdaleUnited StatesAu-Rene Theater
September 3TampaUnited StatesCarol Morsani Hall
September 6MashantucketUnited StatesFoxwoods Resort Casino
September 8BostonUnited StatesWang Theatre
September 10Upper Darby TownshipUnited StatesTower Theater
September 12WallingfordUnited StatesOakdale Theatre
September 14CincinnatiUnited StatesU.S. Bank Arena
September 18New York CityUnited StatesRadio City Music Hall5,922 / 5,922$426,945
September 20Atlantic CityUnited StatesMark Etess Arena
September 23ManchesterUnited StatesVerizon Wireless Arena4,531 / 6,715$305,775

Date
CityCountryVenueAttendance
Revenue
September 27MoscowRussiaState Kremlin Palace
September 29MoscowRussiaState Kremlin Palace
October 2Saint PetersburgRussiaIce Palace
October 5StockholmSwedenGloben Arena
October 8RotterdamNetherlandsSportpaleis van Ahoy
October 10HamburgGermanyColor Line Arena
October 13BerlinGermanyMax-Schmeling-Halle
October 16MunichGermanyOlympiahalle
October 19ViennaAustriaWiener Stadthalle
October 22ZürichSwitzerlandHallenstadion
October 25GlasgowScotlandScottish Exhibition Hall 4
October 28BirminghamEnglandNational Exhibition Centre
October 30LondonEnglandWembley Arena
November 1ManchesterEnglandManchester Evening News Arena
November 4ParisFrancePalais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
November 7MilanItalyFila Forum

Date
CityCountryVenueAttendance
Revenue
December 9PortlandUnited StatesArlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
December 10SeattleUnited StatesMcCaw Hall
December 12San JoseUnited StatesHP Pavilion5,508 / 5,508$303,943
December 15Santa BarbaraUnited StatesArlington Theatre
December 17Los AngelesUnited StatesUniversal Amphitheater5,614 / 5,769$302,675
December 19TucsonUnited StatesTucson Arena
December 20Las VegasUnited StatesTheatre for the Performing Arts
December 22Costa MesaUnited StatesOrange County Performing Arts Center

Personnel

  • Randy Jackson – musical director
  • Lionel Cole - piano, keyboards
  • Eric Daniels – keyboards
  • Sam Sims - bass
  • Vernon Black – guitar
  • Gregory "Gigi" Gonoway – drums
  • Trey Lorenz – background vocals
  • Mary Ann Tatum – background vocals
  • Sherry Tatum - background vocals
  • Takeytha Johnson – background vocals