Daydream World Tour

Daydream World Tour
General information
Associated album	Daydream
Start date	March 7, 1996
End date	June 23, 1996
Legs	2
Shows	7
Tours Chronology
Music Box Tour
Daydream World Tour
Butterfly World Tour

The Daydream World Tour was Mariah's second concert tour and first world tour in support of her sixth studio album Daydream, which was released on October 23, 1995. The tour took place during early to mid-1996 and kicked-off at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on March 7, 1996, and ended at London, England's Wembley Arena on June 23, 1996.

The Daydream World Tour was Carey's last major tour until 1998, when she embarked on the Butterfly World Tour in support of her album of the same name. The tour remains a significant moment in Carey's career, showcasing her abilities as a live performer and her continued success as one of the biggest pop stars of the 1990s.

History

The Daydream World Tour was Carey's second tour (following the U.S. Music Box Tour in 1993), and her first tour to have dates out of the United States. The tour was held in support of her new album at the time, Daydream; the album had generated three of Carey's nineteen number one singles ("Fantasy," "One Sweet Day," and "Always Be My Baby"), became her second album to sell in excess of ten million copies in the US, and is one of her most critically acclaimed albums. It was also held to promote the album across Europe and Asia (specifically Japan). The tour is her fourth shortest tour to date, with the shortest being the Triumphant Tour.

This tour established Carey's concert-going fan base in Japan; many of her subsequent tours would also visit that country, a regularity unusual for an American artist.

The show

The stage for the tour was nothing short of spectacular and perhaps one of the largest she had ever performed on. The stage was designed to perfection, consisting of three distinct sections that left the audience in awe. The first section was the center stage, where the band and backup singers were situated on two platforms. The center stage also had a curved staircase to the right and a set of stairs in the center, both leading to the elevated center platform where Carey would often stand. The stage's centerpiece was a giant screen at the center, along with a massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and a cylindrical cage that could be moved aside when not needed. The cylindrical cage had an elevating platform in the middle, and Carey would make her grand entrance from within it, setting the tone for the rest of the show. The left and right flanks of the stage were similar, featuring long runways that extended outward in opposite directions. The walls were giant screens that changed colors throughout the show, creating a mesmerizing ambiance. At the end of each runway were smaller screens, allowing the audience to see Carey's performance up close.

The concert kicked off with a bang as Mariah Carey descended onto the stage on an elevating platform, with "Daydream Interlude (Sweet Fantasy Dub Mix)" playing in the background. The crowd went wild as Carey ad-libbed the song's lyrics in a hushed tone over the microphone. As the cage doors opened, the lights flickered on and off rapidly, creating an electric atmosphere that set the tone for the night.

Without skipping a beat, the band launched into "Emotions," with Carey delivering a passionate rendition of the classic hit. But just when the audience thought they knew what to expect, Carey surprised them by performing her own take on the Journey classic "Open Arms," showcasing her versatility as an artist. Carey then transitioned to "Forever," her then-current single, and moved over to the set of stairs on the right side of the center stage. In a move that caught fans off guard, she belted out "I Don't Wanna Cry," a song she rarely sings in her concerts. The audience was captivated by Carey's emotive performance, which showcased her dynamic vocal range. As the song came to an end, Carey slipped offstage to change into her next outfit, while the band continued playing an instrumental version of the song. The crowd was left buzzing with excitement, eager to see what Carey had in store for the rest of the show.

The concert was brought back to life by a soft, almost sci-fi sounding music that combined synths and chimes. The crowd quickly recognized the familiar tune as an extended version of the intro to Mariah Carey's lead single from Daydream, "Fantasy." Carey captivated the audience with her rendition of the original version of the song, showing off her vocal prowess and stage presence. A group of dancers soon joined Carey on stage, adding an extra element of energy to the already electrifying performance. The dancers used the same moves seen in the song's iconic music video, creating a visually stunning performance that left the audience spellbound. After the performance, Carey spoke briefly with the audience, sharing her infectious energy and enthusiasm with the crowd. She encouraged them to sing along with her during the next song, "Always Be My Baby." Carey then taught the audience the iconic "Do Do Doop" part of the song, initiating a competition between the different sections of the stadium on who could sing it the loudest. The crowd roared with excitement, as Carey left the stage once again to change outfits.

The lights in the arena dimmed, setting a somber mood with a dark blue and purple color scheme. On the giant screen, stock footage of Boyz II Men from the Fantasy: Mariah Carey at Madison Square Garden concert in October 1995 appeared, and the band began playing "One Sweet Day." Due to scheduling conflicts between Carey and Boyz II Men, the latter could not join her on tour. As a result, during the song at all the concerts, Boyz II Men's parts from the album cut were played over the speakers, and footage of them appeared on the center screen while Carey continued to sing live. After the emotional performance, the curtains fell, and Carey moved on to sing her "favorite song from the new album," "Underneath the Stars," showcasing her unique vocal range and command over the stage. This was followed by her rendition of the Badfinger classic "Without You," a song that had become a staple of her live performances. To wrap up this section of the show, Carey was then joined on stage by the Chapel of Hope Choir for a powerful rendition of "Make it Happen." The performance was truly magical, as Carey's voice blended seamlessly with the choir's, creating an unforgettable experience for the audience.

As the song came to an end, the atmosphere in the arena was electric, with fans cheering and applauding as Carey exited the stage once again. The anticipation in the air was palpable, with everyone wondering what the next act would bring.

Suddenly, the lights flickered on, and a pop/rock instrumental filled the arena, as a single dancer appeared and began showcasing his breakdancing skills. He was soon joined by a group of other talented performers, and then, to the thunderous applause of the audience, Carey herself took to the stage. The opening chords of The SOS Band's classic hit "Just Be Good to Me" filled the arena, and Carey began to sing with all the soul and passion. The crowd was in raptures, swaying and singing along to every word. As the song drew to a close, Carey launched into her iconic hit "Dreamlover," which was met with a roar of approval from the crowd. With her incredible voice and high-energy performance, Carey had the entire audience on their feet, dancing and singing along with her. As the song ended, Carey once again left the stage for one final costume change, leaving the audience breathless with excitement and anticipation for the show's grand finale.

A familiar synth intro started playing, and Carey began singing her first single, "Vision of Love" as she appeared at the top of the winding staircase. She continued singing as she slowly made her way down the stairs. Once the song was over, she sang her signature song, "Hero." The last song of the show, "Anytime You Need a Friend," she dedicated to the audience. She was accompanied once again by the Chapel of Hope choir, and started off with the album version. She then surprised the audience by transitioning into the more upbeat "C&C Remix" version of the song, and she exited the stage via the spiraling staircase, while the choir, band, and dancers continued the song, thus ending the concert.

During the Tokyo Dome concerts, following the performance of "Anytime You Need a Friend," Carey returned to the stage for one last encore by performing her biggest Japanese hit, "All I Want for Christmas is You" specially for her Japanese fans. Footage of the home video version of the music video played, while she wore the red dress and go-go boots from the back and white 1960s music video. She exited the stage through the elevator cage, ending the concert with one last kiss to her fans over the microphone.

Analysis

Show

On March 7, 1996 Mariah took the stage in Tokyo for the first time.  Japanese audiences had a reputation for being reserved, but they quite openly adored her. For Mariah, though, it was nerve-racking at first. “First of all, you’re in front of so many people that basically don’t speak your language,” she said on MTV’s “Week in Rock,” adding “It took a little getting used to, but I think by the end of the show, you know, everybody started to kind of relax.” She even managed to rouse the crowd enough to sing along to “Always Be My Baby.” The stage show, which took as its basis the Madison Square Garden concert that had been edited down for the Fantasy home video, began with "Daydream Interlude (Fantasy Sweet Dub Mix)" as the dancers moved around onstage, setting the scene for Mariah’s entrance, and her first song of the evening, “Emotions.” Then she went into two ballads, “Forever” and “I Don’t Wanna Cry,” before lightening the mood with “Fantasy” and “Always Be My Baby.” Then, as she changed costumes, the background singers got a chance to shine on Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody,” before Mariah reemerged to perform “One Sweet Day,” with the video backdrop of Boyz II Men from the Madison Square Garden show. After that, she sang “Underneath the Stars,” “Without You,” and “Make It Happen,” before going into her second cover song of the evening (one she hadn’t recorded, but had used on her previous American tour): the SOS Band’s “Just Be Good to Me.” Then it was “Dreamlover” and the dancers’ turn in the spotlight, as the “Fantasy” remix played, and the video was shown on the giant screens that flanked the stage (ensuring that everyone could see Mariah). The final section of the show began with “Vision of Love,” building through “Hero,” to climax with “Anytime You Need a Friend,” which went straight into its Clivilles and Cole remix version. Mariah also performed All I Want For Christmas is You during her encore.

Break and Show 4-7

After Japan came a break, until the late spring and early summer—late May and June—when she toured Europe, playing England, France, Holland, and Germany

Set list

1. Opening Interlude: (Fantasy Sweet Dub Mix)
2. "Emotions"
3. "Open Arms"
4. "Forever"
5. "I Don't Wanna Cry"
6. "Fantasy"
7. "Always Be My Baby"
8. "One Sweet Day" (with pre-recorded Boyz II Men)
9. "Underneath the Stars"
10. "Without You"
11. "Make It Happen"
12. "Just Be Good to Me"
13. "Dreamlover"
14. "Vision of Love"
15. "Hero"
16. "Anytime You Need a Friend" (Album Version / C&C Remix)
17. "All I Want For Christmas Is You" (encore) (performed only in Japan)

Tour dates

Asia
Date	City	Country	Venue
March 7, 1996	Tokyo	Japan	Tokyo Dome
March 10, 1996	Tokyo	Japan	Tokyo Dome
March 14, 1996	Tokyo	Japan	Tokyo Dome
Europe
Date	City	Country	Venue
June 14, 1996	Frankfurt	Germany	Festhalle
June 17, 1996	Rotterdam	Netherlands	Ahoy' Rotterdam
June 20, 1996	Paris	France	Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
June 23, 1996	London	England	Wembley Arena

Broadcasts and recordings

• The performance of "Forever" at the Tokyo Dome is the official music video for that song. The video took footage from the performance, and is intercut with black and white footage of Carey exploring Japan that was handpicked by Mariah herself.
• Carey announced during the Ahoy' Rotterdam concert that the performance of "Underneath the Stars" was going to be the official music video for the song, but that video never came to fruition.
• The performances from "Fantasy," "Always Be My Baby," "Underneath the Stars," "Make it Happen, "Dreamlover," "Hero," and "Anytime You Need a Friend" from the Tokyo Dome concert were used in the 1996 FOX special "Mariah Carey: New York to Tokyo."