Dates:
-1st leg [September 7, 1996 - January 4, 1997]
-2nd leg [May 31, 1997 - October 15, 1997]

The "HIStory" tour spanned the globe with stops in 56 cities, 35 countries on 5 continents, and included 82 concerts to about 4.5 million loving fans.

Michael Jackson's "HIStory" World Tour was the biggest world tour any [!] performer had ever done!!!

There are 160 people working on the Michael Jackson "HIStory" World Tour. In every city another 200 professional stage hands and 200 security officers are hired locally.

The logistics for such a huge show require an almost military-style organisation! In any given week, three different stages are either up, going up or coming down. Moving the custom designed steel and scaffolding requires 7 trucks per stage each weighing 200 tons which takes 3 days to build, 24 hour to set up the elements of the show [backline, lights, sound, band gear, pyro, video] and 24 hours to de-rig. Once built, the set weighs 550 tons. A further 22 trucks carry the backline, sound, lights, rigging, video, pyrotechnics and band gear. That's a total of 43 trucks carrying 1'200 tons of equipment!

There are 14 people working the lights who are controlling about 1'000 fixtures and assorted equipment under the direction of Michael Keller, the lighting director. The whole system uses about 35 kilometres of cable and weighs 3'200kg. It takes 5 trucks to transport all the equipment, and load in of the lighting system takes about 8 hours the day before the show, with all fixtures getting individually focused after dark.

The sound system, designed by Clair Bros Audio, consists of 150 S-4 cabinets totalling 400'000 watts of power and weighing 30 tons. There are also 50 sub low cabinets specially designed to create a sensoround effect. The sound engineer, Trip Khalaf has worked with Madonna, Steely Dan and Queen.

The stage was built by UK based Edwin Shirley Staging, who transmitted by computer graphics back to England any changes and modifications needed for construction of the stages during the rehearsals held in L.A.

Pyrotechnics are an important element of the show, 4 people handle over 500 shots a night, the noise effects are comparable to a TNT explosion bringing down a 3 storey building. For Pyritz, the company who have worked on every Michael Jackson tour, safety is of prime concern, and their safety record proves it. The stage may well look like it's totally destroyed, but no damage actually occurs.

Michael Jackson travels with his own television studio provided by Nocturne Productions. 4 broadcast cameras capture Michael's every move on stage transmitting them to 2 large Jumbotron screens flanking the stage on either side. Directed by Paul Becher, the screens enable the audience to see every detail of what's happening on the stage no matter where they are sitting. The video portion of the show include a computer generated opening specially made for each city, while certain scenic elements are played back on a moving Jumbotron over the stage.

When asked what satisfies him most, Chris Lamb, the production manager, in charge of every aspect of putting on the biggest show on earth, says it very succintly: "It's hearing the thunderous applause of the audience on the first night and then hearing it again and again at every show."

1,4 million people went to the Michael Jackson HIStory tour which started in Prague on September 7, 1996. A further 2 million people are expected to come during the second leg of the tour which started in Bremen on 31st May 1997, and sales of tickets in Germany alone have already reached 500,000...