Tour De Force (tour)
| Tour by Elton John | |
| Start date | 5 November 1986 |
|---|---|
| End date | 14 December 1986 |
| Legs | 1 |
| No. of shows | 28 |
| Elton John concert chronology | |
The Tour De Force Tour was a concert tour by English musician and composer Elton John. The tour consisted in 28 shows scheduled in Australia accompanied with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
Elton’s Tour De Force of Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) was the culmination of months of planning and preparation, as well as some remarkable stamina from the singer, who would have surgery on his vocal cords just three weeks after the final show.
This elaborate and ornate symphonic tour, the first of its kind by a rock star, concluded with 11 nights at the Sydney Entertainment Center. Still with the Onward International Horns, three backing singers, and now two percussionists (with Ray Cooper returning to join Jody Linscott).
The show that John performed was a product of five months of planning and countless rehearsals. It was the first time he had performed in Australia for two years.
The show was set in two halves. The first half would be like any typical Elton John concert with John and his band. The second half of the concert included the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
The concerts consisted of two sets: the first was limited to John and his 14-piece band, including backing vocalists and the Onward International horn section, and his flamboyant stage dress, featuring Mohawk and Tina Turner wigs and some outlandish eyewear; the second featured John, the band and the 88-piece Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, with John dressed more classically in a powdered wig and late 18th-century/mid-19th-century style formal wear.
The shows typically were approximately three hours long and comprised thirty-four songs. The tour ended on 14 December 1986, at Sydney's Sydney Entertainment Centre. In June the following year, Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was released showcasing the best of those shows the previous Australian summer. The music that was released was recorded on 14 December 1986, at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, which was the final show of the tour.
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