Return to Love Tour

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Return to Love Tour
Tour by Diana Ross, The Supremes
Start date June 16, 2000
End date August 3, 2000
Legs 1
Number of shows 29 (14 played, 15 cancelled)
Diana Ross, The Supremes concert chronology

The Return to Love Tour was a 2000 concert tour by American singing group Diana Ross and the Supremes.

Origins

In 1999, Diana Ross released her final album on Motown Records, Every Day is a New Day. According to Ross (featured in an interview with Barbara Walters), Scott Sanders, a close friend of Ross', suggested adding an entire Supremes segment to her promotional concert tour for the then-new album in which she would perform full versions of the hits she recorded when she was with the Supremes. The idea developed into an entire show of Supremes songs which would reunite Ross with her former singing partners, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong, as well as tour for the first time with all of the women who became Supremes following Ross' departure in January, 1970, Jean Terrell, Susaye Greene, Scherrie Payne and Lynda Laurence. Ross approached Arthur Fogel, head of concert promotions for TNA/SFX(now Live Nation Entertainment), who, reportedly, agreed. In the fall and winter of 1999, Ross contacted all of the group's former members, placing them in contact with TNA/SFX, then left negotiations between the artists, their agents and TNA/SFX. Upon contacting TNA/SFX, Wilson's initial queries regarded her salary.

Negotiations

Negotiations began to crumble when Wilson was told that she would have no input into the show and was offered at first $500,000 and then later increased to $2 million. Wilson, who felt herself, Ross and Birdsong should be paid equally and have equal input into the show, did not accept the first offer. Ross agreed to add an additional $2 million from her own personal finances to the $2 million that TNA/SFX proposed to Wilson for a total of $4 million. Ross stipulated that all of the others artists' fees were guaranteed, meaning they'd receive the full amount of their contracts, regardless of how many performances actually took place. Birdsong was offered less than $1 million (most likely the $500,000 that Wilson was originally offered as well) for the tour whereas Ross was to receive a percentage of the profits from the tour. Wilson erroneously stated Ross was to receive between $15 to 20 million when, in fact, Ross, as the tour's co-producer, was receiving $500,000 per night from TNA/SFX to cover the tour's expenses. When the expenses exceeded the allotment, Ross covered the overages.

Wilson's final offer of $4 million and Birdsong's offer of $1 million came with a deadline of early 2000 (in order to begin production of the sets, costume fittings, hiring of staff, etc., and an on-schedule commencement of the tour). Birdsong had aligned herself with Wilson regarding the negotiations. Wilson did respond to the final offer; however was told "the train had left the station." The deadline passed. Wilson and Birdsong were now no longer in negotiations with the tour. With Wilson and Birdsong no longer participating in the tour, Ross began to question whether to continue the tour. Berry Gordy, after being contacted by Ross for advice, reportedly told her to continue "if it's something she'd have fun doing". She decided to continue. TNA/SFX approached Laurence and Payne, both of whom tour the European cabaret circuit with their show, "Former Ladies of the Supremes", who agreed to participate in the tour. Payne and Laurence performed much of the post-Ross Supremes material in solo sets in the show.

Tour

Ross, Laurence, and Payne announced the tour at a press conference in New York City's Grand Central Terminal, during which Ross stated that all former Supremes were welcomed to join the tour. The trio appeared and performed together on American television programs, including Oprah, The Today Show, The View and VH1's Divas Live 2000: A Tribute To Diana Ross. The tour commenced on April 14, 2000 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Spectrum Arena to positive reviews. The Philadelphia Inquirer called the concert "a smashing success". The performance was sold out as was the tour's final performance at New York City's Madison Square Garden.

Ticket sales for the tour were brisk in large markets (New York, Philadelphia, etc.) but slower in smaller markets. As part of its Opening Night series, cable channel VH1 aired the tour's opening night's first three songs footage.

After playing fourteen dates of its 30 scheduled dates, the tour was canceled by TNA/SFX, disappointed by the tour's slow ticket sales, many of which were priced at $255 for near-stage orchestra seats, nearly double what is charged for solo Diana Ross tickets in the same area. The $255 ticket was the original price TNA/SFX was going to charge for the Ross, Wilson and Birdsong reunion.

Set list

Tour dates

Date City Country Venue
North America
June 14, 2000 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania United States First Union Spectrum
June 16, 2000 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Mellon Arena
June 19, 2000 Auburn Hills, Michigan The Palace of Auburn Hills
June 20, 2000 Columbus, Ohio Schottenstein Center
June 22, 2000 Atlanta, Georgia Philips Arena
June 24, 2000 Tampa, Florida Ice Palace
June 25, 2000 Sunrise, Florida National Car Rental Center
June 28, 2000 Houston, Texas Compaq Center
June 29, 2000 Dallas, Texas Reunion Arena
July 1, 2000 Rosemont, Illinois Allstate Arena
July 3, 2000 Montreal, Quebec Canada Molson Centre
July 4, 2000 Toronto, Ontario Air Canada Centre
July 6, 2000 New York City, New York United States Madison Square Garden
July 7, 2000 Wantagh, New York Jones Beach Amphitheatre (cancelled)
July 9, 2000 Washington, D.C. MCI Center (cancelled)
July 10, 2000 Cleveland, Ohio Gund Arena (cancelled)
July 12, 2000 Hartford, Connecticut Hartford Civic Center (cancelled)
July 13, 2000 Boston, Massachusetts Fleet Center (cancelled)
July 14, 2000 Atlantic City, New Jersey Mark G. Etess Arena (cancelled)
July 16, 2000 Milwaukee, Wisconsin Bradley Center (cancelled)
July 17, 2000 St. Louis, Missouri Kiel Center (cancelled)
July 19, 2000 Minneapolis, Minnesota Target Center (cancelled)
July 21, 2000 Denver, Colorado Pepsi Center (cancelled)
July 24, 2000 Seattle, Washington KeyArena (cancelled)
July 25, 2000 Portland, Oregon Rose Garden Arena (cancelled)
July 28, 2000 San Jose, California San Jose Arena (cancelled)
August 2, 2000 San Diego, California San Diego Sports Arena (cancelled)
August 3, 2000 Anaheim, California Arrowhead Pond (cancelled)
August 5, 2000 Paradise, Nevada MGM Grand Garden Arena (cancelled)

References

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Return_to_Love_Tour&oldid=717803495"