Janet World Tour

Development

Costumes and wardrobe for the tour were designed by stylist Tanya Gill, with outfits "rang[ing] from pipebone vests with high-heeled moccasin boots to zoot suits top-hats to circus-ringmaster bustiers." With a show encompassing over 100 costumes, a team of over 50 costume makers was led by wardrobe supervisor Helen Hiatt.

Promotion

MTV promoted the Janet World Tour with a one-hour special in Jackson's honor, "hosted by MTV VJs Bill Bellamy and John Norris, [which featured] performance highlights, interviews with Jackson and her dancers, and behind-the-scenes production and rehearsal footage." MTV publicist Jennifer Barner stated the channel wanted to give extensive coverage to Jackson's opening concert in Cincinnati, "because it is such a big tour and she's really, really hot now." Despite heavy anticipation for the tour, news media were discouraged from attending opening night, which was seen as a dress rehearsal. A spokeswoman for the tour stated "[w]e really don't want a lot of out-of-town media" even though music critic Rick Bird observed "[n]ormally, such an important tour opening would be attended by pop-music media and paparazzi from around the world. However, Bird also noted a low-key premier was a strategic move for Jackson and her management, "since the complicated high-tech dance show will likely have some bugs to be worked out before it plays in larger media centers. And, given the adverse publicity the Jackson family is facing these days, the low-key opening night may indeed be the best strategy."

Critical reception

Prior to the tour's launch, the Los Angeles Sentinel commented on the anticipation surrounding Jackson's return, stating: "Her first-ever concert tour in 1990 was the most successful premiere tour by any artist in pop music history. And now, amid great anticipation, Janet Jackson is set to return to the concert trail with her world tour in connection with her already triple platinum-plus 'janet' album ... The tour promises to be an innovative feast of sight and sound, a theatrical experience with spectacular choreography, staging and lighting." Lenny Stoute in the Toronto Star gave a positive review to her performance at the SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, stating that "as she'd done with the tour opener in Cincinnati Wednesday, it was a superb production that came with an emotional subtext." Commenting on the highly athletic and sexually provocative performances of such songs as "If", "What Have You Done for Me Lately" and "Nasty", he states: "This pelvic-thrusting, butt-wiggling, lip-licking high-energy temptress is a long way from the cute 'n' chubby girl next door of her previous Rhythm Nation tour. And she came equipped with the tough dance moves, firm muscles and seven costume changes to emphasize the difference."

In December, 1993, the Jackson had a five-day engagement in New York City at Madison Square Garden, which saw its last concert on New Year's Eve. Jon Pareles of The New York Times stated: "The video-age arena spectacle is in good hands with Janet Jackson. Her current tour, which started a four-night run at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, piles on the production values: music, dancers, costumes, moving sets, video, lights, fireworks, everything but confetti and balloons." He criticized the fact that the concert seemed overtly calculated, leaving little room for spontaneity. However, he compared her musical diversity favorably to other pop icons such as Prince, Madonna and her brother Michael. In reference to her vocal capabilities, Pareles comments that "[l]ike many other video-promoted singers, Ms. Jackson doesn't have a big voice ... But Ms. Jackson is a stronger vocalist than she was when she last toured, three years ago."

According to Andy Smith of the Providence Journal, "Jackson and company created a sensory overload of lights, dancers, video, fireworks, explosions, costumes and sets ... The music was competently performed, but this was a concert for the age of MTV, more satisfying to the eye than the ear." Although he believed she gave a well performed production, he felt she lacked the stage presence of rivals such as Madonna and Tina Turner. Greg Kot of Rolling Stone wrote: "If a performance can be faulted for being too well-rehearsed and too tautly paced, this was certainly an example ... Small of voice and slight of stature, Jackson seems more at home in a Fame-style ensemble than she does as a larger-than-life performer. Yet it's exactly that quality that makes her so endearing. Despite her impressive string of musical successes, Jackson still acts like the members of her audience." Roberta Fusaro of the Telegram & Gazette, who reviewed her performance at the Worcester Centrum stated that Jackson "has shown incredible improvement as a performer since her Rhythm Nation tour ... specifically her dancing and her working of the crowd. She still lacks some of the spontaneity that could raise the level of her concerts from good ones to damn memorable ones, but Janet seemed pretty comfortable on stage last night in front of an all-forgiving near sold-out crowd, commanding the boards like a cross between Tina Turner and Madonna at some points."

In reviewing her concert at the San Jose Arena, Michael Snyder of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote: "That once-blurry line between stadium-size pop music concerts and full-scale theatrical extravaganzas ... is completely eradicated." Citing her tightly choreographed performance, Snyder comments "[h]er theatrical inclinations elevated the concert at San Jose, but some of the music was truncated in the service of the production." Giving his opinion that Jackson proved to be a better performer than singer, he likened her concert to productions by Broadway theatre and Cirque du Soleil. Karla Peterson of The San Diego Union-Tribune remarked: "Expertly designed, energetically choreographed, and engagingly performed by the large group of musicians and dancers, the 100-minute show ... had everything you'd expect from a pop pro of Jackson's stature." Despite criticism that the show appeared overly structured, Peterson expressed: "To criticize Janet Jackson for cranking out a pre-programmed block of hits is like criticizing a cat for sleeping all day. It is simply what she does, and with the exception of Madonna, Jackson does this high-concept schtick better than anybody. She is a sharp dancer, an appealing performer, and as "That's the Way Love Goes" proves—an ace pop-song writer." Renee Graham of The Boston Globe commented that "Jackson is not so much a singer as a performer and entertainer, more concerned with the visual presentation than scintillating vocals."

Setlist

1. "If"
2. Medley: "What Have You Done for Me Lately" / "Nasty"
3. "Let's Wait Awhile"
4. "Come Back To Me"¹
5. "Throb"
6. Whimsical Medley: "When I Think of You" / "Escapade" / "Miss You Much"
7. "Love Will Never Do (Without You)"
8. "Alright"
9. "What'll I Do"
10. "Any Time, Any Place"
11. "Where Are You Now"¹
12. "Again"
13. "And On and On"²
14. "Black Cat"⁴
15. "Rhythm Nation"
16. "This Time"
17. "That's the Way Love Goes"
18. "New Agenda"¹

19. "Because of Love"
20. "You Want This"³
21. "Whoops Now"⁵

¹ Only performed in a few early performances
² Only performed in a few last dates of summer leg due to the song's fame at the time, replacing "Black Cat"
³ Only performed on Australian leg and summer US leg
⁴ Not performed at open venues during summer US leg
⁵ Only performed on European leg

Opening acts

The band

Miscellaneous