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What could the setlist for a thriller tour have been?

filmandmusic

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I’m just going to follow the bad tour blueprint

1) wanna be startin something
2) heartbreak hotel
3) off the wall
4) she’s out of my life
5) the girl is mine
6) Motown medley
7) human nature
8) rock with you
9) PYT
10) working day and night
11) don’t stop till you get enough
11) thriller
12) beat it
13) billie jean
14) the lady in my life
15) shake your body

and if it would be stretched into 1985 we are the world would take the place of shake your body
 
a ‘thriller’ tour would probably follow the ‘victory’ blueprint seeing how they’re both of the same era, and the ‘thriller’ songs made up most of the new material that was performed.

I love the idea of the tour stretching to ‘85 💜in my fantasy, he would perform here in the uk 🇬🇧 at the same time he came to see his waxwork at madam tussaud’s. 💡

hopefully he could’ve worked out a compromise with the jehovah’s witnesses where he could do the song ‘thriller’. I’ve spent so much time trying to come up with the perfect set list. I know I’ll change my mind after at some point lol 😆 here’s a rough idea of what I have now:

‘michael jackson thriller concert (march 1985 wembley stadium)’

1. ‘wanna be startin somethin’
2. ‘say say say’ (solo)
3. ‘p.y.t (pretty young thing)
4. ‘human nature’
5. ‘don’t stop til you get enough’
6. ‘off the wall’
7. ‘rock with you’
8. ‘heartbreak hotel’
9. ‘somebody’s watching me’/‘thriller’
10. ‘farewell my summer love’
11. ‘ease on down the road (duet with diana ross)
12. ‘beat it’
13. ‘billie jean’
14. ‘we are the world’

I chose to focus on solo songs outside of the jacksons/j5 (except one), and less on ballads (though there are some). it’s all about the hits, including some that had never been performed before. 14 songs were standard at that point. no filler.
 
The tour would have consisted of six continents (except Antarctica) and he would have performed in UK, USA, Canada, Australia, the West Indies, Venezuela, Colombia, Lebanon, UAE, Puerto Rico, Morocco, Japan, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, South Korea, New Zealand, West Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Romania, Italy, France, Sweden, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Taiwan, Turkey, Greece, Philippines, Ireland, Czechoslovakia, Israel, Spain, Malaysia, India, Tunisia, Egypt, Yugoslavia, Poland, Brunei, Luxembourg, Estonia, Finland, Thailand, Singapore, Israel, USSR, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Romania, Argentina etc. it would have been a good idea and this tour would have boosted MJ’s popularity in these regions during Thriller era.
 
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He would and could have played Yamaha electric piano, guitar, and drums on some of the tour’s setlist.
 
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@mjfanatic777 said:
that would be cool to see! imagine him playing the guitar and dancing a little bit and also singing! that'd be something!
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This would have been the first time that Michael had played instruments (piano, guitar, drums) on stage and also his first solo world tour. He would've also played the piano, guitar, and drum solos on stage too.
 
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MJ really should have went on a solo Thriller tour instead of Victory. He should have never let himself get dragged into doing another tour with his brothers.

Anyway, he should have just performed his solo songs and a few Jacksons songs.

1. Wanna Be Starting Something
2. Don't Stop Til You Get Enough
3. Working Day and Night
4. Things I Do For You
5. This Place Hotel
6. Off the Wall
7. She's Out of My Life
8. Rock with You
9. Baby Be Mine
10. PYT (Pretty Young Thing)
11. Human Nature
12. Beat It
13. Billie Jean
14. The Lady in My Life
15. Encore: Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) and Lovely One
 
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I would have loved it if he performed the whole album, from the first track to the last. I know that's not at all what MJ would have done. But I would have liked it.

  1. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
  2. Baby Be Mine
  3. The Girl Is Mine
  4. Thriller
  5. Beat It
  6. Billie Jean
  7. Human Nature
  8. P.Y.T.
  9. The Lady In My Life
 
Sophia2023 said:
The tour would have consisted of six continents (except Antarctica) and he would have performed in UK, USA, Canada, Australia, the West Indies, Venezuela, Colombia, Lebanon, UAE, Puerto Rico, Morocco, Japan, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, South Korea, New Zealand, West Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Romania, Italy, France, Sweden, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Taiwan, Turkey, Greece, Philippines, Ireland, Czechoslovakia, Israel, Spain, Malaysia, India, Tunisia, Egypt, Yugoslavia, Poland, Brunei, Luxembourg, Estonia, Finland, Thailand, Singapore, Israel, USSR, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Romania, Argentina etc. it would have been a good idea and this tour would have boosted MJ’s popularity in these regions during Thriller era.
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Wow,interesting idea.I'm sure that this would have boosted Thriller's popularity even more,as you said.
Just imagine:
1983:The legendary Motown 25 ''Billie Jean'' performance coupled with the impressive success of the ''Billie Jean'' and ''Beat It'' music videos on MTV.
1983 (later in the year)/1984:The release of the classic ''Thriller'' music video coupled with Michael winning 8 Grammy Awards in the same night and all for the same album all togheter,in late February '84.
1984/1985:His first ever solo tour would have happened,which would have extended into a world tour that would have lasted well into 1985,adding therefore the ''We are the world'' smash hit into the set-list. I suppose that the hype for a solo ''Thriller World Tour'' would have been greater than the ''Michael-Mania'' that happened during the ''Bad Tour'',to be honest.I can't help but wonder,how would the sales of ''Thriller" look like in such a scenario?
 
PurpleThriller said:
Wow,interesting idea.I'm sure that this would have boosted Thriller's popularity even more,as you said.
Just imagine:
1983:The legendary Motown 25 ''Billie Jean'' performance coupled with the impressive success of the ''Billie Jean'' and ''Beat It'' music videos on MTV.
1983 (later in the year)/1984:The release of the classic ''Thriller'' music video coupled with Michael winning 8 Grammy Awards in the same night and all for the same album all togheter,in late February '84.
1984/1985:His first ever solo tour would have happened,which would have extended into a world tour that would have lasted well into 1985,adding therefore the ''We are the world'' smash hit into the set-list. I suppose that the hype for a solo ''Thriller World Tour'' would have been greater than the ''Michael-Mania'' that happened during the ''Bad Tour'',to be honest.I can't help but wonder,how would the sales of ''Thriller" look like in such a scenario?
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Thriller sales would have been up to 100 million in the world and 50 million in the USA.
 
1. Wanna Be Starting Something
2. Off The Wall
3. Lovely One
4. Human Nature
5. Heartbreak Hotel
6. She's Out of My Life
7. Jackson 5 Medley
8. Rock With You
9. PYT
10. Working Day and Night
11. Beat It
12. Billie Jean
13. Thriller
14. Shake Your Body Down To The Ground / Don't Stop Til You Get Enough

I think Thriller Tour setlist would have been very similar to setlist of the 1987 leg of the Bad Tour. The only surprise would have been the inclusion of PYT.
 
my fantasy wenbley ‘85 concert would be sponsored by ribena 💜

however, I’ve changed my mind regarding the set list (I knew I would lol 😆). I realised that I selected some songs that I felt he should sing, when I didn’t actually like them as much as my favourites. still undecided. will return when I figure it out. can’t imagine how stressful this must have been for michael.
 
Depends on when it was played, had he gone out on the road say in late 1982, it may have been low key and almost Chitlin circuit like Pricne's triple threat tour before LRC broke in March 1983.

My setlist say for a mid 1983 show

1. DSTYGE
2. Wannabe starting something
3. Get on the Floor
4. Working day and night
5. Human Nature
6. PYT
7. Rock with you
8. She's out of my life
9. Dancing Machine
10. Heartbreak Hotel
11. Girlfriend
12. The Lady in my life
13. Walk right now
14. Thriller

encore
Can You Feel it
Off the wall
Burn this disco out
Billie Jean (Riding high on the charts)

By 1984 this would have changed and be extended out

1. Wannabe starting something
Michael welcomes everyone and starts talking the crowd up, beat starts up and Michael talks about the power of the dance like
"Thank you for coming, I love performing, performing is energy, energy is feeling and the feeling MAkes me wanna dance" - Aoowwwww! and the music starts for ...... DSTYGE
2. DSTYGE
The energy slows down as its ballad time
3. Human Nature
4. Lady in my life
5. Say, say, say
Stage darkens, ET prop rolls out
6. Someone in the dark
Stage darkens, Michael disappears, comes back is sitting by a piano, a spotlight hits him and he starts singing...
7. She's out of my life
Michael gets up in his tux, woman comes out and starts dancing, then couples dance around him while he sings
8. Rock with you
After which Michael grabs a woman and starts singing to her
9. Baby be mine
He stops being polite, rips off the tux revealing his mid 80s jumpsuit and launches into
10. PYT
Intermission - 5 minutes, beats playing, a light show. Stage darkens and the spotlight hits the floor and you see Michaels, shoes, his gloved hand and hat and he starts dancing to
11. Billie Jean opening and soft shoe dancing session, Michael showcases his band and thanks people
Beat continues and a group of dancers dressed as opposing gang members come out and start mimicing the video
12. Beat It
The dancers stop and start reaching their arms towards the air, then a rainbow is beamed up and dancers fan off until 4 or 6 are left and all start backing vocals with Michael, it is revealed in some shows, the dancers are in fact Marlon, Randy, Jermaine, Jackie and Tito, other times it will be backing dancers miming to backing tapes of the brothers.
13. Can u feel it
14. State of Shock/Heartbreak Hotel/Dancing Machine/Torture - extended sequence with Jackson brothers guesting
The brothers fade off, a snake real or false is draped around Michael and a female singer either Diana or a lookalike comes out (Maybe even Latoya or Rebbie).
15. Muscles (Duet with Diana Ross)
Dancers sweep back on stage and Michael begins to tell off the female singer
16. Walk right now
Then on come the dancers dressed as Zombie and Michael starts turning into a werewolf, by verse 3 he is a werewolf, howling in the verses near the end of the song.
17. Thriller (Extended with dancers, talking, strobe lights)
Finale
Lights go dark for 3 minutes, cheers and people screaming for an encore
Michael enters in his black suit and starts dancing with 4 or 5 dancers on a stylised dance floor.
Encore
Off the wall

Billie Jean
 
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I hope Michael Jackson's instrument playing (guitar, keyboards, bass, drums, piano, percussion) will also be incorporated into MJ the Musical if it is revamped. The number of Michael Jackson characters will be increased. Also dialogue with every MJ version will be incorporated. I hope at least one of the songs will be sung by all Michael Jackson characters and "Man in the Mirror" will have to be rearranged. The revamped version will surpass the popularity of the original version. Each version of MJ will have a solo song in the updated musical. New songs will be added and some of the songs will be cut. Any version of Michael Jackson will be added to some of the songs' performers and some of the songs will be replacing some of the other characters with versions of MJ. All these overhaul will be applied to all productions of the show.
@mjfanatic777 said:
Yea!!
Click to expand...
 
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mjprince1976 said:
Depends on when it was played, had he gone out on the road say in late 1982, it may have been low key and almost Chitlin circuit like Pricne's triple threat tour before LRC broke in March 1983.

My setlist say for a mid 1983 show

1. DSTYGE
2. Wannabe starting something
3. Get on the Floor
4. Working day and night
5. Human Nature
6. PYT
7. Rock with you
8. She's out of my life
9. Dancing Machine
10. Heartbreak Hotel
11. Girlfriend
12. The Lady in my life
13. Walk right now
14. Thriller

encore
Can You Feel it
Off the wall
Burn this disco out
Billie Jean (Riding high on the charts)

By 1984 this would have changed and be extended out

1. Wannabe starting something
Michael welcomes everyone and starts talking the crowd up, beat starts up and Michael talks about the power of the dance like
"Thank you for coming, I love performing, performing is energy, energy is feeling and the feeling MAkes me wanna dance" - Aoowwwww! and the music starts for ...... DSTYGE
2. DSTYGE
The energy slows down as its ballad time
3. Human Nature
4. Lady in my life
5. Say, say, say
Stage darkens, ET prop rolls out
6. Someone in the dark
Stage darkens, Michael disappears, comes back is sitting by a piano, a spotlight hits him and he starts singing...
7. She's out of my life
Michael gets up in his tux, woman comes out and starts dancing, then couples dance around him while he sings
8. Rock with you
After which Michael grabs a woman and starts singing to her
9. Baby be mine
He stops being polite, rips off the tux revealing his mid 80s jumpsuit and launches into
10. PYT
Intermission - 5 minutes, beats playing, a light show. Stage darkens and the spotlight hits the floor and you see Michaels, shoes, his gloved hand and hat and he starts dancing to
11. Billie Jean opening and soft shoe dancing session, Michael showcases his band and thanks people
Beat continues and a group of dancers dressed as opposing gang members come out and start mimicing the video
12. Beat It
The dancers stop and start reaching their arms towards the air, then a rainbow is beamed up and dancers fan off until 4 or 6 are left and all start backing vocals with Michael, it is revealed in some shows, the dancers are in fact Marlon, Randy, Jermaine, Jackie and Tito, other times it will be backing dancers miming to backing tapes of the brothers.
13. Can u feel it
14. State of Shock/Heartbreak Hotel/Dancing Machine/Torture - extended sequence with Jackson brothers guesting
The brothers fade off, a snake real or false is draped around Michael and a female singer either Diana or a lookalike comes out (Maybe even Latoya or Rebbie).
15. Muscles (Duet with Diana Ross)
Dancers sweep back on stage and Michael begins to tell off the female singer
16. Walk right now
Then on come the dancers dressed as Zombie and Michael starts turning into a werewolf, by verse 3 he is a werewolf, howling in the verses near the end of the song.
17. Thriller (Extended with dancers, talking, strobe lights)
Finale
Lights go dark for 3 minutes, cheers and people screaming for an encore
Michael enters in his black suit and starts dancing with 4 or 5 dancers on a stylised dance floor.
Encore
Off the wall

Billie Jean
Click to expand...
Michael Jackson would have been playing guitar, piano, keyboards, bass, percussion, and drums for the first time on stage because it would have been a solo concert tour. His musicianship skills would have even improved during solos. It would have been the greatest show in history. He would also have dance and sing.
 
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I wonder why they didn't perform can you feel it on the victory tour
 
A realistic setlist probably would be

1. Wanna Be Startin Somethin
2. Things I Do For You
3. Off The Wall
4. Human Nature
5. Heartbreak Hotel
6. She's Out Of My Life
7. Jackson 5 Medley
8. Rock With You
9. Lovely One
10. Thriller
11. Don't Stop Til You Get Enough
12. Working Day And Night
13. Beat It
14. Billie Jean
15. Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)
 
Thriller Tour Setlist:

1. Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’
2. Rock with You
3. Show You the Way To Go
4. Heartbreak Hotel
5. Thriller
6. Beat It
7. Billie Jean
8. Human Nature
9. Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough
10. Workin’ Day and Night
11. Off The Wall
12. The Lady in My Life
 
Can You Feel It (Intro)
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin
Things I Do for You
Off the Wall
Baby Be Mine
Human Nature
Heartbreak Hotel
The Lady In My Life
She's Out of My Life
I Want You Back / ABC / Ben
I'll Be There
Rock with You
PYT (Pretty Young Thing)
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
Workin' Day and Night
Beat It
Thriller
- Encores -
Billie Jean
Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)
 
@mjfanatic777 said:
yes!
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Michael Jackson’s instrument playing from the Thriller tour (bass, guitar, piano, keyboards, drums, percussion) would have also been released into the Internet and all forms of DVD, CD etc. Fans would have watched these videos and the whole concerts.
 
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