# Sleeping with the Past Tour

The Sleeping with the Past Tour was a worldwide concert tour by English musician and composer Elton John, in support of his 22nd studio album, Sleeping with the Past. The tour included a total of three legs (in North America and Oceania) and a total of 74 shows.

## Background

Elton John's album, Sleeping with the Past, received lukewarm reviews when the album was released in 1989.
Despite the critical judgment of the album, it became his highest-selling studio album in the United Kingdom, being certified 3× Platinum and spawned his first solo number-one hit in his home country.
During many of these shows, John performed three or four songs from Sleeping with the Past — an unusual move since the new album would not be released until August, and thus audiences were hearing this material for the first time. Also new to the production was a two-minute show intro, conceived and recorded by Davey Johnstone and Guy Babylon, which played as the band walked out on to the stage, using an alternate arrangement of "Bennie and the Jets" to introduce the show's first song. This technique would be used on several subsequent tours and change depending on what song was chosen as the set opener.
On 18 October 1989 in New Haven, Connecticut, he rushed through his performance rarely talking to the audience. Midway through his concert, he announced he would not perform material from the new album because MCA was not promoting it.
By the time this final leg of the tour would end, John and his band, now with Charlie Morgan on drums, had been on the road almost constantly for two full years. John played 20 dates in six cities in Australia, beginning at the Entertainment Centre in Perth on 27 January 1990, and concluding three weeks later with seven nights at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.
Next came shows in New Zealand on 28 February and 3 March before the tour moved on to America, where he did three shows at the Mark G. Etess Arena in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on 18–20 May. The set list at these US shows featured the premiere of "Made for Me", one of four new songs he had recorded for his then-upcoming box set, To Be Continued...
Two months later, John checked himself in to a Chicago-area hospital for addiction treatment and would not tour again for two years.

## Tour dates

| Date | City | Country | Venue | Tickets sold / available | Revenue |
| North America, Leg 1 ||||||
| 28 July 1989 | Hartford | United States | Hartford Civic Center | 15,799 / 15,799 | $355,478 |
| 29 July 1989 | Providence | United States | Providence Civic Center | 14,241 / 14,241 | $320,423 |
| 30 July 1989 | Saratoga Springs | United States | Saratoga Performing Arts Center |
| 1 August 1989 | Mansfield | United States | Woods Performing Arts Center |
| 2 August 1989 | Mansfield | United States | Woods Performing Arts Center |
| 4 August 1989 | East Rutherford | United States | Brendan Byrne Arena | 59,992 / 59,992 | $1,491,547 |
| 6 August 1989 | East Rutherford | United States | Brendan Byrne Arena | 59,992 / 59,992 | $1,491,547 |
| 7 August 1989 | East Rutherford | United States | Brendan Byrne Arena | 59,992 / 59,992 | $1,491,547 |
| 9 August 1989 | New Orleans | United States | Lakefront Arena | 9,866 / 9,866 | $230,550 |
| 10 August 1989 | Houston | United States | The Summit | 14,463 / 14,463 | $338,224 |
| 11 August 1989 | Dallas | United States | Coca-Cola Starplex | 20,053 / 20,053 | $395,755 |
| 12 August 1989 | Bonner Springs | United States | Sandstone Amphitheater | 13,488 / 15,000 | $315,792 |
| 15 August 1989 | Inglewood | United States | Great Western Forum | 42,000 / 42,000 | $945,000 |
| 17 August 1989 | Inglewood | United States | Great Western Forum | 42,000 / 42,000 | $945,000 |
| 18 August 1989 | Inglewood | United States | Great Western Forum | 42,000 / 42,000 | $945,000 |
| 19 August 1989 | Costa Mesa | United States | Pacific Amphitheatre |
| 20 August 1989 | Mountain View | United States | Shoreline Amphitheatre |
| 22 August 1989 | Greenwood Village | United States | Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre |
| 26 August 1989 | Hoffman Estates | United States | Poplar Creek Music Theater |
| 27 August 1989 | Hoffman Estates | United States | Poplar Creek Music Theater |
| 29 August 1989 | Cuyahoga Falls | United States | Blossom Music Center |
| 30 August 1989 | Noblesville | United States | Deer Creek Music Center | 18,000 / 18,000 |
| 1 September 1989 | Clarkston | United States | Pine Knob Music Theatre |
| 2 September 1989 | Clarkston | United States | Pine Knob Music Theatre |
| 3 September 1989 | Clarkston | United States | Pine Knob Music Theatre |
| 12 September 1989 | Cincinnati | United States | Riverbend Music Center | 16,518 / 16,518 |
| 13 September 1989 | Cincinnati | United States | Riverbend Music Center | 16,985 / 16,985 |
| 15 September 1989 | Nashville | United States | Starwood Amphitheater | 17,137 / 17,137 |
| 16 September 1989 | Atlanta | United States | Lakewood Amphitheater |
| 17 September 1989 | Atlanta | United States | Lakewood Amphitheater |
| 19 September 1989 | Pittsburgh | United States | Civic Arena |
| 23 September 1989 | Chapel Hill | United States | Dean Smith Center |
| 25 September 1989 | Montreal | Canada | Montreal Forum |
| 26 September 1989 | Montreal | Canada | Montreal Forum |
| 27 September 1989 | Toronto | Canada | SkyDome | 35,084 / 35,084 | $839,274 |
| 30 September 1989 | Philadelphia | United States | The Spectrum | 31,624 / 31,624 | $748,904 |
| 1 October 1989 | Philadelphia | United States | The Spectrum | 31,624 / 31,624 | $748,904 |
| 3 October 1989 | New York City | United States | Madison Square Garden | 65,345 / 65,345 | $1,613,975 |
| 4 October 1989 | New York City | United States | Madison Square Garden | 65,345 / 65,345 | $1,613,975 |
| 5 October 1989 | New York City | United States | Madison Square Garden | 65,345 / 65,345 | $1,613,975 |
| 6 October 1989 | New York City | United States | Madison Square Garden | 65,345 / 65,345 | $1,613,975 |
| 7 October 1989 | New York City | United States | Madison Square Garden | 65,345 / 65,345 | $1,613,975 |
| 13 October 1989 | Miami | United States | Miami Arena | 13,276 / 13,276 | $315,305 |
| 15 October 1989 | Orlando | United States | Orlando Arena | 14,762 / 14,762 | $332,167 |
| 16 October 1989 | Charlotte | United States | Charlotte Coliseum | 22,679 / 22,679 | $353,700 |
| 17 October 1989 | Landover | United States | Capital Centre | 16,292 / 16,292 | $407,300 |
| 18 October 1989 | New Haven | United States | New Haven Coliseum | 10,505 / 10,505 | $259,650 |
| Oceania ||||||
| 27 January 1990 | Perth | Australia | Perth Entertainment Centre |
| 28 January 1990 | Perth | Australia | Perth Entertainment Centre |
| 29 January 1990 | Perth | Australia | Perth Entertainment Centre |
| 1 February 1990 | Melbourne | Australia | National Tennis Centre |
| 2 February 1990 | Melbourne | Australia | National Tennis Centre |
| 3 February 1990 | Melbourne | Australia | National Tennis Centre |
| 5 February 1990 | Hobart | Australia | Derwent Entertainment Centre |
| 6 February 1990 | Hobart | Australia | Derwent Entertainment Centre |
| 7 February 1990 | Hobart | Australia | Derwent Entertainment Centre |
| 10 February 1990 | Adelaide | Australia | Memorial Drive Park |
| 11 February 1990 | Adelaide | Australia | Memorial Drive Park |
| 14 February 1990 | Brisbane | Australia | Brisbane Entertainment Centre |
| 15 February 1990 | Brisbane | Australia | Brisbane Entertainment Centre |
| 17 February 1990 | Sydney | Australia | Sydney Entertainment Centre |
| 18 February 1990 | Sydney | Australia | Sydney Entertainment Centre |
| 20 February 1990 | Sydney | Australia | Sydney Entertainment Centre |
| 21 February 1990 | Sydney | Australia | Sydney Entertainment Centre |
| 23 February 1990 | Sydney | Australia | Sydney Entertainment Centre |
| 24 February 1990 | Sydney | Australia | Sydney Entertainment Centre |
| 25 February 1990 | Sydney | Australia | Sydney Entertainment Centre |
| 28 February 1990 | Christchurch | New Zealand | Addington Showgrounds |
| 1 March 1990 | Auckland | New Zealand | Mount Smart Stadium |
| 3 March 1990 | Auckland | New Zealand | Mount Smart Stadium |
| North America, Leg 2 ||||||
| 18 May 1990 | Atlantic City | United States | Etess Arena |
| 19 May 1990 | Atlantic City | United States | Etess Arena |
| 20 May 1990 | Atlantic City | United States | Etess Arena |

## 1989 setlists

* Bennie and the Jets
* Island Girl
* Harmony
* Tiny Dancer
* Sleeping with the Past
* The Bitch Is Back/Brown Sugar
* I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
* Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters Parts 1 & 2
* Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
* Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
* Daniel
* Candle in the Wind
* Sacrifice
* Blue Eyes
* Philadelphia Freedom
* Burn Down the Mission
* Come Down in Time
* Healing Hands
* Levon
* Stones Throw From Hurtin'
* Kiss The Bride
* Sad Songs (Say So Much)
* Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
* I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That
* Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
* I'm Still Standing
* Rocket Man

## 1990 setlists

* Bennie and the Jets
* Tiny Dancer
* The Bitch Is Back
* Brown Sugar
* I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
* Made for Me
* Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters Parts 1 & 2
* Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
* Your Song
* Daniel
* Sacrifice
* Candle in the Wind
* Philadelphia Freedom
* Healing Hands
* Sad Songs (Say So Much)
* Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
* I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That
* I’m Still Standing

## Personnel

* Elton John – Roland RD-1000 digital piano and lead vocals
* Davey Johnstone – guitars
* Romeo Williams – bass
* Fred Mandel – keyboards/guitar
* Guy Babylon – keyboards
* Jonathan Moffett – drums (North American leg)
* Charlie Morgan – drums (Oceania and second North American leg)
* Mortonette Jenkins – backing vocals
* Marlena Jeter – backing vocals
* Natalie Jackson – backing vocals