George Michael: The Faith Tour is set to arrive in cinemas later this year alongside an 18-track live album of previously unheard performances.
- READ MORE: George Michael Obituary: 1963-2016
Footage was shot at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy during the European leg of Michael’s ‘Faith’ tour in 1988. Directed by the singer’s longtime collaborators Andy Morahan and David Austin, the film was long thought lost but has been restored and remastered.
The film transforms footage from a 14-camera shoot captured over two nights on 35mm film. It’ll open with a short film by Mary McCartney, Finding Faith, which helps to put the tour’s cultural significance into perspective. The film will also feature Michael’s own words with a voiceover from a previously unheard interview, unseen images from American photographer Herb Ritts, and behind-the-scenes footage of the ‘Faith’ music video.
Accompanying the film is the album ‘The Faith Tour’, which brings together 18 previously unreleased recordings spanning both Michael’s time in Wham! and his solo career, recorded during his world tour. There’s no release date yet, but more details will be announced in due course. In the meantime, check out some photos below.
Michael’s ‘Faith’ tour was his first solo concert tour, supporting his debut solo album of the same name. It spanned nine months from February to October 1988 and was choreographed by Paula Abdul.
The album became one of the best-selling of all time, selling over 25million copies worldwide, peaking at Number One in the UK and US and staying inside the Billboard 200 top 10 for 51 non-consecutive weeks. It was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1996. It also won a number of awards, including Album Of The Year at the Grammy Awards.
Michael died as a result of heart and liver disease at the age of 53 on December 25, 2016. His death was met with an outpouring of tributes from fans and fellow musicians, and many have paid further tribute by covering his songs in the years since.
In November, Kae Tempest shared a cover of his 1990 single ‘Freedom! ’90’, called ‘Freedom! 25’, while Poppy shared a cover of Wham!’s festive classic ‘Last Christmas’ in October.
That same month, Taylor Swift interpolated parts of the melody of Michael’s 1987 single ‘Father Figure’ for the song of the same name on her album ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’.
Ahead of the album’s release, the late singer’s estate responded to reports of the interpolation, and said: “We were delighted when Taylor Swift and her team approached us earlier this year about incorporating an interpolation of George Michael‘s classic song ‘Father Figure’ into a brand new song of the same title to be featured on her forthcoming album.”