Merry Christmas One and All! was the sixteenth concert tour by Mariah Carey. The tour commenced on November 15, 2023, at Yaamava' Casino in Highland and ended on December 17, 2023, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Background[]
The tour was officially announced on October 2, 2023 via Carey's Instagram and X accounts. DJ Suss One also revealed on social media that he was going to open for Carey throughout the tour. Pre-sales took place between October 4 and 5, 2023, while tickets went sale for the general public on October 6, 2023. On October 16, 2023, a second date was added at the Hollywood Bowl on November 19, 2023 and on October 30, 2023, two new dates were added to the tour: one at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, OH on December 7, 2023, and a second show at Madison Square Garden on December 9, 2023.
Promotion[]
On October 6, 2023, Carey posted a video on social media teasing the tour.
On November 1, 2023, alongside her annual "It's Time!" video, Carey launched her official Amazon Store, featuring both exclusive items and tour merchandise. An official "It's Time!" T-shirt with Carey's face from the tour's promotional picture breaking through ice was made available for purchase immediately. On November 5, 2023, an exclusive tote bag with the same design was released on the store. On November 10, 2023, an exclusive insulated tumbler with the same design was released on the store. On November 14, 2023, select items from the tour's merchandise collection were released on the store.
To further promote the tour, Carey went on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on November 2, 2023 and taped several interviews on November 5, 2023 that aired on Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight and Nightline the following day and on KTLA 5 Morning News on November 8, 2023. Carey also appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show on November 15, 2023.
Concert synopsis[]
During her taped interview with Entertainment Tonight, Carey revealed that the show be "a potpourri of sorts," starting with "Sugar Plum Fairy" and would feature several holiday hymns, songs she "[hasn't] done in a while" and "some of [her] other big hit songs." Carey also revealed that there would be four costume changes throughout the show and that her kids would be part of it.[1]
The show kicks off with an orchestral instrumental version of "All I Want for Christmas Is You," during which dancers hold presents and push luggage carts onto the stage, where two life size gift boxes are present. As the intro segues into the "Magical Christmas Mix" of "Sugar Plum Fairy," two ballerinas twirl and Carey is lifted onto the stage on a platform. The dancers aid her walk downstage to perform "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)."
Recordings[]
The opening night in Highland was professionally filmed and snippets of the show were compiled into a promotional trailer used for the remainder of the tour.
Footage from both shows at the Hollywood Bowl, as well as rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage was used for a new "All I Want for Christmas Is You" music video, subtitled the "Festive Lambs Edition," released on December 8, 2023.[2]
A snippet of the performance of "Honey / Heartbreaker" in Baltimore with Da Brat was posted on Carey's Instagram on December 16, 2023, while a snippet of "It's a Wrap" was posted on Carey's X account the same day.[3]
On December 17, 2023, a mini-documentary providing an "exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the meticulous preparations and magical moments that define the tour" premiered on Carey's YouTube channel.[4][2]
Snippets from the tour were used in the commercial for The Celebration of Mimi.[5]
Set list[]
- "Overture" (With elements from "All I Want for Christmas Is You")
- "Sugar Plum Fairy" (Magical Christmas Mix, intro)
- "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)"
- "Oh Santa!" (With "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" intro)
- "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
- "When Christmas Comes"
- "Sleigh Ride"
- "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) / House Top Celebration"
- "Give It to Me Baby" (Christmas Remix, performed by Moroccan Cannon)
- "Christmas Wrapping" (Performed by Monroe Cannon)
- "Fall in Love at Christmas" (Interlude)
- "Silent Night"
- "Jesus Born On This Day" (With Monroe Cannon)
- "One Child" (Followed by band introductions over an instrumental dubbed "secret song")
- "Joy to the World" (With elements from the "Celebration Mix")
- "Christmas Time Is in the Air Again"
- "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (Piano solo, performed by Daniel Moore II)
- "My All" (Gospel remix with new Christmas lyrics, performed by the choir and background singers)
- 2023 MC Hit List:
- "Always Be My Baby"
- "Dreamlover"
- "Honey / Heartbreaker" (Mashup)
- "A No No"
- "It's a Wrap"
- "Emotions"
- "Make It Happen"
- "Fly Like a Bird"
- "We Belong Together" (With elements from "Mimi's Late Night Valentine's Mix")
- "Hero" (With extended outro)
- "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" (Anniversary Mix, interlude)
- "All I Want for Christmas Is You"
- "All I Want for Christmas Is You Reprise" (Outro)
Notes[]
- "Jesus Born On This Day" and "One Child" were not performed in Highland.
- Jermaine Dupri and Moroccan Cannon joined Carey onstage to perform "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) / House Top Celebration" on the first Los Angeles show.
- An impromptu song about mopping the floor was performed on the first Los Angeles show, before "Joy to the World."
- A snippet of "Obsessed" was performed on the second Los Angeles show, before the hits medley.
- A snippet of "All I Live For" was performed in Montreal, before the band introductions.
- An a cappella snippet of "It's Like That" was performed in Montreal.
- A snippet of "Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)" was performed in Detroit.
- A snippet of "The Roof (Back in Time)" was performed in Detroit, before the band introductions.
- "Oh Santa!" was performed between "My All" and the Hit List on the first New York show. Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson joined Carey onstage to perform the song.
- The performance of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)" in Boston was interrupted as Carey's microphone pack wasn't working. The band had to restart the song.
- An a cappella snippet of "Subtle Invitation" was performed in Philadelphia.
- Da Brat joined Carey onstage to perform the "Honey / Heartbreaker" mashup in Baltimore.
- "I Know What You Want" was performed on the second New York show, between "My All" and the Hit List. Busta Rhymes and Spliff Star joined Carey onstage to perform the song.
Gallery[]
Rehearsals[]
November 15 - Highland[]
November 17 - Los Angeles[]
November 24 - Kansas City[]
Fittings[]
Merch[]
Shows[]
Date | City | Country | Venue | Opening Act | Attendance | Revenue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North America | ||||||
November 15, 2023 | Highland | United States | Yaamava' Casino | DJ Suss One | 2,000 / 2,000 | - |
November 17, 2023 | Los Angeles | Hollywood Bowl | 17,500 / 17,500 | |||
November 19, 2023 | 17,500 / 17,500 | |||||
November 21, 2023 | Denver | Ball Arena | - | |||
November 24, 2023 | Kansas City | T-Mobile Center | ||||
November 27, 2023 | Toronto | Canada | Scotiabank Arena | |||
November 29, 2023 | Montreal | Centre Bell | ||||
December 1, 2023 | Detroit | United States | Little Caesars Arena | |||
December 3, 2023 | Chicago | United Center | 23,500 / 23,500 | |||
December 5, 2023 | Pittsburgh | PPG Paints Arena | - | |||
December 7, 2023 | Cleveland | Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse | ||||
December 9, 2023 | New York City | Madison Square Garden | ||||
December 11, 2023 | Boston | TD Garden | ||||
December 13, 2023 | Philadelphia | Wells Fargo Center | ||||
December 15, 2023 | Baltimore | CFG Bank Arena | ||||
December 17, 2023 | New York City | Madison Square Garden | ||||
Total | 60,500 / 60,500 (100%) |
- |
Personnel[]
Band[]
- Musical Director, Piano — Daniel Moore II
- Drums — Joshua Foster
- Bass — Lance Tolbert
- Keyboards — Derrieux Edgecombe
- Background Vocals — Trey Lorenz, Maryann Tatum, Takeytha Johnson & Sherry McGhee (Toronto and Montreal only)
Trivia[]
- Carey has gotten ten outfits made for the tour.
- The tour marked the first performance of "Jesus Born On This Day" in 29 years (since the Fresh Air Fund benefit concert) and "One Child" in 13 years (since the Christmas in Washington TV special).
- Additionally, it marked the first time "Dreamlover," "A No No" and "It's a Wrap" were performed on a Christmas show.
- Carey changed the lyrics of "A No No" for the tour. "Ed Shapiro" was replaced by "Joey Brenner," Carey's current legal advisor. Brenner is credited on all studio albums from E=MC² until Merry Christmas II You.
- Following two sold out shows in New York, Carey was gifted a red puffer jacket with her initials encrusted with diamonds by Madison Square Garden.[6]
References[]
- ↑ Entertainment Tonight. (2023, November 7). Mariah Carey on Being QUEEN of Christmas, Roc and Roe’s Gift Lists & New TOUR! (Exclusive) [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Speakman, Kimberlee. (2023, December 8). Mariah Carey Releases New ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ Music Video Featuring Live Tour Footage. People. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
- ↑ Mariah Carey [@MariahCarey]. (2023, December 16). #Lambs let's do this one last time! I have a pair of front row tickets for the last show of [Video attached] [Post]. X. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
- ↑ Mariah Carey [@mariahcarey]. (2023, December 16). Thank you to the fabulous @sosobrat for joining me in Baltimore @cfgbankarena for another great show!! I can’t believe there’s [Video]. Instagram. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
- ↑ Mariah Carey. (2024, February 6). Mariah Carey - The Celebration of Mimi - Live in Las Vegas [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
- ↑ MSG [@TheGarden]. (2023, December 18). Our present to the Queen of Christmas 🎁 @MariahCarey 📷: @RichFury / MSGE [Post]. X. Retrieved December 18, 2023.