The Mylenium Tour was Mylène Farmer's 1999–2000 concert tour in support of her fifth studio album, Innamoramento.
Critical reception and commercial success According to the French magazine Instant-Mag, the "Mylenium Tour is more beautiful [than the 1996 tour] by the originality of the selection of songs, the grandiose stage, an entry even more impressive, and especially an overwhelming and perfect end, perhaps more comparable to that of the 1989 tour."Instant-Mag, No. 4, 2000, p. 10-13
More than 450,000 people attended the concert seriesLe Dictionnaire des Chansons de Mylène Farmer, Benoît Cachin, 2006, Tournon Ed., p. 176,177 that cost more than 20 million euros."Mylenium Tour" (Retrieved 28 January 2008)
A musical channel of the Russian television, MUZ TV, elected "Mylenium Tour" as the best concert at that year.Video of the program (Retrieved 14 June 2008)
Set list Introduction "Mylenium" (opening) "L'Amour naissant" Act I "L'Âme-stram-gram" "Beyond My Control" (replaced by "Que mon cœur lâche" in Russia) "Rêver" "Il n'y a pas d'ailleurs" (not performed in Russia) "Mylène Is Calling (Interlude)" Act II "Optimistique-moi" "Medley" ("Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" / "Libertine" / "Maman a tort" / "Sans contrefaçon") "Regrets" "Désenchantée" Act III "Méfie-toi" "Dessine-moi un mouton" "California" "Pas le temps de vivre" (replaced by "Je t'aime mélancolie" in Russia) Act IV "Je te rends ton amour" "Souviens-toi du jour" Encore "Dernier Sourire" "Innamoramento" "Mylenium" (closing)
Tour dates There were a total of 43 shows, from 21 September 1999 to 8 March 2000, in four countries (France, Belgium, Switzerland and Russia):Mylenium Tour Mylene.net (Retrieved 22 January 2008)
DateCityCountryVenueEurope21 September 1999MarseilleFranceLe Dôme de Marseille24 September 1999ParisPalais omnisports de Paris-Bercy25 September 199926 September 199929 September 19996 October 1999LilleZénith de Lille7 October 1999ForestBelgiumForest National8 October 19999 October 199917 November 1999LilleFranceZénith de Lille19 November 1999LyonPalais des Sports20 November 199921 November 199924 November 1999OrléansZénith d'Orléans25 November 1999CaenZénith de Caen26 November 1999AngersAmphitéa27 November 1999Le MansAntarès1 December 1999ToulouseZénith de Toulouse Métropole2 December 1999PauZénith de Pau3 December 1999BordeauxPatinoire de Mériadeck4 December 19995 December 1999MontpellierZénith de Montpellier7 December 1999ToulonZénith Oméga8 December 1999MarseilleLe Dôme de Marseille9 December 1999GenevaSwitzerlandSEG Geneva Arena10 December 1999AmnévilleFranceGalaxie Amnéville13 December 1999ParisPalais omnisports de Paris-Bercy8 February 2000LilleZénith de Lille9 February 2000ForestBelgiumForest National11 February 2000LausanneSwitzerlandPatinoire de Malley12 February 2000LyonFrancePalais des Sports13 February 200015 February 2000AmnévilleGalaxie Amneville17 February 2000GrenobleSummum18 February 2000ToulouseZénith de Toulouse Métropole19 February 2000BordeauxPatinoire de Mériadeck22 February 2000BrestParc des expositions de Penfeld23 February 2000CaenZénith de Caen25 February 2000DouaiGayant Expo26 February 2000OrléansZénith d'Orléans4 March 2000MoscowRussiaOlimpiyskiy5 March 20008 March 2000Saint PetersburgSKK Peterburgsky
Content No Song Costume Choreography CommentLe Dictionnaire des Chansons de Mylène Farmer, Benoît Cachin, 2006, Tournon Ed., p.40,42,57,66,84,90,124,129,145,164-167,174,177,178,187,195,230,231,234,2511"Mylenium"White transparent dress with a plunging neckline in the back, sailing on the shoulders, shoes with high heels, white large necklace.NoThe stage is hidden under a large white curtain which turns blue when "Mylenium", an instrumental song with African vocals, begins to be played. The curtain falls and the audience discovers the huge statue representing Isis (nine metres) in the middle of the stage. While the light intensifies, a white smoke emanates from the statue whose head opens in two parts, showing the shadow of Farmer. Suspended by pulling invisible strings, the singer flies above the stage while the right articulated hand of the statue stands to take down her. There were sometimes some technical problems, Farmer remaining suspended in the air longer than expected.2"L'Amour naissant"Same costumeNo. Farmer's arms are outspread during the refrain.As in the original song, a thunderous noise is heard at the beginning. Farmer begins to sing and drops from the statue's hand. In the background of the stage, images of luminous cracked globes appear on the giant screen. When Farmer leaves the stage, the song is extended by the female vocalists to let her more time to change her clothes. This live performance is very similar to that of the album.3"L'Âme-stram-gram"* Farmer: Orange costume composed of a privateer trousers, a thick jacket and orange shoes, with high heels. * Dancers: Costumes with different colors.Collective synchronised choreography produced by Farmer, the same as that used for the TV promotion of the song. Crouching at the beginning with many arms gestures, then standing with suggestive movements of the pelvis.The introduction has oriental sonorities. After the performance, there are the first repetitions of the refrain with the audience.4"Beyond My Control" "Que mon cœur lâche" in RussiaSame costumeNoAt the beginning of the song, Farmer asks the audience to clap their hands. The words "It's beyond My Control", pronounced by John Malkovich in the studio version, are replaced.5"Rêver"Same costumeNo"Consentement" was originally scheduled at this moment, but was eventually replaced by "Rêver". The song is performed in an identical version as that of 1996 Tour. At the end of the song, the refrain is repeated with the audience.6"Il n'y a pas d'ailleurs" Not performed in RussiaSame costumeNoFarmer performs the song standing in the right hand of the statue that rises and then goes down.7"Mylène Is Calling"Same costumeNoValérie Bony, one of the female dancers, replaces Farmer who goes in backstage to change costume. Bony appears in Chinese shadow, wearing a wig, and makes some movements with her arms, but she doesn't sing.8"Optimistique-moi"* Farmer : Black costume composed of a woven trousers open on the upper thighs, a transparent bustier, a shimmering jacket closed, high shoes with heels, a large necklace and two iron false-buttocks. * Dancers : Same costume, without the jacket.Very swift and rhythmical choreography, the same as for the promotion of the song.Farmer arrives by surprise while spectators watch even the Chinese shadow of Valérie Bony (they believe she is Farmer). The song is repeated several times by the fans with Farmer.9"Medley" ("Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" / "Libertine" / "Maman a tort" / "Sans contrefaçon")Same costume, without the jacketCollective choreography, the same as for "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" during the 1989 Tour.The song is accompanied by numerous fireworks. That is the only medley performed by Farmer throughout her career.10"Regrets"Same costumeNoFarmer sings all the song's lyrics, while a red light burns in the palm of the statue's hand that moves. This live version was scheduled for release as second single from the concert, but was finally abandoned.11"Désenchantée"Many arms movements.12"Méfie-toi"White dress hidden under a long brown leather jacket, entirely closed, and white shoes.Collective choreography, including a few steps on the stairs.Farmer comes out of the large doors drawn on the statue's body and goes down the staircase that appears with red fabric flames on the sides. This version is very similar to that of the album.13"Dessine-moi un mouton"Same costume, without the jacket.NoBefore the song begins, Farmer sits on the steps of the staircase and whistles. While the dancers make several acrobatics and play leapfrog, she performs the song, sitting on a swing with two headers sphinx at both ends. A rain of silver sequins down from heaven on artists and the andiance. After her performance, Farmer goes down the swing and presents the musicians.14"California"Same costumeNoFarmer and two female vocalists sit on the steps of the staircase, and then get up and do a few steps on the stage. Then Farmer goes in front of the door at the top of the stairs. At the end, Farmer left the stage while it is in a full black. This acoustic version has jazzy sonorities.15"Pas le temps de vivre" "Je t'aime mélancolie" in RussiaSame costume, with a large transparent white jacketNoFarmer performs the song a cappella until the first refrain. She sometimes cries and the audience sings instead of her. During some shows, a spectator was allowed to climb on the stage and Farmer took him by the hand. There is a long musical bridge at the end to let time for Farmer to change her costume.16"Je te rends ton amour"Similar dress to that Farmer wore in the video : a red dress with a very long train.NoThe stage turns red. Farmer performed the song on a platform. In February and March, Farmer has added a repetition a cappella with the audience and a new musical direction.17"Souviens-toi du jour"Same costumeThe singer uses a simple choreography referring to the universal sign language, performed with other dancers.After performing the song, Farmer thanks the audience and says goodbye. She then twice repeats the refrain with the audience.18"Dernier Sourire"Same dress that Farmer wore when she took the stage.NoFarmer sings again the first verse at the end of the song, and begins to cry. This live version is the second track on the CD single "Dessine-moi un mouton".19"Innamoramento"Same costumeNoFarmer sings four times the final refrain, and then goes into the statue's hand.20"Mylenium"Same costumeNoFarmer begins to sing "Mylenium" once back in the statue's hand. A curtain falls, and the show ends. However, at a show, the curtain did not fall and Farmer had to descend from the statue to public view with the help of a ladder.
Credits and personnel
Production: Tuxedo Tour Editions: Requiem Publishing Design entertainment: Mylène Farmer Set designer: Guy-Claude François Costumes designed by: Dominique Borg Make-up & hair: Pierre Vinuesa Lighting design: Fred Peveri Sound: Laurent Buisson Sound engineer: Thierry Rogen Production director: Paul Van Parys Musical direction: Yvan Cassar
Musicians: Yvan Cassar, Eric Chevalier (keyboards), Jeff Dahlgren, Brian Ray (guitar), Jerry Watts Jr (bass), Abraham Laboriel Jr (drums) Choristers: Johana Manchec-Ferdinand, Esther Dobong' Na Essienne Choreography: Mylène Farmer ("L'Âme-Stram-Gram", "Optimistique-moi", "Désenchantée", "Souviens-toi du jour"); Christophe Danchaud ("Méfie-toi", "Dessine-moi un mouton"); Mylène Farmer and Christophe Danchaud ("Pourvu qu'elles soient douces"). Management: Thierry Suc Dancers: Christophe Danchaud, Valérie Bony, Augustin Madrid Ocampo Jr, Midori Anami, Lysander O. Abadia, Andrew Cheng, Richard Patten, Corey Smith Sponsors: NRJ, TF1, Coca-Cola Photos: Claude Gassian Design: Henry Neu / Com' N.B Tour Truck Drivers: Andy Barr, Davey Forbes, Mark Philips, Rob Bailey.
References
Further reading and press Julien Wagner, Jean-François Kowalski, Marianne Rosenstiehl, Claude Gassian, Mylène Farmer : Belle de scène (book on Farmer's tours), K&B Ed, 27 April 2007 ()