The tour took place at multiple theaters, arenas, coliseums and clubs throughout the spring and summer of 1983, between April 18 and August 14, 1983, lasting over three months.
Gaye, who was dealing with financial problems in the United States, was now stationed at Ostend,[1] a coastal city and municipality, located in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, being managed by local deejay and concert promoter Freddy Cousaert, who helped to negotiate an exit from Motown with several labels offering to sign the singer following news he was leaving his longtime label.
It eventually crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number three, in early 1983, becoming his biggest charting hit to date, and was certified gold by the RIAA for sales of one million copies in December 1982.
In February, he appeared at the NBA All-Star Game and performed his rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner", which was well received but also controversial due to Gaye's soulful rearrangements.
[4] Prior to signing with CBS, the label had agreed to alleviate Gaye's debts to the IRS for over $1 million from the singer's failure to pay back taxes.
Most of the dates of the show, 51 in all, were sold out, including a six-date residency in May at New York's Radio City Music Hall, where he broke Barry Manilow's record of five sold-out shows at the venue,[6] which culminated in Gaye celebrating the triumph with a party held in his honor at Studio 54 with ex-wife Janis, who joined him on the tour though she'd later leave after a volatile argument with Gaye in Miami.
Some of the highlights on the tour included Gaye performing a medley of his hit duets with Tammi Terrell with his backing singer Paulette McWilliams singing along to some of the songs including "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" and "Your Precious Love" while also performing his favorite duets he recorded with other female artists including Diana Ross ("Love Twins"), Mary Wells ("Once Upon a Time") and ending with a brief performance of "If This World Were Mine", which had recently been covered by Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn, but originally recorded by Gaye and Terrell.
On that note, his band, led by his brother-in-law, guitarist and collaborator Gordon Banks and the tour's musical director McKinley Jackson, would cue to "My Love Is Waiting", which also included Gaye mentioning Jesus in the song.
The singer had also began using PCP, known in its use in the street as "angel dust", a dissociative anesthetic mainly used recreationally for its significant mind-altering effects, which can cause hallucinations, distorted perceptions of sounds, and violent behavior.
After performing a five-date residency at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, Gaye finished the tour on August 14 at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, California.