Cancelled Japanese Tour 1975

[Lynda]

Does anybody know whether the Japanese tour in March-April 1976, was a rescheduled tour of the once cancelled in 1975 (which I believe was supposed to take place in and around September)?

 

[ullalume]

You know I can only imagine the guilt Karen felt over these cancelled tours, especially since she was bedridden with nothing else to occupy her.
Under such rotten circumstances I'm amazed she managed to "bounce back" up to 100 pounds or so by the close of '75.

 

[CarpentersToYou]

I can only imagine that they would have done another time the oldies medley. It's a shame their concerts fell so flat.

 

[byline]

I can only imagine that they would have done another time the oldies medley. It's a shame their concerts fell so flat.

Early on, their concerts were good. Lots of energy and flair. But at some point they were prompted to go show biz, and for me that's when it all fell apart. If they'd just been allowed to do things in their own style, rather than taking a Hollywood approach, they would have been fine.

 

[Another Son]

Early on, their concerts were good. Lots of energy and flair. But at some point they were prompted to go show biz, and for me that's when it all fell apart. If they'd just been allowed to do things in their own style, rather than taking a Hollywood approach, they would have been fine.

Yes, their earlier concerts were great. When you watch concerts from other top artists from the sixties and early to mid seventies, they weren't doing anything more exciting than Carpenters, so I can't see a real need to change. In fact, a lot of performers from that time were less exciting live because most just stood in front of the microphone and sang without moving much, whereas at least Karen sang AND played the drums and Richard sang AND played the keyboards.

I think that the 1976-era concerts by Carpenters were fairly good. The only down-side was the dreaded medley. What a waste.

No-one would have come away from a Carpenters concert at this time thinking that Karen or Richard weren't talented or highly skilled, as they both demonstrated this on their respective instruments, aside from the singing.

Lets face it, any true fan would have been coming to a Carpenters concert to hear those iconic songs performed by that beautiful voice, hopefully in full. It would only have been the fence-sitters who came along for the ride who Karen and Richard might have had to convince, with theatrics and 'extras'. And, probably, the reviewers.

 

[lotus]

Carpenters' Japanese Tour was scheduled from September 24 to October 12 in 1975 (25 concerts).
But it was rescheduled from March 15 to April 10 in 1976.

Richard and Terry Ellis (temporary manager of Carpenters, co-owner of Chrysalis records, Karen's boyfriend) came to Japan from September 21 to 24 in 1975, and held a press conference.
Richard apologized the cancelling and explained the reason that "Karen was ill in bed, because of the tight schedule since 1970...".

 

[GaryAlan]

Billboard Magazine, October 4, 1975 (page 71):
"Karen Carpenter's exhaustion after a solid summer of touring has led to the Carpenters first tour postponement ever. "
"Put off till March 1976 is a 40 concert tour of 17 Japanese cities which was sold out two months in advance."
"The $1.2 million gross would have set a Japan record, according to promoter Tats Nagashima. "
"The Carpenters are rated Japan's biggest selling record act."
"Karen was ordered to bed rest till mid October by her physician in order to recover from internal infection brought on by exhaustion."
"Richard Carpenter and the Carpenters' new manager, Terry Ellis, flew to Japan for a press conference to apologize to the Japanese people
for the delay and explain the seriousness of Karen's illness. The Carpenters just got a Dutch gold record for "Horizon."