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A B-stage is a small, secondary stage, featured at pop and rock concerts held in arenas and stadia, and is usually located in the middle of the concert floor, connected to the main stage by a walkway.
Although its origins trace back somewhat further, the B-stage was popularized by U2 on their Zoo TV Tour (1992–93); the setup provided a more intimate setting for stripped-down, quieter versions of songs, that could be played in greater proximity to the floor section of the audience.
B-stages are still commonly used, having become a standard feature of large rock and pop concerts.
Britney Spears used a B-stage on her 2001–02 Dream Within a Dream Tour. The B-Stage was connected to the main stage by a runaway, giving the stage the appearance of a giant key. Spears would also use a mini barge suspended in the air to get to the B-stage.
For 2009's The Circus Starring Britney Spears , in support of her album Circus (2008), the show had a "carnival" or "circus" theme, as it featured two smaller, round B-Stages on either side of the main round stage (located in the center of the venue), giving the whole performance the appearance of a three-ring "circus".
Spears also used a B-Stage for the North American leg of 2011's Femme Fatale Tour. The B-Stage contained a larger, circular, rotating platform that could be elevated. The runway-catwalk connecting the B-Stage to the main stage utilized conveyor belts, allowing Spears and her dancers to perform for more fans at a time, and move faster.
Madonna has used a B-stage in five of her ten tours starting with The Girlie Show, Confessions Tour, Sticky & Sweet Tour, The MDNA Tour and Rebel Heart Tour connected by a catwalk. In The MDNA Tour, she has employed a "V" catwalk to connect the main stage with the B stage.
Aerosmith has employed a B-stage on almost every tour since 2001 (sometimes connected by a catwalk). During their outdoor amphitheater performances from 2001 to 2003, Aerosmith would play three songs on this stage during the middle of the show, and in more recent years, the band members go back and forth between the main stage and the B-stage throughout their performances via a catwalk. Bon Jovi made use of such a stage during their 2008 Lost Highway Tour in which Jon Bon Jovi (and sometimes Richie Sambora) would sing ballads such as "Bed of Roses", "Always", or "Living in Sin" from a smaller stage closer to the crowd, while the rest of the band performed on the main stage.
Backstreet Boys employed a B-stage on their Black & Blue Tour in 2001, playing several ballads from the small circular stage in the middle of the audience. The band appeared on the B-stage via a platform in the center that raised the band from beneath the stage after a blackout and segue video which concealed their travel to the B-stage. They returned to the main stage during the final B-stage song on a bridge over the audience that descended from the rafters, and was raised again after the song.
Coldplay have been using a B-Stage since their 2008/2009 Viva la Vida Tour. Coldplay make use of a B-stage and a C-Stage at different points in each show. The B-stage, located at the end of a catwalk, attached to the main stage, was used in the middle of the set to perform a remix of "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" and "Talk", as well as a piano version of "The Hardest Part". The C-stage was used at the end of the main setlist to perform three songs acoustically, and was located at the back of venue, in the audience. On the following tours, the Mylo Xyloto Tour and the A Head Full of Dreams Tour, B and C-Stages remain in use, with the B-stage located at the end of the catwalk with a giant screen on the floor.
Beyoncé has used a B-Stage on every tour since her I Am... World Tour (2009); in the middle of that show, she appeared from underneath the B-stage, attached to a ceiling harness, and was taken up and over the audience as she performed "Baby Boy". She then ran through the audience back to the main stage while performing "Say My Name". During The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour (2013–14), her "BeyStage" included two VIP pit sections with a catwalk in the middle. She also used a B-stage during her On the Run Tour (2014) with husband Jay-Z, and her Formation World Tour (2016).
When Beyoncé headlined Coachella 2018, the iconic festival in Indio, California, the traditional stage design was altered to feature a more extensive, "L"-shaped B-stage to bring the singer closer to more fans within the crowd; the "short" half of the "L" was perpendicular to the main stage, serving as a connection and a mini-stage in and of itself. The "long" portion of the "L" ran parallel to the main stage, with audience members in-between. The intro of Beyoncés set at the festival began at the very end of the B-stage, in the middle of the crowd, before she and her dancers made their way to the main stage. [1]
Hard rock band Kiss used a B-stage when they performed songs like "I Was Made for Lovin' You" or "Love Gun", both songs with lead vocals from Paul Stanley. Stanley would “fly” to a B-stage located in the middle of the crowd.
After having performed his "blood spitting" routine during their concerts, Gene Simmons would “fly” to another B-stage located above the stage before performing one of his "theme songs" like "God of Thunder", "Unholy" “War Machine”, or "I Love It Loud".
Examples of this can be seen on the Rock the Nation DVD.
Taylor Swift has used B-stage on every tour since her debut Fearless Tour, [2] where it was positioned on the far end of the arena; this configuration was also used for her subsequent Speak Now World Tour and The Red Tour. For The 1989 World Tour, the B-stage was connected to the main stage through a large catwalk, which would run through the entire floor (for the arena shows) or until the middle of the floor (for the stadium shows). On her Reputation Stadium Tour, [3] two B-stages were positioned at the left and right far end of the stadiums, and she would use a flying basket to get to one of the B-stages, running through the crowd to go the other one. She uses B-stages to perform stripped-down versions of her songs, as well as covers and surprise songs.
Lady Gaga frequently uses B-stages on her tours, incorporating them in the Monster Ball Tour where it was located just a few metres away from the main stage, the artRAVE Ball Tour in which 2 separate B-stages and 3 smaller satellite stages were incorporated into the arena layout for performances of "Gypsy", "Born This Way", "Dope", "You and I" and "Do What U Want", connected by transparent catwalks flanked with LED lighting on either side, and the Joanne World Tour, where a B-stage was located at the end of the arena and was used for performances of "Come To Mama", "The Edge of Glory" and "Born This Way".
Girls Aloud have used B-Stages on three of their concert tours. On 2008's Tangled Up Tour, a movable catwalk connecting the main stage and B-stage would be lowered and suspended above the crowd during the middle of the show. The group would perform a ballad while walking the catwalk out to the B-Stage. After performing another song on the B-Stage they would sing another song while walking back to the main stage.
On their 2009 Out of Control Tour, the B-Stage was once again located in the middle of the arena. The group would perform on a moving platform that flew over the crowd. After performing three songs on the B-Stage, the group would once again get back on the moving platform and sing another song while traveling back to the main stage.
For 2013's Ten: The Hits Tour, the B-Stage was again in the center of the arena. The group would perform a song while flying out to the B-stage on a giant sign reading the band's name. Once at the B-stage they would perform three songs before returning to the main stage.
Mariah Carey used a central, square B-Stage during her The Adventures of Mimi Tour (2006).
Powderfinger used a B-stage on their 2010 Sunsets Farewell Tour, located at the back of the venue to reach more fans. Midway through the show, the band would leave the main stage and make their way to the B-stage while historical video footage played out on the main video screen. The clip ended with a boxer "punching" the camera, alluding to the video of the song "Like a Dog", which they would then perform on the B-stage. The band would perform another song, then return to the main stage.
The Spice Girls first utilized a B-stage for their televised concert special Girl Power! Live in Istanbul , a two-night event in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1997. In addition to raised, illuminated platforms on both sides of the main stage—which allowed the group to get closer to fans seated on the sides of the venue—, there was a center B-stage within the floor section of the arena, connected by a short runway to the main stage. Several songs were performed (or ended) on the B-stage, including the more intimate, poignant "Mama", in which the group sat on large pillows, surrounded by candles, while they sang to the audience.
German Neue Deutsche Härte Band Rammstein used a B-stage during their 2011–2013 Made In Germany tour which was connected to main stage by a lowerable bridge connected to the venue ceilings.
The Rolling Stones have included B-stages in basically every tour since the late 1970’s. On their A Bigger Bang Tour from 2005–2007 they had a walkway that leads to the middle of stadiums and arena’s that connect to a B-stage that they use to walk along during duration of the show. And they still use and include B-stages in their tours, including the Hackney Diamonds Tour in 2024. They are one of the first bands that first included B-stages.
Manchester Arena is an indoor arena in Manchester, England, immediately north of the city centre and partly above Manchester Victoria station in air rights space. Prior to the opening of Co-op Live, the arena had the highest seating capacity of any indoor venue in the United Kingdom, and is the fourth-largest in Europe with a capacity of 21,000.
Pechanga Arena is an indoor arena in San Diego, California. The arena is home of the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League (AHL), San Diego Seals of the National Lacrosse League (NLL), and the San Diego Strike Force of the Indoor Football League (IFL).
The Onyx Hotel Tour was the fifth concert tour by American entertainer Britney Spears. It showcased her fourth studio album, In the Zone (2003), and visited North America and Europe. A tour to promote the album was announced in December 2003. Its original name was the In the Zone Tour, but Spears was sued for trademark infringement and banned from using the name. Spears felt inspired to create a show with a hotel theme which she later mixed with the concept of an onyx stone. The stage, inspired by Broadway musicals, was less elaborate than her previous tours. The setlist was composed mostly by songs from In the Zone as well as some of her past songs reworked with different elements of jazz, blues, and Latin percussion. Tour promoter Clear Channel Entertainment marketed the tour to a more adult audience than her previous shows, while sponsor MTV promoted the tour heavily on TV shows and the network's website.
The (You Drive Me) Crazy Tour was the second concert tour by American entertainer Britney Spears, launched in support of her first and second studio albums, ...Baby One More Time (1999) and Oops!... I Did It Again (2000), respectively. The tour was formulated as a continuation of the ...Baby One More Time Tour (1999) and as a prelude to the then-upcoming Oops!... I Did It Again Tour (2000). It was sponsored by Got Milk? and Polaroid.
The Dream Within a Dream Tour was the fourth concert tour by American entertainer Britney Spears. It was launched in support of her third studio album, Britney (2001). The tour was promoted by Concerts West, marking the first time Spears did not tour with Clear Channel Entertainment. On September 21, 2001, a North American tour was announced that kicked off exactly two months later after various dates were postponed. In February 2002, Spears announced a second leg of the tour. It was directed and choreographed by Wade Robson, who explained the main theme of the show was Spears's coming of age and newfound independence. The stage was designed by Steve Cohen and Rob Brenner and was composed of a main stage and a B-stage, united by a runway. Inspired by Cleopatra's barge, a flying device was developed so Spears could travel over the audience to the B-stage. The setlist was mostly composed by songs from the supporting album, as Spears felt they were more reflective of her personality. Songs from her previous two studio albums were also included in remixed form by Robson.
The Adelaide Entertainment Centre (AEC) is an indoor arena located in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. It is used for sporting and entertainment events. It is the principal venue for concerts, events and attractions for audiences between 1,000 and 11,300.
The Point Theatre (sometimes referred to as the Point Depot or simply as the Point) was a concert and events venue in Dublin, Ireland, that operated from 1988 to 2007, visited by in excess of 2 million people. It was located on the North Wall Quay of the River Liffey, amongst the Dublin Docklands. The Point was closed in the middle of 2007 for a major redevelopment and underwent a rebranding as The O2 in July 2008.
The Velvet Rope Tour was the third concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson. Launched in support of her sixth studio album The Velvet Rope (1997), the tour visited Europe, North America, Japan, New Zealand, Africa, and Australia. Jackson was inspired to create an autobiographical show using elements of Broadway theatre, portraying her struggle with depression and self-esteem. The tour's stage production was developed as a storybook setting, allowing spectators to cross beyond her "velvet rope" and experience her life story through the evolution of her musical career. It consists of twenty-six songs, several band interludes, and intense choreography along with nine costume changes and four sets. Jackson depicts themes such as burlesque and domestic violence among the show's complex production of pyrotechnics and theatrics.
The Beyoncé Experience was the second concert tour by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé. It was staged in support of her second studio album, B'Day (2006). The Beyoncé Experience consisted of 96 shows in 2007 over five legs. Fan-club tickets and VIP packages were on sale in early April and tickets sold officially on April 20, 2007. The tour began that month and finished that November. Knowles collaborated with America's Second Harvest on a campaign for people who fought with famine, holding pre-concert food drives at every stop during the tour asking from fans to bring food.
The Taking Chances World Tour was the ninth concert tour by French Canadian singer Céline Dion, in-support of her thirteenth French-language and 22nd studio album, D'elles (2007), as well as her tenth English-language and 23rd studio album, Taking Chances (2007). The tour marked Dion’s return to performing on a global scale, after five successful years with her groundbreaking Las Vegas residency, A New Day.... It was also her first concert tour in nine years, following her Let's Talk About Love World Tour (1998/99).
The Circus Starring Britney Spears, commonly referred to as the Circus Tour, was the seventh concert tour by American entertainer Britney Spears. It was launched in support of her sixth studio album, Circus (2008). Rumors of a tour arose as early as October 2007, however, nothing was confirmed until December 2008, when the tour was officially announced, with North American and European dates revealed. The stage was composed of three rings and set in-the-round to resemble an actual circus. Fashion designers Dean and Dan Caten created the costumes. A giant cylinder screen was set above the stage to showcase videos and backdrops. Effects were provided by Solotech. Magician Ed Alonzo joined Spears during the second act. The setlist was composed generally from her albums In the Zone, Blackout and Circus. Spears announced she would tour Australia for the first time in June 2009.
I Am... Tour was the fourth concert tour by American performer and singer-songwriter Beyoncé Knowles, in support of her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), consisting of 110 concerts across six continents. Two months of preparations for the tour began eight months prior to its commencement, with daily twelve-hour rehearsals. The tour was announced in October 2008, and began in March 2009 with five preliminary ’rehearsal’ shows in North America. Knowles has described the I Am... World Tour as her best and most theatrical of all of her tours.
I Am... Yours was the first concert residency by American singer Beyoncé. It was held four consecutive nights in July and August 2009 in support of her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). The residency was held at the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada. Beyoncé performed over thirty songs backed by an orchestra and her all-female band, the Suga Mamas, to an audience of 1,500. The residency was deemed "an intimate encounter" as Beyoncé portrayed a more raw and uninhibited show versus her previous concert performances. The concept of the shows revolves around Beyoncé's recording career.
4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé was the second concert residency by American recording artist Beyoncé. Held during four non-consecutive nights in August 2011 at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City, the concerts were part of Beyoncé's campaign in support of her fourth studio album 4 (2011). All the songs on the standard version of the album, excluding "Start Over", were performed by her to a standing room-only audience of 3,200. Beyoncé also sang some of her previous hits from her three prior studio albums as well as songs she recorded with former girl group Destiny's Child in the 1990s and early 2000s. Wearing a linky gold sparkling mini-dress, she was backed by four female dancers and a 20-piece female band including a horn and orchestra section.
The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé. Announced in February 2013 with initial dates in Europe and North America, the tour contained seven legs and 132 shows. It is her most expansive tour to date. It began in Belgrade, Serbia on April 15, 2013, and concluded in Lisbon, Portugal on March 27, 2014.
Christmas in Spiceworld Tour was the second concert tour by English girl group the Spice Girls. The eight-show tour was launched following "solo projects, marriages, motherhood and another round of slagging in the press", as a reunion for the girls. The eight-show tour was attended by more than 153,000 people, grossing $5.7 million in ticket sales. The first four shows saw the group play at Manchester Evening News Arena to over 72,400 fans, grossing $2.6 million; the second portion of the tour saw the group play another four shows at Earls Court Arena to 81,300 fans, grossing $3.1 million.
Britney: Piece of Me was the first concert residency by American entertainer Britney Spears, performed at The AXIS auditorium located in the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show, which opened on December 27, 2013, was initially set for two years; it was well received by critics and also achieved huge commercial success. The residency won the best of Las Vegas award in 2015 and 2017. In 2015, Spears extended her contract with Planet Hollywood for an additional two years, concluding the residency on December 31, 2017. After close to 146 performances, the show grossed $138 million from 900,000 tickets at an average price of $150.
ArtRave: The Artpop Ball was the fourth headlining concert tour by American singer Lady Gaga. Supporting her third studio album Artpop (2013), the tour ran from May 4, 2014, to November 24, 2014. The tour dates included cities where Gaga had canceled shows of her previous Born This Way Ball tour after suffering a hip injury. The ArtRave tour was preceded by a performance at the South by Southwest music festival, which drew controversy due to a segment where an artist vomited on Gaga, and a seven-day residency at the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan, New York.
The Formation World Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé in support of her sixth studio album, Lemonade (2016). The all-stadium tour was announced following her guest appearance at the Super Bowl 50 halftime show. This was her first solo all stadium tour and the first ever stadium tour by a female artist. The tour started on April 27,2016 at Marlins Park in Miami, Florida and concluded on October 7, 2016 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, comprising 49 dates. The tour's title is in reference to the album's lead single "Formation".
The Dangerous Woman Tour was the third concert tour and the second arena tour by American singer Ariana Grande in support of her third studio album, Dangerous Woman (2016). It traveled across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Oceania. The tour started on February 3, 2017, in Phoenix, Arizona, and ended on September 21, 2017, in Hong Kong. The tour was temporarily halted on May 22, 2017, due to a terrorist bombing, which happened minutes after the end of Grande's Manchester Arena show, killing 22 concert-goers and physically injuring 139 others. After organizing and performing at the One Love Manchester benefit concert, Grande resumed the tour on June 7, 2017, in Paris.