World tour by Lady Gaga | |
Location |
|
---|---|
Associated album | Born This Way |
Start date | April 27, 2012 |
End date | February 11, 2013 |
Legs | 6 |
No. of shows | 98 |
Box office | $183.9 million ($240.54 in 2023 dollars) [1] |
Lady Gaga concert chronology |
The Born This Way Ball was the third concert tour by American singer Lady Gaga, in support of her second studio album Born This Way (2011). The tour visited every populated continent, [2] and was ranked as the fifth highest-grossing tour of 2012 by Pollstar. [3] The tour grossed $22.5 million in 2013 according to Pollstar's year-end chart from the 18 dates played, bringing the Born This Way Ball Tour's total gross to $183.9 million from 98 dates. [4] The tour was well received by critics who praised the stage design, Gaga's vocal abilities and different expressive messages.
On February 13, 2013, after already announcing the postponement of shows in Chicago, Detroit, and Hamilton two days earlier due to an injury, [5] Live Nation and Lady Gaga announced the cancellation of the remaining concert dates due to the singer's development of a labral tear of the right hip caused by strenuous repetitive movements involved in the shows. [6] The singer went through surgery to fix the damage caused. [7] [8]
Upon the release of "Judas", the second single from Born This Way, Lady Gaga confirmed in an interview that she would embark on a concert tour in 2012, in which she would visit Latin American countries for the first time, like Brazil, Chile and Colombia, and would be returning to Mexico. [9] In November 2011, producer DJ White Shadow asserted that Gaga was "doing [work] for the next round of touring", adding that the singer's main objective in the following year was to continue preparing for the Born This Way Ball, as well as write new songs for her next studio album. [10] Fernando Garibay, who began collaborating with Gaga on The Fame Monster (2009), felt that Born This Way was one of his most personal moments. He opined: "This album was the most personal [because of] the amount of detail that went into this record, the amount of passion [and] emotion from her and the team. Every song was a story towards the 'Born This Way' theme. We're excited now, putting that into the tour and expressing that on a live performance level." [11] In comparison to her previous tour, Garibay affirmed that the shows of the Born This Way Ball would be more "exaggerated". [11]
A promotional poster of the tour was released on February 7, 2012, which was described by Billboard 's Ray Waddell as a "bizarre poster that portrays the ball as a campy, medieval-meets-the-80's kingdom." [12] It features Gaga's face hovering over dark clouds looking down from the sky, and includes colors such as neon-purple and turquoise. She is also fused into a keytar, standing near her dancers in front of a medieval castle. [12] [13] The first leg for the Born This Way Ball was announced the following day, revealing that Gaga would perform several concerts in Asia, including in Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea. [12] Additional dates were added to the Asia-Pacific leg on February 15, 2012. [14] Live Nation Global Touring CEO Arthur Fogel and his team would steer around the tour, as they did the bulk of The Monster Ball Tour (2010–11). [12] Fogel explained that "The last tour established [Gaga] as a major act worldwide and I believe this tour will be an extension of that, particularly considering we're going to territories she's never been in, like Southeast Asia and Latin America." [12]
A European leg was announced in March 2012, which consisted of 21 dates over a period of two months, kicking-off in Sofia, Bulgaria, and concluding in Spain. [15] [16] Soon thereafter, German electronic musician Zedd was declared as Gaga's opening act for the Asian leg of the tour, [17] while longtime collaborator Lady Starlight and British glam rock band The Darkness were approached as opening acts for the European portion of the tour. [16] On their website, The Darkness stated that they were "honoured to announce their addition to the bill as main support for Lady Gaga's Born This Way Ball tour 2012." [18] Dates for Latin America were announced on August 6, 2012, via Twitter. There were two initial dates in North America and four in South America, with more soon added. [19]
Gaga evaluated the tour as an "electro-metal pop-opera" and "the tale of the Beginning, the genesis of the Kingdom of Fame. How we were birthed and how we will die celebrating." [14] Dance rehearsals were held for approximately one month. [16] In February 2012, Gaga revealed that she would release visuals of the show's stage set via Twitter. [20] The singer unveiled a sketch of the stage design, which was created by Gaga herself along with her creative team, Haus of Gaga. [21] She tweeted: "I'm so excited. The Haus has been working so hard, we can't wait for you to see it!! Love you Little Monsters, have the time of your life." [21] The stage was built over a period of several months, [14] and was modeled after a medieval-gothic castle, featuring tall viewing towers, intricate carvings and a large catwalk to interact with the floor audience. [21] The spectacle required at least 15 trailers to move the castle onto the stage, each one measuring nearly 53 feet (16.15 m) long. [22] [23] The area enclosed by the catwalk was described by Gaga as "The Monster Pit". [24] [25] "The Monster Pit is General Admission only, and Little Monsters [...] unlock it when they arrive to the arena or stadium. Entry to The Monster Pit is relegated [...] to the fans who have arrived first, waited all night, [...] dressed to 'Ball.' Every night Haus of Gaga will choose fans from The Monster Pit to come back stage and meet me! These tickets are not more expensive. No dress code requirement. Born This Way means anything goes." [24]
As part of an advertising campaign in the weeks prior to the tour, sketches of four costumes designed by Giorgio Armani were released to the press; Armani previously dressed Gaga for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, and later, on the Monster Ball Tour. [26] Many other costumes on the tour were created by Donatella Versace. [27]
The show was set in and around a large medieval-style land and castle, dubbed the "Kingdom of Fame", which rotated and maneuvered throughout. A classical score accompanied the concert's interludes, tying-in with the dark, operatic themes. The show began with "Highway Unicorn (Road to Love)", featuring an extended intro in which Gaga performed atop a manually-operated "horse" puppet built exclusively by The Jim Henson Company. [28] After the opening number, the stage went dark and spotlights were shone across the stage with a helicopter sound being played. The audience then heard "Mother G.O.A.T." speak for the first time, stating that "alien fugitive Lady Gaga has escaped", and that "Operation: Kill the Bitch" was in order. Gaga appeared in an alien-like costume for "Government Hooker", in which she pretended to seduce a dancer, dressed in a suit, before "killing" him and leaving the stage. Gaga's dancers then re-enacted the "birth" scene of "Born This Way", as Gaga groaned and simulated being in labor, before exiting a zipper-like "vagina" of a large, inflatable body. [29] [30]
After "Black Jesus + Amen Fashion" and "Bloody Mary", an interlude commenced, and the opening dialogue of the music video of "Born This Way" could be heard [31] For "Bad Romance", Gaga arrived on stage inside of a vessel. Following this, she escaped to the top of the castle for "Judas", before escaping and performing "Fashion of His Love" and "Just Dance". During "LoveGame", a clear bathtub, built on the stage, featured Gaga singing inside. After a break and brief chat from the singer, in which she thanked the audience for coming to the show, "Telephone" was performed, with its original choreography. An interlude followed, with Mother G.O.A.T. describing "Gaga's takeover of planet earth". "Heavy Metal Lover" was performed next; Gaga appeared atop the body of a motor-"tricycle" with her arms in two slots, a recreation of her album cover. Gaga drove-around the Monster Pit, followed by choreography for the last chorus of the song. After "Bad Kids", an acoustic section followed with songs like "Hair", "Princess Die", and "You and I". The section concluded with "Electric Chapel", with a display of flashing lights before Gaga left the stage.
After a Spanish guitar intro, Gaga then returned in a recreation of her iconic meat dress for "Americano". "Poker Face" was next; at the end of the song, Gaga was lowered into a "meat grinder", before later emerging from the stage sitting on a "meat couch" to perform "Alejandro" in a gun-bra and green trousers. The castle closed with an interlude and blue lights. Mother G.O.A.T. flew about the castle, mouthing the words of the first verse of "Paparazzi", until Gaga returned to "kill" her with her new disco-stick. Gaga then gave a speech about how there are "no boundaries in music", before performing "Scheiße". After the song, the stage went black. Moments later, Gaga was seen in one of the castle towers for "The Edge of Glory" and the final song, "Marry the Night". When the show ended, Gaga and her dancers were lowered off-stage and the castle went dark.
The Korea Herald journalist Cho Chung-un opined that Gaga "captivated the audience" with what he described as "innovative and breathtaking stage installations and ideas" during the performance. [32] Writing for the same publication, Emma Kalka complemented Gaga's wardrobe, and cited several segments, such as her "Americano" performance, as highlights of the concert. [33] To Kwaak Je-yup of The Korea Times , the performance demonstrated Gaga's abilities as a performing artist, stating: "Friday night was Lady Gaga at her best, fusing fashion and designs with great melodies and dance moves." [34]
A writer for MTV noted the elaborate visuals of the show with its "Gothic castle backdrop and myriad costume changes", concluding that it was "clear that Gaga has outdone even her own Monster Ball in terms of spectacle." [35] Elizabeth Soh of Yahoo! gave a positive review of the Singapore concert, describing it as "at times shocking, raunchy, mellow and just plain bizarre." [31] The New Zealand Herald felt that it was "obvious Gaga believes in her message, you can feel it in her voice. [That] Behind all the lights, glitz, meat, guns and exploding bras is a singer of exceptional talent". [36] Regarding her first show in Brisbane, the Brisbane Times gave it five stars, writing that it was "pure pop theatre", and that "the crowd was simply lost in the Gaga experience. [37] Sean Sennet of The Australian commented that the show was "An extravaganza in every sense" and will be "remembered as a benchmark tour."
Simon Sweetman of New Zealand's Stuff.co.nz praised the tour's three nights in Auckland as the best pop concerts since Janet Jackson's TheVelvet Rope Tour (1998-99). [38] South African publication The New Age gave Gaga's performance in Johannesburg five stars, stating that "Gaga's energy teamed with a bevy of spectacular dancers made for an electric show". [39] South African newspaper The Times 's Nikita Ramkissoon shared in this praise, writing that she "was really taken by was her natural talent... From arriving on stage on a horse, birthing herself, dancing dripping with sex and magnificence, Black Jesus and legs splayed open on an armchair made of meat, this performance was nothing short of spectacular. Every minute of it... Everyone [she] know who was there was blown away. You just had to be there to see how impressive it was". [40]
The Born This Way Ball was labelled as the "best show of the year" and "one of the most amazing events in years in Lithuania" by Lithuanian publication ATN. [41] Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph awarded the Born This Way Ball in Helsinki four stars, writing that the show "is quite spectacular... and quite spectacularly bonkers", mentioning that Gaga "occupies pole position as the 21st centuries ultimate pop star". [42] Swedish news corporation Expressen gave the show five stars, believing that "her two and a half hour show is by far the most lavish and eccentric [they'd] ever seen", complementing Gaga's "flashes of humour... and smart political digs", and the show's intimacy and promotion of self-expression and love. [43] The Guardian gave the show four out of five stars, stating that "The tightly choreographed hits sound terrific, but it's when this curious star sabotages the slickness that she seems most herself". [44] Regarding her performance at the O2 World in Berlin, Berliner Morgenpost reported that "unlike Madonna, whose artificial spectacle you could experience at the same place, the younger rival is cheeky, fresh, uncompromising". [45] Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang gave it a mixed review, admiring her voice, but saying that "if we are going to talk about content, it is similar [to Madonna's]. Gaga hardly says anything Madonna didn't say 25 years ago" adding that "But I have a feeling that she is a less interesting pop-artist than many of us had hoped for. Lady Gaga so often praised for being "original", is mostly very un-original." [46]
Reviews of the North American leg were mostly positive; in the Vancouver Sun , François Marchand praised the show, stating that "Unlike Madonna, whose latest Vancouver appearance was dominated by violent imagery and a borderline bullying attitude toward her longtime fans, Gaga continued to carry her trademark message of empowerment and self-love". [47] Jeva Lange's review in Seattle Weekly of the Tacoma show echoed the praise given to the Vancouver shows, believing that "her voice, costumes, and lyrical honesty were not only completely unforgettable, they were inspiring". [48] Rich Lopez from the Dallas Voice praised the show and Gaga's "relentlessness in giving a dynamic performance", saying that "She shocked, she touched, she served diva realness, and like those four fans onstage (as well as the ones who joined her in the "Marry the Night" finale), she made everyone feel special." [49] The Arizona Republic 's Joe Golfen also gave the Phoenix show a positive review, stating: "The nearly two-and-a-half hour show, a stop on her worldwide Born This Way Ball, highlighted everything that has made Lady Gaga such a phenomenon. There were outrageous outfits, elaborate set pieces, sexy dance numbers, and messages of self-respect and gay rights. Plus, all those hit songs." Golfen also added: "That packed arena of screaming fans made it clear that her star wasn't going to be fading away anytime soon." [50]
Other North American reports were more critical, such as Emily Zemler of The Hollywood Reporter giving the Los Angeles show a mixed review, writing: "The music was, at best, secondary to the grab-bag, highly produced performance... It was almost as though the singer decided to indulge every possible idea anyone ever had for her live show simultaneously". [51] Jim Harrington from the Oakland Tribune gave the San Jose concert a negative review, saying that the "production is so over-the-top that it completely buries the music", adding that "the level of enthusiasm [of the fans] definitely seemed to peak early in the concert." [52]
Tickets for the tour brought tremendous commercial success across several Asian and Australian markets. Tickets for the Asia-Pacific leg of the Born This Way Ball became available on February 17, 2012, through Ticketek and Ticketmaster. [14] Shortly after being made available, tickets for the first two of the three Auckland shows were sold-out. [53] In response to positive ticket sales in New Zealand and Australia, nine additional concerts were scheduled as part of the Asia-Pacific leg. [54] In Hong Kong, an estimated 6,000 presale tickets became available on February 24 for two originally scheduled shows; these were sold-out within three hours, prompting Live Nation to add three more dates (for a total of five sold-out shows) in Hong Kong. [55] [56] Additional sellouts and positive commercial results were reported for the successive performances in Hong Kong, [57] as well as in Taipei, [58] Saitama, [lower-alpha 1] [59] Bangkok, [60] Singapore, [61] Seoul, [62] and Jakarta, with the latter having sold out within two hours. [63] [64]
Similar successes were echoed in European markets. Several British publications indicated that presale tickets in the United Kingdom were selling beyond the demand. [65] [66] Industry analysts suggested that based on internet searches that an estimated two million people could attempt to purchase a ticket out of the 75,000 that were issued for the London and Manchester dates. [67] Tickets became available for general sale on April 13, 2012; the London event sold out in a record-breaking 50 seconds, [68] [69] while the Manchester concert sold out under ten minutes. [70] [71] Several European ticketing sites crashed when the tickets went on sale, including Sweden, Finland and Spain, where the Barcelona pre-sale fastly sold out; more than 22,000 people attended her outdoor concert in Bucharest, Romania. Both Russian dates sold out in hours. The biggest crowd on the tour was in Saint-Denis [lower-alpha 2] at the Stade de France on September 22, 2012, when Gaga, with 71,000 people in attendance, became the youngest artist to ever grace the stadium [72] until Rihanna scheduled a date at the Stade de France on her Diamonds World Tour for June 2013.
The high demand for tickets continued in Africa. When tickets went on sale for the two dates in South Africa, the ticket retailer Computicket's online ticketing servers crashed under the pressure from the high volume of fans trying to buy tickets to the concerts. [73] Before the crash, some fans experienced extremely long waiting times in online queues, up to two hours, and at one point it was reported that over 26,000 people were still waiting to purchase tickets online. [74] As a result, Computicket decided to cease online ticket sale until the following morning. [75]
Despite the worldwide commercial success of the tour, it was not very well-received by the South American market, largely due to ticketing and pricing issues, as well as availability. In Colombia, for example, some tickets were sold at half of their original price to increase total sales, generating widespread criticism from fans who had bought tickets at their original prices; the production company also made an offer to fans who had bought tickets at their original prices, in which they could receive a second free ticket for the same show with a price-adjusted refund, or a full refund. [76] To increase sales of the three concerts in Brazil, special offers were made, including a two-for-one special for standing-room-only sections, as well as a "ten-installments-with-no-interest" payment plan for tickets. [77] In Chile, demand was comparatively higher than in the rest of South America; however, tickets for each respective date were not made immediately available. The production company then had to make additional special offers, two weeks before the show, including a two-for-one offer for standing-room-only sections, and reducing the prices for most of the tickets. [78] [79] In Peru, tickets were sold at their original prices. [80]
The North American leg of the tour additionally experienced strong ticket sales. By the time the final 21 dates of the tour had been canceled on February 13, the entire leg had been nearly sold out. Had the entire leg been completed, the tour would have topped $200 million in ticket sales. The cancellation of the last 21 dates resulted in refunds of over $25 million and 200,000 tickets. [81] With more than twenty dates left, Gaga was forced to cancel the remaining tour dates due to sustaining a hip injury that required surgery. With the dates of the tour that were successfully completed, Gaga grossed more than $160 million.
The South Asian part of the tour was the subject of some controversy due to its denunciation by anti-LGBT activists. Gaga's support for LGBT rights, the supposed indecency of her shows, and religious content in her lyrics led some homophobic Christian and Muslim groups in South Korea, the Philippines, and Indonesia to call for the cancellation of the concerts. [82] [83] Most went on as scheduled, although one, in Indonesia, was canceled due to threats, [84] the cancellation being seen as an indicator of the growing influence of extremist groups like the Islamic Defenders Front. [85]
Several conservative political commentators denounced The Born This Way Ball shortly after the conception of the tour. In May 2012, Gaga sparked an online uproar, particularly in the city of Bangkok when she tweeted: "I just landed in Bangkok baby! Ready for 50,000 screaming Thai monsters. I wanna get lost in a lady market and buy fake Rolex." Several of Gaga's fans felt that the tweet was racist and viewed it as a negative stereotype. [86] The following month, weeks after her concert in Thailand, several members of the country filed a public lawsuit against Gaga for misuse of the Thailand flag. The complaints came from when Gaga while wearing an accessorized and provocative bikini costume with a traditional Thai headdress, rode a motorcycle across the stage with a Thai flag tied to it. Government officials in the country deemed the act as "not appropriate" and felt that it "hurt the feelings of Thai People". [87]
Gaga caused more controversy after her performance of June 27 in Melbourne, where she debuted a new song called "Princess Die", about suicide and mental illness. [88] The song's lyrics, including lines such as "I wish that I was strong/I wish that I was wrong/I wish that I could cope/but I took pills and left a note" were slammed as "distasteful" by suicide charities, who feared the message about the suicide that the song portrayed. Chris Wagner of Lifeline, an international crisis support service, stated, "Lifeline is very concerned about the nature of the song, particularly as it clearly describes the method of suicide and talks in depth about suicide. It doesn't actually have any message of hope, of help seeking, or anything of a positive nature whatsoever." [89] The song's references to Diana, Princess of Wales and her death also caused offense and outrage, despite Gaga attempting to distance herself from such controversy by clearly spelling out the name of the song during her concert. [90]
This set list is representative of the first show in Los Angeles. It does not represent all dates throughout the tour. [91]
Date | City | Country | Venue | Opening act | Attendance | Revenue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Asia-Pacific [93] [94] | ||||||
April 27, 2012 | Seoul | South Korea | Seoul Olympic Stadium | Zedd | 51,684 / 51,684 | $3,084,172 |
May 2, 2012 | Hong Kong | China | AsiaWorld–Arena | 51,613 / 51,613 | $7,893,195 | |
May 3, 2012 | ||||||
May 5, 2012 | ||||||
May 7, 2012 | ||||||
May 10, 2012 | Saitama [lower-alpha 1] | Japan | Saitama Super Arena | 96,550 / 96,550 | $18,339,701 | |
May 12, 2012 | ||||||
May 13, 2012 | ||||||
May 17, 2012 | Taipei | Taiwan | TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall | 22,173 / 22,173 | $4,274,243 | |
May 18, 2012 | ||||||
May 21, 2012 | Pasay [lower-alpha 3] | Philippines | Mall of Asia Arena | 18,915 / 18,915 | $1,275,387 | |
May 22, 2012 | ||||||
May 25, 2012 | Bangkok | Thailand | Rajamangala National Stadium | 41,478 / 41,478 | $4,299,376 | |
May 28, 2012 | Singapore | Singapore Indoor Stadium | 30,952 / 30,952 | $4,744,331 | ||
May 29, 2012 | ||||||
May 31, 2012 | ||||||
June 7, 2012 | Auckland | New Zealand | Vector Arena | Lady Starlight | 34,367 / 34,367 | $3,669,324 |
June 8, 2012 | ||||||
June 10, 2012 | ||||||
June 13, 2012 | Brisbane | Australia | Brisbane Entertainment Centre | 31,326 / 31,326 | $4,289,453 | |
June 14, 2012 | ||||||
June 16, 2012 | ||||||
June 20, 2012 | Sydney | Allphones Arena | 54,774 / 54,774 | $7,563,088 | ||
June 21, 2012 | ||||||
June 23, 2012 | ||||||
June 24, 2012 | ||||||
June 27, 2012 | Melbourne | Rod Laver Arena | 60,031 / 60,031 | $8,169,642 | ||
June 28, 2012 | ||||||
June 30, 2012 | ||||||
July 1, 2012 | ||||||
July 3, 2012 | ||||||
July 7, 2012 | Perth | Burswood Dome | 32,046 / 32,046 | $3,696,277 | ||
July 8, 2012 | ||||||
Europe [95] | ||||||
August 14, 2012 | Sofia | Bulgaria | Armeets Arena | The Darkness Lady Starlight | 8,705 / 8,705 | $489,708 |
August 16, 2012 | Bucharest | Romania | Piața Constituției | 22,602 / 22,602 | $627,303 | |
August 18, 2012 | Vienna | Austria | Wiener Stadthalle | 13,826 / 13,826 | $1,213,814 | |
August 21, 2012 | Vilnius | Lithuania | Vingio Parko Estrada | 14,853 / 14,853 | $1,004,182 | |
August 23, 2012 | Riga | Latvia | Mežaparka Lielā Estrāde | 12,974 / 12,974 | $587,997 | |
August 25, 2012 | Tallinn | Estonia | Tallinn Song Festival Grounds | 16,191 / 16,191 | $1,011,992 | |
August 27, 2012 | Helsinki | Finland | Hartwall Arena | 19,793 / 19,793 | $2,043,247 | |
August 28, 2012 | ||||||
August 30, 2012 | Stockholm | Sweden | Ericsson Globe | 27,447 / 27,447 | $2,848,530 | |
August 31, 2012 | ||||||
September 2, 2012 | Copenhagen | Denmark | Parken Stadium | 27,819 / 27,819 | $2,223,471 | |
September 4, 2012 | Cologne | Germany | Lanxess Arena | 25,123 / 25,123 | $2,312,695 | |
September 5, 2012 | ||||||
September 8, 2012 | London | England | Twickenham Stadium | 101,250 / 101,250 | $10,714,991 | |
September 9, 2012 | ||||||
September 11, 2012 | Manchester | Manchester Arena | 15,543 / 15,543 | $1,795,795 | ||
September 15, 2012 | Dublin | Ireland | Aviva Stadium | 37,005 / 37,005 | $3,523,340 | |
September 17, 2012 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Ziggo Dome | 26,375 / 26,375 | $2,462,977 | |
September 18, 2012 | ||||||
September 20, 2012 | Berlin | Germany | O2 World | 11,968 / 11,968 | $1,138,313 | |
September 22, 2012 | Saint-Denis [lower-alpha 2] | France | Stade de France | 70,617 / 70,617 | $6,367,305 | |
September 24, 2012 | Hanover | Germany | TUI Arena | 10,816 / 10,816 | $1,075,831 | |
September 26, 2012 | Zürich | Switzerland | Hallenstadion | 26,626 / 26,626 | $3,035,010 | |
September 27, 2012 | ||||||
September 29, 2012 | Antwerp | Belgium | Sportpaleis | 33,539 / 33,539 | $2,948,685 | |
September 30, 2012 | ||||||
October 2, 2012 | Assago [lower-alpha 4] | Italy | Mediolanum Forum | 10,753 / 10,753 | $1,119,536 | |
October 3, 2012 | Nice | France | Palais Nikaïa | 13,169 / 13,169 | $1,088,012 | |
October 4, 2012 | ||||||
October 6, 2012 | Barcelona | Spain | Palau Sant Jordi | 16,934 / 16,934 | $1,705,685 | |
Latin America [96] [97] | ||||||
October 26, 2012 | Mexico City | Mexico | Foro Sol | The Darkness Lady Starlight | 37,260 / 37,260 | $2,666,769 |
October 30, 2012 | San Juan | Puerto Rico | José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum | 21,262 / 21,262 | $2,242,937 | |
October 31, 2012 | ||||||
November 3, 2012 | San José | Costa Rica | Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica | 29,014 / 29,014 | $1,661,029 | |
November 6, 2012 | Bogotá | Colombia | Estadio El Campín | 30,546 / 36,335 | $2,465,994 | |
November 9, 2012 | Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | Parque dos Atletas | 26,167 / 26,167 | $2,218,846 | |
November 11, 2012 | São Paulo | Estádio do Morumbi | 43,137 / 43,137 | $4,293,859 | ||
November 13, 2012 | Porto Alegre | FIERGS Parking Lot | 9,918 / 9,918 | $923,379 | ||
November 16, 2012 | Buenos Aires | Argentina | River Plate Stadium | 45,007 / 45,007 | $3,988,565 | |
November 20, 2012 | Santiago | Chile | Estadio Nacional de Chile | 42,416 / 42,416 | $2,849,707 | |
November 23, 2012 | Lima | Peru | Estadio Universidad San Marcos | 36,163 / 36,163 | $1,732,732 | |
November 26, 2012 | Asunción | Paraguay | Jockey Club | 26,481 / 26,481 | $1,107,371 | |
Africa [97] | ||||||
November 30, 2012 | Johannesburg | South Africa | FNB Stadium | The Darkness Lady Starlight | 56,900 / 56,900 | $3,270,764 |
December 3, 2012 | Cape Town | Cape Town Stadium | 39,527 / 39,527 | $2,285,389 | ||
Europe [97] | ||||||
December 6, 2012 | Bærum [lower-alpha 5] | Norway | Telenor Arena | The Darkness Lady Starlight | 14,566 / 14,566 | $1,748,812 |
December 9, 2012 | Saint Petersburg | Russia | SKK Peterburgsky | 11,127 / 11,127 | $1,434,499 | |
December 12, 2012 | Moscow | Olimpiyskiy | 19,522 / 19,522 | $4,022,660 | ||
North America [98] [99] | ||||||
January 11, 2013 | Vancouver | Canada | Rogers Arena | Madeon Lady Starlight | 30,054 / 30,054 | $2,891,441 |
January 12, 2013 | ||||||
January 14, 2013 | Tacoma | United States | Tacoma Dome | 14,185 / 14,185 | $1,258,450 | |
January 15, 2013 | Portland | Rose Garden | 8,853 / 8,853 | $791,496 | ||
January 17, 2013 | San Jose | HP Pavilion | 11,465 / 11,465 | $1,498,246 | ||
January 20, 2013 | Los Angeles | Staples Center | 24,412 / 24,412 | $3,082,251 | ||
January 21, 2013 | ||||||
January 23, 2013 | Phoenix | US Airways Center | — | — | ||
January 25, 2013 | Paradise [lower-alpha 6] | MGM Grand Garden Arena | ||||
January 26, 2013 | ||||||
January 29, 2013 | Dallas | American Airlines Center | ||||
January 31, 2013 | Houston | Toyota Center | ||||
February 2, 2013 | St. Louis | Scottrade Center | ||||
February 4, 2013 | Kansas City | Sprint Center | ||||
February 6, 2013 | St. Paul | Xcel Energy Center | ||||
February 8, 2013 | Toronto | Canada | Air Canada Centre | 24,874 / 24,874 | $3,414,886 | |
February 9, 2013 | ||||||
February 11, 2013 | Montreal | Bell Centre | — | — | ||
Total | 1,692,693 / 1,698,482 | $174,586,690 |
Date | City | Country | Venue | Reason |
---|---|---|---|---|
June 3, 2012 | Jakarta | Indonesia | Gelora Bung Karno Stadium | Security measures [100] |
February 13, 2013 | Chicago | United States | United Center | Hip injury [101] |
February 14, 2013 | ||||
February 16, 2013 | Auburn Hills [lower-alpha 7] | The Palace of Auburn Hills | ||
February 17, 2013 | Hamilton | Canada | Copps Coliseum | |
February 19, 2013 | Philadelphia | United States | Wells Fargo Center | |
February 20, 2013 | ||||
February 22, 2013 | New York | Madison Square Garden | ||
February 23, 2013 | ||||
February 25, 2013 | Washington, D.C. | Verizon Center | ||
February 27, 2013 | Boston | TD Garden | ||
March 2, 2013 | State College [lower-alpha 8] | Bryce Jordan Center | ||
March 3, 2013 | Uncasville | Mohegan Sun Arena | ||
March 6, 2013 | New York [lower-alpha 9] | Barclays Center | ||
March 7, 2013 | ||||
March 10, 2013 | Nashville | Bridgestone Arena | ||
March 11, 2013 | Atlanta | Philips Arena | ||
March 13, 2013 | Tampa | Tampa Bay Times Forum | ||
March 15, 2013 | Sunrise | BB&T Center | ||
March 16, 2013 | Miami | American Airlines Arena | ||
March 18, 2013 | Greensboro | Greensboro Coliseum | ||
March 20, 2013 | Tulsa | BOK Center |
Credits adapted from the tour's official program. [102]
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She is known for reinventing her image and showcasing versatility in entertainment. Gaga started performing as a teenager by singing at open mic nights and acting in school plays. She studied at Collaborative Arts Project 21 before leaving to pursue a music career. After a contract cancellation by Def Jam Recordings, Gaga worked as a songwriter for Sony/ATV Music Publishing. In 2007, she signed with Interscope Records and KonLive Distribution. Her breakthrough came the following year with her debut studio album, The Fame, and its number-one singles "Just Dance" and "Poker Face". The album was later reissued along with The Fame Monster (2009), which yielded the successful singles "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Telephone".
The Fame Ball Tour was the debut concert tour by American singer Lady Gaga, in support of her debut studio album The Fame (2008). North American shows began in March, followed by dates in Oceania and a solo trek through Europe. Dates in Asia soon followed, as well as two performances at England's V Festival and two shows in North America that had been postponed from April. Gaga described the tour as a traveling museum show incorporating artist Andy Warhol's pop-performance art concept. Tickets were distributed for charity also. Alternate versions of the show with minimal variations were planned by Gaga to accommodate different venues.
"Paparazzi" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). It was released as the album's fifth and final single by Interscope Records. Gaga wrote and produced the song with Rob Fusari. The song portrays Gaga's struggles in her quest for fame, as well as balancing success and love. Musically, it is an uptempo techno-pop and dance-pop ballad whose lyrics describe a stalker following somebody to grab attention and fame.
The Fame Monster is a reissue of American singer Lady Gaga's debut studio album, The Fame (2008), and was released on November 18, 2009, through Interscope Records. Initially planned solely as a deluxe edition reissue of The Fame, Interscope later decided to release the eight new songs as a standalone EP in some territories. The decision was also because Gaga believed the re-release was too expensive and that the albums were conceptually different, describing them as yin and yang. The deluxe edition is a double album featuring the eight new songs on the first disc and The Fame on the second disc. A super deluxe edition was released on December 15, 2009, holding additional merchandise, including a lock from Gaga's wig.
The Monster Ball Tour was the second worldwide concert tour by American singer Lady Gaga. Staged in support of her first EP, The Fame Monster (2009) and comprising a set list of songs mostly from that and her debut studio album, The Fame (2008), the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 2009 through 2011. It is the highest-grossing tour for a debut headlining artist in history. Described as "the first-ever pop electro opera" by Gaga, the tour was announced in October 2009 after an intended joint concert tour with rapper Kanye West was suddenly cancelled. The Monster Ball Tour commenced four days after the release of The Fame Monster in November 2009.
"Bad Romance" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her third extended play (EP), The Fame Monster (2009)—the reissue of her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). Gaga wrote and produced the song with RedOne. Following an unauthorized demo leak, Gaga premiered the song's final version during the finale of Alexander McQueen's 2010 Paris Fashion Week show in October 2009 and released it as the lead single from The Fame Monster later that month. Musically, it is an electropop and dance-pop song with a spoken bridge. Inspired by German house and techno, the song was developed as an experimental pop record. Lyrically, Gaga drew from the paranoia she experienced while on tour and wrote about her attraction to unhealthy romantic relationships.
"Speechless" is a song by the American singer Lady Gaga from her extended play (EP), The Fame Monster (2009). The song was written by Gaga to convince her father to undergo open-heart surgery for his malfunctioning aortic valve and remind her younger fans to appreciate their parents. "Speechless" is about Gaga's fear of death. A rock power ballad, the song has elements of 1970s rock, blues rock, glam rock and country music.
Born This Way is the second studio album by American singer Lady Gaga, released by Interscope Records on May 23, 2011. It was co-written and co-produced by Gaga with other producers, including Fernando Garibay and RedOne, who had previously worked with her. She also worked with artists such as E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons and Queen guitarist Brian May. Gaga and Garibay are the album's musical directors.
"Born This Way" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga, and the lead single from her second studio album of the same name. Written by Gaga and Jeppe Laursen, who produced it along with Fernando Garibay and DJ White Shadow, the track was developed while Gaga was on the road with the Monster Ball Tour. Inspired by 1990s music which empowered women, minorities, and the LGBT community, Gaga explained that "Born This Way" was her freedom song. It was also inspired by Carl Bean and his song "I Was Born This Way", released in 1977. She sang part of the chorus at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards and announced it as the lead single from the album, released on February 11, 2011.
"You and I" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga, taken from her second studio album, Born This Way (2011). She also co-produced it with Robert John "Mutt" Lange. The track samples Queen's "We Will Rock You" (1977) and features electric guitar by Queen's Brian May. Gaga debuted "You and I" in June 2010 during her performance at Elton John's White Tie and Tiara Ball. Footage of the performance appeared on the Internet, and positive response encouraged her to include the song on her setlist for The Monster Ball Tour. She later performed the song on Today to a record crowd in July 2010, and on The Oprah Winfrey Show in May 2011. On August 23, 2011, Interscope Records released the song as the fourth single from the album.
"The Edge of Glory" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her second studio album, Born This Way (2011). The song was released on May 9, 2011, as the album's third single. Initially released as one of two promotional singles for Born This Way, it shortly became a single following its success in digital outlets worldwide. The song was written and produced by Gaga and Fernando Garibay, and is a pop, electro-rock, and disco song that speaks of the last moments of life. According to Gaga, lyrical inspiration came from the death of her grandfather, who died in September 2010. Along with a saxophone solo played by Clarence Clemons, the melody of the song resembles much of the musical works of Bruce Springsteen, and contains several qualities similar to that of 1980s adult contemporary musical works.
"Marry the Night" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Lady Gaga for her second studio album, Born This Way (2011). The track was initially released for promotion on FarmVille, six days before the release of Born This Way. It was released as the fifth and initially final single from the album before "Bloody Mary" in 2022 on November 11, 2011, by Interscope Records. The song was written and produced by Gaga and Fernando Garibay, and was recorded on the tour bus during The Monster Ball Tour. Revealed in February 2011, "Marry the Night" was inspired by the energy of Gaga's previous songs like "Dance in the Dark" and her love for her hometown, New York City.
Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden is a 2011 concert special which documents the February 21 and 22, 2011 shows of American singer Lady Gaga's worldwide concert tour, The Monster Ball Tour. Filmed at Madison Square Garden in Gaga's hometown of New York City, the two-hour special was directed by the singer's choreographer Laurieann Gibson and produced by HBO. It was first broadcast on the channel on May 7, 2011, a day after Gaga's last date of The Monster Ball Tour. The special was released on November 21, 2011, on DVD and Blu-ray by Media Blasters.
Fame Kills: Starring Kanye West and Lady Gaga was a planned co-headlining concert tour by American record producer and vocalist Kanye West, and singer Lady Gaga. For the tour, which would have supported West's fourth album 808s & Heartbreak (2008) and Gaga's The Fame Monster EP (2009), the pair conceived a production that would unite their different musical audiences. The tour was scheduled to run from November 2009 to January 2010, but was canceled after public controversy regarding West's interruption of Taylor Swift's Best Female Video speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Shortly after the cancellation, Gaga embarked on her own tour, The Monster Ball Tour, while West went on to make his album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, released on November 22, 2010.
Arthur Fogel is a Canadian music promoter and the CEO of the Global Touring division of Live Nation Entertainment. His team has managed four of the top five highest-grossing tours in history, including those by U2, Madonna, Lady Gaga, and The Police. He has been considered one of the most important people in live music.
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.
Lady Gaga Live at Roseland Ballroom was the first concert residency by American singer Lady Gaga. Performed at the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan, New York, the residency began on March 28 and concluded on April 7, 2014, after completing seven shows. It was the final event hosted by the venue after it was announced that it was being closed down and being replaced with a 42-story skyscraper. Gaga revealed that Roseland was the only venue in New York City that she had never played, although she had visited there previously to watch shows. A poster announcing the event was released, showing an old image of Gaga taken before the time she became successful as a recording artist.
The Joanne World Tour was the sixth headlining concert tour by American singer Lady Gaga, in support of her fifth studio album, Joanne (2016). It began on August 1, 2017, in Vancouver, Canada and ended on February 1, 2018, in Birmingham, England. After tickets went on sale, various shows in Europe and North America quickly sold out, prompting additional dates in both continents.
The Chromatica Ball was the seventh headlining concert tour by American singer Lady Gaga in support of her sixth studio album, Chromatica (2020). Comprising 20 shows, it began on July 17, 2022, in Düsseldorf and concluded on September 17, 2022, in Miami Gardens. Initially conceived as a six-date-long, limited tour, new dates were added after it was delayed by two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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