Tour by Rihanna | |
Associated album | Rated R and Loud |
---|---|
Start date | April 16, 2010 |
End date | March 12, 2011 |
Legs | 3 |
No. of shows | 67 |
Rihanna concert chronology |
Last Girl on Earth [1] was the third concert tour by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. The tour visited Europe, North America and Australia to support her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009).
The tour was announced through MTV News in December 2009. In the interview, Rihanna stated, "It's going to be a worldwide tour, so it's going to be a very long tour. We'll definitely be in your city, so look out for that." [2] The tour received generally positive reception.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight , Rihanna explained the tour's title. She stated, "I like to think about myself as 'The Last Girl on Earth' because sometimes people make decisions based on the outlook of others and, you know, to me, my life is my life. It's my world, and I'm going to live it the way I want to. That's how I think about everything, that way I'm focused on me, and my work. It's a really narrow space, a focus." [3]
The tour, choreographed by Tina Landon, was officially announced on December 9, 2009, while on the set of the music video for "Hard". [2] She also announced some dates for the European leg of the tour on her official website. It went on to gross over $9.1 million in North America from 26 shows according to Pollstar and the 2011 Australian leg of the tour added another $10 million to the total. English singer-songwriter Pixie Lott was selected as the opening act for the UK shows, along with last minute additions of Tinchy Stryder and Tinie Tempah. [4] [5] In an interview with MTV, she stated, "We've been ... coming out with different ideas and cool things that we can do. Things that we've never seen before, daring things – but now is when we really start with the rehearsal and we get into the nitty-gritty and the details of everything" while describing the vibe of the tour as "daring". [2]
During rehearsals for the tour, Rihanna also took drum lessons from Travis Barker. This practice was later used during her cover of "The Glamorous Life" originally performed by Sheila E. [6] In April 2010, the North American dates for the tour were announced. [7] Although rapper Nicki Minaj was originally scheduled as an opening act, she withdrew from the tour to continue work on her debut album. [8]
In March 2010, Israeli newspapers reported that Rihanna would play a date at Bloomfield Stadium, in Tel Aviv on May 30, 2010. The concert was sponsored by Orange Rockcorps. This organization allows those who volunteer in their community for at least four hours to attend the concert at no cost. It was later announced Rihanna will join the volunteers before the concert to do local work in the community. [9]
In an interview with AOL, Rihanna revealed that fans should expect a big upgrade in comparison to her previous tours. She commented, "[w]e've never done a tour to this capacity. The production is unbelievable and the costumes, we just took it to a whole new level. Visually and sonically it's going to be a big step up from the last time. We just keep growing, and this time it is a massive production that I cannot wait for." [7]
The tour is directed by Jamie King, who has previously worked with Madonna, Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne. Tina Landon, who has worked with Janet Jackson, will serve as choreographer. The creative director for the tour is Simon Henwood who was also the creative director of her 2009 album. [10] Henwood explained: "[w]e talked extensively for months before the album's release, and looked at every aspect of the campaign – from styling to stage ideas and visuals [...] There is a great story that will unfold through the campaign, and finally reveal on the tour.. partly inspired by the film – The Omega Man and of course ideas from the songs – as well as Rihanna's personal visions." [11]
Extreme's guitarist, Nuno Bettencourt, has signed on to lead the band. [12] Bettencourt explained that the rehearsals have been "better than what I expected because she also has the most incredible band, and I get the privilege to add to their wall of sound. It's gonna be fun." [12]
The Telegraph said, "On the opening night of the UK leg of her world tour, US R&B superstar Rihanna was taking no prisoners. She kicked off with the homicidal pop-rock ballad Russian Roulette to screen imagery of burning naked mannequins and had shed most of her clothes by her second song, which saw her straddling the gun barrel of a life-size pink tank while a semi-naked, military dance troupe twirled their rifles. Sex, violence and pyrotechnics (including big-screen mushroom clouds to accompany the incendiary Fire Bomb) were the themes of the evening. [...] Rihanna has a set full of hits and each is delivered with maximum bang for the audience's bucks, with revealing costumes, salacious dance routines, eye-catching props and sci-fi screens. [...] Her young, predominantly female fans genuinely adore Rihanna, and were full-throated whenever given the chance to join in. Sex and violence might make for effective 21st-century blockbuster entertainment but the price has been a loss of innocence, charm and individuality." [13] BBC Radio 1 said, "The 22-year-old star wore a floor-length black dress with red flashing lights on it to kick off the show at The O2 Arena, which began with last year's single, Russian Roulette. [...] Speaking afterwards most of the audience appeared impressed with the show. [...] The gig ended with the star's biggest hit to date, Umbrella, which managed to hold the number one spot for 10 weeks in 2007. [14] The Daily Mirror said, "Kicking off the Last Girl On Earth tour, where the running theme is Rihanna as the last human alive, she launches into a fiery Russian Roulette. [...] There was no miming. She's stepped up her game and ready to battle it out with the best of the new female acts." [15] Mikael Wood from Rolling Stone reviewed the concert in Los Angeles and said that Rihanna held the "audience's attention throughout a nearly two-hour show full of costume changes, video bits and complicated set pieces [...]". [16]
Jason Clevett of GayCalgary considered the show's theme reminiscent of Janet Jackson's The Velvet Rope Tour, particularly comparing Jackson's live renditions of "Rope Burn", "in which she tied an audience member to a bed and proceeded to seduce them", to Rihanna's performance of "Skin." [17] Clay Clane of BET said of the show: "There may have been doubts, but Rihanna proved she has the star power to command a stage for nearly two hours. [...] Rihanna can sing and there were no signs of lip-synching. Rih never said she was Whitney Houston, and while she doesn't have a massive vocal range, she uses her voice well, sounding just like her records and belting out some notes that I didn't know were in her. [18] The New York Post said, "Rihanna is a dream girl", who "kept the set lively with fireworks, an arsenal of gun props and a program that wove together the bubbly dance pop and the harder rock-flavored material featured on her recent Rated R record." From the show opener, "Russian Roulette", to the last encore song – her megahit "Umbrella" – Rihanna was electric for a performance that was amped-up and aggressive. [19]
On April 19, 2010, Rihanna made newspaper headlines when she was taken to hospital after her performance in Zürich. Rihanna's spokesperson says that she "had an injured rib and went to have it looked at to be sure it was nothing serious, and it wasn’t". Alenka Ambroz, head of the clinic's corporate communications said: "Rihanna arrived at the accident and emergency unit. We're not going to give any details." Rihanna, however, was still able to perform at the next show in Lyon, France, on April 20. [20]
One of the two concerts at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow, Scotland, was recorded and partially broadcast by several radio stations across Europe on May 26, 2010. [21] The concert in Manchester was recorded and later broadcast by a German radio station. Additionally, the concert on June 5 at the Rock in Rio Festival in Madrid, Spain, was broadcast by Spanish television network TVE. No official DVD for the tour has been released or announced.
The following set list is from the April 21, 2010, show in Marseille, France. It is not intended to represent all dates throughout the 2010 leg.
The following set list is from the February 25, 2011, show in Brisbane, Australia. It is not intended to represent all dates throughout the Australian leg.
Date (2011) | City | Country | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
February 25 | Brisbane | Australia | Brisbane Entertainment Centre |
February 26 | Gold Coast | GCCEC Arena | |
February 28 | Newcastle | Newcastle Entertainment Centre | |
March 4 | Sydney | Acer Arena | |
March 5 | |||
March 7 | Melbourne | Rod Laver Arena | |
March 8 | |||
March 10 | Adelaide | Adelaide Entertainment Centre | |
March 12 | Perth | Burswood Dome |
July 2 | Auburn, Washington | White River Amphitheatre | Production changes [42] |
July 12 | West Valley City | USANA Amphitheatre | Cancelled [43] |
July 15 | Greenwood Village | Comfort Dental Amphitheatre | Cancelled [44] |
July 22 | Phoenix | Cricket Wireless Pavilion | Moved to the Anselmo Valencia Tori Amphitheater in Tucson, Arizona [45] |
July 24 | Dallas | Superpages.com Center | Moved to the Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo, Texas [46] |
July 28 | Atlanta | Philips Arena | Cancelled [47] |
August 3 | Noblesville | Verizon Wireless Music Center | Cancelled [48] |
Venue | City | Tickets sold / Available | Gross revenue |
---|---|---|---|
Sportpaleis | Antwerp | 15,653 / 15,862 (99%) | $889,266 [49] |
Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy | Paris | 15,733 / 16,348 (96%) | $1,184,640 [50] |
Color Line Arena | Hamburg | 7,927 / 11,589 (68%) | $586,496 [51] |
LG Arena | Birmingham | 12,909 / 14,998 (86%) | $812,909 [52] |
Echo Arena | Liverpool | 10,581 / 10,581 (100%) | $654,120 [52] |
The O2 Arena | London | 30,813 / 33,018 (93%) | $1,905,800 [51] |
Sheffield Arena | Sheffield | 8,091 / 10,140 (80%) | $506,019 [52] |
Trent FM Arena | Nottingham | 8,022 / 9,567 (84%) | $496,754 [52] |
Manchester Evening News Arena | Manchester | 12,678 / 13,631 (93%) | $773,704 [52] |
Metro Radio Arena | Newcastle | 8,258 / 9,757 (85%) | $503,928 [52] |
The O2 | Dublin | 21,535 / 24,078 (89%) | $1,198,040 [53] |
Odyssey Arena | Belfast | 9,286 / 9,286 (100%) | $529,312 [53] |
Shoreline Amphitheater | Mountain View | 19,678 / 22,000 (90%) | $1,394,200 [53] |
Staples Center | Los Angeles | 19,992 / 19,992 (100%) | $1,359,456 [54] |
Bell Centre | Montreal | 10,778 / 10,778 (100%) | $785,707 [55] |
Madison Square Garden | New York City | 14,331 / 14,331 (100%) | $1,271,547 [56] |
Hersheypark Stadium | Hershey | 11,400 / 14,567 (78%) | $469,285 [57] |
DTE Energy Music Theatre | Clarkston | 14,381 / 14,381 (100%) | $535,276 [56] |
Brisbane Entertainment Centre | Brisbane | 10,788 / 11,168 (97%) | $1,415,830 [58] |
Newcastle Entertainment Centre | Newcastle | 6,505 / 7,243 (78%) | $783,748 [59] |
Acer Arena | Sydney | 22,406 / 22,406 (100%) | $2,929,180 [60] |
Rod Laver Arena | Melbourne | 23,090 / 23,650 (98%) | $2,672,630 [61] |
Adelaide Entertainment Centre | Adelaide | 7,924 / 9,961 (79%) | $866,215 [62] |
Burswood Dome | Perth | 11,655 / 22,024 (52%) | $1,278,250 [62] |
TOTAL | 294,744 / 329,364 (89%) | $24,248,656 |
Credits adapted from the official tour book:
ManagementRebel One, LLC:
Creative Direction
Dancers
Stylists and Assistant
| The Band
Backgroup Vocals
Production Crew
Catering
|
Robyn Rihanna Fenty is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman and actress. She was cited as the best-selling female recording artist of the 21st century by Guinness World Records and is one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, with sales estimated at 250 million units worldwide. Rihanna is the highest-certified female artist of all time on the RIAA's Top Artists ranking; she has the most U.S. diamond certified singles for any female artist (7). She has achieved 14 number-one singles, 32 top-ten singles in the US, and 31 top-ten entries in the UK. Her accolades include nine Grammy Awards, 13 American Music Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards, six Guinness World Records, the NAACP's President's Award, and an Academy Award nomination. As of 2024, she is the wealthiest female musical artist with an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion.
The Harajuku Lovers Tour was the first solo concert tour of American recording artist Gwen Stefani. The tour began through October to December 2005, to support of her debut studio album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004). Although Stefani embarked on multiple tours with her band No Doubt, she initially opted not to participate in a tour to promote her album, an attitude that the singer eventually abandoned due to the commercial success of Love. Angel. Music. Baby.
"Unfaithful" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her second studio album A Girl like Me (2006). It was written by Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith with the song's producers Stargate. The song was released by Def Jam Recordings on May 1, 2006, as the second single from the album. "Unfaithful" is a pop, dancehall and R&B ballad and was inspired by the music of American rock band Evanescence. Originally titled "Murderer", the single speaks about a woman who regrets cheating on her partner.
The Sweet Escape Tour was the second concert tour by American recording artist Gwen Stefani. The tour began in April 2007 in support of her second solo album The Sweet Escape (2006). Performing for nearly a hundred concerts, the tour traveled to the Americas, Australia, Asia, and Europe.
The My December Tour was the fourth headlining concert tour by American pop rock recording artist Kelly Clarkson, and followed the release Clarkson's third studio album, My December (2007). Originally a large-scale summer tour timed to coincide with the June 2007 availability of the album, public career battles and poor ticket sales in North America led Clarkson to cancel it before it began. A considerably smaller-scale tour commenced in September 2007 and ran to April 2008, with the international legs in Europe and Australia remaining at arena venues.
The Good Girl Gone Bad Tour was the second overall and first world concert tour by Barbadian singer Rihanna, in support of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad (2007). The setlist was composed of songs mostly from Good Girl Gone Bad but also included some songs from her first two albums. Akon was selected as the opening act for the Canadian dates of the North American leg, while Ciara and David Jordan supported the UK dates of the European leg. Chris Brown joined the tour during the Oceanian leg.
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.
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.
Rated R is the fourth studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on November 20, 2009, by Def Jam Recordings and SRP Records. Recording sessions for the album began in March 2009 and took place at recording studios throughout United States and Europe. Rihanna was the executive producer of the album alongside Antonio "L.A." Reid and The Carter Administration. It features additional production by various record producers, including Chase & Status, Stargate, The-Dream, Ne-Yo, and Brian Kennedy. The record features several vocalists and instrumentalists, including Young Jeezy, will.i.am, Justin Timberlake and Slash, who played the guitars in "Rockstar 101".
"Russian Roulette" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009). It premiered on radio stations worldwide on October 20, 2009, and was released as the album's lead single on October 26 by Def Jam Recordings. Written and produced by Ne-Yo and Chuck Harmony, "Russian Roulette" is a pop, pop-rock and R&B ballad that contains dark, morbid, and tense atmospheric elements in its composition. Lyrically, the single is about an abusive romantic relationship that ended abruptly. Music critics noted the lyrical theme to be a response to the domestic violence case between Rihanna and her former boyfriend, singer and rapper Chris Brown.
"Hard" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009). The song features a guest verse from American rapper Young Jeezy, credited only as "Jeezy" on the album. The artists co-wrote the song with its producers, The-Dream and Tricky Stewart. "Hard" was sent to radio by Def Jam Recordings on November 10, 2009, as the second United States single from Rated R. It is a hip hop song and features military horns, hissing synthesizers, sharp beats and piano chords.
The Freedom Tour was the fourth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys in support of her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom (2009). The tour commenced at the Scotiabank Place in Ottawa on February 26, 2010. The tour continued onto North America visiting Europe as well. In June, Keys will headline one concert in Johannesburg, giving the singer in first performances in South Africa. According to Pollstar, the tour grossed $29.4 million worldwide, with 43 shows.
The Memphis Blues Tour was the eleventh concert tour by American recording artist Cyndi Lauper, in support of her eleventh studio album. The tour visited the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe. During the trek, Lauper performed at numerous jazz festivals including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Jazz à Vienne and Jazz Fest Wien. In the fall of 2011, Lauper continued the tour as a co-headlining show with Dr. John titled From Memphis to Mardi Gras. Lauper performed over a hundred concerts beginning in June 2010 and ending in November 2011.
The California Dreams Tour was the second concert tour by American singer Katy Perry, in-support of her third studio album, Teenage Dream (2010). The tour played 124 shows, beginning February 20, 2011 in Lisbon, Portugal and concluding on January 22, 2012 in Pasay, Philippines. It visited Europe, Oceania, Asia and the Americas. The tour became an international success, with tickets selling out and ranking 16th in Pollstar's "2011 Top 25 Worldwide Tours", earning over $59.5 million from over 1 million tickets sold. At the end of 2011, Billboard ranked it #13 on its annual "Top 25 Tours", earning nearly $48.9 million. It won an award for Favorite Tour Headliner at the 38th People's Choice Awards.
The Get Sleazy Tour was the first concert tour by American recording artist K$sha in support of both her first album, Animal, and first extended play, Cannibal. Officially announced on November 8, 2010, the tour visited the Americas, Australia and Europe. It was scheduled to visit Asia but due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the tour was postponed indefinitely. Described by Kesha as "a ridiculously fun dance party", the concerts were presented as underground rave ups drawing inspiration from parties she would attend while growing up in Tennessee. The tour kicked off on February 15, 2011, in Portland, Oregon, and ended September 29, 2011, in Rio de Janeiro.
The Loud Tour was the fourth overall and third world concert tour by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. Performing in over twenty countries in the Americas and Europe, the tour was launched in support of Rihanna's fifth studio album Loud (2010). Critics acclaimed the show for its liveliness and higher caliber of quality when compared to Rihanna's previous tours. The Loud Tour was a large commercial success, experiencing demand for an extension of shows in the United Kingdom due to popularity. In London, Rihanna played a record-breaking 10 dates at The O2 Arena. The tour ultimately grossed an estimated value of US$90 million from 98 reported shows and a total audience of 1,200,800. The Loud Tour became the seventh-highest-grossing tour of 2011.
The Come Around Sundown World Tour was the second concert tour by American rock band Kings of Leon. Visiting the Americas, Europe, Africa and Australia, the tour supported the band's fifth studio album, Come Around Sundown (2010). The tour has been praised by both critics and spectators alike, with many dates selling out within minutes. The concerts held in North America grossed over 14 million dollars, becoming the 49th highest-grossing North American tour. The tour ranked 40th in Pollstar's "Top 50 Worldwide Tour (Mid-Year)", earning roughly 20 million dollars in 2011.
The Diamonds World Tour was the fifth concert tour by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. It was launched in support of her seventh studio album Unapologetic (2012). The tour was announced in September 2012 following the singer's performance at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. The tour kicked off on March 8, 2013 in Buffalo, New York and officially ending on November 15, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The tour visited the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia with 96 shows in total. This was Rihanna's first Australian tour since February 2011 with The Last Girl On Earth Tour.