The Beyoncé Experience

infobox concert tour
concert_tour_name = The Beyoncé Experience


image_caption = The Tour Book
artist = Beyoncé
album = "B'Day"
start_date = April 10, 2007
end_date = December 30, 2007
number_of_legs = 7
number_of_shows = 91
last_tour = "Dangerously in Love World Tour"
(2003-2004)
this_tour = "The Beyoncé Experience"
(2007)
next_tour = "Beyonce 2009 World Tour"
(2009)

The Beyoncé Experience was a worldwide 2007 concert tour by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé in support to her second solo album "B'Day". The tour commenced seven months after the release of "B'Day" and coincided with the re-release of the album, "B'Day Deluxe Edition". The tour included venues in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America, and concluded in December.

Background

Early before the album was released, Beyoncé held a nationwide audition for female musicians which finally ended in Sony Music Studios. [Cite news |last=Reid |first=Shaheem |title=Beyonce Asks Women To Battle Over Her For Backing-Band Roles |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1534575/20060619/knowles_beyonce.jhtml |work=MTV News |date=(2006-06-19) |accessdate=2008-03-28] Rehearsals for the tour began in March 2007. The shows include songs from both Knowles' "B'Day"/"B'Day Deluxe Edition" albums and "Dangerously in Love" album and at some shows she included songs from her "Irremplazable EP". The tour grossed 50 million dollars worldwide.

Production

Personnel and crew

Besides from her all-female band, Beyoncé included four male dancers. The tour also had three backing singers for the tour, known as The Mamas. Several singers were included as supporting acts for the show, such as:
*Chris Brown - Australia
*Lemar - Europe
*Katy Shotter - United Kingdom, Ireland and North America
*Robin Thicke - North America
*Sean Kingston - North America
*Pekaso - Philippines.

The conception and staging for the concert was done by Beyoncé Knowles, Kim Burse and Frank Gatson Jr. Gatson, Jovon Pavielle and Danielle Polanco choreographed the dance routines, and Tina Knowles, House of Deréon, Giorgio Armani, Versace, Elie Saab, Herve Leger shouldered the tour's wardrobe. The tour was managed by Alan Floyd.

Trivia

*Beyonce had her biggest concert attendance in Manila, Philippines with an estimate of over 70,000 attendees
*Royals were seen attending Beyonce's Philippines shows. Some fans saw the Sultan of Brunei sitting in the V.I.P. area
*While on tour, the set list was varied in some venues.
**In the first week of shows in the United States, and all shows prior to, "Get Me Bodied" was performed immediately after "Check On It". Beginning with her San Antonio show, Beyoncé performed a "Bumble-Bee" version of "Get Me Bodied".
**In Asia, Australia, Europe and the first week of shows in the United States, "Déjà Vu" was the last song performed. Beyoncé performed the song in an orange mini dress.
**During most concerts of the Africa/Europe/Asia leg of the tour, there was no break between "Green Light" and "Baby Boy." There was no costume change at all until before "Dangerously In Love."
**In the Asia leg of the tour, "Flaws and All," "Suga Mama," and "Get Me Bodied" were not performed.
**In her concerts in Spain and Mexico --Madrid, Barcelona and Monterrey--Beyoncé sang a few lines of the Spanish version of her #1 hit, "Irreplaceable," aka "Irreemplazable."
**During several shows early on in the tour, "Speechless" was not performed.
**During the final show, many songs were omitted, and all outfits were changed to a more Vegas, Show-Girl style.
* On the album version of "Suga Mama," Beyoncé begins the song by saying, "Damn that was so good, I wanna buy him a short set." However, Beyoncé changed that line several times during her tour. Most often, it was changed to "Damn that was so good, I wanna make him some Hamburger Helper."

etlists

hidden
headercss = background: #ccccff; font-size: 100%; width: 65%;
contentcss = text-align: left; font-size: 100%; width: 75%;
header = Japan/Australia/Europe Setlist
content = Versace Mirror Dress
#"The Beyonce Experience Fanfare Intro"
#Crazy In Love / Crazy (Gnarls Barkley cover)
#Freakum Dress
#Green Light
#"Band Jazz Break"

Elie Saab Arabian Influenced Costume
#Baby Boy / Reggae Medley
#Beautiful Liar
#Naughty Girl (Soul Version)
#Me Myself & I (Ballad version)

Armani Silver and Nude Dress
#"Dangerously in Love and Ballet Intro"
#Dangerously In Love / He Loves Me
#Flaws And All "(Performed from Frankfurt onwards)"

Armani Silver Coat/Gold Dereon Body Suit with Jewels
#"Cops and Robbers Intro"
#Destiny's Child Medley:Independent Women Part 1/Bootylicious/No No No/Bug A Boo/Bills Bills Bills/Cater 2 U/Say My Name/Jumpin' Jumpin'/Soldier/Survivor
#Speechless "(Performed from Sydney onwards)"

Red Trench Coat
#"Ring The Alarm Jailhouse Confessions Intro"
#Ring The Alarm

Gold Elie Saab Hot-Pants with Gold Bra and Trail
#Suga Mama
#Upgrade U
#03' Bonnie & Clyde (Beyoncé's Prince Mix)
#Check On It (Special Tour Version)
#Get Me Bodied

Elie Sabb Silver Couture Gown/Dereon Mink fur
#"Video Interlude: Welcome to Hollywood"
#Deena/Dreamgirls
#Listen
#Irreplaceable
#"Band Jam"

Herve Ledger Orange Mini
#Déjà Vu
#Déjà Vu Band Outrohidden
headercss = background: #ccccff; font-size: 100%; width: 65%;
contentcss = text-align: left; font-size: 100%; width: 75%;
header = North American Setlist
content = Versace Mirror Dress
#"The Beyonce Experience Fanfare Intro"
#Crazy In Love / Crazy (Gnarls Barkley cover)
#Freakum Dress
#Green Light
#"Band Jazz Break"

Elie Saab Arabian Influenced Costume
#Baby Boy / Reggae Medley
#Beautiful Liar
#Naughty Girl (Soul Version)
#Me Myself & I (Ballad version)

Armani Silver and Nude Dress
#"Dangerously in Love and Ballet Intro"
#Dangerously In Love / He Loves Me
#Flaws And All

Armani Space Coat/Gold Dereon Body Suit with Jewels
#"Cops and Robbers Intro"
#Destiny's Child Medley:Independent Women Part 1/Bootylicious/No No No/Bug A Boo/Bills Bills Bills/Cater 2 U/Say My Name/Jumpin' Jumpin'/Soldier (Crank That Soulja Boy Remix)/Survivor
#Speechless

Red Trench Coat
#"Ring The Alarm Jailhouse Confessions Intro"
#Ring The Alarm

Gold ELie Saab Hot-Pants with Gold Bra and Trail
#Suga Mama
#Upgrade U
#03' Bonnie & Clyde (Beyoncé's Prince Mix)
#Check On It (Special Tour Version)
#Déjà Vu

HOD Bumble Outfit (Bra and Hot-Pants)
#"Band Jam"
#"Bumble Bee Intro"
#Get Me Bodied

Elie Sabb Silver Couture Gown/Dereon Mink fur
#"Video Interlude: Welcome to Hollywood"
#Deena/Dreamgirls
#Listen
#Irreplaceable
#Irreplaceable Band Outrohidden
headercss = background: #ccccff; font-size: 100%; width: 65%;
contentcss = text-align: left; font-size: 100%; width: 75%;
header = Las Vegas/Final Show Setlist
content = Blue Shimmer Dress
#"The Beyonce Experience Fanfare Intro"
#Crazy In Love / Crazy (Gnarls Barkley cover)
#Freakum Dress
#Green Light
#Baby Boy / Reggae Medley
#Beautiful Liar
#Naughty Girl (Soul Version)
#Me Myself & I (Ballad version)

Full Length Blue Dereon Gown
#"Dangerously in Love and Ballet Intro"
#Dangerously In Love / He Loves Me

Silver Space Coat/Gold Dereon Body Suit with Jewels
#"Cops and Robbers Intro"
#Destiny's Child Medley:Independent Women Part 1/Bootylicious/No No No/Bug A Boo/Bills Bills Bills/Cater 2 U/Say My Name/Jumpin' Jumpin'/Soldier (Crank That Soulja Boy Remix)/Survivor

Black Leather Trench Coat
#"Ring The Alarm Jailhouse Confessions Intro"
#Ring The Alarm

Gold Dereon Body Suit with Gold arm Trails
#Upgrade U
#03' Bonnie & Clyde (Beyoncé's Prince Mix)
#Check On It (Special Tour Version)
#Déjà Vu

Long Silver and White Glamourous "Dreamgirls" Dress/Dereon Mink fur
#"Video Interlude: Welcome to Hollywood"
#Deena/Dreamgirls
#Listen
#Irreplaceable
#Irreplaceable Band Outro

Recording/DVD

A DVD of The Beyonce Experience Tour, starting from April 10 2007 and ending in September 15 2007 was shot.It included the September 2 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California show because it was two days before Beyonce's 26 Birthday.It was released on November 20, 2007. The DVD was released in Spain on November 27, 2007. [cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003646949|title=Billboard Bits: Beyonce, Bob Marley, Bragg/Brad|author=Hillary Crosley|publisher=Billboard.com|accessdate=2007-09-27] It was released under the title "The Beyoncé Experience Live!".

Tour Dates

The tour kicked off on April 10 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan with the first leg ending in Nagoya. The second leg was in Australia before moving on to the third leg in Europe, beginning in Frankfurt, Germany before going through countries such as Spain, Sweden and Portugal ending the leg with several shows in the UK in cities such as London, Cardiff and Manchester where she performed to her biggest crowd in Europe to 21,000 at the sold out MEN Arena. The third leg ended with two dates at The Point in Dublin.
The US leg of the tour began on July 6 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, as part of the 2007 New Orleans Essence Music Festival, where Beyoncé headlined. She then embarked on a final leg of the tour in East Asia/Korea. The final concert of the tour took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Centre in Las Vegas on 31st December 2007. The tour, whose sponsors were Samsung and L'Oréal Paris. Beyonce also did a free concert in Toronto on Sept. 15th 2007.

A slated tour in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was canceled due to conflict in dress coding of the country. However, a concert in Jakarta, Indonesia replaced it. The show on October 24 in Istanbul, Turkey was cancelled by the organizer, the sports club Fenerbahçe due to the terrorist attacks of PKK in Hakkari on September 21, 2007.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.beyonceonline.com Official website]
* [http://www.allaccesstoday.com/tourhq/tourshow.php?function=showtours&siteID=113 Press release] - New international tour dates and location
* [http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=ind_focus.story&STORY=/www/story/04-04-2007/0004560118 Press release] - North American tour dates