The Labyrinth was the debut

concert tour A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...

by British pop singer

Leona Lewis Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Born and raised in the London Borough of Islington, she attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved nationa ...

. Beginning on 28 May 2010, it showcased songs from her debut album, ''

Spirit Spirit or spirits may refer to: Liquor and other volatile liquids * Spirits, a.k.a. liquor, distilled alcoholic drinks * Spirit or tincture, an extract of plant or animal material dissolved in ethanol * Volatile (especially flammable) liquids, ...

'' (2007). and her second album, ''

Echo In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound that arrives at the listener with a delay after the direct sound. The delay is directly proportional to the distance of the reflecting surface from the source and the list ...

'' (2009). Dates in the United Kingdom and the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...

were completed with Australian singer

Gabriella Cilmi Gabriella Lucia Cilmi ( ; ; born 10 October 1991) is an Australian pop singer. A contralto, Cilmi is known for her distinctive raspy singing voice. Her debut album, ''Lessons to Be Learned'', was released in March 2008, becoming a moderate int ...

serving as the support act for the majority of dates.

Background

The tour was announced on 12 November 2009, with the confirmation of dates in Ireland and United Kingdom. Lewis' record label apparently said that money was no object. Fashion designer Antonio Berardi designed Lewis's specially commissioned ethical wardrobe for the tour, costing £175,000.

supported Lewis on the majority of the tour, with Hermione Hennesy supporting Lewis's Belfast dates and Alex Gardner supporting Lewis in Birmingham on 10 June. On 29 April 2010, it was announced on Lewis's official website that the tour would be called The Labyrinth. Speaking of the choice of title she said "I'm a big

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

fan and I loved the movie '' The Labyrinth'' growing up, it really has inspired me so much. I feel it kind of represents my life in a surreal way too, trying to find my way through a maze!" She then said of the show "I had such a fun night at my recent show at the

Hackney Empire Hackney Empire is a theatre on Mare Street, in the London Borough of Hackney. Originally designed by Frank Matcham it was built in 1901 as a music hall, and expanded in 2001. Described by ''The Guardian'' as ‘the most beautiful theatre in L ...

and it's given me a real taste for it. Over the last few years I've had some amazing experiences and sung in some really interesting places but it's going to be great to be able to perform all my own material on my very own tour. It's a dream come true." On 10 May 2010 a North American leg was announced in the form of 20 shared dates on

Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...

Bionic Tour ''Bionic'' is the sixth studio album by American singer Christina Aguilera. It was released on June 4, 2010, by RCA Records. Inspired by Aguilera's taste for electronic music, ''Bionic'' is characterized as an electropop, futurepop and R&B recor ...

. However, on 25 May 2010, it was announced that Aguilera's tour had been delayed till 2011 due to the singer's film and album schedulings. It was since reported that Lewis's record label boss

Simon Cowell Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality, entrepreneur and record executive. He is the creator of ''The X Factor'' and ''Got Talent'' franchises which have been sold around the world. He has judged on t ...

was hoping to secure Lewis as special guest act for another artist in North America.

Set list

#"Intro"&"Brave" #" Don't Let Me Down" #"

Better in Time "Better in Time" is a song recorded by English singer Leona Lewis for her debut studio album ''Spirit'' (2007). It was written by J. R. Rotem and Andrea Martin and was produced by Rotem. Lyrically, the song tells the story of a woman who cann ...

" #" Whatever It Takes" #" Take a Bow" #Video interlude: " Ride a White Swan" #" I See You" #"Can't Breathe" #" Forgive Me" #" Happy" #"

Could It Be Magic "Could It Be Magic" is a song with lyrics by Adrienne Anderson and music by Barry Manilow, inspired by Frédéric Chopin's Prelude in C minor, Opus 28, Number 20. The song was initially released in 1971 by Featherbed (a group of session musi ...

" #" I Got You" #" Cry Me a River" #"

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a 1957 folk song written by British political singer-songwriter Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger, who later became his wife. At the time, the couple were lovers, although MacColl was still married to his ...

" #"

Homeless Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

" #Video interlude: "

They Don't Care About Us "They Don't Care About Us" is a song by American singer and songwriter Michael Jackson, released in April 16, 1996 as the fifth single from his ninth album, '' HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I'' (1995). It is a protest song and remains on ...

" #" Outta My Head" #"

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" is a song by British new wave music duo Eurythmics. It is the title track of their album of the same name (1983) and was released as the fourth and final single from the album in early 1983. The song became t ...

" #"

Run Run(s) or RUN may refer to: Places * Run (island), one of the Banda Islands in Indonesia * Run (stream), a stream in the Dutch province of North Brabant People * Run (rapper), Joseph Simmons, now known as "Reverend Run", from the hip-hop group ...

" ;Encore: #

Bleeding Love "Bleeding Love" is a song recorded by English singer Leona Lewis for her debut studio album ''Spirit'' (2007). It was written and originally recorded by Jesse McCartney, and was co-written and produced by Ryan Tedder. The song was released as t ...

" ;Additional notes *On 16 June, actor

Matthew Morrison Matthew James Morrison (born October 30, 1978) is an American actor, dancer and singer-songwriter, best known for his role as Will Schuester on the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox television show ''Glee (TV series), Glee'' (2009–2015). He has s ...

from the television series ''

Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...

'' joined Lewis on stage at London's O2 Arena for a one-off performance of " Over the Rainbow"

Opening acts

(United Kingdom excluding Birmingham, 10 June and all Dublin and Belfast dates) * Alex Gardner (Birmingham, 10 June) * Hermione Hennesy (all Dublin and Belfast dates)

Shows

Box office data

According to Lewis's tour promoters (SJM Concerts, CAA and Modest! Management), dates in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, the first three London Shows and Glasgow were sold out.

Box office score data

Reception

Following the first concert in Sheffield, Sarah Crabtree from the ''

Sheffield Star ''The Star'', often known as the ''Sheffield Star'', is a daily newspaper published in Sheffield, England, from Monday to Saturday each week. Originally a broadsheet, the newspaper became a tabloid in 1993. ''The Star'', the weekly ''Sheffield ...

'' said: "Amidst a fairytale forest stage-set inspired by her favourite film ''The Labyrinth'', she showcased the awesome talent that propelled her to stardom four years ago, and even pulled off some nifty dancing. Her incredible voice – when given free rein centre stage, pared back and powerful, emotive, sometimes haunting – was breathtaking. Sheffield was the first night of 18 dates on her first ever arena tour and it would be understandable if the debutante was nervous as she appeared, looking every inch the British Beyonce, in a tight black dress, over-the-knee boots and hooded cloak, beneath a gothic ruin swirling in mist. ..One of Leona's great vocal strengths has always been her ability to convey powerful emotion, and she was at her brilliant best when the songs allowed her to do just that – to really sing, to deliver the lyrics clearly without too much backing, and to do so without distraction. She covered Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River" beautifully, sitting quietly, almost a capella. And a funked-up, clubby segment including stonking dance track "Outta My Head", a cover of "Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics, and a nod to Michael Jackson finally got the crowd on its feet and proved Leona's more than just a ballad singer. ..And before belting out "Bleeding Love" she told her fans: "This is my first tour and my first night and I'm so glad I got to share it with you. This is a dream for me." Pete Paphides from ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...

'' gave the tour three out of five stars, saying: "With a live show apparently inspired by the

Jim Henson James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notice as the creator of The Muppets and '' Fraggle Rock'' (1983–1987) and ...

fantasy flick ''Labyrinth'', to the slow beats of "Brave", Lewis wandered through a bevy of semi-naked men in horned helmets — her black veil and slightly troubled gaze calling to mind an outrageously lavish Scottish Widows commercial. ..A sense of the truly unexpected probably wasn't what Lewis's fans had turned up for, less still the sexually charged theatricality that comes as standard at, say, a

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...

show. ..A fairytale woodland scene festooned with lights served as the backdrop for a moderately pretty acoustic version of Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River". By this stage, one might have been forgiven for setting aside any idle hopes that Lewis might throw efficiency to the wind and truly lose herself in what she was singing. ..She sang her biggest hit "Bleeding Love" in an outfit that seemed to have been inspired by Big Purple One from the Quality Street tin." Bernadette McNulty from ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was fo ...

'' gave the tour three out of five stars, saying "For her long-awaited debut tour, Leona Lewis was inspired by her favourite childhood film, Labyrinth. The 1986 fantasy adventure, starring David Bowie, provides rich pickings for the set designers, but it's the plotline that offers a glimpse into the mindset of the 2006 X-Factor winner – the teenage heroine escapes from a puppet-infested maze by declaring to her captor: "My will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great ... you have no power over me!" ..Her vocals were near inaudible on anything below her top range, yet the audience's affections meant that they applauded her efforts but stayed glued to their seats. The inertia really set in when the middle section of ballads gassed the arena like a dry-ice cloud of emotion. Dressed as a fairy-tale princess, her childlike innocence was affecting, and she can certainly convey a trembling, pining heart. ..Just when it felt like we were permanently trapped in a maze of polished but stilted performances, a trapdoor opened, strobes flashed and Lewis emerged in strikingly symbolic high-waisted leggings. The effect was startling: she seized control of the music and the audience, ordering them to their feet as she imperiously motored through her final hits. This tantalising glimpse of Lewis's hidden power suggests that if she wants her to career to really have legs she should wear the trousers more often.

DVD/CD release

Credits and personnel

Taken and adapted from ''The Labyrinth'' Official Tour Programme. ;Performers *

Lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...

–

*Support act –

;Management *Management (''Modest!'') – Nicola Carson, Richard Griffiths, Harry Magee *Director – William Baker *Assistant show director –

Emma Bull Emma Bull (born December 13, 1954) is an American science fiction and fantasy author. Her novels include the Hugo- and Nebula-nominated '' Bone Dance'' and the urban fantasy '' War for the Oaks''. She is also known for a series of anthologies ...

*Tour manager – Steve Martin *Production – Steve Levit (Production North) *Agent – David Zedeck (CAA) ;Music *Musical director – Paul Beard *

Guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

– Graham Kearns, Luke Potashnick * Bass – Chris Brown *

Drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

– Carlos Hurcules *

Background vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are used ...

– Adetoun Anibi, Zalika King ;Choreography *

Choreographer Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...

– Jermaine Browne *Assistant Choreographer – Rachel Kay *Dance captain – Jerry Reeve *

Dancer Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoi ...

s – Dennish Jauch, Jamie Karitzis, Jay Revell, Manew Sauls-Addison,
Kate Collins, Briony Albert ;Aerial Performers *Aerial artistic director & choreographer – Dreya Webber *

Aerialist Acrobatics () is the performance of human feats of balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most often performed in acro d ...

s – Alexandra Apjarova, Shannon Beach, Sal Vallasso, Davide Zongoli ;Stage and Costumes *Stage

set designer Scenic design (also known as scenography, stage design, or set design) is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery. Scenic designers come from a variety of artistic backgrounds, but in recent years, are mostly train ...

– Alan Macdonald *Prop designer – Nicoline Refsing *Lighting Designers – Nick Whitehouse, Baz Halpin *Lighting Director – Graham Feast *Head of security – Paul Higgins *Hair stylist – Ben Cooke *Make up – Jane Bradley *Leona's head stylist – Allison Edmond *Head stylist and costume designer – Stevie Stewart *Stylists' assistant – Kate Jinkerson *Leona's costume maker – Marco Morante *Tour assistant – Alice Martin

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Labyrinth (Tour) 2010 concert tours Leona Lewis concert tours