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The Beyoncé Experience was the second
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 ...
by American singer-songwriter
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...
, in-support of her sophomore studio album, '' B'Day'' (2006). The Beyoncé Experience consisted of 96 shows in 2007, spread-out over five legs. Fan club tickets and VIP packages were available in early April 2007; general admission tickets were made available, officially, on April 20, 2007. The tour began that month and finished in November. Knowles collaborated with America's Second Harvest on a campaign for communities affected by
famine A famine is a widespread scarcity of food caused by several possible factors, including, but not limited to war, natural disasters, crop failure, widespread poverty, an Financial crisis, economic catastrophe or government policies. This phenom ...
, holding pre-concert food drives at every stop during the tour, and asking attendees to donate food. Rehearsals for the tour began in March 2007; the show featured Beyoncé, her dancers, and her three backup singers being supported musically by an all-female band,
Suga Mama "Suga Mama" is a song by American singer Beyoncé Knowles for her second studio album, ''B'Day (Beyoncé album), B'Day'' (2006). It was written by Knowles, Rich Harrison, and Makeba Riddick, and produced by Harrison and Knowles. "Suga Mama" is i ...
, chosen by Beyoncé and her father,
Mathew Knowles Mathew Knowles (born January 9, 1952)Knowles in is an American record executive, businessman and university lecturer. He is best known for being the manager of Destiny's Child. He also once managed the solo careers of his daughters Beyoncé a ...
. The ten-woman ensemble, consisting of percussionists, a
brass Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, in proportions which can be varied to achieve different colours and mechanical, electrical, acoustic and chemical properties, but copper typically has the larger proportion, generally copper and zinc. I ...
section,
keyboardists A keyboardist or keyboard player is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instru ...
and
guitarists A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselve ...
, had been selected during auditions held prior to the release of ''B'Day''. The
set list A set list, or setlist, is typically a handwritten or printed document created as an ordered list of songs, jokes, stories and other elements an artist intends to present during a specific performance. A setlist can be made of nearly any materi ...
of the show included many of the songs from ''B'Day'' and '' Dangerously in Love'' (2003), plus ten edited
Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final lineup comprised Beyoncé, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams (singer), Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Hou ...
songs, as well as " Listen", originally performed and recorded by Knowles for the
soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...
of ''
Dreamgirls ''Dreamgirls'' is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. It is based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, and p ...
'' (2006). The stage set featured large disco balls hanging from the ceiling and color-changing stairs. For the wardrobe of the tour, Knowles collaborated with several designers; costumes consisted of silvery and sparkly dresses, which earned praise from fashion critics. The tour received positive reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
who praised Knowles' simultaneous abilities to sing live, dance in
high heels High-heeled shoes, also known as high heels (colloquially shortened to heels), are a type of shoe with an upward-angled sole. The heel in such shoes is raised above the ball of the foot. High heels cause the legs to appear longer, make the we ...
, execute complex choreography and still exude high energy while on stage. The performances of the slower ballads, as well as the Destiny's Child material, were also highlighted as standouts by critics. Twenty-nine shows were submitted to ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''s boxscore, grossing $24.9 million, with 272,521 fans attending the performances. However, during the tour, several incidents occurred;
pyrotechnics Pyrotechnics is the science and craft of creating fireworks, but also includes safety matches, oxygen candles, Pyrotechnic fastener, explosive bolts (and other fasteners), parts of automotive airbags, as well as gas-pressure blasting in mining, q ...
, meant for the stage, injured two fans in the audience, and Knowles fell down a flight of stairs during a performance of " Ring the Alarm" and had a wardrobe malfunction. A show scheduled in
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...
,
Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
, on November 1 was relocated to
Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...
,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
, due to Malaysia's strict rules against revealing clothing being worn by female performers. The performance at the
Staples Center Crypto.com Arena (originally and colloquially known as Staples Center) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in downtown Los Angeles. Opened on October 17, 1999, as Staples Center, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along F ...
in Los Angeles was recorded on September 2, 2007, and was released on November 16, 2007, as a live
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
, '' The Beyoncé Experience Live''.


Background

Prior to the commencement of The Beyoncé Experience in support of her second solo studio album '' B'Day'' (2006), Beyoncé performed at the 2007 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with a guest feature from
Slim Thug Stayve Jerome Thomas (born September 8, 1979), better known by his stage name Slim Thug, is an American rapper. He gained mainstream attention for his guest performance alongside Paul Wall on Mike Jones' 2004 single "Still Tippin'". The followi ...
, who features on "
Check on It "Check on It" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé. It was written by her, Swizz Beatz, Sean Garrett, Angela Beyincé and Slim Thug, and produced by Swizz Beatz. Serving as the main theme of the 2006 film ''The Pink Panther'', in whic ...
"; she coined the show a "sneak preview" of The Beyoncé Experience. Fan-club tickets and VIP packages for the tour were made available for pre-order in early April on the website WeLoveBeyonce.com and the tickets officially went on sale on April 20, 2007. The tour kicked off on April 10 at the
Tokyo Dome is an indoor stadium in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. It was designed as a baseball stadium following its predecessor, Korakuen Stadium (whose former site is now occupied by the Tokyo Dome Hotel and a plaza for this stadium). In Japan, it is often us ...
in Tokyo, Japan, with the first leg ending in
Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...
. The second leg started in Sydney, Australia and finished in the same city. Knowles continued with the third leg in Europe, beginning in
Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...
, Germany, going through countries such as Spain, Sweden and Portugal, ending the leg with two dates at The Point in Dublin. The US leg of the tour began on July 6 at the
Louisiana Superdome Caesars Superdome (originally Louisiana Superdome and formerly Mercedes-Benz Superdome), commonly known as the Superdome, is a domed multi-purpose stadium in the Southern United States, southern United States, located in New Orleans, Louisiana. ...
in
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
, as part of the 2007 New Orleans
Essence Music Festival The ESSENCE Festival of Culture is the largest African-American culture and music event in the US. The annual music festival started in 1995 in New Orleans, Louisiana to celebrate the 25th anniversary of ''Essence (magazine), Essence'' magazine. ...
, where Knowles headlined. The leg also stopped in Monterrey City, Mexico and finished in Winnipeg, Canada. She then embarked on a final leg of the tour in East Asia/Korea with the final concert taking place at the
Mandalay Bay Events Center The Michelob Ultra Arena, formerly the Mandalay Bay Events Center, is a 12,000-seat multi-purpose indoor arena at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by MGM Resorts Int ...
in
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
on December 31, 2007. The Beyoncé Experience eventually visited ninety seven venues in total. Knowles teamed with America's Second Harvest and Pastor Rudy Rasmus of St. John United Methodist Church for a pre-concert food donation drive which was part of The Beyoncé Experience at every stop. Food was collected for people who fought with
famine A famine is a widespread scarcity of food caused by several possible factors, including, but not limited to war, natural disasters, crop failure, widespread poverty, an Financial crisis, economic catastrophe or government policies. This phenom ...
. Knowles' organization The Survivor Foundation was also involved in the campaign. The first 1,000 fans who would drop off a minimum of three non-perishable food items would receive an autographed photo of Knowles and a raffle ticket for a chance to have an upgraded seat. For the food drive in Ethiopia, India and Turkey, ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. ...
'' collaborated with Knowles, creating a Virtual Aid Drive and asking people to send money to them. The funds were donated to the Global FoodBanking Network.


Development

Early before the release of ''B'Day'' in 2006, Knowles held a nationwide audition for female musicians which ended in
Sony Music Studios Sony Music Studios was an American music recording and mastering facility in New York City. The five-story building was a music and broadcasting complex located at 460 W. 54th Street, at 10th Avenue, in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhat ...
where she and her father and collaborator
Mathew Knowles Mathew Knowles (born January 9, 1952)Knowles in is an American record executive, businessman and university lecturer. He is best known for being the manager of Destiny's Child. He also once managed the solo careers of his daughters Beyoncé a ...
were among the judges. The auditions searched for keyboard players, bassists, guitarists, horn players, percussionists and drummers with stops in New Jersey, Atlanta, Burbank, Chicago and Houston. The musicians were asked to re-create the performance of "Work It Out" from the live album '' Live at Wembley'' (2004) and be able to perform at least a one-minute solo. Knowles stated that her goal was to get together a group of "fierce, talented, hungry, beautiful" women and form an all-female band. Speaking about her tour and the decision to form a band, Knowles said, "I'm all about female empowerment. I'm all about pushing the envelope. I know it's my responsibility to do something different. I said, 'I want a band, I want something different.'" She further described the process of choosing the contestants during an interview, saying: "I had worldwide auditions; people flew in from Atlanta, Houston, Israel, all over the world. It was extremely difficult hoosing the winners
here are Here may refer to: Music * ''Here'' (Adrian Belew album), 1994 * ''Here'' (Alicia Keys album), 2016 * ''Here'' (Cal Tjader album), 1979 * ''Here'' (Edward Sharpe album), 2012 * ''Here'' (Idina Menzel album), 2004 * ''Here'' (Merzbow album), ...
so many talented women. I wanted only a nine-piece band, but the girls were so amazing, I couldn't decide. I think I'm going to wind up having 12 people so I have two eople playingcertain instruments, because ome of the contenderswere just brilliant. It's a thing called star quality, it's a thing you can't put your finger on, can't describe. When they were playing, I said, 'I want to see y'all battle.' I brought in two of every instrument and that's how I chose. You see the one that really wants it. It was so entertaining, the energy, seeing the girls battle ... God, it was the best. It was magical." Between segments of the show, Suga Mama performed periodic instrumental interludes, with every member giving a solo so Knowles could change her costumes seven times. Describing them as "fantastic", Eamon Sweeney of the ''
Irish Independent The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray backgrou ...
'' noted that "the interval music works perfectly... but two excruciating drum solos are absolutely unnecessary". Rehearsals for the tour began in March 2007. The
set list A set list, or setlist, is typically a handwritten or printed document created as an ordered list of songs, jokes, stories and other elements an artist intends to present during a specific performance. A setlist can be made of nearly any materi ...
of the shows included songs from the standard and deluxe edition of ''B'Day'' as well as songs from '' Dangerously in Love'' (2003). Ten shortened versions of
Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final lineup comprised Beyoncé, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams (singer), Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Hou ...
's songs were performed, as well as " Listen", a track performed by Knowles on the
soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...
of the 2006 musical drama film ''
Dreamgirls ''Dreamgirls'' is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. It is based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, and p ...
'', in which Knowles had starred. Twenty three people were present on stage with Knowles: ten instrumentalists, three harmony vocalists and ten dancers, from which only four were male. Anthony Venutolo from ''
The Star-Ledger ''The Star-Ledger'' was the largest circulation newspaper in New Jersey. It is based in Newark, New Jersey. The newspaper ceased print publication on February 2, 2025, but continues to publish a digital edition. In 2007, ''The Star-Ledger''s ...
'' noted that the inclusion of female persons on stage was "a simple, effective way" to underscore the theme of female empowerment showcased during the concerts. Both Venutolo and
Jon Pareles Jon Pareles (born 1953) is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of ''The New York Times''.The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' agreed that the shows used men only as dancers for the female audience. The conception and staging for the concert was done by Knowles, Kim Burse and Frank Gatson Jr. Gatson, Jonte Moaning, Ramone, Anthony Burrell and Danielle Polanco choreographed the dance routines. The tour was managed by Alan Floyd and its sponsors were
Samsung Samsung Group (; stylised as SΛMSUNG) is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational manufacturing Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in the Samsung Town office complex in Seoul. The group consists of numerous a ...
and L'Oréal Paris. 75 stage and crew members and 60 tons of stage equipment, most of which was lighting, were present for the tour. 38 Sennheiser wireless channels were used for the shows and in a different
frequency Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time. Frequency is an important parameter used in science and engineering to specify the rate of oscillatory and vibratory phenomena, such as mechanical vibrations, audio ...
range, 38 backup wireless channels. The engineering team comprised James Berry who handled monitors for the band, Ramón Morales for Knowles, and Horace Ward at front of house. Sixteen of the wireless channels were devoted to personal monitor systems: 11 in
stereo Stereophonic sound, commonly shortened to stereo, is a method of sound reproduction that recreates a multi-directional, 3-dimensional audible perspective. This is usually achieved by using two independent audio channels through a configurat ...
and five in mono. Knowles and the rest of the band members had a Sennheiser EK 300 IEM G2 monitoring receiver. Eleven of the channels provided wireless instrument support for guitar, bass and horns, using Sennheiser SK 500 G2 bodypack transmitters. The remaining channels covered Knowles' vocal microphone and those of her backup singers and guest vocalists. Sennheiser EM 3032-U and EM 550 G2 true-diversity receivers with Sennheiser A 5000-CP antennas and AC 3000 combiners rounded out the system. Knowles sang through a nickel Sennheiser SKM 5200 transmitter outfitted with a
Neumann Neumann () is a German language, German surname, with its origins in the pre-7th-century (Old English) word ''wikt:neowe, neowe'' meaning "new", with ''wikt:mann, mann'', meaning man. The English form of the name is Newman. Von Neumann is a varian ...
KK 105-S capsule. Ward commented that The KK 105-S was an "absolutely stunning microphone... tis beautifully smooth and captures every nuance of a talented vocalist's performance". He specified Sennheiser SKM 935 G2 microphones for the backup and guest vocalists because they sounded "excellent even under less-than-ideal conditions".


Costume design

Beyoncé's mother and designer Tina Knowles, House of Deréon,
Giorgio Armani Giorgio Armani (; born 11 July 1934) is an Italian fashion designer and a billionaire. He first gained renown working for Cerruti 1881. He formed his company, Armani, in 1975, which eventually expanded into music, sport, and luxury hotels. By 200 ...
,
Versace Gianni Versace S.r.l. (), usually referred to as Versace ( ), is an Italian luxury elite fashion company founded by Gianni Versace in 1978. The company produces Italian-made ready-to-wear and accessories, as well as '' haute couture'' under it ...
,
Elie Saab Elie Saab () (born 4 July 1964) is a Lebanon-based fashion designer. He started his business in the early 1980s and specialized in bridal couture (high-end fabrics, lace, gemstones, Swarovski Crystal, Swarovski crystals, pearls, detailed embr ...
and Herve Leger served as the designers for the outfits of the tour. Jon Pareles of ''The New York Times'' described the clothes as mainly silvery, ranging from miniskirts to formal dresses, flesh-toned bodysuit to bikini to
negligee The negligee or ''négligée'' ( ; ), also known in French as (; ), is a form of see-through clothing for women consisting of a sheer, usually long, dressing gown. It is a form of nightgown intended for wear at night and in the bedroom. It was in ...
. Pareles further noted that "The wardrobe entices men, but it's also a means of self-assertion". J. Freedom du Lac of ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' described the costumes during the show as "spangly". Lee Hildebrand of the ''
San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...
'' praised the costumes saying that "every one sfabulously glamorous, most of them tailored to highlight the singer's ample cleavage and a pair of legs to rival
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
's. At one point, when the legs were concealed by a long scarlet gown, wind blew from underneath to expose them." Sarah Rodman of ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...
'' praised the floor-length gown but disliked the tinfoil mini worn by Knowles. Lisnaree Vichitsorasatra of ''
The Nation ''The Nation'' is a progressive American monthly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper ...
'' praised Knowles' look, saying that she was like a "glittering goddess in a revealing outfit". Frank Scheck of ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' also echoed her statements, "to say that Beyonce looks terrific is probably redundant. Her fashion parade of form-fitting, eye-catching costumes – most notably a belly dancer's get-up in which she demonstrated some hip-shaking moves that indicated
Shakira Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer-songwriter. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Latin Music", she has had a Cultural impact of Shakira, significant impact on the ...
better watch her back – provided ample opportunities for shameless leering." Ann Powers of the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' commented that "the camouflage outfits her male dancers sometimes wore... felt right for a show that sometimes seemed like a
military operation A military operation (op) is the coordinated military actions of a state, or a non-state actor, in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state or actor's favor. Operati ...
, expertly executed." ''Irish Independent''s Eamon Sweeney noted that Knowles looked "absolutely stunning" and added, "I have to confess that the sight of Beyoncé ripping off a short cocktail dress to reveal a barely there bodysuit will linger in my memory for years to come." A writer of ''
The StarPhoenix ''The StarPhoenix'' is a daily newspaper that serves Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, and is a part of Postmedia Network. It has been referred to as a "sister newspaper" to the '' Leader-Post''. The ''StarPhoenix'' puts out six editions each we ...
'' wrote that Knowles looked like a "silver-clad siren rose" further saying that "it was almost surreal to see the woman who frequents the covers of fashion magazines in the same room". Tonya Turner from ''
The Courier-Mail ''The Courier-Mail'' is an Australian newspaper published in Brisbane. Owned by News Corp Australia, it is published daily from Monday to Saturday in tabloid format. Its editorial offices are located at Bowen Hills, in Brisbane's inner norther ...
'' praised Knowles for looking "every bit the dream girl in a sparkling silver floor-length gown".


Concert synopsis

The show included many references such as to
James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...
and
Donna Summer Donna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Queen of Disco", while her music ...
as well as routines inspired by ''
Sweet Charity ''Sweet Charity'' is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields, and book by Neil Simon, based on the screenplay for the 1957 Italian film '' Nights of Cabiria''. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse sta ...
'' and
Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( ; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 August 4, 1962) was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "Blonde stereotype#Blonde bombshell, blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex ...
. It opened in darkness, with Knowles emerging through a hole in the stage amidst smoke, sparkles and
pyrotechnics Pyrotechnics is the science and craft of creating fireworks, but also includes safety matches, oxygen candles, Pyrotechnic fastener, explosive bolts (and other fasteners), parts of automotive airbags, as well as gas-pressure blasting in mining, q ...
to perform " Crazy in Love" with a snippet of
Gnarls Barkley Gnarls Barkley is an American soul music, soul duo composed of singer-songwriter CeeLo Green and producer Danger Mouse (musician), Danger Mouse. They released their debut studio album, ''St. Elsewhere (album), St. Elsewhere'', in 2006. It contai ...
's " Crazy" in a sparkling silver gown and walking to the front of the stage, as fifteen disco balls hung from the ceiling. Her background band started playing the music to the
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
song and while singing, Knowles walked up a huge staircase which moved forward in two places where her all-female band and three backup singers were positioned. At the top of the staircase/mini-stage, she tore off the bottom of her dress and walked back down to the main stage. Her three backup singers came down as well and did the "uh-oh" dance from the song with her. During " Freakum Dress" Knowles played an air guitar, while the stage's stairs were lit green during "
Green Light Green Light, green light, green-light or greenlight may refer to: * Green-colored light, part of the visible spectrum * Greenlight, formal approval of a project to move forward Arts, entertainment, and media Films and television * Green Light ( ...
" which she performed with six female dancers. She wore a belly-dancing outfit, including harem pants, while singing " Baby Boy". She descended the staircase holding an umbrella and was met by three guys wearing fatigues. A short section of the
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
classic "Murder She Wrote" was incorporated into "Baby Boy". During " Beautiful Liar", Knowles sang into a microphone that fell from the ceiling and performed a Shakira-styled dance similar to the song's music video; Shakira appeared on the video screen throughout the song. " Naughty Girl" was also sung with
Donna Summer Donna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Queen of Disco", while her music ...
's " Love to Love You Baby" being incorporated and while performing she belly-danced on the song's beat. " Me, Myself and I" was performed at a slower
tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given musical composition, composition, and is often also an indication of the composition ...
than the original recording, after which Knowles sang " Dangerously in Love 2" with a snippet of "He Loves Me" by Jill Scott. She cried during " Flaws and All" and showed her "imperfections" before being embraced by a dancer dressed as an angel. During the performance of the song, she sang wide-eyed in a video close-up. The show continued with Knowles performing a ten-song Destiny's Child medley which contained female solidarity-themed songs. Knowles sang "Speechless" while seated on a sofa designed like a pair of lips. The intro to "Ring the Alarm" paid homage to the " Cell Block Tango" from the film ''
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
'', as women told of how they had been hurt by men and the performance saw Knowles wearing a red overcoat. During "
Suga Mama "Suga Mama" is a song by American singer Beyoncé Knowles for her second studio album, ''B'Day (Beyoncé album), B'Day'' (2006). It was written by Knowles, Rich Harrison, and Makeba Riddick, and produced by Harrison and Knowles. "Suga Mama" is i ...
", Knowles performed a
pole dance Pole dance combines dance and acrobatics centered around a vertical pole. This performance art form takes place not only in gentleman's clubs as a form of erotic dance, but also as a mainstream form of fitness, practiced in gyms and dedicated ...
. Afterwards Knowles' duets with
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
, " Upgrade U" and " '03 Bonnie & Clyde", were performed. During " Get Me Bodied" she removed the robot costume she was previously sporting to reveal a black and yellow dress to emulate a bee, and further led the crowd in a dance routine. "Check on It" was preceded by an instrumental of "
The Pink Panther Theme "The Pink Panther Theme" is a jazz composition by Henry Mancini written as the theme for the 1963 film ''The Pink Panther'' and subsequently nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Score at the 37th Academy Awards but lost to the She ...
", during which the stairs were colored pink. A ''
Dreamgirls ''Dreamgirls'' is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. It is based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, and p ...
'' segment was performed, incorporating the title song and "Listen" from the 2006 musical film in which Knowles starred in. The final song on the tour's set list was "
Irreplaceable "Irreplaceable" is a song by American singer Beyoncé for her second studio album, ''B'Day'' (2006). The song was written by Ne-Yo, Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Espionage (production team), Espen Lind, Amund Bj� ...
"; it began with the audience singing the first verse to Knowles after she announced "I've been singing my heart out for over two hours. Now it's time for you to sing for me." Knowles asked from the crowd to sing along her during the song while video clips of the backing musicians showed them making the "to the left" motion which was a key part of the song. Confetti were also dropped on the stage. As the concert ended, Knowles was walking on the stage and pointing to individual fans saying "I see you!" and describing their clothes or the signs they held.


Critical reception

''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' Chris Willman awarded the show an A− rating, and commended Knowles' ability to sing and dance simultaneously. Similarly, Shaheem Reid of MTV News commented, "There are few (very few) ladies out there who can really sing, a lot who can dance, a lot more who look good — but really no other who can combine all three and add iconic star power like Miss Knowles, arguably the best all-around stage performer in the game right now." J. Freedom du Lac of ''The Washington Post'' praised the concert's fast pace and called it a "pure pop spectacle" further describing it as "brilliant... ndfiery". He noted that the opening, was with a "dramatic, over-the-top entrance about which every aspiring diva dreams", but however he was disappointed in the show's ending. He further wrote, "Though Beyoncé owned the spotlight, this being her 'Experience' and all, her band co-starred in the show, playing hard and tight behind the singer and vamping expertly for sustained periods whenever Beyoncé left the stage to change." Sarah Rodman of ''The Boston Globe'' wrote in her review that the tour title reminded her of a concert theme park rid and added " twas an elaborate affair. It was part Vegas review, part hard-edged rock concert, part sweaty funk and soul revival, part diva concert hall performance, and almost all fun to watch as the singer threw herself into the various settings and costumes". Eamon Sweeney from the ''Irish Independent'' described Knowles' performance as "the best pop show on the planet" adding that the title of the tour "does exactly what it says on the tin". David Schmeichel of
Jam! Jam! was a Canadian website which covered entertainment news. It was part of the Canoe.com online portal, formerly owned and operated by Quebecor through its Sun Media division, and now owned by Postmedia Network. Jam! was the only media outl ...
wrote that the "Splashy Beyonce 'experience' gives a lesson in diva-hood for pop princesses everywhere", further praising her "goddess" like entrance, vocals and performance which he described as "tightly scripted as her film forays". Ashante Infantry of the ''
Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part of Torstar's Daily News Brands (Torstar), Daily News Brands division. ...
'' noted that the concerts served as a testament to Knowles' talent and power and compared her with
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
for the versatility and musicianship and Tina Turner for the sass and sheer power. ''
Herald Sun The ''Herald Sun'' is a Conservatism, conservative daily tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia, published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Corp Australia, itself a subsidiary of the American Rupert Murdoch, Murd ...
'' Cameron Adams also compared Knowles' performing ability to that of Prince, and stated, "Beyoncé is an old-fashioned, all- round entertainer." Jim Harrington writing for ''
San Jose Mercury News ''The Mercury News'' (formerly ''San Jose Mercury News'', often locally known as ''The Merc'') is a morning daily newspaper published in San Jose, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is published by the Bay Area News Group, a subsidia ...
'' graded the tour as an A-plus affair. A writer of ''The StarPhoenix'' praised the show, writing that Knowles "set the stage on fire" for two hours. The writer also added that she had "an honest, God-given talent she's not afraid to share. Her songs, ranging from sultry to soulful were performed with all her heart... With a clear passion for showmanship and a voice not easily matched, Beyonce simply bypassed the mediocrity of most concerts and took her performance to another level." Arielle Castillo of ''
Miami New Times The ''Miami New Times'' is a newspaper published in Miami, Florida, United States, and distributed every Thursday. It primarily serves the Miami metropolitan area, and is headquartered in Miami's Wynwood Art District. Overview It was acquired ...
'' heavily praised Knowles' performance, writing that "B performed like her life depended on it; fresh to death choreography, flawless vocals, crazysexy wardrobe and her trademark lioness mane all in A+ form... Beyonce gave the crowd all that they expected, and multiplied that by 1000." She concluded her review by writing that the concert was reminiscent of a Las Vegas show due to the elaborate costumes, sets, and "over-the-topness of the whole thing" further praising Knowles for acting, dancing and singing on stage. ''The New York Times Jon Pareles wrote, "She's the woman with everything: the voice, the moves, the songs, the ideas and the clothes. Her two-hour set was a brilliant pop extravaganza that kept the songs at its center." He further noted that Knowles didn't need distractions from her singing, "which can be airy or brassy, tearful or vicious, rapid-fire with
staccato Staccato (; Italian for "detached") is a form of Articulation (music), musical articulation. In modern notation, it signifies a note of shortened duration, separated from the note that may follow by silence. It has been described by theorists and ...
syllables or sustained in curlicued melismas. But she was in constant motion". Lee Hildebrand of the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' gave a very positive review for the concert and noted that Knowles performed "two fast-paced hours of terrific singing, solid musicianship, spectacular staging and some of the most imaginative choreography ever to have graced the stage of Oracle Arena." Hildebrand further noted that Knowles used "occasional bits of rasp to her ringing mezzo tones to emphasize key lines" while performing the ballads. He wrote that every "twitch, turn, slide and hip shake was in perfect sync" and praised the singer's constant motion most of the time which never left her "out of breath". While reviewing Knowles' concert in Bangkok, Thailand, Lisnaree Vichitsorasatra of ''The Nation'' praised her dancing which included "shaking, bouncing and belly dancing, mixed with hip-hop" further comparing it with Shakira's. She further noted that the highlight of the show was when Knowles sang the slow-tempo ballads. ''The Courier Mail''s Tonya Turner praised Knowles' "passionate and fiery" performance accompanied by "frantic booty popping and sexy R&B moves". Writing for the ''Los Angeles Times'', Ann Powers noted that the tour was one of the "modern superstar spectacles that casts the artist's reality onto the level of myth". However, she noted, that "Beyoncé's 'Experience' plays off the performer's well-known struggles and triumphs to build a story that will make fans both gawk and relate. The maddening thing about this dazzling entertainment, though, is that the tale it tells is partly the wrong one." She concluded the review by saying, "Beyoncé is electric in concert yet reined in by her show's post-feminist theme. Why not just let it be about her musical prowess?". Jim Farber of the ''
New York Daily News The ''Daily News'' is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in Tabloid (newspaper format ...
'' praised Knowles' energy and powerful performance on stage, writing "With her triumphant gait, statuesque figure and steely stare, the singer seemed primed not just to perform but to vanquish... Beyoncé sang with a fiery determination, stressing cries and shouts that had no use for subtlety and even less for vulnerability. She danced at an equally mad clip... hitting every mark with a vengeance... A Beyoncé show... has everything to do with power and nothing to do with nuance. It's the kind of thing meant to inspire awe, not intimacy... She sang her songs last night with the force of a rapper, stressing pieces from her two solo albums in a way that made every sound seem percussive." However, Farber criticized the unsure repertoire of songs performed, writing "Many of her tunes prove too skittish to sink in, and some of her rhythms are too robotic to find a groove." Scheck of ''The Hollywood Reporter'' noted that the snippets of other artists that Knowles included in her own songs were refreshing and included the fast-paced Destiny's Child medley and the performances of "Get Me Bodied" and "Listen" as highlights of the show. He further noted,
"It's not for nothing that they call this show 'The Beyonce Experience.' Like the summer blockbuster movies crowding theater screens, this tour by the pop/R&B icon resembles not so much a concert as a series of thrillingly staged set pieces. It's safe to say that her fans will not be disappointed by the two-hour extravaganza. From the diva-style opening, when she rises from beneath the stage amidst a blinding sparkler display, to the final audience sing-along on the female-empowering hit 'Irreplaceable,' the star delivers a crowd-pleasing spectacle that offers as much visual as musical stimulation."


Commercial performance

In October 2009, when Knowles was chosen for the Woman of the Year Award presented by ''Billboard'' magazine, a partial gross of the tour was revealed. Between April 21 and September 8, 2007 it was reported to the magazine that The Beyoncé Experience grossed $24.9 million and 272,521 fans attended the twenty nine shows which were submitted to the boxscore at that time. The highest-grossing concert of the tour was at the
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
in New York City, New York with $2,744,345. The concert that garnered the most number of attendees was at Fort Bonifacio in
Taguig Taguig (), officially the City of Taguig (), is the List of cities in the Philippines, fifth-most populous city in the Philippines situated on the eastern shores of Metro Manila, the national capital region. It is a center for culture, finance ...
, Philippines on November 7, 2007 with total of 70,000 people in attendance.


Incidents and cancelled shows

On July 8, 2007, during the concert in
St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
, two people in the audience suffered burns after pyrotechnics, meant for the stage effects, tumbled into the audience; Knowles visited them in the hospital after the show. During the performance of "Ring the Alarm”, at the
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
show on July 24, Knowles fell down a flight of stairs. Her heel got caught in the bottom of her long coat, and she tripped down the steps; she quickly picked herself up and carried on with the show. After the incident, Knowles jokingly asked the audience not to "post the footage on
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
", although she knew they would; several clips were posted on the then-new video-sharing website, subsequently going viral. On July 26, YouTube removed many of the clips as they were in violation of
copyright infringement Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of Copyright#Scope, works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the c ...
. After an initial removal spree, clips of the incident reappeared on YouTube, and were uploaded to other content-sharing websites such as
Dailymotion Dailymotion is a French online video platform, online video sharing platform owned by Canal+ S.A., Canal+. Prior to 2024, the company was owned by Vivendi. North American launch partners included Vice Media, Bloomberg L.P., Bloomberg, and Hears ...
and eBaum's World. A spokesperson for the singer said she was not injured during the fall, which she described as a "mere spot on an otherwise sensational, flawless show" adding, "Miss Knowles picked herself right up, without missing a beat, showing to all that she is the best." When asked about the fall on
CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
, Knowles said that she hit her head and chin and was "bruised-up". She further noted that she immediately started thinking to get up and continue performing the show "harder" as "an athlete" due to the
adrenaline Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is a hormone and medication which is involved in regulating visceral functions (e.g., respiration). It appears as a white microcrystalline granule. Adrenaline is normally produced by the adrenal glands a ...
rush she experienced. "Whenever I do something like that, I always perform really, really hard, cause it makes me a little mad at myself; so I just go crazy. So they got a really good show, in the end." During her August 25 performance in
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, while performing "Déjà Vu", Knowles had a wardrobe malfunction when her dress flew over her head and was rumored to have revealed her breast. However, a spokesperson for the singer revealed that the speculations weren't true, because "She's wearing a flesh-tone bra! Do you really think Beyoncé would go on stage like that?" The video, which was uploaded to YouTube, went viral. Powers of the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' discussed the incidents, saying, "As a pop queen, Beyoncé is almost too perfect. A tumble down the stairs onstage in Orlando and a subsequent 'wardrobe malfunction' in Toronto garnered far more attention than was warranted partly because these mistakes contradicted her fiercely athletic style." Beyoncé's concert in
Addis Ababa Addis Ababa (; ,) is the capital city of Ethiopia, as well as the regional state of Oromia. With an estimated population of 2,739,551 inhabitants as of the 2007 census, it is the largest city in the country and the List of cities in Africa b ...
,
Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...
on October 20, 2007 was special as it was a part of the country's year-long celebration of its 2,000th year of independence (according to the
Coptic calendar The Coptic calendar, also called the Alexandrian calendar, is a liturgical calendar used by the farming populace in Egypt and used by the Coptic Orthodox and Coptic Catholic churches. It was used for fiscal purposes in Egypt until the adoptio ...
). After the final song of the two-hour set had been performed, Knowles gathered all of her dancers and band members on stage. The concert was finished off with the entire ensemble leading the crowd in jumping, singing and dancing to
Teddy Afro Tewodros Kassahun Germamo (; born 14 July 1976), known professionally as Teddy Afro, is an Ethiopian singer-songwriter. Known by his revolutionary songs and political dissent sentiment, Teddy is considered one of the most significant Ethiopian ...
's iconic New Year's anthem "Abebayehosh", which the audience was visibly thrilled over. At the end of the concert, Knowles stated "I want to thank you. You have been one of the best audiences of my lifetime." Knowles intended to take The Beyoncé Experience to
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...
, Malaysia on November 1, 2007; however the show was cancelled "due to a scheduling conflict" and relocated to
Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...
, Indonesia. It was speculated, by several publications, that Knowles moved the show because of Malaysia's strict Islam-based laws surrounding the clothing that females in public, and female performers, can wear. The government demanded for female performers to cover up from the top of their chests to their knees, including their shoulders. Several publications reported that the news followed an uptick in protests by several conservative groups, including the nearly 10,000-strong National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students, urging the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage to stop the concert from taking place. The statement addressed by Knowles' management team stated that the show was cancelled "with regret". The show on October 24 in
Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
, Turkey was cancelled by the organizer, the sports club Fenerbahçe, due to attacks of
Kurdistan Workers' Party The Kurdistan Workers' Party, or the PKK, isDespite the PKK's 12th Congress announcing plans for total organisational dissolution, the PKK has not yet been dissolved de facto or de jure. a Kurds, Kurdish militant political organization and armed ...
in
Hakkâri Hakkari or Hakkâri may refer to: * Hakkari (historical region), a historical region in modern-day Turkey and Iraq *Hakkâri (city), a city and the capital of Hakkâri Province, Turkey *Hakkâri Province Hakkâri Province (, ; ), is a province ...
on September 21, 2007.


Broadcasting and recordings

The show on September 2 at the
Staples Center Crypto.com Arena (originally and colloquially known as Staples Center) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in downtown Los Angeles. Opened on October 17, 1999, as Staples Center, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along F ...
in Los Angeles, two days prior to Knowles' 26th birthday was filmed and later released as a
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
titled '' The Beyoncé Experience Live''. During the show, Destiny's Child bandmates
Kelly Rowland Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling gir ...
and
Michelle Williams Michelle Williams or Michele Williams may refer to: * Michelle Ann Williams (born circa 1965), American public health scholar * Michelle Williams (singer) (born 1979), American singer, previously a member of Destiny's Child * Michelle Williams (actr ...
appeared onstage to finish singing "
Survivor Survivor(s) may refer to: * one who survives Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Survivors, characters in the 1997 KKnD series#Armies, ''KKnD'' video-game series * ''The Survivors'', or the ''New Survivors Foundation'', a fictional ...
";
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
also contributed his verse to " Upgrade U". At the end of the show Rowland and Williams led the audience in singing "
Happy Birthday to You "Happy Birthday to You", or simply "Happy Birthday", is a song traditionally sung to celebrate a person's birthday. According to the 1998 ''Guinness World Records'', it is the most recognized song in the English language, followed by "For He' ...
" to Knowles, to mark her birthday two days later. It was released on November 20, 2007 worldwide through
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
. ''The Beyoncé Experience Live'' was shown at ninety-six cinemas across the United States on November 19, 2007, one day before its DVD release.
Black Entertainment Television Black Entertainment Television (BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting Black American audiences. It is the flagship channel of the BET Media Group, a subsidiary of Paramount Global's CBS Entertainment Group. Originally launched ...
(BET) broadcast the show on
Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...
on November 22, 2007 and later on December 18 the same year. It was also broadcast to members of the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
serving in the
Iraq War The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...
through AEG Network and
3sat 3sat (, ''Dreisat'') is a free-to-air German-language public service television channel. It is a generalist channel with a cultural focus and is jointly operated by public broadcasters from Germany ( ZDF, ARD), Austria ( ORF) and Switzerlan ...
aired the concert in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on December 31, 2008. The DVD was commercially successful earning five certifications in different countries, including 3× Platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
for selling 300,000 copies. The performance of "Irreplaceable" during the concert in Madrid was broadcast on the 2007 ALMA Awards through the
American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast Television broadcaster, television and radio Radio network, network that serves as the flagship property of the Disney Entertainment division ...
.


Opening acts

*
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. A Pop music, pop and hip-hop-influenced contemporary R&B, R&B musician who works in a variety of genres, he has been called the "Honorific nic ...
(Australia) *
Lemar Lemar Obika (born 4 April 1978), known mononymously as Lemar, is an English singer, songwriter and record producer. Initially rising to fame after finishing third on the Fame Academy (series 1), first series of British talent show ''Fame Acade ...
(Europe) *Katy Shotter (selected dates in the UK and the US) *
Robin Thicke Robin Alan Thicke (born March 10, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his 2013 single " Blurred Lines" (featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams), which peaked atop the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, received ...
(selected dates in North America) *Sean Kingston (selected dates in North America) *Pekaso (Philippines) *Ludacris (Ethiopia)


Set list

The following set list is obtained from the September 2, 2007 show in Los Angeles. It is not intended to represent all dates throughout the tour. #" Crazy in Love" (contains elements of " Crazy") #" Freakum Dress" #"Green Light (Beyoncé song), Green Light" #"Baby Boy (Beyoncé song), Baby Boy" (contains elements of "Chaka Demus & Pliers, Murder She Wrote", "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lost Ones" and "Tenor Saw, Ring the Alarm") #" Beautiful Liar" #"Naughty Girl (Beyoncé song), Naughty Girl" #"Me, Myself and I (Beyoncé song), Me, Myself, and I" #" Dangerously in Love 2" (contains elements of "He Loves Me (Lyzel In E Flat)") #" Flaws and All" #"
Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final lineup comprised Beyoncé, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams (singer), Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Hou ...
Medley": ##"Independent Women, Independent Women Part 1" ##"Bootylicious" ##"No, No, No (Destiny's Child song), No, No, No (Part 2)" ##"Bug a Boo (song), Bug a Boo" ##"Bills, Bills, Bills" ##"Cater 2 U" ##"Say My Name" ##"Jumpin', Jumpin'" ##"Soldier (Destiny's Child song), Soldier" (contains elements of "Crank That (Soulja Boy)") ##"
Survivor Survivor(s) may refer to: * one who survives Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Survivors, characters in the 1997 KKnD series#Armies, ''KKnD'' video-game series * ''The Survivors'', or the ''New Survivors Foundation'', a fictional ...
" #"Dangerously in Love, Speechless" #" Ring the Alarm" #"
Suga Mama "Suga Mama" is a song by American singer Beyoncé Knowles for her second studio album, ''B'Day (Beyoncé album), B'Day'' (2006). It was written by Knowles, Rich Harrison, and Makeba Riddick, and produced by Harrison and Knowles. "Suga Mama" is i ...
" #" Upgrade U" #" '03 Bonnie & Clyde" #"
Check on It "Check on It" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé. It was written by her, Swizz Beatz, Sean Garrett, Angela Beyincé and Slim Thug, and produced by Swizz Beatz. Serving as the main theme of the 2006 film ''The Pink Panther'', in whic ...
" #"Déjà Vu (Beyoncé song), Déjà Vu" #" Get Me Bodied" #"Hollywood (Jay-Z song), Welcome to Hollywood" #"Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture, Deena" #" Listen" ;Encore #"
Irreplaceable "Irreplaceable" is a song by American singer Beyoncé for her second studio album, ''B'Day'' (2006). The song was written by Ne-Yo, Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Espionage (production team), Espen Lind, Amund Bj� ...
"


Tour dates

;Festivals and other miscellaneous performances :A This show was part of the
Essence Music Festival The ESSENCE Festival of Culture is the largest African-American culture and music event in the US. The annual music festival started in 1995 in New Orleans, Louisiana to celebrate the 25th anniversary of ''Essence (magazine), Essence'' magazine. ...
.


Box office score data


Personnel

Personnel adapted as per The Beyoncé Experience booklet and ''The Beyoncé Experience Live'' DVD.
Suga Mama "Suga Mama" is a song by American singer Beyoncé Knowles for her second studio album, ''B'Day (Beyoncé album), B'Day'' (2006). It was written by Knowles, Rich Harrison, and Makeba Riddick, and produced by Harrison and Knowles. "Suga Mama" is i ...
: * Musical Director/Guitar: Bibi McGill, BiBi McGill * Musical Director/Bass: Divinity Roxx, Divinity Walker Roxx * Drums: Nikki Glaspie * Drums: Kimberly Thompson, Kim Thompson * Keyboards/Assistant Musical Director: Suga Mama (band), Rie Tsuji * Keyboards: Suga Mama (band), Brittani Washington * Percussion: Suga Mama (band), Marcie Chapa * Tenor Saxophone: Suga Mama (band), Katty Rodriguez-Harrold * Alto Saxophone: Tia Fuller * Trumpet: Suga Mama (band), Crystal Torres The Mamas (Background Vocalists): * Suga Mama (band), Montina Cooper * Suga Mama (band), Crystal "Crissy" Collins * Tiffany Monique, Tiffany Riddick Dancers * Anthony Burrell – Tour Dance Captain * Milan Dillard – Tour Dance Captain * Tyrell Washington * Byron Carter * Clifford McGhee * Dana Foglia * Heather Morris * Yanira Marin * Jamie Overla * Ashley Everett * Mykal Bean – Male Dance Understudy Crew * Conception and staging: Beyoncé Knowles, Kim Burse, Frank Gatson Jr. * Choreographer: Frank Gatson Jr. * Tour Wardrobe: Tina Knowles, House of Deréon,
Giorgio Armani Giorgio Armani (; born 11 July 1934) is an Italian fashion designer and a billionaire. He first gained renown working for Cerruti 1881. He formed his company, Armani, in 1975, which eventually expanded into music, sport, and luxury hotels. By 200 ...
, Versace,
Elie Saab Elie Saab () (born 4 July 1964) is a Lebanon-based fashion designer. He started his business in the early 1980s and specialized in bridal couture (high-end fabrics, lace, gemstones, Swarovski Crystal, Swarovski crystals, pearls, detailed embr ...
, Herve Leger * Tour Manager: Alan Floyd


References


External links


Beyoncé Knowles' official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beyonce Experience, The 2007 concert tours Beyoncé concert tours Concert tours of Australia Concert tours of Austria Concert tours of Belgium Concert tours of Canada Concert tours of China Concert tours of Denmark Concert tours of Ethiopia Concert tours of France Concert tours of Germany Concert tours of India Concert tours of Indonesia Concert tours of Ireland Concert tours of Italy Concert tours of Macau Concert tours of Mexico Concert tours of Norway Concert tours of the Philippines Concert tours of Portugal Concert tours of Romania Concert tours of Russia Concert tours of South Korea Concert tours of Spain Concert tours of Sweden Concert tours of Switzerland Concert tours of Taiwan Concert tours of Thailand Concert tours of the United Kingdom Concert tours of the United States