The Liberation Tour (Christina Aguilera tour)

The Liberation Tour was the fifth concert tour by American recording artist Christina Aguilera, staged in support of her eighth studio album, Liberation (2018). Comprising 21 shows, the tour visited North America.[1] It marks the singer's first concert tour in over 10 years, since the Back to Basics Tour started back in 2006. A follow-up European tour titled, The X Tour was held in 2019. The Liberation Tour ranked at #132 on Pollstar's 2018 Year-End Top 200 North American Tours chart with a total gross of $8.7 million with an attendance of 73,973.[2][3] It was named one of the best 2018 live shows by Billboard.[4][5][6]

The Liberation Tour
Tour by Christina Aguilera
Promotional poster for the tour
LocationUnited States
Associated albumLiberation
Start dateSeptember 25, 2018 (2018-09-25)
End dateNovember 13, 2018 (2018-11-13)
Legs1
No. of shows21
Attendance73,973 (21 shows)
Box office$8.7 million
Christina Aguilera concert chronology

Background and development

A few weeks before the tour started, Christina asked fans on social media what songs would they like to be added to the setlist. She also teased some photos and videos from the rehearsals. Aguilera made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on September 12 to promote. A website titled "Liberate Your Love" was launched on September 23, and fans attending the tour can submit their love stories.

The tour kicked off on September 25, 2018 in Hollywood, Florida. A new unreleased song, seemingly titled "Wonderland",[7] was played as an interlude in between songs. At one point of the first show, the singer got emotional and expressed how much she has missed performing for her fans. After singing "Unless It's With You", she helped facilitate a proposal for a gay couple by inviting them onto the stage.[8]

Critical reception
Aguilera performing at the Pepsi Center in Denver

The tour received rave reviews from critics. Many praised Aguilera's vocals and stage presence and felt the show focused on the "hits" as well as the new material. Kori Hazel (303 Magazine) felt the show in Denver was too heavy on entertainment, with the singer recreating the many iterations of her career. He says: "So, as the setlist bounced between nostalgia and new tunes, many in the audience were left impressed, dancing and singing along throughout. Such is the case of extended absences—the artist is left to reach, hoping to connect with the expectations they left to either their benefit or their detriment."[9] Lucas Villa (AXS) stated the concert in Las Vegas was a return to form for Aguilera, after taking a decade break from touring. He continues: "It took over 10 years, but the Liberation Tour was worth the wait. Seeing Aguilera being able to truly bask in what she's created over 19 years and being liberated from all the pressures and naysayers that have followed her throughout her career was beautiful, no matter what they say."[10]

In Sugar Land, Jesse Sendejas, Jr (Houston Press) thought the show was a form of therapy for Aguilera's devoted fans, as she served her hits while showing her appreciation to the audience. He wrote: "The love fest continued through the night with Aguilera sometimes blocking songs together to recall specific albums, like a run from 2010's Bionic, or back-to-back songs from films she's been involved with over the years. If Aguilera is angling for a Vegas residency, the Liberation tour seems like a winning audition."[11] For the Atlanta show, Melissa Ruggieri (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) stated this comeback tour proved Aguilera is still a definitive figure within the pop landscape. She writes: "Though she’s been playing much smaller venues than on her last arena tour, Aguilera didn’t scrimp on visuals. [...] Aguilera’s voice consistently retains the intensity of her chart-topping years, she’s still a distinctive force."[12]

The Liberation Tour was named one of the best 2018 live shows by Billboard.[4]

Opening acts

Setlist

The following setlist was obtained from the concert held on October 3, 2018, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York. It does not represent all shows for the duration of the tour.[14]

  1. "Maria"
  2. "Genie in a Bottle"
  3. "Dirrty" (performed with Redman)
  4. "Sick of Sittin'"
  5. "What a Girl Wants" / "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)"
  6. "Keep on Singin' My Song"
  7. "Can't Hold Us Down"
  8. "Deserve"
  9. "Accelerate"
  10. "Elastic Love" / "Woohoo" / "Not Myself Tonight" / "Bionic"
  11. "Express" / "Lady Marmalade"
  12. "Ain't No Other Man"
  13. "Say Something" (performed with Colin Smith)
  14. "It's a Man's Man's Man's World"
  15. "Fighter"
  16. "Fall in Line"
  17. "Twice"
  18. "Beautiful"
  19. "Unless It's with You"
  20. "Let There Be Love"

Tour dates
Date City Country Venue
September 25, 2018 Hollywood United States Hard Rock Event Center
September 28, 2018 Atlantic City Hard Rock Live
September 30, 2018 Oxon Hill The Theater at MGM National Harbor
October 3, 2018 New York City Radio City Music Hall
October 4, 2018
October 6, 2018 Uncasville Mohegan Sun Arena
October 8, 2018 Boston Wang Theatre
October 16, 2018 Chicago Chicago Theatre
October 17, 2018
October 19, 2018 Denver Pepsi Center
October 22, 2018 Oakland Paramount Theatre
October 26, 2018 Los Angeles Greek Theatre
October 27, 2018 Las Vegas The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
October 29, 2018 Phoenix Comerica Theatre
November 1, 2018 Sugar Land Smart Financial Centre
November 3, 2018 Thackerville Global Event Center
November 4, 2018 Tulsa Paradise Cove
November 6, 2018 St. Louis Peabody Opera House
November 9, 2018 New Orleans Saenger Theatre
November 11, 2018 Atlanta Fox Theatre
November 13, 2018 St. Petersburg Mahaffey Theater
Cancellations and rescheduled shows
October 11, 2018 Orillia, Canada Casino Rama Entertainment Centre Cancelled[15]
October 13, 2018 Detroit, Michigan Fox Theatre Cancelled[16]
October 24, 2018 Indio, California Fantasy Springs Special Events Center Cancelled[17]

Box office score data
Venue City Tickets sold / Available Gross revenue
Radio City Music Hall New York City 11,290 / 11,290 (100%) $1,122,464[18]
The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Las Vegas 4,100 / 4,100 (100%) $496,595[19]
Greek Theatre Los Angeles 5,870 / 5,870 (100%) $636,308[20]

Personnel
  • Musical Director: Rob Lewis
  • Photographer: Philip Macías
  • Hair and Make-up: Etienne Ortega and Stephen Sollitto
  • Stylist: Karen Clarkson
  • Choreographer: Jeri Slaughter and Paul Morente
  • Dancers: Charmain Baquiran, Gilbert Saldivar, Kai Lin, Monique Slaughter, Rebbi Rosie and Sophia Aguiar

Band
  • Bass guitar: Ethan Farmer
  • Guitar: Michael Herring
  • Drums: Stanley Randolph
  • Keyboards: Rob Lewis
  • Backing vocalist: Andrea-Latrelle Lanz, Colin Smith, Erika Jerry and Emi Secrest

References
  1. "Christina Aguilera Announces 'Liberation' Tour Dates". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. May 9, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2008.
  2. "Pollstar Year End: Top 200 North American Tours" (PDF). Pollstar. December 17, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 11, 2019. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
  3. AguileraFeaturedNews·December 25, Jordan Miller·Christina; Read, 2018·1 Min (December 25, 2018). "Here's How Many Millions Christina Aguilera's Liberation Tour Grossed". BreatheHeavy.com. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  4. "The Best Live Shows Of 2018". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. December 14, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  5. "Christina Aguilera Announces 'Liberation' Tour Dates". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. May 9, 2018. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  6. Honeycutt, Shanté (May 14, 2018). "Christina Aguilera Announces Big Boi as Special Guest for Liberation Tour". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  7. Calvario, Liz (September 26, 2018). "Christina Aguilera Kicks Off Liberation Tour With a Marriage Proposal and Tears". Entertainment Tonight. CBS Television Distribution. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  8. Cooper, Mariah (September 27, 2018). "Christina Aguilera opens comeback tour with gay proposal". Washington Blade. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  9. Hazel, Kori (October 21, 2018). "REVIEW – MIXED EXPECTATIONS GOT THE BEST OF CHRISTINA AGUILERA". 303 Magazine. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  10. Villa, Lucas (November 2, 2018). "Christina Aguilera's Liberation Tour marks beautiful comeback in Las Vegas". AXS. Anschutz Entertainment Group. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  11. Sendejas, Jr., Jesse (November 2, 2018). "Christina Aguilera Returns to Houston Area with a Vegas-Ready Love Fest". Houston Press. Voice Media Group. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  12. Ruggieri, Melissa (November 12, 2018). "Concert review: Christina Aguilera (finally) returns to Atlanta after 11 years". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. Archived from the original on December 15, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  13. Howard, Jacinta (May 16, 2018). "BIG BOI TO JOIN CHRISTINA AGUILERA ON HER 'LIBERATION' TOUR THIS FALL". The Boombox. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  14. Olivier, Bobby (October 6, 2018). "Christina Aguilera's 1st tour in a decade is a fierce return to the diva throne: review". NJ. Advance Publications. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  15. "Christina Aguilera concert at Casino Rama postponed". CKVR-DT. Bell Media. October 11, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  16. McCollum, Brian (October 13, 2018). "Christina Aguilera postpones tonight's Detroit concert". Detroit Free Press. Gannett Company. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  17. McRady, Rachel (October 25, 2018). "Christina Aguilera Cancels Another Concert Due to 'Safety Concerns'". Entertainment Tonight. CBS Television Distribution. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  18. "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard. Nashville, Tennessee: Eldridge Industries. 130. October 27, 2018. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  19. "Boxoffice Insider: Christina Aguilera 'Xcites' With Las Vegas Debut". Pollstar. July 15, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
  20. "Boxoffice Insider: Christina Aguilera 'Xcites' With Las Vegas Debut". Pollstar. July 15, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
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