My December Tour Explained

Concert Tour Name:My December Tour
Album:My December
Start Date:September 28, 2007
End Date:April 13, 2008
Number Of Legs:4
Number Of Shows:8 in Australia
27 in North America
18 in Europe
53 Total
Last Tour:Addicted Tour
(2006)
This Tour:My December Tour
(2007–08)
Next Tour:2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour
(2008)

The My December Tour was the fourth headlining concert tour by American pop rock recording artist Kelly Clarkson, and followed the release Clarkson's third studio album, My December (2007). Originally a large-scale summer tour timed to coincide with the June 2007 availability of the album, public career battles and poor ticket sales in North America led Clarkson to cancel it before it began. A considerably smaller-scale tour commenced in September 2007 and ran to April 2008, with the international legs in Europe and Australia remaining at arena venues.

Background

First incarnation

The tour was initially announced by both Billboard.com and Clarkson's official website on April 26, 2007.[1] It was scheduled for almost 40 dates in North America, running from July 7 to September 28, 2007, beginning in Portland, Oregon's Rose Garden Arena, including such venues as the TD BankNorth Garden in Boston and Continental Airlines Arena in New Jersey, and concluding at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.[2] For the first time, Clarkson would be playing in arenas instead of the smaller amphitheatres that her previous tours were staged in. Describing the tour, Clarkson stated, "This will be the biggest tour I’ve ever done. It's all about the music – we’re bringing extra musicians and we’ll be making an arena environment intimate because I want the fans to be part of the show! And you’ll hear all your favorite hits too!!"[3] The show would feature a 36-row catwalk and b-stage, in order to make the large arenas more intimate for fans.[4] Mat Kearney would be her support act for the tour.[5]

The tour was to be sponsored by Vitamin Water.[6] The company set up an exclusive website, kellyallaccess.com, which offered a pre-sale through Ticketmaster as well as other cross-promotional activities with Clarkson.[7] Tickets went on sale on May 12 and prospects for the tour got caught up in Clarkson's very public career drama concerning the contents and commercial potential of My December, her relations with record company boss Clive Davis, and her falling out with her own management.[8] [9] [10]

On Thursday, June 14, the tour was cancelled per Clarkson's official website, with her statement saying:

However, low ticket sales were acknowledged by promoters and her representatives as the reason for the cancellation. LiveNation CEO Michael Rapino said: "Ticket sales have not been what we anticipated and we came to the realization that we had bit off more than we could chew. In the end, we are in the Kelly Clarkson business and for that reason we believe that this decision will only benefit her and her fans in the long run."[11]

The My December album itself was finally released on June 26, 2007, and within a few weeks it was clear that its sales would be considerably less than those of her previous two albums. The only public performances to survive the tour cancellation were her five-song set at the Live Earth concert at Giants Stadium on July 7, 2007, and various promotional appearances on morning and late-night television programs in conjunction with the album's release.

Second incarnation

On September 4, 2007, a new My December Tour for Fall 2007 in North America was announced on via Billboard.com.[12] It was specified to play 26 dates in 3,000- to 6,000-seat theatres rather than the previous arenas.[12] Her three shows at New York City's Beacon Theatre all sold out,[13] and her performance at the Tower Theater outside Philadelphia nearly did.[14] Shows in Toronto, Minneapolis, and Chicago also sold out.

Clarkson then added Australian and European legs to the tour, to take place starting March 2008, after the first leg of her 2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour with Reba McEntire. The singles from My December had gotten a somewhat better reception in Australia than in the U.S., and Clarkson was following the strategy of scheduling dates there that the Dixie Chicks had following for their similarly sales-challenged Accidents & Accusations Tour of 2006. Tickets for the Australian tour went on sale October 8, 2007.[15] [16] On October 23, 2007, the full European lineup was announced and tickets went on sale immediately. German, Swedish and Dutch tickets went on sale for fans through a number of different ticketing websites and stores across the continent. Although Sony BMG UK set up an official pre-sale for fans through Live Nation, Ents24.com and Seetickets, Orange UK set up a "reserve ticket" system through WAP on their website, for registered Orange users within the UK. There was a high demand for Glasgow and Manchester fans and a further date was added for each within a week. Clarkson scheduled an appearance on the UK TV show This Morning on December 12 to promote the UK leg of the tour.[17]

The show

As in the past, Clarkson's concerts held more in common with traditional rock concerts than with pop- or R&B-oriented "diva" productions. The show began with a stage tableau of the cover of the My December album, complete with staircase laced with gnarly tree branches and Clarkson sitting in the big red dress[18] while the band was frozen like mannequins.[19] Clarkson immediately shed the bulky red dress, however, and performed in an understated black pants and back top outfit.[18] Halfway through the show the main curtain closed, and Clarkson and selected band members performed a quieter mini-set of "Because of You", "Up to the Mountain", and "Be Still" in front of the curtain.[19] [20] A mash-up of "Miss Independent" and Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" AC/DC's "Back in Black" then played for a while over the sound system;[20] when the curtain opened the set had been stripped to a techno-modern look, while Clarkson had undergone the minimal costume change of adding a black sleeveless vest. The single encores segment began with a respectfully delivered "Sober" followed by the informal "Chivas" and then her biggest hit, "Since U Been Gone",[19] the last of which typically featured sing-alongs or dancing fans pulled up on stage. In all she typically performed for 75 to 80 minutes.[18] [20]

The show's set list was dominated by My December and Breakaway material, with only "Miss Independent" and "Beautiful Disaster" appearing from her first album Thankful and the only indicator of her American Idol heritage her introduction to the Idol Gives Back showstopper "Up to the Mountain".[21] Clarkson's concert audience in the U.S. was sometimes composed of high school and younger college age people, predominantly female, and preteen girls accompanied by one or both parents, but also sometimes connected with her radio audience, which includes widespread play on adult contemporary stations.[22] The music presented in the show was more conventionally rock-oriented than her concert audience profile might indicate. Clarkson's between-songs stage patter typically made only a few allusions to her career adventures with the My December album.[22] At the start of the tour, she introduced My December material carefully. Near the close of shows, she thanked the audience for giving this chance to her to perform her songs, saying that all the other facets of the music industry paled in importance. She gave more extensive introductions for "Hole" and "Up to the Mountain",[22] which she said did not fit her normal sound.

Rock critic Greg Kot analyzed the show as portraying three possible career paths for Clarkson: Goth vixen, pop princess, and ballad singer.[23] He suggested that the last of these was where her best chance at artistic growth lay, saying that her mid-concert quiet set had been "a revelation".[23]

Opening acts

Set list

  1. "Untitled I"
  2. "One Minute"
  3. "Behind These Hazel Eyes"
  4. "Don't Waste Your Time"
  5. "Never Again"
  6. "Maybe"
  7. "Gone"
  8. "Hole"
  9. "Addicted"
  10. "Because of You"
  11. "Up to the Mountain"
  12. "Be Still"
  13. "Miss Independent"
  14. "How I Feel"
  15. "Breakaway"
  16. "Walk Away"
  17. "Sober"
  18. "Chivas"
  19. "Since U Been Gone"

Tour dates

DateCityCountryVenue
Australia Leg 1
September 28, 2007MelbourneAustraliaPalais Theatre
September 30, 2007SydneyThe Forum
North America[25] [26]
October 10, 2007VeronaUnited StatesTurning Stone Event Center
October 12, 2007Atlantic CityBorgata Event Center
October 14, 2007New York CityBeacon Theatre
October 15, 2007
October 16, 2007
October 18, 2007Upper Darby TownshipTower Theater
October 21, 2007UncasvilleMohegan Sun Arena
October 23, 2007BostonOrpheum Theatre
October 24, 2007Washington, D.C.DAR Constitution Hall
October 26, 2007Niagara FallsSeneca Niagara Events Center
October 28, 2007DetroitThe Fillmore Detroit
October 30, 2007TorontoCanadaMassey Hall
November 1, 2007ChicagoUnited StatesChicago Theatre
November 2, 2007MinneapolisState Theatre
November 5, 2007DenverParamount Theatre
November 10, 2007San JoseEvent Center Arena
November 12, 2007SeattleParamount Theatre
November 14, 2007SacramentoSacramento Memorial Auditorium
November 16, 2007San DiegoSan Diego Civic Theatre
November 18, 2007Los AngelesGibson Amphitheatre
November 20, 2007TempeGammage Memorial Auditorium
November 23, 2007Grand PrairieNokia Live at Grand Prairie
November 25, 2007HoustonVerizon Wireless Theater
November 27, 2007AtlantaCobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
November 29, 2007Boca RatonCount de Hoernle Amphitheater
December 1, 2007ClearwaterRuth Eckerd Hall
December 3, 2007NashvilleRyman Auditorium
Australia Leg 2[27]
March 1, 2008PerthAustraliaChallenge Stadium
March 3, 2008AdelaideAdelaide Entertainment Centre
March 4, 2008MelbourneRod Laver Arena
March 6, 2008SydneySydney Entertainment Centre
March 8, 2008NewcastleNewcastle Entertainment Centre
March 9, 2008BrisbaneBrisbane Entertainment Centre
Europe
March 14, 2008ManchesterEnglandCarling Apollo Manchester
March 17, 2008GlasgowScotlandCarling Academy Glasgow
March 18, 2008
March 20, 2008WolverhamptonEnglandWolverhampton Civic Hall
March 22, 2008PlymouthPlymouth Pavilions
March 23, 2008BournemouthSolent Hall
March 26, 2008LondonHammersmith Apollo
March 27, 2008
March 29, 2008CardiffWalesCardiff International Arena
March 31, 2008BrightonEnglandBrighton Centre
April 2, 2008 MannheimGermanyMannheimer Rosengarten
April 3, 2008ColognePalladium Köln
April 5, 2008AntwerpBelgiumLotto Arena
April 6, 2008AmsterdamNetherlandsHeineken Music Hall
April 8, 2008ManchesterEnglandCarling Apollo Manchester
April 9, 2008CopenhagenDenmarkVega Musikkens Hus
April 11, 2008StockholmSwedenAnnexet
April 13, 2008HelsinkiFinlandHelsinki Ice Hall
Cancellations and rescheduled shows; (original tour dates)
<--Date--><--City, (State or Country)--><--Venue--><--Reason/Additional Info-->
July 11, 2007PortlandRose Garden ArenaCancelled[28]
July 13, 2007SeattleKeyArenaCancelled
July 15, 2007SacramentoARCO ArenaCancelled
July 17, 2007San JoseHP PavilionCancelled
July 19, 2007AnaheimHonda CenterCancelled
July 21, 2007DenverPepsi CenterCancelled
July 22, 2007Kansas CityKemper ArenaCancelled
July 25, 2007Saint PaulXcel Energy CenterCancelled
July 27, 2007St. LouisScottrade CenterCancelled
July 29, 2007RosemontAllstate ArenaCancelled
July 31, 2007ColumbusValue City ArenaCancelled
August 2, 2007TorontoAir Canada CentreCancelled
August 4, 2007BostonTD Banknorth GardenCancelled
August 5, 2007AlbanyTimes Union CenterCancelled
August 10, 2007Auburn HillsThe Palace of Auburn HillsCancelled
August 12, 2007ClevelandQuicken Loans ArenaCancelled
August 14, 2007PhiladelphiaWachovia CenterCancelled
August 16, 2007UncasvilleMohegan Sun Wolf DenCancelled
August 18, 2007UniondaleNassau Veterans Memorial ColiseumCancelled
August 19, 2007Washington, D.C.Verizon CenterCancelled
August 22, 2007East RutherfordContinental Airlines ArenaCancelled
August 24, 2007Cancelled
August 26, 2007NashvilleGaylord Entertainment CenterCancelled
August 28, 2007DuluthArena at Gwinnett CenterCancelled
August 30, 2007SunriseBankAtlantic CenterCancelled
September 1, 2007OrlandoAmway ArenaCancelled
September 2, 2007TampaSt. Pete Times ForumCancelled
September 5, 2007DallasAmerican Airlines CenterCancelled
September 7, 2007HoustonToyota CenterCancelled
September 9, 2007Las VegasMGM Grand Garden ArenaRescheduled to September 28, 2007
September 13, 2007CalgaryPengrowth SaddledomeCancelled
September 14, 2007EdmontonRexall PlaceCancelled
September 16, 2007VancouverPacific ColiseumCancelled
September 19, 2007FresnoSave Mart CenterCancelled
September 21, 2007San DiegoSan Diego Sports ArenaCancelled
September 23, 2007PhoenixUS Airways CenterCancelled
September 26, 2007Los AngelesPauley PavilionCancelled
September 28, 2007Las VegasMGM Grand Garden ArenaCancelled
March 15, 2008ManchesterO2 ApolloRescheduled to April 8, 2008

Box office score data

VenueCityTickets sold / available Gross revenue
Borgata Events CenterAtlantic City, New Jersey2,232 / 2,978 (75%)$115,895
Beacon TheatreNew York City8,553 / 8,553 (100%)$364,539
Tower TheaterUpper Darby Township, Pennsylvania2,882 / 3,064 (94%)$114,550
The Fillmore DetroitDetroit2,599 / 2,900 (90%)$94,800[29]
Massey HallToronto2,567 / 2,567 (100%)$62,837[30]
Chicago TheatreChicago3,413 / 3,413 (100%)$134,814[31]
State TheatreMinneapolis2,049 / 2,049 (100%)$80,936
Event Center ArenaSan Jose, California4,613 / 4,666 (99%)$168,525
TOTAL28,908 / 30,190 (96%)$1,136,896

Personnel

Band

Other

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: My December Tour!!! . Clarkson's Official Website . 2007-04-26 . 2007-10-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070607181913/http://www.kellyclarkson.com/main.php?em982=127446_-1__0_~0_-1_5_2007_0_0&content=news . 2007-06-07 . dead .
  2. News: Details emerge for Kelly Clarkson tour . . 2007-05-09 . 2009-01-05 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080724043106/http://www.livedaily.com/news/12072.html . 2008-07-24 .
  3. News: Kelly Clarkson sets summer tour dates . . . 2007-04-26 . 2007-10-28.
  4. Web site: Kelly Clarkson on Tour – 'My December' Tour 2007–2008 . Generation Kelly Clarkson . 2009-01-05.
  5. Bloomingdale's, Mat Kearney and John Varvatos Partner for VH1 Save The Music . . 2007-07-24 . 2009-01-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101201092537/http://vh1savethemusic.com/node/212 . 2010-12-01 . dead .
  6. See first incarnation tour poster.
  7. News: Kelly Clarkson Promo With vitaminwater & Wal*Mart . Popdirt.com . 2007-04-10 . 2009-05-24.
  8. Kelly in Control . Karger, Dave . . 2007-05-14 . 2007-10-28 . 2011-06-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110607104719/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20038840_20038841_20038857_4,00.html . dead .
  9. News: Rebel Yell . Glock, Allison . . 2007-06-02 . 2007-10-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090112080247/http://www.elle.com/Entertainment/Cover-Shoots/Kelly-Clarkson . 2009-01-12 .
  10. News: Kelly Clarkson Fires Manager . . June 12, 2007 . 2007-10-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070716115758/http://usmagazine.com/kelly_clarkson_fires_manager . 2007-07-16 . dead .
  11. Mike Bruno, "Clarkson Postpones Summer Tour", EW.com, June 14, 2007.
  12. News: Kelly Clarkson Unveils Fall Tour Plans . . Jonathan Cohen . 2007-09-04 . 2007-10-28.
  13. News: Kelly Clarkson . Pop and Rock Listings . . 2007-10-12 . 2007-10-28.
  14. News: 2007-11-10. Billboard Boxscore. Billboard Magazine. New York City. 2008-12-27.
  15. http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=KELLYCLA08&searchId=9585b179-a933-4f85-9b19-2f2036179796 Ticketek Australia
  16. http://www.sonybmg.com.au/news/details.do;jsessionid=18E2F1FAB1782B18727D3E0376C19E3F.tomcat2?newsId=20030829005001 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT :: Australia :: News
  17. http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/artist/847847/?search_redirect=kelly%20clarkson&tm_link=tm_header_search Official Ticketmaster site. Kelly Clarkson tickets, concerts and tour dates
  18. News: Concert Review: Kelly Clarkson Massey Hall, Toronto . 2007-11-05 . dead . https://archive.today/20130706005344/http://www.hitzonly.com/2007/11/05/concert-review-kelly-clarkson-massey-hall-toronto/ . 2013-07-06 .
  19. News: Kelly Clarkson's 'My December' Comes To Life at Massey Hall . 2007-10-30 . 2009-05-25 . 2012-03-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120307154922/http://www.soulshine.ca/reviews/liveReview.php?lrid=267 . dead .
  20. News: Review: Kelly Clarkson at Mohegan Sun . https://archive.today/20120707191956/http://blogs.courant.com/eric_danton_sound_check/2007/10/review-kelly-clarkson-at-moheg.html . dead . 2012-07-07 . Danton, Eric R. . . 2007-10-22 . 2009-05-25 .
  21. News: Rebel Yell . . June 6, 2007 . June 29, 2007 . Allison Glock . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070710094923/http://www.elle.com/coverstory/11273/kelly-clarkson-page7.html . July 10, 2007 .
  22. News: Concert Review: Kelly Clarkson's My December Tour . 2007-11-02 .
  23. News: Kelly Clarkson juggles pop, Goth and ballads as she tries to outgrow 'Idol' . . . 2007-11-02 . 2009-05-25.
  24. http://music.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1343132.php/Jon_McLaughlin_gears_up_for_solo_tour_and_guest_spot_with_Kelly_Clarkson Jon McLaughlin gears up for solo tour and guest spot with Kelly Clarkson – Music
  25. Web site: Kelly Clarkson Announces U.S. Fall Tour Dates. 2007-09-04. 2008-12-27. Boehm. Kristen. People. Time Inc..
  26. Web site: Kelly Clarkson announces scaled-down tour. 2007-09-04. 2008-12-27. Kilgore. Kym. Live Daily. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080905014552/http://www.livedaily.com/news/12739.html. 2008-09-05.
  27. Web site: My December Australian Tour 2008. 2008-12-27. LiveGuide.
  28. Sources for original tour itinerary and cancellation:
    • Web site: Kelly Clarkson On Summer Tour, Live Earth: 'I Can't Wait' . Vineyard, Jennifer . Richard, Yasmin . April 26, 2007 . MTV News . December 8, 2011 . http://www.freezepage.com/1323342102IRCZLKJFZD?url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1558107/kelly-clarkson-announces-summer-tour.jhtml . December 8, 2011 .
    • Web site: Dates . 2007 . The Official Homepage of Kelly Clarkson . RCA Records . December 8, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070614003910/http://www.kellyclarkson.com/main.php?content=tour . June 14, 2007 . dead .
    • Web site: Kelly Clarkson Calls Off Summer Tour . Kaufman, Gil . June 14, 2007 . MTV News . December 8, 2011 . http://www.freezepage.com/1323341977XKTDNPPGPT?url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1562493/kelly-clarkson-calls-off-summer-tour.jhtml . 8 December 2011 .
  29. News: 2007-11-24. Billboard Boxscore. Billboard Magazine. New York City. 2008-12-27.
  30. News: 2007-12-01. Billboard Boxscore. Billboard Magazine. New York City. 2008-12-27.
  31. News: 2007-11-17. Billboard Boxscore. Billboard Magazine. New York City. 2008-12-27.