| Tour byGirls Aloud | |
 Cover of the tour programme | |
| Associated album | Tangled Up |
|---|---|
| Start date | 3 May 2008 |
| End date | 29 August 2008 |
| Legs | 2 |
| No. of shows | 35 |
| Girls Aloud concert chronology | |
| |
TheTangled Up Tour was the fourthconcert tour by English-Irish girl groupGirls Aloud. It supported their fourth studio albumTangled Up. Tour dates were announced in November 2007. Girls Aloud performed twenty-four shows atarenas across the United Kingdom and Ireland, making this tour their third to reach arenas. The tour commenced inBelfast on 3 May 2008 and concluded inBirmingham on 4 June. Girls Aloud also performed elevenopen-air concerts over the summer.
The show was divided into five unique sections with distinct costumes, including the encore. The stage outfits, designed by Welsh designerJulien MacDonald, received comparisons toMadonna'sBlond Ambition World Tour. Girls Aloud began the show suspended from the ceiling wearing black cloaks before performing the opening number "Sexy! No No No...". The set list mostly included songs fromTangled Up, as well as earlier singles and album tracks. Aballad section took place on a smaller stage in the centre of the arena.Billiam, Luigi Masi, andThe Saturdays provided support for Girls Aloud on the tour.
The tour generated positive reviews from critics, who noted the performance as being the most sexual of Girls Aloud's career to date. The concert at theO2 Arena in London on 17 May 2008 was filmed and shown live at 50Vue cinemas across the United Kingdom. This footage was released on DVD and Blu-ray under the titleTangled Up: Live from The O2 2008 in October 2008. The tour was also broadcast on a number of television channels.
The first dates were announced by various news sources towards the end of November 2007. Pre-sale tickets were offered on Girls Aloud's official website on 22 November 2007.[1] In March 2008, Girls Aloud signed a deal to front an ad campaign for a new low-calorieKit Kat bar called "Senses". The manufacturer sponsored the tour, and handed out chocolate bars for free at the arenas.
The announcement of the tour helped to stop rumours that the band were splitting up. The stories surfaced afterNadine Coyle pulled out of areality show for the second time.[2] It was widely reported in April 2008 thatCheryl Cole was working on solo material with producerT2.[3] These accusations were quickly denied, with Cole saying that she "had been in tour rehearsals every day."[4] The band put a further stop to these rumours at their London show, by announcing that they would be recording a new album.[5]
The show reportedly cost an estimated£3 million to stage, with £250,000 worth of pyrotechnics.[6] Girls Aloud called the show their most "extravagant and rewarding" yet.[6]Sarah Harding said that "over the years it gets bigger and more elaborate."[7] The stage outfits were designed by Welsh designerJulien MacDonald, London-based Norwegian designerKristian Aadnevik, and Liza Bruce.[8] MacDonald designed "a set of crystal beaded numbers drenched in his signature sparkle" and "a collection of sci-fi inspired bodysuits."[8]Kimberley Walsh told press that the band was "really excited about the tour" and had "loads of things planned."[9] Luigi Masi,Billiam andThe Saturdays provided support for Girls Aloud on the tour.[10]
Girls Aloud played a number of festivals andopen-air concerts over the summer. They were scheduled to perform at the Beamish Summer Festival, held atBeamish Hall in August as part of a two-day event organised by Hope 4 Kidz.[11] However, due to weather problems, the concert was cancelled. Girls Aloud also played at Pop in the Park and 2008'sV Festival.[12] They previously performed at V Festival in 2006 with a shortened set of theirChemistry Tour.
For the opening of the Tangled Up Tour, the band members were suspended from the ceiling wearing black cloaks. The video screen showsCheryl Cole singing thevocodered intro to "Sexy! No No No…".[13] Girls Aloud reached the stage as the song became more uptempo, removing their cloaks and revealing sci-fi inspired bodysuits.[8][13] They then performTangled Up album track "Girl Overboard". During "Sound of the Underground", Girls Aloud use "semi-naked male dancers as both props and furniture.[13] The first section of the show is finished by "Close to Love", another album track.
For the second section of the show, Girls Aloud wear blackcabaret numbers. They perform "Can't Speak French", followed by "Love Machine". Album track "Black Jacks" is "performed on a rotating stage complete with a hugely energetic dance routine from both the girls and their dancers" and features a "snappy monochrome stage design."[13][14] "Biology" is "slowed down slightly" and "interrupted" with a jazz interlude.[13]
During their ballad section, Girls Aloud perform "Whole Lotta History" and "I'll Stand by You". They also perform a stripped-down cover ofRobyn's "With Every Heartbeat".[15] They originally performed the song forBBC Radio 1'sLive Lounge, a recording of which is available on the "Can't Speak French" single.[16]
Following a brief video introduction, Girls Aloud perform "Fling" in gold sequined mini-dresses.[13] The group also perform a cover ofSalt-n-Pepa's "Push It".[17] They then perform a medley of "Wake Me Up" and "Walk This Way". Additionally, Cheryl Cole sang a "quick incerpt" ofKelis' "Trick Me" at the end of "Control of the Knife", noted by critics as a "tabloid-friendly decision."[14][18] The set ends with "Call the Shots" and "Jump".[13]
For the encore of "Something Kinda Ooooh", Girls Aloud wear high-cut Liza Bruce day-glo coloured leotards and nude fishnets amidst pyrotechnics.[13]
The following set list is representative of the show in May 2008. It is not representative of all concerts for the duration of the tour.
| Date | City | Country | Venue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leg 1[19] | |||||
| 3 May 2008 | Belfast | Northern Ireland | Odyssey Arena | ||
| 4 May 2008 | |||||
| 5 May 2008 | |||||
| 7 May 2008 | Glasgow | Scotland | SECC Concert Hall 4 | ||
| 8 May 2008 | |||||
| 10 May 2008 | Bournemouth | England | Bournemouth International Centre | ||
| 11 May 2008 | |||||
| 13 May 2008 | Brighton | Brighton Centre | |||
| 14 May 2008 | |||||
| 16 May 2008 | London | The O2 Arena | |||
| 17 May 2008 | |||||
| 18 May 2008 | Cardiff | Wales | Cardiff International Arena | ||
| 20 May 2008 | Nottingham | England | Trent FM Arena | ||
| 21 May 2008 | Sheffield | Sheffield Arena | |||
| 23 May 2008 | Birmingham | National Indoor Arena | |||
| 24 May 2008 | Newcastle | Metro Radio Arena | |||
| 25 May 2008 | |||||
| 27 May 2008 | Aberdeen | Scotland | Press and Journal Arena | ||
| 28 May 2008 | |||||
| 30 May 2008 | Liverpool | England | Echo Arena | ||
| 31 May 2008 | Manchester | Manchester Evening News Arena | |||
| 1 June 2008 | |||||
| 3 June 2008 | Cardiff | Wales | Cardiff International Arena | ||
| 4 June 2008 | Birmingham | England | LG Arena | ||
| Leg 2 | |||||
| 4 July 2008 | Warwick | England | Warwick Castle | ||
| 17 July 2008 | Esher | Sandown Park Racecourse | |||
| 18 July 2008 | Newmarket | Newmarket Racecourse | |||
| 25 July 2008 | Edinburgh | Scotland | Edinburgh Castle | ||
| 27 July 2008 | East Cowes | England | Osborne House | ||
| 3 August 2008 | Acton | Dorfold Hall | |||
| 16 August 2008 | Elton | Elton Hall | |||
| 16 August 2008 | Weston-under-Lizard | Weston Park | |||
| 17 August 2008 | Chelmsford | Hylands Park | |||
| 23 August 2008 | Battle | Battle Abbey | |||
| 29 August 2008 | Harewood | Harewood House | |||
| 24 August 2008 | Stanley, England | Beamish Hall | This concert was cancelled due to weather problems.[citation needed] |
| 14 September 2008 | Derry Hill, England | Bowood House | This concert was cancelled due to weather problems.[citation needed] |
| Tangled Up: Live from The O2 2008 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Video by | ||||
| Released | 27 October 2008 | |||
| Recorded | O2 Arena17 May 2008 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 102 minutes | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Girls Aloud chronology | ||||
| ||||
The tour was recorded on 17 May atThe O2 Arena in London and shown live across 50Vue cinemas up and down the country.[20] Footage was released later that year whenTangled Up: Live from The O2 2008 was released on DVD andBlu-ray on 27 October 2008. In addition to the show, bonus features included a backstage documentary, music videos and trailers for theTangled Up album. The DVD was certified gold by theBritish Phonographic Industry.[21] A shortened version of the recording was shown onChannel 4 various times in December 2008.
The Tangled Up Tour received mostly positive reviews from contemporary music critics.The Independent gave the show four stars, saying that "even their between-song chatter is amusing". Although low points were noted, the review continued that "Girls Aloud remain confidently the only pop show in town."[22] TheDaily Record said they "pulled out all the stops."[23] Becky Reed of Clickmusic gave the show four stars and stated, "Never mind that original banter and individual personality is lacking, the chemistry and magic is all there in the spectacle of the show."[13]
The Mirror called it "the most sexually-charged performance of their career".[24] Many reviews focused on Girls Aloud's provocative attire, comparing it toMadonna andJean Paul Gaultier's famous designs for her 1990Blond Ambition World Tour.[6][25] Reed complimented the costumes: "Girls Aloud havefinally moved on from the market stall clobber and now resemble theKylie-esque superstars they deserve to be."[13]
The Times only gave the show two stars. "The songs varied wildly in quality. While upbeat belters... tapped into the hedonistic rush of classic gay disco, too much of the set felt graceless and flat."[26] The critique even said "the famous five could easily have been interchangeable Stepford androids."[26] Despite having praise for the girls, Nick Levine ofDigital Spy observed "one too many bum notes."[14]
Many shows on the Tangled Up Tour sold out including two dates at the UK's most renowned venue, the O2 in London and because of the overwhelming success of the initial dates announced, more were added due to public demand.
| Studio albums | |
|---|---|
| Compilation albums | |
| Other albums | |
| Film and television | |
| Video albums | |
| Tours | |
| Related articles | |
