Out of Control Tour - Critical Reception

Critical Reception

The Out of Control Tour received mostly positive reviews from contemporary music critics. Phil Udell of State wrote, "As a spectacle, it’s second to none – opening with the five raised high into the air on moving plinths and taking in floating stages, dancers, pyrotechnics, costume changes, brass sections some of the best pop songs this side of the sixties." A reviewer from the Daily Mirror stated that "the slick routines proved why they're the UK's No1 girl band." David Balls of Digital Spy called it Girls Aloud's "most spectacular live show yet." Lauren Mulvenny of The Belfast Telegraph wrote, "the fiery five-piece proved themselves again as the queens of the pop anthem." Gillian Orr of The Independent gave the show three stars out of five, but felt that Girls Aloud should have performed more of their older hit singles as opposed to newer album tracks. Dave Simpson of The Guardian also awarded three stars out of five. Writing for City Life, Simon Donohue comments that "they sing, dance, smile and wave as though they each have an extra set of lungs and a monopoly on confidence."

The show was dubbed Girls Aloud's "raunchiest performance ever" due to provocative performances that employ pole dancing techniques and BDSM. Mulvenny wrote, "The show got even sexier when the costumes took a dominatrix twist alongside raunchy routines with shirtless male backing dancers."