Background
On September 9, 2007, Spears performed "Gimme More", the lead single from her fifth studio album Blackout (2007) at the MTV Video Music Awards. Her last live performance had been during The M+M's Tour in May of the same year. Her singing, her dancing and even her wardrobe were all commented on extensively, and it was considered hurtful for her career. In October 2007, it was reported that Spears was planning to go on tour to promote the album and was holding open dance auditions, but this was later denied by Jive Records. In February 2008, similar reports surfaced that Spears had already rehearsed in private for a month at Millennium Dance Complex in Los Angeles, California, and would be leaving to Europe during the following weeks for a worldwide tour. However, it was finally cancelled due to unknown reasons. In September 2008, after New York City radio station Z100 premiered her single "Womanizer", Spears made a surprise appearance on the show and announced she would be going on a worldwide tour during 2009 to support her sixth studio album, Circus (2008). The concert promoter was AEG Live. Former director of the tour, Australian choreographer Wade Robson, said that the tour would visit the United States, the United Kingdom, and would also reach Australia.
After her live performances on Good Morning America on December 2, 2008, Spears officially announced a first leg of twenty-five dates in the US and two dates in the UK, with the tour launching on March 3, 2009, in New Orleans. The Pussycat Dolls were selected in October 2008 as the opening act of the first North American leg. Spears's manager Larry Rudolph claimed that the show would "blow people's minds and promises to show Britney's fans something they will never forget." He later added, "she goes full–speed the whole show — about an hour and a half. It's pretty intense. This is a full–blown, full–out Britney Spears show. It is a pop extravaganza. It is everything everybody expects from her — and more!" On April 28, 2009, eight European dates were added. The following day, four more dates were announced in Russia, Poland and Germany. On June 9, 2009, Spears announced that she would tour Australia for the first time in November. Six dates were initially announced. Spears stated, "I've wanted to tour Australia for quite some time and now it's finally happening. My Circus tour is the best show I have ever created and I can't wait to perform it for all of my Australian fans. See you guys soon!" The following day, it was announced on her official website that she would return to North America for a second leg, visiting twenty cities. The Circus Starring Britney Spears was also rumored to reach South America, however, Spears's manager Adam Leber denied this despite their efforts to do so.
Read more about this topic: The Circus Starring Britney Spears
Famous quotes containing the word background:
“They were more than hostile. In the first place, I was a south Georgian and I was looked upon as a fiscal conservative, and the Atlanta newspapers quite erroneously, because they didn’t know anything about me or my background here in Plains, decided that I was also a racial conservative.”
—Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.)
“... every experience in life enriches one’s background and should teach valuable lessons.”
—Mary Barnett Gilson (1877–?)
“In the true sense one’s native land, with its background of tradition, early impressions, reminiscences and other things dear to one, is not enough to make sensitive human beings feel at home.”
—Emma Goldman (1869–1940)