The Age of Pleasure Tour

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The Age of Pleasure Tour

The Age of Pleasure Tour was the ninth concert tour by American singer Janelle Monáe. It was announced on May 31, 2023 in support of her fourth studio album, The Age of Pleasure. The tour officially commenced on August 30, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. It ended on October 18, 2023 in Inglewood, California.

Background

Monáe officially announced the tour on Instagram on May 31, 2023. This occurred a little over a week before the release of her latest album.

On August 7, 2023, Monáe made an additional Instagram post announcing that three more stops in Indianapolis, Columbus, and New Orleans would be added to the tour. In addition, there would be two additional shows in Toronto and Washington, D.C.

Staging and production

The stage is set up with a wide, rounded staircase in the center that takes up most of the stage. The left side is occupied by a large set of speakers and the right side is occupied by the band. A screen is used to project Monáe as she performs as well as provide visuals during the intermissions and songs.

Synopsis

The show is divided into six distinct acts with the first five described as chapters.

The show begins with an instrumentation playing as smoke fills the stage and the band members and background dancers enter the stage. On the screen is the title of the first chapter, A Thousand Versions Of The Self: an act dedicated to underscoring her latest album’s themes of hedonism and self-love. Monáe enters the stage dressed in a coat, crown, and boots, all made of multicolored flowers as she gears to perform “Float.” As the song closes, Monáe is handed a glass of champagne by one of the background dancers while she interacts with the crowd, recreating the ending speech of the track. “Champagne Shit” begins with Monáe discarding her floral coat, revealing a black suitlike leotard underneath. The song transitions into an extended version of “Black Sugar Beach” as Monáe continues to interact with the crowd and the band, and dance alongside her background dancers. She then performs “Phenomenal” (from which this chapter lifts its title from) and “Haute” before exiting the stage, marking the end of the first chapter.

An excerpt of “Dance or Die” accompanied by saxophone plays as the show moves into the second chapter, Now Or Never. A red full moon rises on the screen as Monáe returns to the stage to perform “Django Jane” in a suit jacket and red beret. Her image is projected inside the red moon as she performs this song. “Django Jane” is followed by “Q.U.E.E.N.” which transitions directly into “Electric Lady.” Towards the end of the last song, Monáe moves around the stage asking different segments of the audience to sing the refrain back to her.

The show’s tropical-themed third chapter, (T)high Vibrations, is marked by a visual interlude of Monáe and several other women in an island paradise. The performance begins with “Lipstick Lover,” and the singer enters the stage wearing an oversized straw hat and playing a ukulele. “Lipstick Lover” is followed by the chapter namer, “Water Slide,” and “Know Better.” “Paid in Pleasure” is the final song of this chapter and it is extended for a dance break as Monáe enlists members of the audience to join her on stage.

A visual interlude of a floral figure resembling Monáe marks the beginning of the show’s sexual fourth chapter: Paradise Found. Monáe and her dancers return to the stage dressed in pink to perform “Pynk,” from which this act borrows its title. Monáe wears the familiar pink vulva trousers from the song’s music video as well as a headpiece also resembling a vulva. She then performs “Yoga,” closing out this brief chapter of the show. Prior to his exit from the tour, Jidenna would enter the stage to perform his part of the song.

The fifth and final chapter, Surfing On The Sun, is the most mellow and free-spirited of the show. Its interlude features Monáe back in the tropics, relaxing as "I Only Have Eyes for You" by The Flamingos plays. The singer returns to the stage to perform her own similar song, “Only Have Eyes 42.” She the performs Dirty Computer’s “I Like That” seated on the steps. Her dancers return to the stage, sitting and swaying back and forth alongside her. As the song closes, Monáe exits the stage and her guitar player, Kellindo Parker, offers a short solo before the end of the act.

After extensive applause from the audience, Monáe returns to the stage for the Encore. She is dressed in a sparkling black outfit with a hat that resembles her style during The ArchAndroid era. The encore begins with Monáe dancing for the audience to an extended introduction of “Make Me Feel”. She is handed a guitar by one of her background dancers before she officially begins performing the song. Following "Make Me Feel," the singer gives a speech to the audience. Here she expresses her gratitude for their support over the years, all the way back from 2007's Metropolis and up to now. She then breaks into “Tightrope,” extensively vamping throughout its run. On select dates, Monáe performed “Come Alive (The War of the Roses)” as the final song of the encore. During this song, Monáe creates a call and response for the audience and even enters the crowd, selecting participants to trust fall and “come alive,” in theme with the song. Confetti blasts into the air and Monáe returns to the stage, bowing out with her dancers, marking the end of the show.

Setlist

This setlist is according to the September 17, 2023 show in Boston.

Chapter I: A Thousand Versions Of The Self

1. "Float"
2. "Champagne Shit"
3. "Black Sugar Beach" (extended)
4. "Phenomenal"
5. "Haute" / “Oooh La La”

Chapter II: Now Or Never

6. "Django Jane"
7. "Q.U.E.E.N."
8. "Electric Lady"

Chapter III: (T)high Vibrations

9. "Lipstick Lover"
10. "Water Slide"
11. "Know Better"
12. "Paid in Pleasure" (extended with dance break)

Chapter IV: Paradise Found

13. "Pynk"
14. "Yoga"

Chapter V: Surfing On The Sun

15. "Only Have Eyes 42"
16. "I Like That"

Encore

17. "Make Me Feel"
18. "Tightrope"
19. "Come Alive (The War of the Roses)"

Additional notes

• Before announcing his departure from the tour on September 14, 2023, Jidenna would come out to assist Monáe in performing "Yoga."
• In Minneapolis, Monáe performed a cover of Prince’s “Let's Go Crazy” during the encore in tribute to him.

Tour dates

List of concerts

Date	City	Country	Venue	Opening Acts
August 30	Seattle	United States	WAMU Theater	Nana Kwabena Flyana Boss
August 31	Vancouver	Canada	Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
September 2	Ridgefield	United States	RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
September 6	Salt Lake City		The Complex
September 7	Morrison		Red Rocks Ampitheatre
September 9	Kansas City		The Midland Theatre
September 10	Indianapolis		Old National Centre
September 11	Minneapolis		Armory
September 13	St. Louis		Stifel Theatre
September 14	Chicago		Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
September 15	Columbus		Mershon Auditorium
September 17	Boston		MGM Music Hall
September 18	Philadelphia		The Met
September 20	Montreal	Canada	M TELUS
September 21	Toronto		Massey Hall
September 22
September 24	Washington, D.C.	United States	The Anthem
September 25
September 26	New York City		Radio City Music Hall
September 28	Brooklyn		Kings Theater
October 2	Charlotte		Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
October 3	Nashville		Ryman Auditorium
October 4	Birmingham		Avondale Brewing Company
October 6	Atlanta		Fox Theatre Atlanta
October 7	New Orleans		Orpheum Theater
October 9	Irving		The Pavillion at Toyota Music Factory	Nana Kwabena Dreamer Isioma
October 10	Houston		Bayou Music Center
October 11	Austin		Moody Ampitheater
October 15	Phoenix		Arizona Financial Theatre
October 17	San Francisco		Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
October 18	Inglewood		YouTube Theater

References

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