The On the Run II Tour (stylized as OTR II) was the second co-headlining concert tour by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé and rapper Jay-Z, also known as the Carters. The all-stadium world tour began on June 6, 2018, in Cardiff, Wales and concluded on October 4, 2018, in Seattle, United States. It followed 2014's On the Run Tour.
Commercial performance
Billboard predicted that the tour could potentially earn double of the original On the Run Tour's gross, somewhere between $180 million and $200 million, if the success of the first tour were repeated.
Following the first day of general sales, an extra show was added in Amsterdam, after the first date sold-out within an hour, with the same happening in Paris, Maryland, New Jersey, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Pasadena and London. More shows were also announced on March 20, in Ohio, South Carolina, Washington, and London.
Billboard ranked On the Run II as the third highest-grossing tour of the year, selling over 2.1 million tickets and grossing over $253 million.
Critical response
The tour received positive reviews from critics, who praised the overall spectacle and the storyline, which detailed the two artists' love-story, in many aspects.
The tour's debut show in Cardiff received favourable reviews, with Mark Sutherland of Rolling Stone giving it a positive review, saying the concert was a "…reaffirmation of dominance for the pair, as they delivered a hits-packed, visually stunning show". Writing for The Guardian, Rachel Aroesti awarded the concert 4/5 stars, noting that the concept of the show revolved around the singers showcasing the "deathless nature of their love[,] rather than its perfection". Beyoncé was criticized, as some of her "biggest hits" were omitted from the setlist on opening night, such as the powerful ballad "Halo" and the smash hit "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". However, with over 60 songs rehearsed for the tour, the setlist was believed to have changed between shows. Bonginkosi Tshabalala of No Name publications added that the show in Houston proved that "no matter what happens[,] LOVE wins".
Hilary Hughes of Billboard considered the tour a "sum of exceptional parts" of the "mammoth" visuals of Jay-Z 's 4:44 Tour (2017) and the "technical and musical prowess" of Beyoncé's performances at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (2018) and her Formation World Tour (2016), praising the capacity of the artists "to understand how deeply[-]earned and hard won this catharsis was [is] — and how superhuman they were [are] to channel this anguish into such profound work".
Tom Rasmussen of The Independent defined the show as an "ode" to the couple's love, with "clever use of imagery and song, [used] in a way which showed us why we need to love each other, and what has [can] happened [happen] when we don't". He also noted a sociopolitical element, writing that "In this, the age of political and social disunity, the power of these icons squared is one which transported a whole crowd to another place, another temporality: one filled with power, and joy, and love, and brilliant black talent".
Michael Rietmulder of The Seattle Times said the stage "packed an understated punch", while the video sequences "carried the reconciliatory vibes between movements, interwoven with subtexts of racial inequality and female empowerment."
Set list
Europe This set list is representative of the June 6 show in Cardiff, Wales.
"Holy Grail" "Part II (On the Run)" "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" "Drunk in Love" "Diva" / "Irreplaceable" "Clique" / "Everybody Mad" "Dirt off Your Shoulder" "On to the Next One" "FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt" / "Flawless" "Feeling Myself" "Top Off" "Naughty Girl" "Big Pimpin'" "Run This Town" "Baby Boy" "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" "Bam" / "Hold Up" "Countdown" "Sorry" / "Me, Myself and I" "99 Problems" "Ring the Alarm" "Don't Hurt Yourself" "I Care" "4:44" "No Church in the Wild" "Song Cry" "Resentment" "Family Feud" "Upgrade U" "Niggas in Paris" "Beach Is Better" "Formation" "Run the World (Girls)" "Public Service Announcement" "The Story of O.J." "Déjà Vu" "Show Me What You Got" "Crazy in Love" "Freedom" "U Don't Know" Encore "Young Forever" "Perfect Duet"
North America This set list is representative of the October 4 show in Seattle, Washington.
"Holy Grail" "Part II (On the Run)" "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" "Drunk in Love" "Diva" "Clique" "Dirt off Your Shoulder" "On to the Next One" "FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt" "Flawless (Remix)" "Feeling Myself" "Naughty Girl" "Big Pimpin'" "Nice" "Run This Town" "Baby Boy" "Mi Gente (Remix)" / "Mine" "Black Effect" "Countdown" "Sorry" "99 Problems" "Ring the Alarm" "Don't Hurt Yourself" "I Care" "4:44" "Song Cry" "Resentment" "Family Feud" "Upgrade U" "Niggas in Paris" "Beach Is Better" "Formation" "Run the World (Girls)" "Public Service Announcement" "The Story of O.J." "Déjà Vu" "Show Me What You Got" "Crazy in Love" "Freedom" "U Don't Know" Encore "Young Forever" "Perfect Duet" "Apeshit"
Notes During the shows in Cardiff and Glasgow, "Top Off" and "No Church in the Wild" were both performed for the first time. Starting with the show in Manchester, "Top Off" and "No Church in the Wild" were removed from the setlist. Additionally, "Mi Gente (Remix)" and "Mine" were added to the setlist. Starting with the show in Copenhagen, "Me, Myself and I" was removed from the setlist. Starting with the show in Stockholm, "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" was removed from the setlist. During the second show in Paris, The Carters performed "Apeshit", which was later added to the setlist starting from the Cleveland show. Starting with the show in Philadelphia, "Bam" and "Hold Up" were removed from the setlist and replaced with "Black Effect". Starting with the second show in East Rutherford, "Nice" was added to the setlist. During the second show in Chicago and the show in Detroit, The Carters performed "Summer".
Tour dates
+List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, opening acts, attendance and revenueEuropean boxscore:North American boxscore: Date(2018) City Country Venue Opening acts Attendance Revenue June 6CardiffWalesPrincipality Stadium DJ Tom Clugston 39,731 / 39,731 $4,186,450 June 9GlasgowScotlandHampden ParkNasty P 37,963 / 37,963 $4,132,251 June 13ManchesterEnglandEtihad Stadium DJ Stylus 46,990 / 46,990 $5,782,025 June 15LondonLondon Stadium 126,443 / 126,443 $11,035,860 June 16 June 19AmsterdamNetherlandsAmsterdam Arena DeeJay Abstract 97,869 / 97,869 $9,753,269 June 20 DJ Flava June 23CopenhagenDenmarkTelia ParkenN/A 45,356 / 45,356 $5,741,911 June 25StockholmSwedenFriends Arena 46,647 / 46,647 $4,610,554 June 28BerlinGermanyOlympiastadion 57,155 / 57,155 $5,697,111 June 30WarsawPolandPGE Narodowy DJ Eprom 53,500 / 53,500 $4,624,995 July 3CologneGermanyRheinEnergieStadion DJ Teddy-O 39,501 / 39,501 $4,520,814 July 6MilanItalySan SiroN/A 49,051 / 49,051 $4,460,552 July 8RomeStadio Olimpico 40,440 / 40,440 $3,475,543 July 11BarcelonaSpainEstadi Olímpic Lluís Companys 46,982 / 46,982 $4,733,549 July 14Saint-DenisFranceStade de France 111,615 / 111,615 $10,905,089 July 15 July 17NiceAllianz Riviera DJ Bens 33,662 / 33,662 $3,898,900 July 25ClevelandUnited StatesFirstEnergy StadiumChloe x Halle DJ Khaled 38,931 / 38,931 $4,194,376 July 27LandoverFedExField 81,964 / 81,964 $11,437,578 July 28 July 30PhiladelphiaLincoln Financial Field 54,870 / 54,870 $6,709,691 August 2East RutherfordMetLife Stadium 99,755 / 99,755 $13,886,416 August 3 August 5FoxboroughGillette Stadium 47,667 / 47,667 $6,159,980 August 8MinneapolisU.S. Bank Stadium 32,851 / 32,851 $3,627,417 August 10ChicagoSoldier Field 86,602 / 86,602 $12,303,099 August 11 August 13DetroitFord Field 43,699 / 43,699 $5,310,376 August 16ColumbusOhio Stadium 35,083 / 35,083 $3,142,160 August 18Orchard ParkNew Era Field 38,053 / 38,053 $4,262,076 August 21ColumbiaWilliams–Brice Stadium 38,057 / 38,057 $3,920,226 August 23NashvilleVanderbilt Stadium 35,353 / 35,353 $4,058,910 August 25AtlantaMercedes-Benz Stadium 105,170 / 105,170 $14,074,692 August 26 August 29OrlandoCamping World Stadium 39,423 / 39,423 $4,749,202 August 31Miami GardensHard Rock Stadium 44,310 / 44,310 $6,295,535 September 11ArlingtonAT&T Stadium 41,626 / 41,626 $5,713,125 September 13New OrleansMercedes-Benz Superdome 40,939 / 40,939 $5,437,147 September 15HoustonNRG Stadium 87,936 / 87,936 $11,056,837 September 16 September 19GlendaleState Farm Stadium 37,174 / 37,174 $4,426,568 September 22PasadenaRose Bowl 106,550 / 106,550 $13,464,062 September 23 September 27San DiegoSDCCU Stadium 42,953 / 42,953 $5,445,486 September 29Santa ClaraLevi's Stadium 47,235 / 47,235 $7,548,208 October 2VancouverCanadaBC Place 39,032 / 39,032 $4,366,828 October 4SeattleUnited StatesCenturyLink Field 40,718 / 40,718 $4,888,994 Total 2,178,766 / 2,178,766 (100%) $254,037,862
Personnel
Creative direction and executive producers Jay-Z and Beyoncé – creative director and executive producer Ed Burke – creative director Todd Tourso – additional creative direction Erin Williams – executive producer Mark A. Ritchie – live video director
Musical arrangement JAY-Z Beyoncé Derek Dixie Omar Edwards Chris Grant Gimel Keaton Stuart White
Band Lauren Taniel – bass Dammo Farmer The Great – bass Agape Woodlyn – guitars Eric "Boots/Booty" Greene – drums, percussion Joy Williams – drums, percussion Quintin Gulledge – keyboards DJ Guru – DJ 1500 or Nothin' Crystal Torres – trumpet Chris (T-Bone Chris) Johnson – trombone Lessie Vonner – trumpet Mike Jones – sousaphone Corbin Jones – sousaphone Chris Grey – trumpet
Background vocalists Tiffany Moníque Ryan – lead background vocalist Ashley D. Hobson Whitney Howard Jerome "J Rome" Wayne
Choreography Chris Grant JaQuel Knight Vincent Stevenson
Additional choreography Dana Foglia Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui Jasmine Badie Frank Gatson Jr. Jamal Rasheed Ashanti Ledon Dnay Baptiste Sheryl Murakami Les Twins Tanisha Scott LaVelle Smith
Dancers Ashley Everett – dance captain Kimberly "Kimmie" Gipson – dance captain Jasmine Badie Dnay Baptiste Bianca Brewton Hannah Douglass Jasmine Harper Corbin Hunter Dominique Loude Tacir Roberson Deijah Robinson Ashley Seldon Quinetta Wilmington Rameer Colon Habby Jacques Huwer "Havoc" Marche Jo'Artis "Big Mijo" Ratti Britton Shaw Nicholas "Slick" Stewart
Notes Cities
References