Joanne World Tour

A scaled-back tour featuring Western-inspired aesthetics, complex moving stages, and intimate audience connection.

The Joanne World Tour marked Lady Gaga's fifth headlining concert tour, launched to support her fifth studio album, Joanne (2016). Spanning from August 1, 2017, in Vancouver, Canada, to February 1, 2018, in Birmingham, England, the tour initially planned for 48 shows across North and South America and Europe. Rapid ticket sales prompted additional dates on both continents before chronic fibromyalgia pain forced the cancellation of the last 10 shows of the revised schedule. The production featured a massive multi-level stage with moving platforms and elevated bridges, while Gaga donned Western and avant-garde inspired outfits designed by Alexander Wang and Norma Kamali.

Quick Facts

Artist: Lady Gaga
Location: Europe; North America
Album: Joanne
Start date: 1 August 2017
End date: 1 February 2018
Number of legs: 3
Number of shows: 49
Support act: DJ White Shadow

Lore & Background

Development began weeks before the album's October 2016 release with the Dive Bar Tour across US bars. On October 24, 2016, Gaga confirmed a worldwide tour to Howard Stern, clarifying it would start after her Super Bowl LI halftime show on February 5, 2017. Although Coachella organizers announced her as a main headliner in March 2017 following Beyoncé's cancellation, choreographer Richard Jackson confirmed those performances were exclusive to the festival, though elements from both the festival and Super Bowl were integrated into the tour. The original schedule included a European leg for fall 2017, but the European leg faced postponement on September 18, 2017, before resuming in Barcelona on January 14, 2018. A planned Rock in Rio date in Brazil was not part of the Joanne World Tour, and the performance happened as scheduled.

Reader's Guide

Attendees encountered a highly technical production coordinated by Tait's proprietary automation software, which synchronized lifts, lighting, and bridges with choreography. The main stage spanned 85 feet (26 m) in width, flanked by two satellite stages and a b-stage accessible via three inflatable lightning pods hanging 60 feet (18 m) above the audience. These pods acted as bridges when descended, allowing Gaga to traverse the arena on elevated pathways. A laser-lit, heart-shaped piano adorned with 44 beams served as a centerpiece, enhanced by a dichroic filmed polycarbonate shell. The visual experience was complemented by merchandise featuring 50,000 Swarovski crystals used in costumes and props, alongside a look-book collaboration between Lobster Eye and Bravado shot against Ukrainian landscapes. DJ White Shadow opened select North American dates, while the documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two screened before European shows.

Did You Know?

The tour's final 10 shows of the revised schedule were cancelled due to chronic fibromyalgia pain, with Gaga later revealing in a 2020 interview that a psychotic break and lithium treatment also contributed.
The tour grossed nearly $95 million from 842,000 tickets sold before its conclusion in Birmingham on February 1, 2018.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Joanne World Tour?

This was Lady Gaga's sixth headlining concert series, launched in 2017 to support her fifth studio album, Joanne. The tour blended pop, country, and rock genres while emphasizing themes of family and authenticity through a Western-inspired aesthetic.

When did the Joanne World Tour take place?

The tour officially ran from August 1, 2017, starting in Vancouver, Canada, until February 1, 2018, concluding in Birmingham, England. Although it was originally scheduled for 60 dates across three continents, high demand led to added shows before the final leg was cut short.

What kind of stage production did the Joanne World Tour feature?

The show utilized a massive, multi-level set design that included moving platforms and elevated bridges to create dynamic visual storytelling. Gaga performed on this complex structure while wearing costumes that fused Western wear with avant-garde fashion elements.