World tour by Kylie Minogue | |
![]() Promotional poster for the tour | |
Location | Europe • North America • Africa • Oceania • Asia |
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Associated album | Aphrodite |
Start date | 19 February 2011 |
End date | 14 July 2011 |
Legs | 6 |
No. of shows | 77 |
Box office | $60 million ($81.27 million in 2023 dollars)[1] |
Kylie Minogue concert chronology |
Aphrodite: Les Folies Tour, also known as Aphrodite Live, was the twelfth concert tour by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was launched in support of her eleventh studio album, Aphrodite (2010). The tour was officially announced in September 2010, initially with European venues confirmed. Additional British dates were added in January 2011, alongside North American and Asian dates. Australian dates were confirmed in March 2011, and in May of the same year, Minogue announced she would tour Africa for the first time. The stage of the tour was composed of an Ancient Greek temple wall and two runways leading to a B-stage, which included a three-tiered scissor lift surrounded by water fountains. Thirty water jets created by The Fountain People, a tilted rotating platform and aerial performer displays were also part of the staging, paying homage to Greek mythology and culture. Effects and staging were provided by TAIT Towers, who described the stage as "one of the most technically advanced ever built". Fashion designers Dolce & Gabbana created the costumes for the tour.
Aphrodite: Les Folies Tour was described as a "pop spectacle" and was divided into seven segments. The Birth of Aphrodite featured Minogue emerging from the stage atop of a golden conch shell as a goddess. Pegasus included a large prop Pegasus and displayed the singer being pulled around the B-stage on a chariot. Gladiator began with an instrumental interlude and concluded with Minogue left alone on the stage. Celestial Love featured a giant white bust of the singer, concluding with a jazz-inspired section using a tilted rotating platform. Holograph displayed a series of both electro and rock-inspired numbers, followed by The Good Life; during which, Minogue flew across onto the B-stage on the back of a dancer. Fanfare featured a carnival-themed performance, and the encore featured the use of the water jets, fountains, scissor lift and aerial performances.
The tour received critical acclaim, with many praising its high-scale production, as well as Minogue's live vocals and stage presence. Aphrodite: Les Folies tour was also a commercial success, with a total estimated gross of $60 million.[2] This placed the tour 21st on both Billboard's annual "Top 25 Tours" list for 2011, and Pollstar's "Top 50 Worldwide Tours" list.[3][4] Given the nature of the show, the tour was officially acknowledged by two names; the tour was promoted as the Aphrodite: Les Folies tour in Europe and Australia, and Aphrodite Live elsewhere.