I Am... Tour was the fourth concert tour by American performer and singer-songwriter Beyoncé Knowles, in support of her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), consisting of 110 concerts across six continents. Two months of preparations for the tour began eight months prior to its commencement, with daily twelve-hour rehearsals. The tour was announced in October 2008, and began in March 2009 with five preliminary ’rehearsal’ shows in North America. Knowles has described the I Am... World Tour as her best and most theatrical of all of her tours.
Thierry Mugler design sketches for the wardrobe of the I Am... tour. The words "Feminine. Free. Warrior. Fierce" were used as inspiration for the look during the concerts.
Knowles performing "Crazy in Love" with Jay-Z during the I Am... tour stop at The O2 arena in London
Knowles' background vocalists the Mamas (pictured), performing during a show in London. They sang over "lush" harmonies during Knowles' costume changes.
A B-stage is a small, secondary stage, featured at pop and rock concerts held in arenas and stadia, and is usually located in the middle of the concert floor, connected to the main stage by a walkway.
An example of a B-stage from U2's Innocence + Experience Tour. The circular B-stage (left) connects to the main stage (right) by a walkway.
The B-stage on U2's Zoo TV Tour (1992–93) is considered one of the first mainstream examples of the stage setup.
The stage for Madonna's Rebel Heart Tour had a long cross-shaped runway and ended in a heart-shaped B-stage.