Celebrating 12 Years Of The Onyx Hotel Tour!

The Onyx Hotel Tour was the fourth (fifth depending on if you count the split in her Baby/Oops tour) concert tour by Britney, in support of her fourth studio album, ‘In The Zone.’ The show was inspired by Broadway Musicals and films by Joel Schumacher and Tim Burton. Tour merchandise sold over $30 million in total, making Britney the highest grossing female artist at the time.

It’s original name was, ‘In The Zone Tour,’ however this had to be changed due to trademark infringement. After a law suit, Britney was banned from using the name.

The tour was split into seven segments; Check-In, Mystic Lounge, Mystic Garden, The Onyx Zone, Security Cameras, Club and Encore. Critics praised the tour, stating it was more a spectacle than an actual concert and some calling it one of a kind.

The tour was commercially successful and grossed an impressive $34 million on just 2 short legs of the tour. It was cancelled after the second leg when Britney hurt her knee during the ‘Outrageous’ video shoot.

On May 17, 2004 a hotel in Boston opened it’s doors under the name, ‘The Onyx Hotel.’ Britney and the Kimpton Group decided to promote the hotel by featuring a room, The Britney Spears Foundation Room. It was designed by Britney’s mother, Lynne Spears, reflecting Britney’s personality and taste. The room was opened six weeks later and a portion of the earnings went to the Britney Spears Foundation.

MTV played as the tours major sponsor. Vice President of music marketing and promotion Joe Armenia said, ‘’There are not that many artists that appeal to every territory with an MTV channel, but Britney Spears is one of the select few. We have been waiting for the opportunity to make a global splash, and the Britney tour is it. For the better part of the rest of the year, we’ll be on the road with Britney. This is more support than we’ve ever given an artist in the U.S., let alone all over the world. We love the association with Britney, she has always been a core part of this channel and our fans love Britney.’

On March 18, 2004, during the Moline, Illinois show, Britney fell during the performance of, ‘(I Got That) Boom Boom,’ and injured her knee. She left the stage and returned shortly after, wearing a white robe and apologising to the audience, for not being able to deliver the encore performance. The physician examined her knee and indicated that the injury was not linked to her 1999 knee injury. Britney had problems with her knee way before the, ‘Outrageous’ video shoot.

Britney, in 2005, sued 8 insurance companies that denied her reimbursement of $9.8 million. The companies tried to get away with a technicality. When Britney was questioned by her insurance companies whether she had surgery on her knee in the last 5 years, Britney said no, the insurance companies claimed that it had only been 4 years and 11 months, since her 1999 surgery and this was their argument.  Britney did not deny surgery on her knee and informed them of every operation she had.

On March 28, 2004, Showtime announced that they would broadcast the Miami Show, in a one off TV special.

The advert featured Britney in a Roberto Cavalli dress that was later auctioned on Ebay and all proceeds offered over to the Britney Spears Foundation.

On April 2004 Britney announced that she would be doing a behind the scenes documentary, titled, ‘On-tourage,’ alongside MTV, however this was scrapped due to the tour cancellation. Some of the footage filmed can be seen in her reality TV show, ‘Chaotic.’

The concert for Rock In Rio in Lisbon, was broadcast live on June 5, 2004. Unfortunately we have never received an official DVD of either the Miami or Lisobon leg.

Let’s celebrate this epic milestone by watching the full tour here: