The Alive Galaxy Tour (referred to as the Alive Tour) was the first worldwide

concert tour A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often, concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific ...

and sixth overall by South Korean boy band

Big Bang The Big Bang is a physical theory that describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature. Various cosmological models based on the Big Bang concept explain a broad range of phenomena, including th ...

. It promotes the group's fifth Korean-language EP, '' Alive'' (as well as their fourth Japanese-language studio album of the same name), across four continents: Asia, North America, South America and Europe. The group hired choreographer and creative director Laurieann Gibson to direct the show. The tour was officially sponsored by

Samsung Galaxy Samsung Galaxy (; stylized as SΛMSUNG Galaxy since 2015 (except Japan where it omitted the Samsung branding up until 2023), previously stylized as Samsung GALAXY; abbreviated as SG) is a series of computing, Android mobile computing and wear ...

. In total, an estimated 800,000 fans worldwide attended the tour.

Background and development

In support of their fifth extended Korean-language EP, ''Alive'' and their fourth Japanese-language studio album of the same name, released February 29 and March 28, 2012, respectively, BigBang's record label

YG Entertainment YG Entertainment () is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational entertainment agency established in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and conce ...

announced that the group intended to hold a world tour in partnership with tour promoter

Live Nation Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is an American multinational Entertainment industry, entertainment company that was founded in 2010 following the Mergers and acquisitions, merger of Live Nation (events promoter), Live Nation and Ticketmaster. It ...

, visiting Asia, North America, South America and Europe. Live Nation president Alan Ridgeway stated, "We are very happy that we are working with YG Entertainment and Big Bang to show ur workto worldwide K-pop fans." A representative for YG Entertainment followed this with, "We are working hard to hold the best concert with the best production team to equal the anticipation of the world fans who are waiting for the first concert they will get to meet Big Bang. Choreographer and creative director Laurieann Gibson, famed for her work with

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...

, was hired as the tour's director and choreographer. US-based visual contents company Possible Productions was hired to create the Alive tour's custom backdrops. The team described the concept as a "bleak futuristic world hat could only besaved by Big Bang." Lighting and staging, as well as overall production, was designed by Leroy Bennet. Staging and lighting alone was estimated at US$1.3 million. Korean electronics brand

Samsung Samsung Group (; stylised as SΛMSUNG) is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational manufacturing Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in the Samsung Town office complex in Seoul. The group consists of numerous a ...

was contracted as the tour's official sponsor, who provided electronics for the members and touring staff on the dates. This marks the first time the group has conducted a worldwide concert tour. The December 5 concert at the

Tokyo Dome is an indoor stadium in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. It was designed as a baseball stadium following its predecessor, Korakuen Stadium (whose former site is now occupied by the Tokyo Dome Hotel and a plaza for this stadium). In Japan, it is often us ...

was broadcast on TBS1 on February 24, 2013.

Commercial performance

Tickets for the group's world tour, which kicked off in Seoul in March 2012, sold out faster than Live Nation had anticipated. In Singapore, all tickets were sold out shortly after its on sale and a second show was immediately announced to cope with the huge ticket demand from fans. Later in Malaysia, they attracted more than 3,500 fans to queue up at the box office to fight for their tickets. In Taiwan, all 22,000 tickets of their 2 shows were sold out within just a few hours. Owing to strong demand from fans in the United States, two additional concert dates in both Los Angeles and New Jersey, November 2 and 8, were added. There were initially doubts if T.O.P could perform due to an injury, but it was reported that he would continue to perform. In Japan, BigBang became the first Korean artist to perform three Dome concerts, at the

, Kyocera Dome, and Fukuoka Dome. Ticket prices for their concert in

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

were reported to cost as much as $1,680 HKD (more than 200 US Dollars) The concert was held in

Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

, Peru on November 14, 2012.

The Orange County Register ''The Orange County Register'' is a paid daily List of newspapers in California, newspaper published in California. The ''Register'', published in Orange County, California, is owned by the private equity firm Alden Global Capital via its Digit ...

reported that ticket prices ranged from $50 to $300 for the group's Honda Center dates in Los Angeles. In the UK all the tickets for the Wembley Arena show sold out within two hours of tickets going on sale, resulting in a second date being added shortly after. They also managed to set a London concert record for the largest crowd gathered to see a Korean act in the United Kingdom. The tour listed on ''

Pollstar ''Pollstar'' is a trade publication for the concert and live music industry. The publication was purchased by Oak View Group, a venue consultancy founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff, in July 2017. ''Pollstar'' holds an annual award ce ...

s year-end list, on the Top 200 North American Tours, BigBang become the first Korean artist to have made the list, as they ranked at number 155 and earned $5 million from four shows.

Critical reception

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' journalist Jon Caramanica wrote that BigBang performed more than two dozen songs wearing almost as many outfits, and in unusual setups such as "taking the stage on gilded Segways and lowrider bicycles" during their "short but loud American tour". ''

Billboard K-Town ''Billboard'' K-Town is an online magazine column presented weekly, on various days, by ''Billboard'' on its ''Billboard.com'' site. The column, launched on January 29, 2013, reports on K-pop music; artists, concerts, chart information and ne ...

'' columnist Jeff Benjamin reported that concertgoers were treated to breakdancing and Taeyang's gymnastics for a few on-stage flips during BigBang's concert at the

Prudential Center Prudential Center is a multipurpose indoor arena in the central business district of Newark, New Jersey, United States. Opened in 2007, it is the home of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL), the New York Sirens of the Pro ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

, and described the band's concerts in America as "a success for all". Joseph Lapin from the Californian newspaper ''

OC Weekly ''OC Weekly'' was a free alternative weekly paper distributed in Orange County and Long Beach, California. It was founded in September 1995 by Will Swaim, who acted as editor and publisher until 2007. The paper was distributed at coffee shops, ...

'' attended BigBang's concert in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

and reported that the atmosphere during the show was "almost palpable". Lapin concluded, "It was nostalgic, a throwback to old-school hip-hop but with a commercial twist and a foreign reinterpretation...these boys, well, they'll be back, and they know they're going to be superstars". ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

s music journalist Caroline Sullivan praised BigBang for holding a "fabulous spectacle" at the

Wembley Arena Wembley Arena () (originally the Empire Pool, currently known as OVO Energy, OVO Arena Wembley for sponsorship reasons) is an indoor arena next to Wembley Stadium in Wembley, Greater London, England. The 12,500-seat facility is Greater Lond ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. She compared BigBang with other Western music bands, and noted that BigBang's edges "are crisper, the sound louder, the dancing sharper". '' Radio Programas del Perú'' ranked the tour as the best K-pop concert in

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

for 2012, beating out earlier concerts performed by JYJ, U-Kiss and a

Music Bank (TV series) ''Music Bank'' () is a South Korean music program which airs every Friday at 17:15 KST on KBS2. the show is also broadcast in more than a hundred countries through KBS World. Episodes are filmed at the KBS New Wing Open Hall in Yeouido-dong, Ye ...

concert at

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

Set list

Tour dates

Box office data

Awards

Personnel

* Primary artist: BigBang * Show director: Laurieann Gibson * Stage design, lighting design: Leroy Bennett * Sound: Ken Van Druten * Visual plans, projections: Possible Productions * Music director, keyboard: Gil Smith II * Guitar: Justin Lyons * Programmer: Adrian Porter * Keys: Dante "Inferno" Jackson * Bass: Omar Dominick * Drums: Bennie "BrIIghtReD" Rodgers II * Dancers: HiTech Dancers and Crazy Girls, featured break dancers * Management: YG Entertainment * Tour organizer: Live Nation Korea * Tour manager: Shirley Hong * Sponsorship: Samsung

References

External links

''Alive Tour'' Seoul concert video at MTV Iggy
(official, legal broadcast) {{Big Bang 2012 concert tours 2013 concert tours BigBang (South Korean band) concert tours Concert tours of China Concert tours of Indonesia Concert tours of Japan Concert tours of Malaysia Concert tours of Peru Concert tours of the Philippines Concert tours of Singapore Concert tours of South Korea Concert tours of Taiwan Concert tours of Thailand Concert tours of the United Kingdom Concert tours of the United States