Radical Agenda: Dua Lipa levitates to stadium level

Being on the road for months on end can be equally exhilarating and exhausting, but while books have been written about touring exploits, there aren’t many acts who can talk about their strategy on dealing with an attempted coup and martial law, enroute.

“Korea was interesting,” understates Dukagjin (Dugi) Lipa – Dua’s father and manager. “I was in my hotel room in Seoul when [tour director] Pete [Abbott] called me at 10pm to ask if I was watching the news. Why would I be watching the news in South Korea? My Korean is not that good. But I turned on the TV to discover we were in the middle of a political coup, and we just had to switch into a different mode.”

As the December 2024 dates in the capital’s Gocheok Sky Dome were the final nights of Dua’s nine-date Asian run, friends and family of the touring party had flown to Seoul to celebrate.

“All of a sudden, we were facing martial law and a curfew, so we needed to make sure everyone was safe,” recalls Dugi. “Because people had flown in their spouses, partners, families, our numbers were 30% more than usual, so the first priority was to gather everybody into our hotel to kind of contain the situation. There were all sorts of considerations – making sure people with medical needs could get access to drugs like insulin, for instance. All sorts of things you’d never usually have to think about. And at the same time, we were having meetings with lawyers, insurance people, the police, the mayor. Being responsible for a lot of people is not a light-hearted matter. And when somebody official tells me ‘It’s fine, don’t worry,’ then I need that in writing, which is easier said than done.

“So, Korea was an experience, but luckily, the people of Seoul went to parliament and turned things around peacefully. And the day after martial law had been declared, Dua went on stage. And the atmosphere was electric, on both nights.”

“We felt that we owed the fans in Asia”

Training Season
That Asian run was a precursor to Radical Optimism’s curtain raiser. “The Future Nostalgia Tour didn’t visit Asia because the timing, post-COVID, wasn’t right,” notes Dugi. “So, we felt that we owed the fans, and that’s why we went to Asia with a set that was a little bit more of Future Nostalgia than Radical Optimism.”
Dua’s touring activity resumed in March, opening an impressive run of five dates in Melbourne.

“That was a challenge in itself,” says Abbott, who has been working with the artist since 2016 when she played at an open-mic event in Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms. He continues, “We rolled into the Rod Laver Arena with a 747’s worth of stuff and then added everything else locally. It felt like open rehearsals. They were great shows, but it was like a five-day residency where every morning we’d tweak things based on the night before.”

Having scheduled in a tour leg in late 2024, preparations for the current tour began on the road in Asia.

Detailing the process, Abbott describes Dua’s iconic headline performance at Glastonbury Festival as a “hybrid show,” which evolved into the production that then toured Asia.

“During the Asia run, we started conversations about The Radical Optimism Tour,” he continues. “Basically, myself and the team at Tait – Slee, Jordan, Bullet – worked through Christmas with Matt Pitman of Pixelmappers, and our set designer, Jason [Ardizzone-West]. Then we had a month in February at Wakefield doing the integration and build process, where Pete Geary, our head carpenter, and [production manager] Ross Maynard put in a lot of stressful days to figure out how to make it work and take it around the world. In parallel, David Black, Charli Davis and the team at Luke Halls Studio were hard at work on the video content, whilst William Bowerman and the team at WFB Live were busy updating the musical direction for the new show.”

Designing a production that can seamlessly jump between arenas, greenfield sites, and stadiums is no mean feat. “It involves three different set-ups, but it’s basically the same set,” says Abbott. “It’s different lighting in the stadiums, adapted local lighting at the festivals, and obviously another lighting design for indoor arenas.

“Demand for tickets has been phenomenal”

The critical thing is that the flow of the show remains constant, so the dancers and the band make some slight modifications for stadiums, but emotionally and physically, it is the same show, which is a good thing in the sense of practicality.”

Providing an insight into the size of the production, he continues, “We’re anywhere between 180 and 200 personnel for arenas. And then we’re 230 to 250 for stadiums. That increase is just somewhat practical on load-in days, where we have lots of extra crew out in the field, but where we’re doing bigger pyro and special effects, it necessitates a bigger crew.”

With the show alternating between indoor and outdoor venues, Abbott discloses, “We cannot look at it as a completely different show – there’s just no time to turn that round to the level we’d need to. We have an ensemble on stage of 20 people, including Dua, and that’s what the audience are there to see. So, although it’s a big production, we’re somewhat less production-focused, if that makes sense, while the show itself is the big priority.”

And while Dua’s shows at Wembley Stadium, Anfield Stadium (Liverpool) and Dublin’s Aviva Stadium mark a significant step up at home, her tour director observes that she’s been performing on the biggest stage for some time, elsewhere. “We’ve done a number of stadium shows in South America, particularly, but also in Asia,” states Abbott.

We’re Good
As Dua Lipa’s star continues to rise, the promoters who host her internationally are delighted to be involved.

The current tour’s global promoter is Jared Braverman, Live Nation’s SVP of global touring. “With The Radical Optimism Tour spanning more than 60 dates across Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, the UK, North America, and Latin America, we had to be strategic in how we routed it to make the most of her time, to reach as many fans as possible,” he says. “While it’s not possible to visit every country, we focused on the key markets where she could make the biggest impact and where fan demand is strongest.”

And while many fans may be distraught that they missed out, Braverman says the choice of market has been pretty much perfect. “Demand for tickets has been phenomenal,” he states. “She certainly could have added more shows in many cities, but it ultimately comes down to time and what’s sustainable for her.”

Down Under, Michael Coppel reports that Radical Optimism sold out ten arena shows across Australia and New Zealand, performing to more than 135,000 fans.

“On this tour, we tried to take a slightly more humane approach, not just for the artist but for everyone on the road”

“Due to unprecedented demand, an additional six shows were added after the tour’s initial announcement,” he says. “Dua first toured here, supporting Bruno Mars and playing her own headline shows, in 2018; she returned for her massive Future Nostalgia Tour in 2022; and is now delivering a run of shows that ranks alongside the greats – her continuing rise has been nothing short of remarkable.

“[Dua] joins an elite group of just ten artists to have delivered five sold-out shows at Melbourne’s iconic Rod Laver Arena on a single tour, sharing that honour with global powerhouses like Pink, John Farnham, Kylie Minogue, One Direction, Katy Perry, Hugh Jackman, The Eagles, Usher, Lady Gaga, and Blink-182.”

But it could have been more. “We sold out five nights at Rod Laver Arena, but we could have probably gone on to ten because the demand did not seem to cease,” comments WME agent David Bradley, who has represented Dua since her first-ever live performance. “But at some point, we just had to call it – we can’t sit there for ten nights in Melbourne, because we’ve got other places to go. And also, we can’t have an exhausted artist.”

Disclosing that fatigue was a genuine concern, Bradley tells IQ, “If there was a mistake on the last tour, it was because Covid had pushed so much touring into one condensed window, meaning by the end of 2022, everyone was completely frazzled. Dua is the hardest-working artist in the world, but everyone has limits. So, on this tour, we tried to take a slightly more humane approach, not just for the artist but for everyone on the road.”

Not that the promoters are complaining.

“Her dedication to performing an iconic local song each night resonated with audiences”

“Dua Lipa’s recent tour wasn’t just a display of incredible production – her dedication to performing an iconic local song each night resonated with audiences and was extremely well received,” says Coppel.

Braverman agrees, “One of the standout moments has been Dua’s nightly covers of songs by artists local to each city. Dua and her team have crafted something truly special with this tour, and she brings it to life with energy and passion each night.”

Manager Dugi reveals that the decision to cover songs by local talent was Dua’s idea and has so far seen her sing in seven different languages. “It’s a brilliant idea, but after the first show, I pointed out to her that we had another 75 dates to go,” he laughs. “But she’s really enjoying it, and these moments travel really well, as it’s a nod to the culture, the fans, and to the countries we visit. Also, celebrating a local artist is always going to be great, and it makes every gig unique.”

Hotter than Hell
Looking to the end of the year, the Latin American promoters are particularly excited about having Dua Lipa back in their markets.

Diego Finkelstein at DF Entertainment says this will be her third visit to Argentina. “The first time was in 2017 when she opened for Coldplay at La Plata Stadium, and we also did a club show in a 1,500-cap venue.”

The second visit for the Future Nostalgia Tour in 2022 was staggeringly bigger. “We’d scheduled two shows at the Palermo Hippodrome at 20,000-cap, and those shows blew out in seconds. So, I persuaded Dugi that we should upgrade, and we ended up selling out two shows at the Polo Ground – 110,000 tickets. It was phenomenal.”

“Her endorsements and commercials are seen all over the country”

This November, Dua returns for a double-header at River Plate Stadium to 65,000 people per night. “That’s all the availability we could find,” says Finkelstein, hinting more was possible. “Last time, she visited different restaurants and museums in Buenos Aires, and she was very enthusiastic about the city. That was really appreciated, and I think these shows later this year are going to be epic. Everyone is very excited.”

In Chile, her Covid-rescheduled show in 2022 saw her debut in that market at stadium level. This time around it’s even bigger.

“Last time, she sold out Bicentenary Stadium, with a 27,000 capacity. When she comes back in November, she will be in the National Stadium, which is a 62,000-capacity,” explains Carlos Geniso at DG Medios. “We already sold out one show, and the pace of sales on the other is doing really well, so she’s going to achieve over 100,000 tickets.”

Putting that into context, Geniso says Oasis and Linkin Park are each playing the same stadium in the same month but have only committed to one date each. “That means Dua Lipa will achieve bigger ticket sales because she’s doing two nights,” he adds.

Summarising some of the reasons behind Dua’s popularity in Chile, Geniso reports that “The album got some good reviews, and her songs have had a lot of airplay. But her endorsements and commercials are seen all over the country, which also definitely helped.”

New Rules
The success of the Radical Optimism Tour has confirmed agent Bradley’s predictions for the campaign.

“The next tour will be stadiums globally”

“We’ve never tried to skip steps; we’ve basically followed the proven model to get to stadiums,” he explains, detailing the thinking behind the Australasian and European legs. “You take your first pass at arenas doing one or two shows on a kind of moderate ticket price, so the grosses will be okay. Then on the second pass, the conventional wisdom is you do multiples in arenas, at higher ticket prices, which shows if you can generate the grosses that could sustain a stadium. And then you go and do your stadiums.

“That’s what we’ve done, although, truth be told, we could have gone to stadiums everywhere as the latent demand we had from the last tour indicated that would be possible.”

Stepping up to stadiums in the likes of Paris, London, Liverpool, and Dublin may have initially raised a few eyebrows, but Bradley said there was strong belief within the inner circle. “The three standard bearers for announcing Wembley were myself, Dugi, and [Live Nation’s] Phil Bowdery. There were definitely some dissenting voices, but the three of us believed in it from the off, so it was immensely satisfying when those shows sold out.”

And while there’s still 35 dates to go across four months in the Americas, Bradley is convinced that the sales numbers Dua has achieved on this outing (650,000 tickets across Europe alone) means a move to the biggest stages is inevitable. “Stadiums were always our aim,” he says. “So many artists never get there for a myriad of reasons, but watching Dua finish up at Wembley was a tear-jerk moment because she has worked her ass off, and I think we’ve got the best pop show in
the world right now.

“The next tour will be stadiums globally,” he states. “That’s what this tour has proven.”

“[We’ve] worked alongside Dua on what has become her phenomenal rise to global stardom”

Physical
That ambition will be music to the ears of the various suppliers and contractors who are taking Radical Optimism around the world – many of whom have been working with Dua since very early in her career.

One such organisation is Phoenix Bussing, which has been involved since 2018. “I first met Pete Abbott at Montreux Jazz Festival in 2017, and our relationship started from then,” says the company’s Stewart Scott. “From one bus at smaller venues to eight buses with the current arena tour, it’s been great working with Pete and the production team, especially Megan [Hood], who is a delight to work with.”

And while the transport teams sometimes have to jump through hoops to fulfil contracts, Scott reveals, “There were no challenges at all on this tour. Dealing with Pete and his team made the job easy. So if we had any slight changes, [they were] easily dealt with.”

Lez Dwight at sound specialists Britannia Row says, “We’ve worked with Dua from the very beginning of her live journey, since 2017 through to the present tour, which is a good example of the breadth of support we can offer to new artists who begin at club level and move to stadiums.

“To be trusted to supply audio equipment and technical crew to Dua, Pete, and the wider production team has always been a real pleasure. We also have a great working relationship with the mix engineers, Will Nicholson and Alex Cerutti, who have worked alongside Dua on what has become her phenomenal rise to global stardom.”

Tour director Abbott is thankful. “Ultimately, suppliers are such a big part of delivering the show that they become ancillary members of your top-table team,” he says. “They are invaluable at the detail level that goes into brainstorming and thinking of the best solutions.”

“It’s one of the most professional productions we ever worked for”

That certainly holds true for Dwight at Brit Row. “The production and audio teams consider the sound design during the early planning phases. This meticulously planned effort results in amazing audience experiences – the kind Dua is known for, and that really draws fans in,” he says.

One newcomer on the tour is Dutch Barrier Services, whose Stanley Jilesen admits he had been chasing Abbott and production manager Ross Maynard for a number of years. “It’s one of the most professional productions we ever worked for,” says Jilesen. “To be honest, we actually learned a lot from them, and because of feedback from Ross, we will change some things with our touring sets.”

Creative Technology has also been involved in Dua’s live career since 2017, when the set-up was just a simple projector. “The concept to delivery is very much a collaboration between the tour and Creative Technology,” says the company’s Jonny Clark. “The video crew on this tour are extremely knowledgeable and professional, making this production slick and smooth.”

And reiterating the credentials of Team Dua, Clark adds, “[Our] long history of collaboration meant trust was already strong as planning for Radical Optimism began. The working relationship remained excellent throughout pre-production, [and] communication was clear and collaborative from the start, letting both sides focus on creative solutions instead of troubleshooting.”

Transam Trucking have been involved with the artist since her Future Nostalgia Tour, “but [we] have worked with Pete Abbott prior to this on other acts,” states the company’s Natasha Highcroft. “I love working with Pete and his team. They bring a new style of professionalism and systems of work to the table that I really admire. They set clear parameters, and I feel they work cohesively with the vendors to enable us to support them exactly as they need to achieve these goals for their live shows.”

On the current tour, Transam supplied 25 trucks for the arenas, plus a merchandise truck, transitioning to 30 trucks plus merch when the UK stadium shows rolled around. Highcroft adds, “It truly is an honour to be part of a team that brings this strong, talented, and powerful female artist in front of so many people across the UK and Europe – and with such a wonderful group of people.”

“Stadium shows are the perfect home for Dua”

Blow Your Mind
Always conscious that Dua cannot nail every market where her fans are based, Dugi says, “You have to make your choices, and hopefully hit other markets on the next tour. Or perhaps during a non-touring year we can visit in different circumstances through a festival or something like that.”

Indeed, having been forced to cancel one of the nine Asian shows (a date at Jakarta’s Arena Senayan), Dugi is already pondering how to remedy that situation. “We’re aware of the disappointment that caused, so it’s top of the agenda for our next run in Asia because we need to do something special for those fans.”

Until then, however, there’s the matter of the family festival – Sunny Hill in Prishtina, Kosovo – to take care of, before the Radical Optimism production hits the Americas from early September.

Looking to the rest of the year, Abbott comments, “Going from North America into Latin America will be interesting, just because it’s going from reasonably easy repeatable arenas with our own production into flying between stadiums in Latin America, where there will be all kinds of things we need to find solutions for. But, especially with a PM as strong as Ross Maynard, you can safely look forward to those challenges.”

Those Latin American dates are certainly uppermost in the artist manager’s mind.

“Stadium shows are the perfect home for Dua,” says Dugi. “She has this incredible presence that somehow makes these venues feel very intimate. She has the ability to create an atmosphere where she can connect with the fans in these huge spaces.”

And turning to her fervent LatAm fanbases, he concludes, “In Latin America, it’s a mentality thing – people love going out to watch football, to watch music, and to be out partying. And then there’s another element when they fall in love with the artist, and we were very lucky that they fell in love with Dua from the very early days. We cannot wait to be back and to bring this tour to all those fans who have welcomed us with such open hearts.”

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