The Waking Up Laughing Tour was the second headlining tour by American recording artist Martina McBride. Primarily visiting the United States and Canada, the tour supported her ninth studio album, Waking Up Laughing. The tour played over a hundred shows in 2007 and 2008, becoming one of the biggest tours by a country music artist—earning over eight million dollars and seen by over 250,000 spectators. Additionally, the tour placed 47th and 88th on Pollstar's Top 100 Tours in 2007 and 2008 respectively.
Background
The tour was announced through various media outlets on January 18, 2007, as McBride was promoting Anyway, the second single from her album. The tour marks the second time the singer has headlined a tour since her 2005 "Timeless Tour". Joining McBride on the road was Little Big Town and Rodney Atkins. Commenting on the tour, McBride stated: As exciting as it is to create a new album, there's nothing quite as thrilling as getting the immediate feedback from a live crowd. I'm especially happy about being joined by Little Big Town and Rodney Atkins. We put a lot of thought into which artists to include on this tour, and I really feel like this show is going to be a treat for my fans from beginning to end. I can't wait to get out there on the road." For the first time in the artist's career, McBride was joined on tour by her family. Her husband, John McBride was the sound engineer and her brothers Marty and Steve along with her three daughters. Although McBride competed against country music heavy hitters, Dolly Parton, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, McBride's tour was named by Pollstar as the number one solo female country act for 2007. The success of the first leg lead to an expansion in 2008 with McBride playing arenas. This time around, McBride was joined by Lady Antebellum and Jack Ingram. The second leg saw McBride performing in Canada, her first performances since 2003. The tour received further accolades from Pollstar, becoming the 88th biggest tour in North America. The tour was expanded for a final time during the summer of 2008, with McBride playing amphitheaters and festivals in the United States. The tour ended at the Island Events Center (located at the Treasure Island Resort and Casino) in Red Wing, Minnesota with 120 performances.
Staging The staging for McBride's tour was one of the most state of art for a country artist. The stage was created by Atomic Design, who created the stage for the singer's Timeless Tour. The stage featured the "Mitrix module". These were several video screens that mimicked louvers. Each screen as capable of "opening" and "closing" to reveal graphics and video content. The 12 video screens were positioned about a central screening, alluding the shape of a honeycomb. McBride was the very first artist to use this technology. When the screens were not in use, they became transparent allowing light to shine through. The stage contained a proscenium arch that extended to a lifts on each side of the stage.
Opening acts
Jack Ingram (North America—Leg 1-3) (select dates) Little Big Town (North America—Leg 1 and 3) (select dates) Rodney Atkins (North America—Leg 1) (select dates) Diamond Rio (North America—Leg 1) (select dates) Warren Brothers (North America—Leg 1) (select dates)
Johnny Reid (Canada) Emerson Drive (Canada) Lady Antebellum (North America—Leg 2) Jason Michael Carroll (North America—Leg 3) Chris Young (North America—Leg 3)
Setlist
Additional notes 2007 leg On occasion McBride would sing "Whatever You Say" instead of "Where Would You Be." The songs "I Love You", "Thanks A Lot", "I Can't Stop Loving You", "Heartaches By The Number", "How Far" and "I'll Still Be Me" had early appearances. "House of A Thousand Dreams", "Two More Bottles of Wine" "Over The Rainbow", "In My Daughter's Eyes", "Son of a Preacher Man", "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Stand By Your Man" at different shows. "For These Times" was played during the start of the tour but then was cut and did not return until late 2007 when the song was released as a single 2008 leg "Help Me Make It Through The Night" made an appearance early on in the second leg but it was soon replaced with "In My Daughter's Eyes." "Tryin' To Find A Reason" was cut from the set list shortly after the second leg of the tour began. Other songs played at various shows have been "Everybody Does", "I'll Still Be Me", "Today I Started Loving You Again", "Danny's Song", "I Love You", "Whatever You Say", "How I Feel" and "Safe in the Arms of Love" Following "Lean on Me", McBride also included "The Warrior" and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" at select concerts. "Whatever You Say" was included in the first few set lists but was then replaced with "Valentine". In Raleigh, McBride debuted the song "Ride". At the final show in Red Wing, McBride performed "Wrong Again".
Tour dates Date City Country Venue Opening ActsNorth America—Leg 1April 12, 2007Kansas CityUnited StatesKemper ArenaApril 13, 2007 RosemontRosemont TheatreApril 15, 2007LouisvilleFreedom HallApril 20, 2007UncasvilleMohegan Sun Arena April 21, 2007LowellTsongas ArenaApril 22, 2007 AlbanyTimes Union CenterApril 27, 2007SaginawDow Event CenterApril 28, 2007RochesterBlue Cross ArenaApril 29, 2007ToledoSeaGate Convention CentreMay 4, 2007BirminghamBJCC ArenaMay 5, 2007DuluthArena at Gwinnett CenterMay 6, 2007PensacolaPensacola Civic CenterMay 11, 2007PittsburghPetersen Events CenterMay 12, 2007ColumbiaMerriweather Post PavilionMay 18, 2007New York CityRadio City Music HallMay 25, 2007Colorado SpringsWorld ArenaMay 26, 2007LovelandBudweiser Events CenterMay 27, 2007Valley CenterBritt Brown ArenaMay 31, 2007RichmondRichmond ColiseumJune 1, 2007North CharlestonNorth Charleston ColiseumJune 2, 2007Winston-SalemLJVM Coliseum June 3, 2007AshevilleAsheville Civic CenterJune 7, 2007Cape GirardeauShow Me CenterJune 8, 2007JacksonMississippi ColiseumJune 9, 2007NashvilleLP FieldJune 14, 2007Sauk CentreSaukinac CampgroundsLittle Big TownJune 15, 2007Sioux CityGateway ArenaJune 16, 2007BurlingtonMiller Outdoor StateJune 17, 2007FairbornNutter CenterJune 21, 2007Cedar FallsMcLeod CenterJune 22, 2007Fort WayneAllen County War Memorial ColiseumJune 23, 2007ErieTullio ArenaJune 24, 2007SpringfieldMassMutual CenterJune 28, 2007CharlestonCharleston Civic CenterJune 29, 2007Wilkes-BarreWachovia ArenaJune 30, 2007 HersheyGiant CenterJuly 1, 2007ManchesterVerizon Wireless ArenaJuly 12, 2007Oklahoma CityFord CenterJuly 13, 2007Grand PrairieNokia Theatre at Grand PrairieJuly 14, 2007AustinFrank Erwin CenterJuly 15, 2007Bossier CityCenturyTel CenterJuly 19, 2007LouisvilleFreedom Hall July 20, 2007Twin LakesShadow Hill RanchJuly 21, 2007HinckleyHinckley AmphitheaterJuly 22, 2007Grand ForksAlerus Center July 26, 2007GlendaleJobing.com ArenaJuly 27, 2007Las VegasMandalay Bay Events CenterJuly 28, 2007Costa MesaPacific AmphitheatreJuly 29, 2007StatelineHarvey's Outdoor AmphitheaterJuly 31, 2007Paso RoblesMain Grandstand ArenaAugust 1, 2007OaklandOracle ArenaAugust 3, 2007PortlandRose GardenAugust 4, 2007EverettComcast ArenaAugust 5, 2007NampaIdaho CenterAugust 7, 2007KennewickToyota Center August 17, 2007SpringfieldState Fair GrandstandSeptember 7, 2007Harris TownshipIsland ShowroomSeptember 8, 2007September 20, 2007Niagara FallsCanadaAvalon Ballroom September 21, 2007September 29, 2007MolineUnited StatesIWireless Center September 30, 2007La CrosseLa Crosse Center November 10, 2007Washington, D.C.DAR Constitution Hall December 2, 2007FriantTMC Indoor Event CenterNorth America—Leg 2January 18, 2008EvansvilleUnited StatesRoberts Municipal Stadium Jack IngramLady AntebellumJanuary 19, 2008CincinnatiU.S. Bank Arena January 20, 2008Grand RapidsVan Andel Arena January 25, 2008AshwaubenonResch Center January 26, 2008MinneapolisTarget Center January 27, 2008AmesHilton Coliseum February 1, 2008ColumbusNationwide Arena February 2, 2008ClevelandWolstein Center February 22, 2008ChampaignAssembly Hall February 23, 2008Council BluffsMid-America Center February 24, 2008ColumbiaHearnes Center February 29, 2008ReadingSovereign Center March 1, 2008Atlantic CityEtess Arena March 2, 2008SyracuseWar Memorial March 17, 2008CalgaryCanadaPengrowth Saddledome March 19, 2008EdmontonRexall Place March 20, 2008SaskatoonCredit Union Centre March 21, 2008WinnipegMTS Centre March 28, 2008HamiltonCopps Coliseum March 29, 2008KanataScotiabank Place March 30, 2008LondonJohn Labatt Centre April 5, 2008Hot SpringsUnited StatesSummit Arena April 6, 2008ColumbiaMizzou Arena April 18, 2008EsteroGermain Arena April 19, 2008JacksonvilleJacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena April 20, 2008HuntsvilleVon Braun Center North America—Leg 3July 11, 2008ClarkstonUnited StatesDTE Energy Music Theatre Jack IngramChris YoungJuly 12, 2008DarienDarien Lake Performing Arts CenterJack Ingram July 13, 2008GilfordMeadowbrook U.S. Cellular PavilionJack IngramChris YoungJuly 17, 2008SelmaVerizon Wireless AmphitheatreJuly 18, 2008DallasSuperPages.com Center July 19, 2008The WoodlandsCynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion July 24, 2008HarringtonWilmington Trust Grandstand Chris YoungJuly 25, 2008WantaghNikon at Jones Beach Theater July 31, 2008MissoulaDahlberg Arena August 1, 2008West Valley CityUSANA Amphitheatre August 2, 2008Greenwood VillageFiddler's Green Amphitheatre August 8, 2008ConcordSleep Train Pavilion August 9, 2008WheatlandSleep Train AmphitheatreAugust 10, 2008KelseyvilleKonocti Field AmphitheatreAugust 12, 2008BakersfieldBuck Owens' Crystal PalaceNoneAugust 14, 2008AlbuquerqueJournal PavilionJack IngramChris YoungAugust 15, 2008PhoenixCricket Wireless Pavilion August 16, 2008IrvineVerizon Wireless Amphitheatre August 29, 2008Maryland HeightsVerizon Wireless Amphitheater August 30, 2008Tinley ParkFirst Midwest Bank Amphitheatre September 19, 2008HartfordNew England Dodge Music Center Jack IngramJason Michael CarrollSeptember 20, 2008CamdenSusquehanna Bank CenterSeptember 26, 2008BurgettstownPost-Gazette Pavilion September 27, 2008BristowNissan Pavilion October 3, 2008CharlotteVerizon Wireless Amphitheatre October 4, 2008RaleighTime Warner Cable Music PavilionOctober 5, 2008Virginia BeachVerizon Wireless Amphitheatre October 10, 2008TampaFord Amphitheatre October 11, 2008West Palm BeachCruzan AmphitheatreOctober 18, 2008Red WingIsland Event CenterNone
Festivals and other miscellaneous performances This concert was a part of the CMA Music Festival This concert was a part of the Country Music Fest USA This concert was a part of the Burlington Steamboat Days This concert was a part of the Country Thunder Music Festival This concert was a part of the OC Fair Summer Concert Series This concert was a part of the California Mid-State Fair This concert was a part of the Illinois State Fair Concert Series This concert was a part of the Delaware State Fair
Cancellations and rescheduled shows August 28, 2008Pelham, AlabamaVerizon Wireless Music CenterCancelled due to flood damage
Box office score data