The This Is America Tour was the fifth concert tour by American recording artist Childish Gambino. The tour began in the summer of 2018, playing over 30 shows in North America and Europe.
Background Donald Glover, the individual behind the Childish Gambino pseudonym announced his intention to retire the name in June 2017, telling the audience "I'll see you for the last Gambino album" before walking off stage at the Governors Ball Music Festival. He further explained his decision in an interview, feeling his musical career was no longer "necessary" and added "There's nothing worse than like a third sequel" and "I like it when something's good and when it comes back there's a reason to come back, there's a reason to do that." Glover signed with RCA Records in January 2018, which Glover called "a necessary change of pace". In May 2018, he released a single titled "This Is America" while performing dual hosting and musical duty on Saturday Night Live. The song debuted at number one, becoming both Glover's first number one and top ten single in the United States. It features him both singing and rapping, drawing influence from trap music. Its lyrics addressed a variety of topics including gun violence in the United States and being black in the United States, while its provocative video, directed by frequent collaborator Hiro Murai, featured Glover performing a series of shootings before breaking into dance.
On July 11, 2018, Glover released the EP Summer Pack which contained the songs "Summertime Magic" and "Feels Like Summer", the former of which is the lead single from Glover's forthcoming fourth studio album. The music video for "Feels Like Summer" was released on September 1, 2018, and features animated cameos from numerous prominent rappers and R&B vocalists. The video is meant to symbolize Glover's departure from the rap community and depicts his animated rendition as he walks down a neighborhood street, passing by several big names like Will Smith, Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, Kanye West, Beyoncé, Lil Wayne, and Michael Jackson.
In September 2018, Glover made two previously unreleased songs, "Algorhythm" and "All Night", exclusively available to fans who bought tickets to his tour. "Algorhythm" was performed at every show on the tour, and was eventually released on his next studio album, 3.15.20. "All Night" was exclusively performed at the debut show in Atlanta, and only subsequently performed at Gambino's next PHAROS events.
During the first show of the tour in Atlanta, Glover confirmed that this is the last Gambino tour ever, telling the audience: "I love you forever for supporting me and coming out for this shit. Second, if you're in here, that means you bought a ticket, so you don't need to film this shit. Experience this shit. This is not a concert. This is fucking church. If you're not here to celebrate life, if you're not here to enjoy your time here, if you're just here to hear your favorite song, you should go home right now and do that. I'm here to have an experience with y'all tonight, ya feel me?"
On September 23, 2018, Glover reportedly injured his foot during his show in Dallas, leaving the stage early and not performing an encore set.
Despite Glover's intention for the This is America tour to be his final, he released both Atavista (a re-release of his 2020 album 3.15.20) and Bando Stone & the New World in 2024, which was followed by an announcement for his new and final tour titled The New World Tour. Glover initially performed 18 shows, between August and September 2024, but had to cancel the remaining shows due to health complications.
Critical reception Althea Legaspi of the Chicago Tribune wrote that Glover "offer[ed] a sacred space where love, loss, inequality and community were explored through song", and wrote that "this may be Glover's last hurrah as Childish Gambino, but the performance made a compelling case for seeking out his next incarnation."
Karlton Jahmal of HotNewHipHop wrote that "Childish Gambino had the best concert I’ve witnesses since Yeezus, and hopefully, his retirement from touring is just a momentary lapse in judgment. A performance on this level will surely be missed."
Alex Stedman of Variety wrote that "Gambino put on a show at Los Angeles’ the Forum that was at once spiritual and electric, a celebration of an eclectic discography and, hopefully, an exciting peek at what's to come."
Charles Holmes of the Rolling Stone wrote that "The 'This Is America' Tour served as a symbolic funeral. It's a successful send-off for the Gambino moniker, and the hard-won development it represents, but not for Glover's music career. Donald Glover is still searching for himself as a musician, and made sure to provide a glimpse at what's yet to come."
Opening acts Rae Sremmurd Vince Staples H.E.R. Channel Tres
Set list The following set list was obtained from the concert held on September 6, 2018, at the Infinite Energy Arena in Duluth, Georgia. It does not represent every concert for the duration of the tour. "Atavista" "Algorhythm" "All Night" "Summertime Magic" "The Worst Guys" "Worldstar" "Stand Tall" "Boogieman" (with "Me and Your Mama" intro) "Riot" "Have Some Love" "Terrified" "Feels Like Summer" "Human Sacrifice" (with "Why Go to the Party" intro) "This Is America" Encore "Sober" "3005" "Sweatpants" "Redbone"
Shows DateCityCountryVenueOpening actNorth AmericaSources for tour dates in North America:September 6, 2018DuluthUnited StatesInfinite Energy Arena Rae SremmurdSeptember 8, 2018ChicagoUnited CenterSeptember 10, 2018TorontoCanadaScotiabank ArenaSeptember 12, 2018BostonUnited StatesTD GardenSeptember 14, 2018New York CityMadison Square GardenSeptember 15, 2018September 18, 2018PhiladelphiaWells Fargo CenterSeptember 19, 2018Washington, D.C.Capital One ArenaSeptember 22, 2018HoustonToyota CenterSeptember 23, 2018DallasAmerican Airlines CenterDecember 2, 2018NashvilleBridgestone Arena Vince StaplesDecember 4, 2018DenverPepsi CenterDecember 7, 2018VancouverCanadaRogers Arena Rae SremmurdDecember 11, 2018OaklandUnited StatesOracle ArenaDecember 12, 2018San JoseSAP Center Vince StaplesDecember 15, 2018GlendaleGila River ArenaDecember 16, 2018InglewoodThe Forum Rae SremmurdDecember 17, 2018 Vince StaplesEuropeSources for tour dates in Europe:March 24, 2019LondonEnglandThe O Arena H.E.R.March 25, 2019March 27, 2019ParisFranceAccorHotels ArenaNorth American FestivalsApril 12, 2019IndioUnited StatesCoachella Valley Music & Arts Festival N/AApril 19, 2019IndioCoachella Valley Music & Arts FestivalApril 27, 2019LandoverBroccoli City FestivalJune 14, 2019ManchesterBonnaroo Music & Arts FestivalOceaniaJuly 14, 2019PerthAustraliaHBF Stadium N/AJuly 17, 2019MelbourneRod Laver ArenaJuly 19, 2019AdelaideSpin Off FestivalJuly 20, 2019Byron BaySplendour in the Grass 2019July 24, 2019SydneyQudos Bank ArenaNorth American FestivalsAugust 2, 2019ChicagoUnited StatesLollapalooza N/AAugust 4, 2019MontrealCanadaOsheaga FestivalAugust 9, 2019San FranciscoUnited StatesOutside Lands Music and Arts FestivalOctober 5, 2019AustinAustin City LimitsOctober 12, 2019AustinAustin City Limits
Cancellations and rescheduled shows September 26, 2018Inglewood, CaliforniaThe ForumRescheduled to December 16, 2018September 27, 2018Oakland, CaliforniaOracle ArenaRescheduled to December 11, 2018September 29, 2018Seattle, WashingtonKeyArenaCancelledSeptember 30, 2018Vancouver, CanadaRogers ArenaRescheduled to December 7, 2018October 2, 2018San Jose, CaliforniaSAP CenterRescheduled to December 12, 2018October 3, 2018Inglewood, CaliforniaThe ForumRescheduled to December 17, 2018October 5, 2018Glendale, ArizonaGila River ArenaRescheduled to December 15, 2018October 7, 2018Austin, TexasZilker ParkCancelled. This concert was a part of the "Austin City Limits Music Festival"October 9, 2018Denver, ColoradoPepsi CenterRescheduled to December 4, 2018October 12, 2018Nashville, TennesseeBridgestone ArenaRescheduled to December 2, 2018October 14, 2018Austin, TexasZilker ParkCancelled. This concert was a part of the "Austin City Limits Music Festival"October 30, 2018Paris, FranceZénith ParisRescheduled to March 27, 2019 and moved to the AccorHotels ArenaNovember 4, 2018London, EnglandThe O ArenaRescheduled to March 24, 2019November 8, 2018Perth, AustraliaHBF StadiumCancelledNovember 10, 2018Melbourne, AustraliaSidney Myer Music BowlCancelledNovember 14, 2018Sydney, AustraliaSydney Opera House ForecourtCancelledNovember 15, 2018Sydney, AustraliaSydney Opera House ForecourtCancelledNovember 17, 2018Canberra, AustraliaCommonwealth ParkCancelled. This concert was a part of "Spilt Milk"
Box office score data VenueCityTickets sold / AvailableGross revenueMadison Square GardenNew York City27,678 / 27,678 (100%)$2,557,840The ForumInglewood26,673 / 26,673 (100%)$2,447,306The O ArenaLondon31,657 / 35,041 (90%)$2,070,440Oracle ArenaOakland12,296 / 13,306 (92%)$1,262,651Scotiabank ArenaToronto14,305 / 14,305 (100%)$1,254,870Capital One ArenaWashington, D.C.12,556 / 13,193 (95%)$1,192,435Rogers ArenaVancouver12,263 / 13,161 (93%)$1,054,929Toyota CenterHouston9,965 / 11,544 (86%)$1,048,518American Airlines CenterDallas10,986 / 11,747 (94%)$1,037,757Pepsi CenterDenver10,949 / 12,112 (90%)$932,758Gila River ArenaGlendale11,328 / 12,273 (92%)$829,772AccorHotels ArenaParis10,051 / 14,471 (69%)$596,884Total190,707 / 205,504 (93%)$16,286,160
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