The Only Love Tour (originally dubbed the Gag Order Tour) was the sixth headlining concert tour by American singer Kesha, in support of her fifth studio album, Gag Order (2023). She announced the tour on May 30, 2023, with Jake Wesley Rogers as the supporting act. The tour began on October 15, 2023, at The Factory in Deep Ellum in Dallas, Texas and concluded on November 26 at Hard Rock Live Sacramento in Wheatland, California.
Background Since 2014, Kesha has been involved in a legal battle against her former producer and longtime collaborator, Dr. Luke, putting her career on hold. She released her final album under RCA Records and the Dr. Luke owned Kemosabe Records, Gag Order on May 19, 2023. The record saw Kesha dive into her more vulnerable side, as well as alluding to the lawsuit for the first time in her music. In June 2023, Kesha and Dr. Luke released a joint statement saying they have reached a settlement, about a month before the case was to go to trial.
Kesha described the tour to be a combination of joy, celebration, and moments of extreme, raw, vulnerability. The tour will also see performances of songs from her fourth album, High Road, as the coronavirus pandemic prevented Kesha from fully touring that album. Kesha also brought up the possibility of performing songs she isn't fond of. "There are definitely some songs that are not my favorites," she said to People magazine, "but I feel like I don't want to tell my fans that because if it's their number-one most favorite song, I don't want to kill the vibe. I also am open to, on this tour, playing some of the songs that are maybe not my favorites and creating new memories around them."
During a show in Boston, Kesha addressed the name change from the "Gag Order Tour" to the "Only Love Tour" by saying with all of life's difficulties, the only thing she could make sense of it all, referring to the lawsuit settlement, was love.
Critical reception Sophia Solano of The Washington Post gave a positive review of the October 29, 2023, show. She praised the maturity in Kesha's voice calling it "powerful". She notes that she is "free", referring to the lawsuit between the singer and Dr. Luke that lasted nearly a decade.
Set list This set list is from the show on October 15, 2023, in Dallas. It does not represent all concerts for the tour.
"Only Love Can Save Us Now" "Tik Tok" "Cannibal" "Backstabber" "Raising Hell" "Take It Off" "Good Old Days" (interlude) "Eat the Acid" "Till the World Ends" "Hymn" "Hate Me Harder" "Ram Dass Interlude" "Timber" "Your Love Is My Drug" "Die Young" "Blow" Encore "Praying" "We R Who We R"
Additional notes "Rainbow" was performed on select dates and would occasionally replace "Hymn". "Peace & Quiet" was performed on select dates.
Tour dates + List of 2023 concerts Date (2023) City Country Venue Opening act(s) October 15 Dallas United States The Factory in Deep Ellum Jake Wesley Rogers October 16 Austin Moody Theater October 18New OrleansOrpheum Theater October 20 Orlando Hard Rock Live October 21 Atlanta The Eastern October 23 Nashville Ryman Auditorium October 24 October 26 Newport MegaCorp Pavilion October 28 Ledyard Foxwoods Resort Casino October 29 Washington, D.C. The Anthem October 31 Philadelphia The Met November 1 Boston MGM Music Hall November 3 New York City Hammerstein Ballroom November 4 November 6 Toronto Canada History November 7 Detroit United States Masonic Temple November 9 Chicago Aragon Ballroom November 11 Milwaukee The Rave/Eagles Club November 12 Prior Lake Mystic Showroom November 14 Denver Mission Ballroom November 17 Oakland Fox Theatre November 18 Los Angeles Hollywood Palladium November 20 Anaheim House of Blues Anaheim November 24 Las Vegas Pearl Concert Theater Flyana Boss November 25 Reno Grand Sierra Resort & Casino November 26 Wheatland Hard Rock Live Sacramento
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