Concert Stage: 5 Most Amazing and Expensive Stages Assembled by Phillipa JamesWe all like listening to music. You hear music everywhere – from the supermarket to your car radio. We may all have different reasons for listening to music, but one thing’s for sure, music gives all of us a common ground. It is no wonder then that we all have this desire to go to concerts. After all, music is taken to a whole new level when it is being played live and you are there to witness all the wonders – from the energetic artists to the flawless concert stage.If you’ve ever been to a live music event you know that some concerts are just a cut above the rest. The artists and performances are not the only mind-blowing experience. You will also be amazed at the extravagance of the stage sets and designs. Some artists hire stage builders and designers to go on tour with them so they can build the same concert stage on all of their tour stops. Below are some of the most amazing and extravagant concert stage designs ever built:U2 – 360 TourPerhaps the most expensive concert stage setup is that of U2 during the 360 Tour. It was considered as technologically innovative, having the loudest sound system ever and cost between $23-31 Million per set-up. The design included a 200-ton, gigantic arachnid-like structure called The Claw. The structure features a central pylon that’s 151 feet in height.Photo Credit: Daily MailU2 featured this stage during their tour between 2009 and 2012 with stops throughout North and South America, Asia and Europe. There was also a huge video wall on the stage set that is said to cost around $1 million to build. These expenses were well worth it as U2 sold out all of their concert venues and the 360 Tour became the highest grossing tour in history – with $730 million total sales.Roger Waters – The Wall TourInspired by Pink Floyd’s The Wall album and tours, Roger Waters went on to have one of the most notable concert tours in history. It was more than just a mere concert, more like a complex display of stage theatrics, symbolism and amazing set design. Held between 2010 and 2013, the concert tour cost about $10 million per setup and spent an estimated $60 million on just props.Photo Credit: TelegraphRoger Waters toured the North and South America, Europe and Oceania – with a total of 219 venues. Each venue featured a stage with the biggest video screens (running at more than 500 feet in length and 80 feet high) displaying various anti-war messages and pictures of people who died during the war. Madonna – Sticky and Sweet TourWell known for her lavish shows, Madonna never fails to amaze and wow her fans in every one of her concerts. She’s the Queen of Pop, after all. For the Sticky and Sweet Tour, Madonna performed 85 shows with a total of $261 million expenses for the stage sets. As glamorous as the queen is herself, the stage was designed with two large M’s which were encrusted with diamonds – each M costing over $1 million.Photo Credit: WikiCommonsAside from the grandiose of the stage, Madonna’s entrance was also of grandeur. She rolled out on a white Rolls Royce and played on a T-shaped catwalk. Various guests included Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, Britney Spears, and Kanye West – all projected on a giant LED screen. The tour gathered more than 3.5 million fans and grossed $408.6 million – the highest-grossing tour by a solo female artist. The Rolling Stones – A Bigger Bang TourLaunching their newest album A Bigger Bang, at that time, The Rolling Stones went on a world tour between 2005 and 2007. The tour went on to become the second grossing tour in history, with total sales of $558 million for 147 shows.Photo Credit: N-JinnyThe stage for the famous rock band featured an 85 feet tall and 200 feet wide structure with firework shows and digital graphics. Fans were also able to have fun at balconies for an extra fee. The tour’s stage was as big as two basketball courts and weighed 80,000 pounds. It was estimated to cost around $1.6 million per set.Lady Gaga – Born This Way TourFor the Born This Way Tour, infamous American singer Lady Gaga used a stage design with sketches that she made herself. It was a five-storey tall stage with three dimensions and revolved around a huge Gothic castle. The castle alone weighed 30 tons and was considered a ground-breaking innovation in stage design and technology. The castle also featured 400 sq feet of built-in LED lighting. The set cost around $1 million to build.Photo Credit: GagaDailyBetween 2012 and 2013, Lady Gaga performed a total of 98 concerts and grossed $181 million in sales. The shows were divided into five acts, each with different props. Her show entrances included a huge zipped vagina, dancing with knights, riding a human horse, and dangling from a meat rack. With such controversial entrances, the tour became the fifth highest grossing tour by a solo female artist. Mind-blowing stages and superb performances really. If you are looking to build awesome stages for your next event or concert, UK Festival Stage Hire is here to help. Check out the products and services that we offer. Go to our Contact Us section and we’ll gladly assist with your needs!We have over 30 years experience in every aspect of production planning that your event may require. We can provide everything from simple stage lighting, to multilevel systems complete with staircase ramps, railings and stage flooring. We own hundreds of stage systems and some of the best portable production equipment money can buy. All our stages come with our expert knowledge and team dedicated to making your event run smoothly.Article Source: eArticlesOnline.com