In a break from the previous three years where the shows were essentially a series of mini-concerts by individual performers, this year there were more ensemble performances. Also unlike the previous three years, the individual performers did not perform according to their elimination order on American Idol, and the number of songs performed by each performer did not reflect their elimination order. The show started with a group performance by the girls and the first half ended with a group performance. The first half featured solos from the first six eliminated contestants—Pia Toscano, Paul McDonald, Thia Megia, Stefano Langone, Naima Adedapo and Casey Abrams, while the Top 5 performed their solos in the second half. Duets and group performances interspersed the solo performances. The second half started with solos by the runner-up Lauren Alaina, and ended with solos by the winner Scotty McCreery followed by the traditional closing group performances.
Reinhart – "The House of the Rising Sun" and "Bennie and the Jets"
McCreery – "Your Man", "Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not" and "I Love You This Big"
McCreery and Alaina – "When You Say Nothing at All"
McCreery – "Gone"
Group medley – Durbin and Alaina – "Here I Go Again", Abrams, McDonald and Reinhart – "Faithfully", Adedapo, Langone, Lusk and Megia – "Walk This Way", all – "Any Way You Want It/Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'"
Additional notes
Lauren Alaina sprained her ankle backstage at the Portland show, and performed her next show with the injured foot strapped in a boot.
The performance of Firework was removed from the setlist in shows starting from Rosemont, Illinois due to Lauren Alaina needing to rest her voice. However, it did return to the set starting with the Philadelphia show. Alaina did not appear in the first half in Columbus and Pittsburgh, but did appear in the second. However, she missed the Baltimore show completely, and reported that she was suffering from severe bronchitis.
Paul McDonald was absent from the Providence show.
It was the second time that the American Idol Live! Tour traveled to Asia with the Philippines being the second and only country for this year that they traveled to outside the United States and Canada.
Tour dates
The Albany show was originally scheduled for August 28 but moved to September 4, 2011 due to Hurricane Irene.
Response
The tour attendance rebounded after the poor turn-out for the Season 9 tour. Sixteen of the first 24 shows were sold out, and more than 97% its tickets hasd been sold through its first 14 dates with an average venue size of 8,100. The tour grossed $22,002,464 from 47 shows with an attendance of 97%. The tour had the highest number of sell-outs of all seasons due in part to a lower-average venue size of 8,856. It was ranked number 38 in the Pollstar Top 200 North American Tours for 2011.
Revenue
The tour was ranked No. 38 in the list of 2011 Year-end Top 200 North American tours, based on total gross income.
