Today is Beyoncé’s 45th birthday. So, as a celebration of the occasion and the 20th anniversary of her sophomore album, B’Day, we’re taking a look back at The Beyoncé Experience tour, which ran for 96 shows across six continents throughout 2007. Long before stadium-filling megatours like Formation or Renaissance redefined modern live entertainment, the artist solidified her spot as the premier performer of her generation, successfully marking the monumental moment of her first solo world tour.

I have strong memories of buying the DVD in the fall of 2007 and watching it over and over again. The live versions of the tracks with live instrumentation sounded amazing, and to this day, I still believe it is a masterclass in athletic vocals, relentless choreography and theatrical stamina. Across a massive 96-show itinerary, Beyoncé established the blueprint for what fans now expect from a global pop production.

RELATED: An Oral History of Beyoncé’s “Déjà Vu”

Tour Breakdown & Regional Itinerary

Running from April 10, 2007 to November 12, 2007, the tour took Beyoncé across Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, Africa and the Middle East:

• Leg 1 (Asia): April 10, 2007 – April 14, 2007 (Kicked off at the Tokyo Dome in Japan)
• Leg 2 (Oceania): April 21, 2007 – April 26, 2007 (Covered major arenas in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne)
• Leg 3 (Europe): April 30, 2007 – June 10, 2007 (Encompassed 30+ European shows, including multi-night stands at London’s Wembley Arena)
• Leg 4 (North America): July 6, 2007 – September 15, 2007 (Opened at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans and spanned arenas across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico)
• Leg 5 (International Final): October 17, 2007 – November 12, 2007 (Wrapped with arena dates across Europe, Ethiopia, India, China, the Philippines and Taiwan)

In my opinion, what made The Beyoncé Experience uniquely iconic was its musical foundation, which also included Suga Mamas, an all-female, 10-piece backing band complete with a powerhouse horn section, twin drummers and virtuosic soloists. Then there was the masterful setlist that blended high-energy B’Day tracks like “Get Me Bodied,” “Freakum Dress,” and “Irreplaceable” with reworked Destiny’s Child classics and extended dance breaks. On September 2, 2007, on her 26th birthday weekend, Beyoncé filmed the Los Angeles show at the Staples Center, creating a definitive concert film that remains a fan-favorite artifact of Y2K pop music.

And nearly two decades later, The Beyoncé Experience still stands as a crucial turning point—the moment a rising solo star fully transformed into an untouchable live music icon.

Featured Photo: Columbia Records/Parkwood

RELATED: From B-Sides to Spanish Tracks: Inside Beyoncé’s $150 ‘B’Day’ 20th Anniversary Edition