The show included many references such as to James Brown and Donna Summer as well as routines inspired by "Sweet Charity" and Marilyn Monroe. It opened in darkness, with Knowles emerging through a hole in the stage amidst smoke, sparkles and pyrotechnics to perform "Crazy in Love" with a snippet of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" in a sparkling silver gown and walking to the front of the stage, as fifteen disco balls hung from the ceiling. Her background band started playing the music to the funk song and while singing, Knowles walked up a huge staircase which moved forward in two places where her all-female band and three backup singers were positioned. At the top of the staircase/mini-stage, she tore off the bottom of her dress and walked back down to the main stage. Her three backup singers came down as well and did the "uh-oh" dance from the song with her.