After Cyrus' premiere performance, the Bangerz Tour received praise from critics. Victoria Pavlova from Contact Music spoke favorably of Cyrus' stage presence and wardrobe, and stated that her entrance was "enough to recommend the show right there." Mike Wass from
Idolator described the performance as being "weird and wonderful" and jokingly called it the musical version of the film
Spring Breakers (2012). He appreciated that she "[owned] all her headline-grabbing antics from 2013 (the twerking, that foam finger and those skimpy outfits)" and mainly performed tracks from
Bangerz, although he was more critical of her vocal delivery during the slower tracks and the inclusion of "filler" songs, which he felt "[didn't] quite cut it." Jane Stevenson from the
Toronto Sun praised Cyrus' performance, writing, "Cyrus seemed dead serious about having some very colorful fun for two hours. She opened her show sliding down a giant pink tongue extended from her gaping mouth on an enormous video screen that showed her pretty face in all its blue-eyed, blond-cropped hair glory... It was a real spectacle." Shawn Conner from
USA Today wrote that Cyrus' performance proved that "the time has come to move the conversation [...] beyond the notorious move she pulled on
Robin Thicke at
last year's MTV Video Music Awards"; he spoke favorably of the on-screen visuals seen alongside Cyrus and appreciated that she did not
lip sync along pre-recorded tracks. Conner also opined that "Cyrus has the charisma and maybe the smarts to be the post-
Madonna Madonna", and added that she appeared to be "approachable, on- and off-stage, in a way that Madonna never did." However, in a more mixed review, François Marchand from
The Vancouver Sun provided a more negative review; he suggested that Cyrus was "a pop artist in a shiny, attention-grabbing wrapper", and that the performance was neither "the evolution of pop, female empowerment, [or] mindless fun", but rather "capitalism at work". Sam Lansky writing for
Time magazine praised the singer's performance in Brooklyn calling her one of the "most dynamic performers of her generation." Adam Graham from
The Detroit News gave a positive review of the performance in Auburn, writing the show "is like a blast of confetti to the face, a dizzying, non-stop party that leaves you reeling and questioning what you just saw." On July 30, 2014, John J. Moser of
The Morning Call included the tour in his list of Top 3 Concerts alongside tours by
Billy Joel and
Katy Perry stating "...Miley shockers these days are about her topless desert photos and cameo in Pharrell's newest video. That doesn't mean the show's not still worth seeing." Glenn Gamboa of the
Newsday praised the show and Cyrus' vocals, writing "...She then proceeded to take on
Bob Dylan's "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go",
The Smiths’ "
There Is a Light That Never Goes Out",
Lana Del Rey's "
Summertime Sadness" and
Dolly Parton's "
Jolene" with no special effects or choreographed moves – just her powerful voice. That she can get an arena filled with teens and young adults to sing along with Dolly Parton's country hit from 1973 speaks to the power of Cyrus. And, for the most part, during this version of the Bangerz tour, she uses that power for good." Kelly Roncace of the
South Jersey Times reviewed the show positively, writing, "While Miley has been surrounded by some controversy since her transformation from child star to a less inhibited adult performer, the artist's raw talent and ability to entertain was evident from the first note of the show to the last." Dan DeLuca of
The Philadelphia Inquirer, also gave a positive review, writing, "... she was straightforward and serious minded when it came to augmenting her own material – she performed all of
Bangerz, plus two older hits, "
Can't Be Tamed" and "
Party in the U.S.A." – with a selection of covers designed to challenge herself. The show is also funny, and doesn't come off as pre-programmed and scripted as most over the top arena spectacles... that unpredictable eclecticism is just a broad stroke representation of the new genre-jumping normal, and it's from some combination of those elements that Cyrus will become a new
Someone Else." Scott Mervis of the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette praised the show and Cyrus' vocals, calling it an "over-the-top dance-pop extravaganza with a wacky sense of humor, artful musical gestures and a big-voiced playful star who seemed thrilled to be there." Théoden Janes of
The Charlotte Observer praised the show, writing, "Beneath all the audaciousness was a fair amount of awesomeness. Cyrus didn't lip-synch a word. Her voice was both flexible and appropriately raw. Throughout, she managed to come across as gracious and accessible, bantering with fans and accepting pretty much any gift that came her way." Chris Talbott of the
Star Tribune provided a positive review, opining that Cyrus showed her growing prowess as an entertainer during the show. He also praised Cyrus' vocal delivery and called the show a "real spectacle." A critic from the
Nashville Scene praised the show and Cyrus' strong vocal delivery. He further commented on the show's theme, writing, "It was an impressive pop-culture aggregation and the entire production was like a party scene from an over-serious 90s movie about a future dystopia...The thing about Miley Cyrus is that she's a genuinely beautiful woman unafraid of making herself look like a total goober: it's hard not to be charmed by that." Blake Hannon provided a positive review, praising Cyrus' powerful vocal delivery and calling the show a "campy, cartoonishly over-the-top spectacle and musical showcase that was unforgettable... You can't help but admire (or scratch your head at) the girl's go-big-or-go-home approach." Kevin C. Johnson of
St. Louis Post-Dispatch provided a favorable review, praising Cyrus' "solid and consistent" vocal delivery and calling the show a "silly and entertaining spectacle." == NBC television special ==