The rare appearance of the sun shining across London’s skyline was a fitting welcome to Beyoncé for the first of five dates of her Renaissance tour—her first solo tour since 2016’s LEMONADE.
I arrive at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the concert at around 5pm, others tell me they were there from 1pm. But I’m not surprised: this has been one of the hottest tickets of the year, around the world, so the excitement was real for all of us here in London. Looking out across the glittery, 66,000-strong crowd, slap-bang in the middle of the venue, the A-listers are seated together for all to see—stars such as Dua Lipa, the elusive Frank Ocean, Damson Idris and, of course, her husband Jay-Z—waiting in anticipation to show their love and appreciation for Queen Bey.
It’s almost 7.35pm and, after over two hours of seeing folk practice their voguing in their shiny cowboy hats and matching boots, suddenly everything goes quiet as lights begin to flicker from the stage. It’s finally time: the pop-R&B superstar’s here, ready to entertain, her iconic silhouette illuminating from the blue crystals of her custom gown by London-based designer Roksanda, as she introduces herself to her people. “London is in the house!” shouts Beyoncé, and the entire stadium erupts with roars and deafening screams (guilty as charged).
To open her three-hour show, standing before mosaic mirror tiles, Beyoncé performed an array of ballads, including fan-favourites “Dangerously In Love”, “Flaws & All”, “1+1” and “I Care”. Even as early on as this, many in the crowd had tears running down their face (I came close) as they sang along to every word. It was like we were in the presence of an angel, an otherworldly being—better yet: an Alien Superstar!
Dripping with sci-fi disco decadence, body positivity and Black feminine pride, the overall concert was an ode to ballroom culture and a love letter to Beyoncé’s late uncle, Johnny. During the show, a slow-tempo rendition of “River Deep, Mountain High” was dedicated to her icon, Tina Turner, who passed away last week. It was an unforgettable moment that left the audience in awe... No doubt Tina and Johnny were up there, arm-in-arm, looking down and smiling at all what was going on.
In the middle of her breathtaking run of “I’m That Girl”, “Cozy” and “Alien Superstar”, Beyoncé announced that her daughter, Blue Ivy—fresh from her debut in Paris—was in the building: “This is my bloodline,” she said like the proud mother that she is. Jumping into “My Power”, Bey’s baby entered the stage like a boss and dropped some slick choreography with the backing dancers. The crowd was on Gas Mark 10 by this point, roaring with feelings of elation after recognising the young star’s talent.
Who needs visuals when Beyoncé gives us a tour like this? This will definitely hold us for a few months because the tour alone has given the album a whole new lease of life. From the stage theatrics to the dancers and the setlist, we were well and truly entertained.
