Exactly one 12 months to the day after Beyoncé released her Grammy-winning “Renaissance” album, the Queen B arrived in all her royal splendor for the primary of two sold-out shows at MetLife Stadium.
It accomplished the Recent York takeover of Mr. and Mrs. Carter after Jay-Z’s “Book of HOV” exhibit opened on the Brooklyn Museum a few weeks ago
Twenty years after they’d certainly one of the all-time songs of summer with Bey’s first solo smash, “Crazy in Love,” Bonnie and Clyde are still running this town.
But unlike the last time Beyonce played MetLife — during their joint “On the Run II” tour in 2018 — this one is all about B.
Arriving in a cloud of smoke — regally resplendent in a black and white gown, white opera gloves and diamond chandelier earrings — she looked as if she was able to perform at one more presidential installation, not the “Renaissance” World Tour.
And opening with “Dangerously in Love”—the title track of her debut solo album released 20 years ago—she flexed a number of the melismatic, Mariah-esque flourishes that were more prevalent in her early profession while chants of “Beyoncé” would barely let her finish the song.
Then she went into “Flaws and All,” a fan-favorite deep cut from the deluxe version of her “B’Day” album.
And when she sang “I’m a peasant by some standards/But in your eyes I’m a queen,” she smiled as she acknowledged that she was now the form of music royalty that’s her generation’s answer to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
But in the primary of six acts—featuring only ballads similar to “1 + 1”, “I Care” and a surprising, gutsy cover of the Mary J. Blige classic “I’m Goin Down—it was almost as if Beyoncé was opening for herself. Because, really, who else could do it?
And before all of the dancing and razzle-dazzle, she reminded you that she was a singer at first, despite “Renaissance” not at all times being the form of traditional vocal showcase that previous projects have been.
However the concert really began with its second act, kicking off with “Renaissance” opener “I’m That Girl.”
Rocking a fuchsia fake fur over her silver sequined bodysuit, she managed to look cool even within the humidity of certainly one of the most popular nights of the 12 months.
It was a complete vibe switch — and here “Renaissance” really got here to life.
Because no videos were released for “Renaissance,” the anticipation—and mystery—was on high for what precisely the visual vibe could be. And it was something like “Barbarella” meets “Solid Gold”— a disco sci-fi fantasy.
And with a military of dancers in perfect formation with their boss chick, the party was on.
“Cozy” — certainly one of the songs that best captures the gay underground club vibe that inspired “Renaissance”—deepened the groove with rumbling drums and voguing moves.
And when she sang that she was “certainly one of one” on “Alien Superstar,” such a boast was hardly bragging when you possibly can back it up as she will be able to.
I mean, who else but Beyonce—looking like Diva Barbie in all sparkly pink—could have all of MetLife doing a line dance to “Cuff It”?
When she sang “We gon’ f—k up the night,” that mission had clearly been achieved.
And it spoke to the facility of Beyoncé that, while she did just about all of “Renaissance,” she skipped a few of her biggest solo hits—including “Baby Boy,” “Irreplaceable” and, most surprisingly, “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”—and also you didn’t even miss them.
