Precisely one yr to the day after Beyoncé launched her Grammy-winning “Renaissance” album, the Queen B arrived in all her royal splendor for the primary of two sold-out exhibits at MetLife Stadium.
It accomplished the New York takeover of Mr. and Mrs. Carter after Jay-Z’s “E book of HOV” exhibit opened on the Brooklyn Museum a few weeks in the past
Twenty years after they’d one of many all-time songs of summer season with Bey’s first solo smash, “Loopy in Love,” Bonnie and Clyde are nonetheless operating this city.
However not like the final time Beyonce performed MetLife — throughout 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 robe, white opera gloves and diamond chandelier earrings — she regarded as if she was able to carry out at yet one more presidential set up, not the “Renaissance” World Tour.
And opening with “Dangerously in Love”—the title monitor of her debut solo album launched 20 years in the past—she flexed a number of the melismatic, Mariah-esque thrives that had been extra prevalent in her early profession whereas chants of “Beyoncé” would barely let her end the tune.
Then she went into “Flaws and All,” a fan-favorite deep reduce from the deluxe model of her “B’Day” album.
And when she sang “I’m a peasant by some requirements/However in your eyes I’m a queen,” she smiled as she acknowledged that she was now the sort of music royalty that’s her era’s reply to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
However within the first of six acts—that includes solely ballads resembling “1 + 1”, “I Care” and a stunning, gutsy cowl of the Mary J. Blige basic “I’m Going Down—it was nearly as if Beyoncé was opening for herself. As a result of, actually, who else may do it?
And earlier than all of the dancing and razzle-dazzle, she reminded you that she was a singer before everything, regardless of “Renaissance” not at all times being the sort of conventional vocal showcase that earlier tasks have been.
However the live performance actually began with its second act, kicking off with “Renaissance” opener “I’m That Woman.”
Rocking a fuchsia pretend fur over her silver sequined bodysuit, she managed to look cool even within the humidity of one of many hottest nights of the yr.
It was a complete vibe swap — and right here “Renaissance” actually got here to life.
As a result of no movies had been launched for “Renaissance,” the anticipation—and thriller—was on excessive for what precisely the visible vibe can be. And it was one thing like “Barbarella” meets “Stable Gold”— a disco sci-fi fantasy.
And with a military of dancers in good formation with their boss chick, the get together was on.
“Cozy” — one of many songs that greatest captures the homosexual underground membership vibe that impressed “Renaissance”—deepened the groove with rumbling drums and voguing strikes.
And when she sang that she was “one among one” on “Alien Famous person,” such a boast was hardly bragging when you possibly can again it up as she will be able to.
I imply, who else however Beyonce—trying like Diva Barbie in all sparkly pink—may have all of MetLife doing a line dance to “Cuff It”?
When she sang “We gon’ f—ok up the night time,” that mission had clearly been completed.
And it spoke to the facility of Beyoncé that, whereas she did nearly all of “Renaissance,” she skipped a few of her largest solo hits—together with “Child Boy,” “Irreplaceable” and, most surprisingly, “Single Girls (Put a Ring on It)”—and also you didn’t even miss them.