Back in 2017, Beyonce was supposed to be the headliner at Coachella but unfortunately had to cancel due to the pending birth of her twins Rumi and Sir. Fast forward seven years later, I finally had the opportunity to attend the first night of three Beyonce performances at Mercedes-Benz arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
The night started out a little rocky. The stadium had an issue with their self scanning system and ended up having their staff scan tickets and individually wand each attendee for safety. By the time I made it in it was 7:30 and the stadium wasn’t even half full. According to some fans, it took almost an hour to actually get in and to their seats. Once in, there was a DJ spinning house music to entertain the crowd and a couple of fans were voguing in the aisles and were cheered on by their fellow “Beyhive”.
Everyone brought their fashion “A” game that night. Lots of glitter, cowboy hats, heels, thigh high boots, couture dresses, bodysuits and even copies of Beyonce’s various fashion outfits on the Renaissance Tour. As 9pm approached the lights began to dim and the massive LED screen lit up and the two and a half hour show began. It was clear that this was going to be a production and not just a concert. When Beyonce puts on a performance it’s not just about the music, it’s a visual spectacle that takes you to a new level of creativity. The dancing, costume changes and the jaw dropping stage designs shows you the level of artistry and dedication that Beyonce brings to her craft.
Beyoncé’s first song “Dangerously in Love” was a throwback from her Destiny’s Child days. The queen herself was dressed in a beautiful green gown and Tiffany diamonds sparkled on her fingers and custom made earplugs. She took a moment to thank her fans and God for her successful career and said she would not be here without their support. Throughout the night, she would spot a fan and either wish them a Happy Birthday or to comment on a sign that someone had made. It’s that attention to detail that makes her concerts an intimate experience for everyone.
First of two standout moments of the night was when the Atlanta fans won the #everyoneonmute challenge during her song “ENERGY”. Everyone in the stadium managed to get in formation and were quiet for six seconds after she asked everyone to “mute”. The second is when 11 year old Blue Ivy, first born of the Carter family, came out to rock some dance moves with her mom. You could see the look of love and pride in Beyonce’s eyes as she watched her daughter light up the dance floor.
As the night went on Beyonce ran through a 34 song setlist of hits like “Formation”, “Break My Soul”, “Energy”, and of course a super fan fave “Crazy in Love”. During “Run the World”, Beyonce named some prominent female artists like her sister Solange, Grace Jones (she named her twice), Lizzo, and the late great Tina Turner.
At the end of the show, there was not a person sitting in their seat as Beyonce sung her final song of the night as she floated over the crowd on a high wire. Her performance Friday night was a testament to her status as a global icon and the unbreakable bond she has with her fans. If you ever have a chance to witness Beyonce live in concert, buy the tickets, take a friend and get lost in the music.
SETLIST
The Signboard
(Video introduction)
Dangerously in Love
(Destiny’s Child song)
Flaws and All
(contains elements of ” Adventures in the Land of Music” by Dynasty)
1+1
I’m Going Down
(Rose Royce cover)
I Care
River Deep, Mountain High
(Ellie Greenwich cover) (Tribute to Tina Turner)
RENAISSANCE
(video interlude — contains elements of “Where U At” & “DELRESTO (Echoes)”)
I’M THAT GIRL
(extended spoken intro — contains elements of “APESHIT”)
COZY
ALIEN SUPERSTAR
(with elements of “Sweet Dreams”)
Lift Off
(JAY Z & Kanye West cover) (shortened)
7/11
(Les Twins dance break)
MOTHERBOARD
(video interlude — contains elements of “Beat That Bitch”, “Work It To The Bone”, & “Percolator”)
CUFF IT
(contains elements of “CUFF IT (WETTER REMIX)”, “A Night To Remember” & “Love You Down”)
ENERGY
(contains elements of “End of Time” & “Countdown”)
BREAK MY SOUL
(contains elements of “BREAK MY SOUL (THE QUEENS REMIX)” & “Shake Your Body” by The Jacksons)
OPULENCE
(video interlude — contains elements of “No Angel”, “PURE/HONEY” & “Ghost”)
Formation
(shortened)
Diva
(shortened — contains elements of “Just Wanna Rock” by Lil Uzi Vert)
Run the World (Girls)
(shortened)
MY POWER
(shortened — contains elements of “Tanzania” & “Alright”)
BLACK PARADE
(contains elements of ” Formation” & “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar)
Savage (Remix)
(Megan Thee Stallion cover) (contains elements of “Yoncé”)
Partition
(shortened)
ANOINTED
(video interlude — contains elements of “Yoncé” & “Family Feud”)
CHURCH GIRL
(shortened)
Get Me Bodied
(shortened)
Before I Let Go
(Maze featuring Frankie Beverly cover) (shortened — contains elements of “Freakum Dress”)
Rather Die Young
(shortened)
Love on Top
(contains elements of “I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5)
Crazy in Love
ANOINTED – PT. 2
Love Hangover
(Diana Ross song) (background singers intermission)
PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA
VIRGO’S GROOVE
(elements of “Speechless”, ” Rocket”, “Cater 2 U”, “Signs”, “Dance for You”, & “Say My Name”)
Naughty Girl
(shortened — contains elements of “VIRGO’S GROOVE” and “Love to Love You Baby” by Donna Summer)
MOVE
(contains elements of “Move Ya Body” by Nina Sky and “Free Mind” by Tems)
HEATED
ALREADY
(Les Twins dance break)
MIND CONTROL
(video interlude — contains elements of “Ghost”, “Bootylicious” & “Single Ladies”)
AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM
PURE/HONEY
(contains elements of “Blow” — extended voguing outro)
SUMMER RENAISSANCE
(extended intro)
Words by Hillery Terenzi
