Sometimes it's hard to think about what hasn't been said about Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter, the reigning Queen of modern Pop, R&B, Dance, and now Country music. As one of the most influential figures of the century (in both music and beyond), she's truly one of one, and really she IS number one. After trekking across the globe to promote Act 1 of her current trilogy, Act 2 may seem scaled back, but only by dates alone. This time around she may not be making as many stops around the planet as she did for Renaissance, but make no mistake, there is nothing about The Cowboy Carter Tour to be taken lightly and there's every reason to make the claim that this could somehow be her great act yet. There's also something to be said about Beyoncé creating a scene where upwards of 50,000 people can show up in traditional Americana garb of cowboy hats and cowboy boots without there being an underlying fear of some White Nationalism being a slight theme. Instead, she has carved out a space where people who may not have been afforded the safety in other places to be themselves, self-expressive, and thrive in a setting that may not have otherwise been welcoming to them. In a time when people are too casual with the terms icon and legend, Beyoncé reminds us what the words should be reserved for and proves how she is somehow above both of those terms and exists at a level all her own. In some ways it seems a little unfair, but who else could take an album that's great, but not amazing, and have that be the one to finally win her Album of the Year at the Grammys and also be the one that gives us yet another performance of a lifetime. Now, before the Bee Hive comes for blood, let's be clear that calling Cowboy Carter her least great album of her current era and perhaps not even a top 3 in terms of her all-time best is saying something because it's still a high caliber album and one of the best from 2024. If anything, that just goes to show how unbelievable the rest of her catalogue is in comparison. Still, even when she's not creating some of the best work of the century, she's still making some of the best music of the moment. If you've seen a Beyoncé concert before, chances are it ranks amongst one of the best you've ever attended and truth be told, the best Bey concert is probably the one you attended last, but it's without question that, aside from Beychella, this one could somehow top the rest. From the opening moments when she emerges from the beyond to great the stadium, a deafening roar overtakes the stadium and she instantly holds the crowd in a firm grip. Immediately she declares the show's mission statement which is to reclaim American traditions for the Black folks who created them and Country music is only a portion. "Don't ask permission for something that rightfully belongs to you" appears in massive red letters on the screen behind her as she welcomes the night with "American Requiem," which is also the first track from the album before she gracefully descends into her cover of the Beatles' "Blackbird" which she stated is one of her all-time favorite songs. Personally, this was a tear inducing moment that was completely overwhelming in the best possible way and absolutely wrecked me as her voice shone line a bar of solid gold. Seamlessly transitioning into a rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" which included audio of Jimi Hendrix's famed version from Woodstock was the real icing on the cake, setting the tone for the greatness that lay ahead. When she followed that with "Freedom," it was without question the most patriotic feeling I've experienced in quite some time. Hitting us with such vivid imagery, it was clear that she did not come to play and was ready to remind all in attendance the historical significance of Black folks in popular music and exactly where tribute must be paid. Images of her in braids with a sash that read "The reclamation of America" as she raised a massive blunt to her mouth conquered the screens behind her and propelled the night forward as fans continued to rave at her every move. Putting her vocal prowess on display from the start, it wasn't long before she also reminded us that she came to dance and was ready to lead her troop through kickass numbers for the night all while donning impeccable outfits and hitting every single note with unwavering power and undeniable control. On stage, she's an absolute force of nature and it's hard to imagine how anyone could possibly think there's a stronger talent out there. To watch Beyoncé on stage is to see the best the world has to offer and is a singular experience that we are lucky enough to witness time and time again. The evolution of her career has been another astounding aspect to be able to participate in and just when it seems like she's maxed out her powers, she somehow defies all expectations at a level of professionalism that other can only dare to dream of possessing, and she does it with her kids in tow as well. The only time eyes were off the Queen for the night was when Blue Ivy would grace the stage and let us know that she's unquestionably following in her mother's footsteps as she led numerous dance numbers throughout the night all of which had the crowd cheering along in the most supportive and enthusiastic manner imaginable. Naturally, when Rumi joined them for her appearance on "PROTECTOR," the building shook and the young one excitedly waved to the crowd as she bathed in the cries of people who'd defend her life in a second. The love was fierce throughout the night and the hive was ready to give it all to the mother of evening. "RIIVERDANCE" and "II HANDS II HEAVEN" were elevated experiences as her vocals soared beyond belief, harnessing a power deep from within and using it to bless us all with her unmatched talents. As thrilling as the new songs were, when she got to her classics set of the night, the stadium once again became unhinged as we all dialed in for the defining anthems of our time. When the hands went in the air for "Single Ladies," people were elated and the key changes of "Love on Top" were some of the most joyous moments of the night, but when "Irreplaceable" had tens of thousands of people chanting "TO THE LEFT, TO THE LEFT," it was a new level of euphoria. "JOLENE" and "Daddy Lessons" brought more of the Country flavor, but when she welcomed us back to Renaissance, it was clear that the crowd was ready to eat and the girl made sure everyone was fed with heaping proportions. Decked out in solid gold, Bey rocked us with "COZY" and "ALIEN SUPERSTAR" that reignited the runway and had the dancers showing off their best moves to thunderous applause. To bring things to an end, the Queen took flight for a second time in the night and this time she circles the stadium in a blazing red convertible that flew over heads as she gave her best pageant wave while belting out "16 CARRIAGES." The superstar power on display for the nearly three hour extravaganza was both breathtaking and an all out surreal thing to behold. A defining artist of the past twenty-fives years and the epitome of excellence when it comes to an entertainer. Rock and roll may be the big rumor for what we believe is the final act of her recent work, but at this stage it's clear that whatever she chooses to do, she'll do so in a regard others can only dream about, but to her this is just reality and we're all lucky that she is taking us on her journey.
02 "Blackbird" [The Beatles cover]
03 "The Star-Spangled Banner" [John Stafford Smith & Francis Scott Key cover]
04 "Freedom"
05 "YA YA"
06 "Why Don't You Love Me"
07 "AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM"
08 "SPAGHETTII"
09 "Formation"
10 "MY HOUSE"
11 "Diva"
12 "ALLIIGATOR TEARS"
13 "JUST FOR FUN"
14 "PROTECTOR"
15 "FLAMENCO"
16 "DESERT EAGLE"
17 "RIIVERDANCE"
18 "II HANDS II HEAVEN"
19 "TYRANT"
20 "THIQUE"
21 "LEVII'S JEANS"
22 "SWEET ★ HONEY ★ BUCKIIN' / PURE/HONEY / SUMMER RENAISSANCE"
23 "TEXAS HOLD 'EM"
24 "Crazy in Love"
25 "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"
26 "Love on Top"
27 "Irreplaceable"
28 "If I Were a Boy"
29 "DOLLY P"
30 "Jolene" [Dolly Parton cover]
31 "Daddy Lessons"
32 "BODYGUARD"
33 "II MOST WANTED"
34 "CUFF IT"
35 "SMOKE HOUR"
36 "HEATED"
37 "Before I Let Go" [Maze featuring Frankie Beverly cover]
38 "DAUGHTER"
39 "I'M THAT GIRL"
40 "COZY"
41 "ALIEN SUPERSTAR"
42 "16 CARRIAGES"
43 "AMEN"
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