I saw Beyoncé at SoFi stadium in L.A. (night 3) and was BLOWN AWAY.
She is an absolutely incredible performer. Who else does it like her? From vocals to stage design, setlist, dancers, effects, storyline, visuals, to the OUTFITS… it was stellar in every way.
Tickets
I decided to go the morning of the show, a Wednesday. I checked prices and there was a ticket for ONLY $87. What?! Even with parking and service fees, I only paid about $140 total. I thought I’d have to pay something like $300 so I just couldn’t pass it up.
Merch
Super cute! I’ve seen some complaints online about it starting to wear out and fade quickly, but my shirt’s still fine. The design itself has a faded look so maybe that’s masked any wear and tear. I got this shirt for $69.74 according to my bank statement.
They had lots of cute stuff – fans, hoodies, denim shorts, bandanas, a cowboy hat, posters… a bunch other stuff I’m forgetting, lol. I was thinking about getting the LA edition shirt but decided to get this one instead:
Stage
If the Renaissance stage was a banjo (hinting at Act II being country) THIS stage looked a lot like an electric guitar. Is the next album ROCK? People have already been saying that but it was still cool to see this little hint. We already know Beyonce is a huge fan of Tina Turner and Prince so it’s gonna be amazing. I also thought the star point going into the screen was a really clever touch.
Intro
The screen had an American flag made up of little blocks and as the start time drew nearer, it started playing a cool kind of elevator music. As the show was about to start, it started glitching (I think it did for Renaissance too?) and fades away. Then dancers start walking on stage and the music starts 😭
AMERIICAN REQUIEM
First you hear her. Then you see her. She comes out of the triangular screen entrance looking and sounding absolutely unreal. I cried. I mean, I also cried the first time I heard this song – it’s so emotional and raw – so seeing it live and seeing her appear was apparently too much for me to handle lol. She sounded INCREDIBLE and her voice goes all the places the studio version of this song goes.
BLACKBIIRD
She started off with thanking the crowd for dressing up and explains this song was for all the “talented blackbirds” who came before her so she could be on this stage. The screen flashed images of Linda Martell, Elizabeth Cotten, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and the Little Rock Nine (who Sir Paul McCartney literally wrote Blackbird about). I love how Beyonce always gives tribute to people she looks up to who came before her. Especially because she is that person paving the way for so many others. And she sounds absolutely lovely singing BLACKBIIRD.
The Star Spangled Banner
Really cool rendition of the Start Spangled banner here with some guitar distortion and kind of wailing vocals. (Are we getting more of this vibe in the Act III??) Also a cool way to follow up Blackbiird. A distorted national anthem reflecting the distortion of our contry’s identity, a narrative that is constantly changing and being rewritten – now with Beyonce’s own creative commentary too.
Freedom
So fitting to follow the Spar Spangled Banner with Freedom. The crowd got so hype to this song.
YA YA / Why Don’t You Love Me
Ok I LOVED experiencing YA YA live!!!! High energy, fun, and I thought I’d explode when she broke into Why Don’t You Love Me!!! 😭 I love that song. This mashup absolutely did it for me. They also danced on the saloon side of the stage which was my side so I loved getting a better view of Beyonce and the dancers 🙂
Interlude: Robot pouring Sir Davis / OH LOUISIANA
I don’t mind the product placement the way she does it. Besides, let her promote her businesses in her show, we love it. This part felt like we were watching her come home to have a drink and watch some tv after a long ass day. Like everyone does. Except it’s Beyonce lol. And when she turns on the tv we see footage of Beyonce getting criticized, particularly for making country music, like she’s pointing out this next section is about the messaging we’re getting in the media (tv, etc.) Images cut in of her as a lady liberty figure, painted and covered with the American flag, like she IS America. Yet here are all these people saying America has a problem – Beyonce. (Also, not too far after her singing “Why Don’t You Love Me”!) With that set up…
AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM
Beyonce at the podium, her and her dancers wearing newspaper bodysuits, killing it. The setlist placement is genius. Also, this is our first taste of Renaissance in this tour. And Blue Ivy does her solo here – go Bluuuue!
SPAGHETTII
This song was SO DRAMATIC on tour and I loved it. They hit the perfect picture when they do the multiple arms dance pose at the beginning, the one that looks like South Asian dancing, then the “Bang” with the gun props! Fun that this choreo played even more on the idea of cultural mashup (the song nodding to the fact that American spaghetti Westerns were actually shot in Italy, choreo pulling dance moves from Asia, making us question what “authentic” American culture really is, anyway?)
Also just wanna say that the intensity and energy is on point every single time. She always nails the spirit of what the song is about. (We’ll get back to that later around 16 CARRIAGES.) Total commitment, every time. From the whole crew, actually.
Formation
Taking it back to Formation! An absolute moment. Again with the drama.
MY HOUSE
So happy this song made it into the show!
Bow Down
Yay so glad this made it into the show too!
Diva
In a show with so many standout moments, this was definitely one of my favorites. I love this song. This is the first Beyonce song my daughter ever liked (it really did something for her 3 year old brain lol). The little interactions between the dancers and audience at the “she ain’t no diva” part are so fun too.
Interlude – Cowboy Carter
Beyonce comes into town and is a cowboy badass… and I don’t remember this bit too well. I really wish I did. But I remember this being shot so beautifully. I’m looking forward to seeing this part again in theaters for the Cowboy Carter tour film (hoping they make one and I don’t have to wait for a DVD in 2050… 😭)
ALLIIGATOR TEARS
Taking it back to Cowboy Carter. I like this song even more now that I’ve seen and heard her perform it live. Just Beyonce with her amazing voice and her fancy embellished alligator head mic.
JUST FOR FUN
I actually really like this song but I don’t really remember it that well compared to all the rest of the show.
PROTECTOR
I love seeing Beyonce’s motherly perspective in PROTECTOR. She captures this aspect of motherhood so accurately. Including her girls, Blue and Rumi, in this part of the show brings the message home and gives them a huge shared moment in every show. Together they experience the love that the audience showers on them and they experience a part of their mama’s world. But Beyonce’s right there with them, and we see her simultaneously being a global superstar and mother – and it’s beautiful and inspiring and important for so many people to see. I think this show is healing people for real.
FLAMENCO
Dancer Kaitlyn Sardin (@kaitrock on Instagram) absolutely killed the dance in this part. This reminded me of how Beyonce had tap dancers in her I Am Yours show. Also, what’s the deal with Irish step dancing being in the show? Early Irish and Scottish immigrants brought instruments like fiddles over to the Americas which helped shape the sound of country music. Which we definitely hear on the album (TYRANT?) Just thought that was a cool tidbit; helped me appreciate the album that much more.
Interlude – Peep show
Cute and again so fun! Love that she goes all in. Look at Beyonce acting it up, also being the voyeur too haha.
DESERT EAGLE
The visuals for this song were siiiick. I loved the American desert graphics with the highway road down the center walkway. It reminded me of going on road trips with my family and always being struck by how beautiful this country’s land is. And of course I love the groove on this song. Delicious.
RIIVERDANCE
I adore the track list in this part of the album (specifically listening unbroken from YA YA straight through to the end of the album) and love that she kept this little string of songs in order for the show (DESERT EAGLE, RIIVERDANCE, II HANDS II HEAVEN, and TYRANT). RIIVERDANCE was never my favorite song on it’s own but I really enjoyed getting to experience the live version, especially placed as it was.
II HANDS II HEAVEN
Maybe my favorite song on Cowboy Carter. It’s definitely up there. It’s just a gorgeous song. To hear Beyonce sing it live with the emotion she pours into it – transcendent!!! Bummed I didn’t take any videos of it but I guess I was fully in the moment. So I’m ok with that.
TYRANT
Or is THIS my favorite song on the album?? To be honest I was hoping for a slightly bigger performance for this song but the mechanical bull was still cool (Chantel and Chris from the CCTV podcast share my sentiment about this bit.) Who knows, maybe this song will be reworked for a future show in another fun way.
THIQUE
Love her slinky little dance moves through this, it’s a vibe. And this was the part of the show where they do a little Bills Bills Bills tease with the girls in salon chairs over on the Cecred Salon part of the stage.
LEVII’S JEANS
Cute, fun… I don’t have much else to say about this part 🙂
SWEET ★ HONEY ★ BUCKIIN’ / PURE/HONEY / SUMMER RENAISSANCE
Oh wait, is THIS my favorite song on the album?? Loved this part of the show SO MUCH. My daughter jams out to this with me so it has extra sentimental value. The BUCKIN’ part goes hard. Loved the vocals and dancing and delivery of this whole song. The crowd ate it up at the “AOTY who ain’t win?” part too. Also there is the MOST SEAMLESS integration of PURE / HONEY and SUMMER RENAISSANCE into this song. Divine…
Interlude – Attack of the 400 Foot Cowboy
My favorite interlude. This was great. Beyonce’s a giant walking through all the cities she’s touring in, lights her cigarette with the Statue of Liberty, dancing and being a badass with cuts of old school cartoons and film clips cut in to make it look like they’re reacting to the 400 foot cowboy that is Beyonce – all to Big X Tha Plug’s The Largest. Beyonce really is larger than life.
TEXAS HOLD ‘EM
The truck prop that they come out on is wild. And again, so much fun! This was a good time.
Crazy in Love
And then to do a throwback medley?? Aaaamazing. I don’t think these songs were part of the opening show because I listened to the Billboard podcast about opening night and they mentioned missing some classics like Single Ladies etc. So I am SO glad I attended a show that had these worked in. The crowd went crazy for these songs too.
Single Ladies
I would have been ok if this was left out but this made a lot of fans happy 🙂
Love On Top
Now THIS song I NEEDED in the show. I could have cried (again) because I was so happy to hear it.
Freakum Dress
Whooo! Yes!
Irreplaceable
I think this was a favorite for the group who was, funnily enough, to my left.
If I Were A Boy
Have we already discussed how well Beyonce can sing and emote?
JOLENE
Ok listen this was sooooo good. This was definitely a song I was looking forward to in the show. Beyonce brings the intensity. And then she brings out a flying horseshoe that zooms around the stadium surprisingly fast, like it really moves, and transitions into…
Daddy Lessons
Yes, Daddy Lessons! The song that gave birth to Cowboy Carter. So good. The musicians kill it throughout the entire show but I particularly enjoyed them in this song. I made sure to include them in a video for this song.
BODYGUARD
Oh my god I adore this song. She’s such a mood when she sings it.
II MOST WANTED
I wish there was more to this part of the show but I get it, I guess it’s not the same without Miley. Plus it was so impactful when Miley DID come out in Paris to sing it. That was awesome and I love that it happened as a special surprise so I’m not too mad about it. Just a bit jealous 🙂
CUFF IT
Beyonce sang CUFF IT on a separate little stage which brought her closer to the audience at the end of the runway part. She always gives so much thought to the audience experience. It’s such an act of caring. Happy I got to see this song live!
SMOKE HOUR II
Thanks Willie 💨
HEATED
Wow I wish I recorded this but I was fully in the moment for this song. SO GLAD I got to experience this live! This is one of my favorites off RENAISSANCE. So, so good.
Before I Let Go
SO HAPPY this song made it into the setlist! She really does love this song because I think it was in Renaissance too (and of course Beychella). Such a classic. Such a good time.
Interlude – Chevalier Opera House presents DAUGHTER
The drama. Making it theatrical, showing the clapperboard, over-the-top visuals that now I see link back to the designs that her LED dress projected, Bey as the victim and the killer, then the proclamation THIS IS THEATER leading to the violinist and dancer?? Wow.
DAUGHTER
To be honest I didn’t understand the reason for the LED dress being incorporated into this performance but hey, it was sick. (This article explains that it was designed by Kunihiko Morinaga and gives more detail about the graphics it displays during the song.) Also, hello vocals. In this GQ interview, Beyonce explains that she included a sample from the 1700s written by Black composer Joseph Bologne, aka Chevalier de Saint-Georges. How incredible is that? Now she’s weaving in the music of a Black man who was born in the French colony of Guadeloupe to an enslaved mother; his father was her slaveowner. Let’s remember here that country music has roots in the music of enslaved people (see the banjo – which was also the stage shape for the RENAISSANCE tour, hinting at Act II being country). Someone described this album as “downright scholarly” – touches like this just illustrate that to a T.
I’M THAT GIRL
Let’s go back to the RENAISSANCE! I missed the tour and the movie (been kicking myself for that) so I loved getting a taste of it here. Her swag is untouchable. Who else could sing this? And the fact that she integrated a good chunk of Act I into this show gave it continuity and reminded us that yes, this is all part of a cohesive project.
COZY
I adore this song. This was great. And the robot frames are so cool.
ALIEN SUPERSTAR
This song is a good time. The moon stage was really cool and I enjoy the cute and weird little alien dance moves haha.
Interlude – Ballroom dancing
Honey Balenciaga and Darius Hickman fuck it uuuup.
Déjà-vu (Déjà-Blue)
Go Blue Ivy! This is another one of my favorite Beyonce songs so I love that it’s part of the show, even if it’s not being sung live. And it’s so cute to have Blue dance to a song by both her parents.
Interlude – Beyonce’s journey
Baby pictures, family home videos, flashes from her entire career from starting as a literal child, to Girls Tyme, to Destiny’s Child, to going solo, to award shows, to her performing with icons (Diana Ross, Prince, the Obamas, more!), and we are just reminded of the complete and absolute whirlwind of a life and career she’s had, gaining speed faster and faster and taking on the theme of a round, a cycle… Closing on the words of her dad, with him telling the girls that it’s important to reallu feel what they’re singing about – and you know Beyonce feels every bit of 16 CARRIAGES when she sings it.
16 CARRIAGES
The part with the flying car. At the time of writing this (yeah it’s taken me a while) she just had her incident in Houston where the flying car malfunctioned and she had to get lowered down. She maintained her poise so well in a genuinely scary situation. And I love that she poked fun at it in posts after it happened (the Sittin’ Sidewayz one is 😂). But this song was beautiful live and I really appreciate that she came close to the fans in one more round for this part. All this work over all these years, and the bond between her and her fans has been there and growing this whole time.
AMEN
The show finally ends with the dramatic AMEN.
For my show Beyonce wore a long sleeved black bodysuit with huge bell bottoms with the American flag pattern. I loved it. Fantastic ending to a fantastic show.
The masked Statue of Liberty bust was really cool too. But what do we think this means? Lady Liberty’s a badass? A reminder that liberty has had to be fought and hard won in this country’s history? Which reminds me – I always wondered why the album cover artwork shows her holding the flag but with the blue portion out of the frame. I looked up the flag’s color meanings and red represents courage, valor, and readiness to sacrifice; white stands for purity, innocence, and adherence to ideals; and blue stands for justice. So maybe leaving the blue out of the frame implies that true justice has still not been attained.
Final Thoughts
Seeing Beyonce live was LIFE CHANGING.
I’ve seen some of her documentaries and specials before but this was my first time seeing her live. I have a new definition of excellence, seeing the care and attention to detail that she puts into a live show. It makes me feel like I can be better, do better. Seeing her be great makes me want to be great.
I already loved Beyonce and loved her projects, but seeing her live just catapulted her even higher to me. She is an absolute icon who has done so much for music and culture. And she continues to grow in her artistry and raise the bar EVERY single time. I can’t wait for Act III.
I better start saving my money to see her again 😭
Watch clips from my show (LA Night 3) on my channel HERE 🤠
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