Beyonce has long towered tall as the standard-bearer of performance in the modern music age.
As such, it’s of little surprise that immediate pandemonium greeted news of the launch of the ‘Renaissance World Tour.’
The buzz for Queen Bey has been at particular fever-pitch as she rides of the wave of momentum generated by the release of the trek’s like-titled studio album, ‘Renaissance’.
Functioning as yet another culture-shifting moment for the icon, the summer stadium run serves as the first time the project’s material is being performed live.
It’s notably also Beyonce’s first solo tour in over six years.
That Grape Juice was on-hand at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the latest stop of the ‘Renaissance World Tour.’
Head below for our EXCLUSIVE review…
Beyonce has a well-documented penchant for torching the rulebook and it’s a trajectory that continues with her return to the stage.
For, instead of the expected high-octane opening, a blazing vocal showcase of powerful balladry kicks off what unquestionably qualifies as the superstar’s grandest showing yet.
At the top of the night, the GRAMMYs most-awarded winner declared that what would follow would not be about “perfection,” but rather “release.”
In reality, the ‘Renaissance World Tour’ delivers both bountifully.
Aptly anchored in the intergalactic, the nearly 3-hour extravaganza manages to be both out of this world and Beyonce’s most relatable live offering to date. True to form, Mrs. Carter (as she oft referred to herself throughout the concert) was fierce, ferocious, and potently precise. Yet, more than ever before, she was skilfully chilled. This eclectic combination of the scorching hot, the welcoming warmth, and the effortless cool render the ‘Renaissance World Tour’ a compelling exhibition of a seasoned superstar with a dedication to evolving.
Yes, there are the big choreographed moments (‘Cozy,’ ’Energy,’ ‘Formation’), but there is also beauty in the layered intricacies of the performer’s latest live blockbuster.
Of the many instances to draw from, perhaps most striking is her uncanny ability to interact with the crowd and personably acknowledge the sea of signs only to effortlessly hit her mark a millisecond later.
Make no mistake, though. For all its “girl next door” appeal, the ‘Renaissance World Tour’ is a well-oiled, slickly produced machine of a show that is befittingly majestic like the Queen at its center.
With over two decades on top, Beyonce has mastered the art of metamorphosis while savvily maintaining a qualitative throughline. With this trek, there quite literally is an iteration of “Beyonce” available for all. From the vocal fireworks of the unique ballad opening with ’Dangerously in Love’ to the nostalgic warmth of funkified cuts such as ‘Cuff It’ and ‘Love On Top’ to the braggadocios swagger of ‘Savage’ and ‘Diva.’ Whatever your flavor, there are bountiful servings of Bey to feast on.
For much of her tenure in the spotlight, Beyonce has come to mean so much more than a “singer” – she has ascended to the rightful status of a cultural light force. And oh did the capacity crowd at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium re-affirm that. The euphoria embedded in their full-volume renditions of ‘Love On Top’ and the beloved outro of ‘Heated’ captured this in earnest.
The ‘Renaissance World Tour’ (which features the Midas touch of industry heavyweights like Fatima Robinson, Es Devlin, and Chris Grant) is one that has been pieced together with both purpose and intention. As a Pop show, it hits its marks with sniper-like precision. The spectacle is grand, the outfits stunning, and the scale gargantuan. Yet, most potently, it manages to encapsulate the heart of an album that many deem to be Beyonce’s most culturally resonating release to date. As a body of work, the LP functions as a melodic space of expression, self-love, safety, and a seismic celebration of the marginalized. These themes are woven throughout the entire show, both at a macro and micro level – with the epic ballroom segment towards its climax serving as one of the most emphatic exclamation marks.
With this show, Beyonce powerfully reminds that she is the mold and the master of the contemporary music climate. And, when it comes to blazing a stage, she remains peerless.
That Grape Juice Rating:
☆☆☆☆☆
5/5
That Grape Juice Highlights: Heated, Break My Soul, Cozy, Love on Top, Alien Superstar
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