Concert Review: Beyoncé, Renaissance World Tour
July 18, 2023
On May 10, 2023, Beyoncé kicked off her Renaissance World Tour in support of her latest album. After a string of shows in Europe, Beyoncé started the North American leg of the tour on July 8th in Toronto, followed by Philadelphia, the first of a collection of shows in the United States, on July 12th.
Jode-Leigh — my partner/girlfriend of the blog/design-aficionado, etc. — got the chance to see Beyoncé in her home, Toronto, while I got to see Beyoncé a few days later in my home, Philadelphia. Just before the Philadelphia show, I frantically FaceTimed Jode saying “we should do a concert review of the show, comparing our experiences, and talking about different things we noticed!” Thankfully, Jode obliged my request and agreed to talk about her experience at the show. Below, we talk about some of our favorite moments from the Renaissance World Tour, the atmosphere at each, respective show, Beyoncé’s nearly 3-decade long career, and a bunch more! Here’s our review:
Stanley: You got to see Beyonce in Toronto for the first stop of the North American leg of the tour. What was the atmosphere like in the Rogers Centre? What were some of your favorite moments from the show?
Jode-Leigh: The atmosphere in the Rogers Centre during Beyoncé's concert was absolutely electrifying. Being the first stop of the North American leg of the tour, there was an incredible sense of anticipation and excitement in the air. The stadium was packed to the brim, and the energy was palpable. I went with my friend who flew all the way from Philly to be there, and we were both in disbelief that the moment had finally arrived.
One of my favorite moments from the show was when Beyoncé finally took the stage after a long wait ha ha. The whole crowd went wild and started chanting "Beyoncé!" It was an incredible moment, and you could see how genuinely happy she was to be there, sharing this experience with all of us. That moment set the tone for the entire night.
Everyone came dressed in their finest outfits, feeling completely free and unapologetically themselves. It was more than just a concert; it was a full-blown liberated party! We were all united by our shared love for Beyoncé and her music. We danced, laughed, cried, and belted out every song together. It was an amalgamation of her entire career condensed into one unforgettable night.
Beyoncé's artistic approach to the show was mind-blowing! She truly knows how to create an unforgettable visual experience…
- Jode-Leigh
Even though my friend and I had witnessed Beyoncé's performances before, being in her presence still left us in awe. I don't know how Beyoncé does it, but she makes every performance feel like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Every single moment of that show was straight-up mind-blowing. I honestly can't choose just one favorite moment because there were so many that left me speechless. I mean, from start to finish, Beyoncé was on our necks, she did not let up. Her entire performance was a moment. The production was absolutely chef's kiss—every detail was perfection! The band took me to church a couple times, and the background singers SANG! Now, those dancers? WHOA! Honey Balenciaga did that!
Well actually, if Blue Ivy had made a surprise performance, that would've hands down been my absolute favorite moment. But hey, I get it, Blue had more important things to do that night, ha ha.
Stanley: So, I live in the northern section of Philadelphia, which is pretty far from the stadium where the concert was being held in South Philly. I took the train down like I usually do. When I got on the train, it was pretty empty, but with each stop, I saw more and more people getting on in their Renaissance regalia: pink Cowboy hats, boots, metallic colored skirts, etc. — you could feel the excitement! I put my headphones in and started running the album back to get even more hype lol.
I got down to the stadium around 7:20 PM. From what you told me, and what I read online, I knew the show wouldn't start exactly at 7 PM (or 8 PM for that matter lol), so I tried to use as much time as I could to get photos of folks' outfits and make some portraits as they left the train station. I also wanted to make sure I got my t-shirt from some of the local vendors *wink wink* before the show started lol.
For a tour of this caliber, everything is so deeply rehearsed, which means there's not a ton of variation from city to city, but there were some moments that I think are particular to the Philly show.
So, you know how on COZY, she names a litany of women+artists? I counted at least 3 names that were directly connected to Philly. She started with Sister Rosetta Tharpe — a figure who's had an incalculable influence on popular music who called Philly home for a significant portion of her life — Tierra Whack, and Jill Scott. Beyonce put a lil extra something on it when she said “Jilly from Philly”! That was such a cool moment that I think also acknowledges the genealogy that Beyoncé follows in and is connected to.
Also, Blue Ivy! Like you mentioned, because she wasn't at the Toronto show I didn't really expect to see her in Philly; I just assumed she was only going to do the Europe leg of the tour. But when she came out, the stadium ERUPTED! Like, you could feel the building shaking! You could see the joy on Beyonce's face when the camera panned to her, too.
Lastly, I didn’t notice this at the show, but Kevin Aviance — who's featured on PURE/HONEY— and Kevin Jz Prodigy — who's also on PURE/HONEY, from North Philly, and the voice you hear in the stadium on the tour — were both at the show. Seeing them share a moment together, and Beyonce acknowledging them from the stage, was really touching and cool. I imagine it was a full circle moment for both of them.
The Renaissance era, maybe more than any other Beyonce era, has a distinct look and sound. You're a designer, and also really in tune with fashion in ways that me and my Pinterest boards can only imagine. So, what did you think about her artistic approach to the show? What were some of your favorite looks from the night?
Jode-Leigh: Beyoncé's artistic approach to the show was mind-blowing! She truly knows how to create an unforgettable visual experience. I mean, she practically invented the term "visual album." This album has been keeping us in suspense with no visuals yet, but man, I was so damn excited to see the Renaissance vibes come to life through the outfits and stage design.
Among the numerous stunning looks of the night, the custom LOEWE bodysuit she wore during her performance of HEATED stood out as one of my personal faves. The strategically placed hand motifs with those long red nails on the bodysuit and gloves were simply divine. JW Anderson, one of my favorite designers, nailed it yet again. And a big shout-out and props to Shiona Turini, my fellow Caribbean queen, for her incredible styling collab with Anderson on this look. I could not wait to see this look up close! It was the absolute perfect look to complement one of the most popular lines from HEATED: "Uncle Johnny made my dress. That cheap Spandex, she looks a mess."
The stage design was brilliant! The mix of futuristic elements with theatrical and disco-era vibes, like the robots and machines, was amazing. Oh, and the fisheye lens angle that captured Beyoncé in the bee outfit during PURE/HONEY — what a moment! "Bad bitches to the left. Money bitches to the right. You can be both, meet in the middle, and dance all night."
I can't forget to mention the visuals on the screen during the introduction of the "Anointed" segment of the concert. It was so deeply rooted in the Black experience! Beyoncé walking through the church, the dynamic marching band, scenes of resistance in the streets, and her sampling and singing harmonies from one of my favorite gospel groups, the Clark Sisters—it all made me feel like a true CHURCH GIRL ha ha! It beautifully encompassed the truth that for Black people, church is everywhere! The music and culture of the Black church reverberate far and wide, despite the spaces where Black people may not always be welcomed. Because of this, we've had to create our own spaces, and one of those sacred spaces is the Black church. The juxtaposition of church and freedom within that segment served as a powerful testament to the origins of the Black church—a space dedicated to liberation. Furthermore, it is worth noting that gospel music has heavily influenced dance music, becoming a sanctuary for Black+queer folks.
Right after that impactful segment, Beyoncé emerged in an outfit that illuminated, resembling the resplendent stained glass windows of a church. It was a breathtaking visual moment. And then she performed CHURCH GIRL, one of my personal favorite songs that resonates with me deeply." It was a beautiful and churchy segment!
Stanley: This is really well put - I love the way you described the outfits, their thematic connection to the songs, and the designers. I appreciate how attuned your eye for design is. This is certainly outside of my wheelhouse, but thanks for catching me up to speed lol.
You got some really great photos from the show with your film camera! What did you hope to capture from the night? Did the photos come out how you expected them to?
Jode-Leigh: First of all, shoutout to you for being my photography mentor, ha ha! I have no idea how you photographers do it. Remember when I called you in a frenzy, thinking my film was ruined? A MESS! But you know what? Despite the initial panic, I actually had a blast photographing this concert. It might just become my new (albeit expensive) hobby— capturing moments at concerts.
We discussed this before, but shooting film really takes you on a wild ride. You have to let go of any preconceived expectations about how your photos will turn out. You might have a vision in mind, but when the film gets processed, it's either a delightful surprise or a huge disappointment. That's the beauty of film photography—it's like living on the edge.
Stacey aka Stayonce. Photograph by Jode-Leigh.
My friend, who went with me to the concert, accompanied me to get the photos developed the next day. The entire time, I was so nervous, hoping that I had actually taken photos, ha ha. When I got the email with the photos, I was so relieved. I'm a newbie, and I'm really happy with what I got! Some photos could've been in better focus, but I liked them. My favorite picture was the one where I caught Beyoncé mid-spin or just as she turned around. I snapped the shot just in time. Balancing my nerves, the camera, and my phone was definitely a challenge, but I had so much fun capturing those incredible moments!
Honorable mention goes to another favorite photo of mine, not captured on my film camera but taken on my phone. It was a screenshot of you FaceTiming me to watch a part of the concert together. Ha ha, so romantic!
Stanley: Yeah, your pictures came out way better than mine from the show lol. And yes, I FaceTimed you after Blue came out! For me, I knew I (obviously) couldn't get close to the stage, so I wanted to get as many photos of folks as they were coming into the show - the streets leading up to the stadium basically turned into a big runway lol. This tour -- unlike most, or at least the ones I go to -- has a sort of agreed upon theme for attire, it really helps create a larger atmosphere of community in having a shared experience, so I wanted to capture what it was like being in the parking lot leading up to the show.
You've seen Beyonce a few times. How did this show compare to the other times you've seen her?
Jode-Leigh: I'm constantly in awe of how this woman manages to surpass herself with every performance, leaving me utterly speechless. It's almost paradoxical—she somehow keeps getting better with time, yet each time feels like her absolute best. It's mind-blowing. Mic drop ha ha. This was your first time seeing Beyoncé. What did you think?
Stanley: You know what's funny? I've always listened to Beyoncé’s music, and though I certainly wouldn't consider myself in the upper echelon of Beyoncé fans, she's been an integral part of my musical life. Like, I remember watching the Crazy in Love video on 106th and Park in elementary school; watching her interview with Oprah back in 2008 after the I Am... Sasha Fierce concert film was released; being in college when 4 came out, and the absolute chokehold Party had me and the rest of the Atlanta University Center in; remembering the night her self-titled album surprise-dropped, etc. So, when I'm at the show, I'm also reflecting on my own life in ways I did not quite expect coming into the show (?) lol.
After leaving the show, I can say that she lived up to my expectations -- and exceeded them at times — of what Beyoncé show is like. I loved the way she started the show with some of her slower, ballad-like songs (e.g., I Care, 1+1, Dangerously in Love 2 etc). For me, I thought it was a really bold and “mature” move to make. It sort of reminded me of a seasoned boxer, who is in no rush, because they know their game. To borrow another sports metaphor, it's like she let the game come to her. And we know Beyoncé has a 20+ year catalog of songs that’ll make folks dance, but it seems like people sometimes forget how great of a vocalist she is. I thought those opening songs were a great reminder of her vocal dexterity and acumen.
I thought the choreography was incredible. Dancing/choreography is sort of the sub-text for a Beyoncé show, in a way that, say, guitar playing would be for a Prince show. She didn't dance as much as I thought she would — I don't remember her doing the Single Ladies routine, which I feel like is a staple moment of her career. But, look, she's doing hundreds of shows and she is older now, so maybe expecting her to be 25-year old Beyoncé is an unrealistic expectation lol.
I loved the way the set list was constructed. The band — led by Khirye Tyler — did a really excellent job of offering imaginative arrangements, engaging with her catalog (which isn't easy to do given how much history she has), and incorporating covers, which I think highlights the tradition and genealogy Beyoncé follows in. Like, mixing the Jackson 5's I Want You Back with Love on Top, and also covering Tina Turner's' River Deep, Mountain High, speaks to the breadth of influences/artists she embodies.
