Beyoncé London review: the protest vibe feels a bit thin
Beyoncé London review: there’s no denying that belt, even if the protest aesthetic doesn’t quite work
No one can doubt Beyoncé. At least, not in terms of her belt and ability to deliver an incredible show. Give her any piece of music from operatic to country, and as she proved last night in London, she will sing it and make it sound excellent. On this level, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter show is predictably great. She sings just about any genre, including swathes of her newer country album Cowboy Carter, with incredible technical precision and by now you can tell it’s basically as challenging as a Tesco shop (not that I’d imagine she does many of those).
But there’s a thinness to her show that irks. The production-heavy concert features reams of video footage, some of black performers from the past who have inspired her, and there’s plenty of messages that are presumably meant to sound deep and arty, but it often feels corny and Americanised. At one point the whole stage is lit up with the three words: “This is theater.” Well, yes.
Beyoncé London review: that belt is still astonishing
There’s a disconnect between Beyonce and her ideals about activism – it’s difficult to imagine her really getting behind these causes because on stage she at best only offers platitudes.
It also feels jarring that her 13-year-old daughter Blue Ivy and youngest daughter Rumi, who is 7, are involved in the show. While Blue Ivy seems to properly understand the idea of performing, Rumi still looks and acts incredibly young, and I couldn’t help but feel the messages about empowerment clashed with their involvement. At seven I feel you are too young to make a decision about whether you’d like international fame or not.
As for the music, the setlist heavily features the new country tracks on Cowboy Carter, although towards the end of the show Beyonce performs a medley of older numbers including Crazy in Love, Single Ladies, Love on Top and Irreplaceable. The crowd respond best to this and clearly want more but you have to respect Beyonce’s artistry in keeping this show focused mainly around her newest record.
A cover of Beatles classic Blackbird was a gently folky introduction to a more upbeat set that led into splashes from Lemonade (Freedom, formation, Daddy Lessons) and a hint towards Renaissance (America has a problem, Thique, Cuff it, Heated) across an otherwise Cowboy Carter-heavy experience. Opening moments included Spaghetti and Diva leading into Just For Fun, Tyrant, Levii’s Jeans, Outlaw and later a cover of Jolene across an expansive near three-hour set that went some way to justifying the high ticket cost.
Everything was bathed in an All-American aesthetic which included interesting costumes designed from American flags and was so patriotic it basically felt like we’d been transported to America. While there’s no denying she still retains her star power, the protest stuff feels a little thin and if you’re an old-school Beyonce fan you’ll be a little adrift.
Seat Unique sell official premium and hospitality ticket packages for Beyoncé at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium