As the sun was setting on the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on a Thursday evening at the start of May, the parade of characters making it's way from the parking lot to the gates offered a peek at the R&B-hootenanny circus that was about to unfold over about three hours. One bedazzled, glowing, rainbow-decked cowgirl and cowboy after the other, striding purposely over the dirt and gravel to achieve the end goal--being in the same approximate space as their Queen Bey, and paying homage.
It did genuinely feel like a spiritual gathering, once we had negotiated the vast venue and taken our seats. Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter's days as a pop-soul star have passed; we've seen her graduate to bonafide R&B icon with the stature of a Whitney Houston (RIP), Diana Ross, even Aretha (RIP). That's where she is now. The top rung.
Much has been written about the mega Cowboy Carter tour: the theatrics, the set design, the costumes and lights. The sheer immensity of the spectacular performance. And by god, nobody was exaggerating. The screens behind Beyoncé appear to be playing mini-movies--genuinely impressive visual feats.
For a chunk of time, Beyoncé was hovering over us on a giant horseshoe. While it was wobbling and jolting in the air, her voice didn't waver at all. Then there was the gold bull machine, Beyoncé being bucked around but her vocals again holding steady.
The choreography was dazzling throughout, and Beyoncé never looked anything less than majestic. All of this is solid fact. But here's the wonderful secret: If there were no lights, no flying horseshoes, no gold bulls, no mini-movies, no dancers, no costume changes and, shit, no stadium--if Beyoncé performed the same set in a bar wearing jeans and a tee--it would still have been an incredible show because the real gift is her voice.
This was true from the opening, goosebump-inducing "American Requiem," to the closing "Amen." Her dalliance with country music has been celebrated in some quarters, maligned in others. At the beginning of Act 2, images of Fox News anchors blasting Beyoncé for that very thing are beamed out, before "America Has a Problem" gets a much-needed airing. The truth is, country music can survive one of the biggest artists in the world playing with some crossover ideas. Really, what are they afraid of?
The answer, of course, is a strong black woman who refuses to stay in the lane that those oppressors have designated hers. She can veer in any direction she wishes, including into country music. If she wants to try her hand at opera next, or techno, folk or bluegrass, she will.
Her covers of the Beatles' "Blackbird" and Dolly's "Jolene" are both respectfully, lovingly given a Beyoncé spin, while shortened versions of old faves "Crazy in Love" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On it)" fit seamlessly alongside the new material.
Her daughters and mom join Beyoncé at various points, showcasing the talent that runs through the family. Beyoncé is delighted to share the limelight with those closest to her. Songs such as "Bodyguard" and "Protector" tell us all we need to know in that regard.
By the end though, the overwhelming feeling is that, somehow, Beyoncé has stepped up to yet another level. Thing is, she ain't done yet.
Photos by: Julian Dakdouk, Mason Poole
