On Nicki Minaj’s 2014 record “Feeling Myself,” Beyoncé rapped about making the world stop with her self-titled ‘Beyoncé’ album with no word or mention about it prior to dropping. Beyoncé has since been shutting the world down with her extraordinary showmanship and professionalism as one of the greatest entertainers of all time.
Queen Bey will undoubtedly shut down the city of St. Louis [pun intended] during her visit Monday, Aug. 21 at The Dome.
The international icon is on the road with her first solo tour in seven years, Renaissance World Tour. The tour follows the release of her seventh solo album of the same name, ‘Renaissance,’ which includes fusion of house music, disco, and serves as a love letter to the LGBTQ+ community, particularly Black folx. Fans get to hear Bey sing “Cuff It” (her longest charting solo hit), “Dangerously In Love 2” from her first album, the politically-charged “Formation” from her “Lemonade” album and more.
The first leg of the tour showed love to her international fans. The show launched in Stockholm, Sweden. Fans that were attendees of the first show along with all the fans who saw clips online witnessed that Queen Bey aka Sasha Fierce [Beyoncé’s alter ego] is still giving her performances their all, like her solo introduction to the world in 2003, and there’s no slowing down for the 41-year-old entertainer and multi-global superstar.
The Guardian reviewed her show in Stockholm calling it “a dizzying three-hour spectacular”.
“By rewiring dance music past in a sensory overload of truly stunning ambition and stamina, Beyoncé is writing some history of her own,” The Guardian wrote.
She debuted several other shows internationally before coming to the states. Paris is where her eldest child Blue Ivy, 11, made her stage performance debut dancing alongside her mother on stage. According to Blue’s grandmother, Tina Knowles Lawson, the preteen only had a week to practice for the tour.
“She is 11 years old, and she had one week to prepare, and she’s just getting better and better,” Tina told PEOPLE. “So I’m the proud grandma, always.”
Her US portion of the tour will have visited Toronto, Philly, Chicago, Nashville, and more before coming to St. Louis next Monday.
She has stunned with her fashions throughout the tour, wearing a chrome and metallic leotard, a corseted black mesh netted bodysuit with shimmer and chain detailing, a bumble bee outfit since she’s Queen Bey and more. The tour has also inspired fans to step their swag up and give their take on Renaissance Tour couture. Many recreating some of her most memorable show looks while others are innovative and stand out on their own.
Bey’s loyal Beyhive (her dedicated fanbase) aren’t the only ones basking in all of her Renaissance glory. Celebrities have also been spotted out enjoying the tour. From Mama Tina to Bey’s hubby Jay-Z to her childhood bestie and former group member Kelly Rowland to Tyler Perry and Vice President Kamala Harris, Hollywood has been out in droves showing their support and singing at the top of their lungs at her shows.
With past tours Beyoncé used her BeyGood foundation to be good by giving back to communities in different cities that are seen as marginalized and underserved. She’s done this by providing scholarships, internships, and entrepreneurship resources. Her efforts have continued with this tour. She’s already donated $100,000 in scholarship funding to Detroit School for Digital Technology and donated $120,000 to small businesses in Atlanta.
As her St. Louis fans prepare for her show, they have creatively come up with themed parties to celebrate her visit to the 314. Sing-along to the soundtrack of Bey at the Beyoncé Sunset Rooftop Party hosted at Live! By Loews rooftop terrace Sunday, Aug. 20, and enjoy gourmet food and drinks while wearing your best Renaissance outfits at the Beyoncé Renaissance Pre-Game Brunch, also on Sunday at HeyDay HQ.
Carlos Basquiat, a model, choreographer, and dancer currently on the Renaissance Tour is hosting a vogue class at COCA Saturday, Aug. 19. The cost is $40 per dancer and can be paid for in cash at the door or electronically through Zelle or Venmo. Find more information here: https://www.cocastl.org/calendar/vogue-class-with-carlos-basquiat/.
The tour is produced by Beyoncé’s company Parkwood Entertainment and promoted by Live Nation. Tickets for her St. Louis show is available on Ticketmaster’s website and Live Nation’s website.
