Beyonce Stuns With ‘Lemonade’ Debuts, Rousing Hits at Tour Kickoff

That mix of raw talent and ethereal mystery is why no one can look away, and it was on glorious display Wednesday as she drove through nearly 20 years of hits. A particularly powerful moment came halfway through the show with Lemonade‘s harrowing spurned-lover anthem “Don’t Hurt Yourself.” Beyoncé sang into the mic, swaying side to side in a long fur coat bathed in red lights while  images of fire burned up the tall screen behind her. The giant obelisk onstage then split in half to reveal a shower of gold sparks. It was a passionate moment, though not overwhelmingly angry. Soon after, a throne emerged from behind the sparks, and the queen took it, singing a devilish minute of the Doors’ classic “Five to One.” “No one here gets out alive,” she roared.

Throughout the show, the master performer threw her whole body into each movement, imbued each lyric with a piece of her soul, and the audience was at her command. When she asked “who run the world,” the men in attendance yelled “girls.” She told the crowd that her favorite song from Lemonade is “All Night,” and as she sang the line “baptize your eyes and dry your tears,” the arena turned into a church.

The show was a visual feast as well as an emotional tour de force, packed with fireworks, confetti, rearranging stage designs and aerial dancers. Two talented fans joined Beyoncé onstage to perform the iconic “Single Ladies” dance routine. She paid homage to Prince by leaving the stage and letting “Purple Rain” play. Her female drummer, guitarist and bassist all got a turn at a spotlight solo.

She made herself relatable when she shared footage from fans and intimate moments with her family. Then she wowed when the L-shaped catwalk filled with water, splashing the first few rows of fans as Bey and friends stomped and danced to “Freedom,” “Survivor” and “Grown Woman.” 

The Lemonade album – all the chatter surrounding it – only confirm that Beyoncé has morphed from a smiley young entertainer into an era-defining artist before everyone’s eyes. She’s a strong woman, a devoted wife, a proud mother and a world-beating superstar about to smash a string of tour dates across the globe. Still, the best thing about Beyoncé is that she manages to seem incredibly humble.

“We were driving to rehearsal today and [Blue Ivy] said, ‘Mommy, are we going to your work?’ and it reminded me that I dreamed of this day my whole life,” she related to the audience one quiet moment between songs. “You’re witnessing my dream come true right now.”

Really, Bey, it’s our pleasure.

Set List

“Formation”
“Sorry”
“Flawless”
“Run the World (Girls)”
“Mine”
“Baby Boy”/”Standing on the Sun”
“Hold Up”
“Countdown”
“Me, Myself and I”
“Runnin’ (Lose It All)”
“All Night”
“6 Inch”
“Don’t Hurt Yourself”
“Ring the Alarm”
“Diva”
“Naughty Girl”/”Independent Women, Part One” [dance break]
“Flawless (Remix)”
“Feeling Myself”
“Yoncé”
“7/11”
“Drunk in Love”
“Partition”
“Rocket”
“Hip Hop Star”
“Daddy Lessons”
“Single Ladies”
“Purple Rain” (Prince cover)
“Crazy in Love”/”Bootylicious”
“Naughty Girl”
“Party”
“Blow”
“Nasty Girl”
“Sweet Dreams”/”Sweet Dreams” (Eurythmics cover)
“Freedom”
“Survivor”
“End of Time”/”Grown Woman”
“Halo”