REVIEW: Beyoncé @ Nissan Stadium | 7.15.23 [PHOTOS]

Beyoncé
Nissan Stadium; Nashville, TN
July 15, 2023

Review by Mary-Beth Blankenship. Photos by Julian Dakdouk, courtesy of the artist.

In 2016, Beyoncé played one of the greatest shows we’ve ever witnessed in Nashville, when she brought her extravagant, critically-acclaimed Formation World Tour to Nissan Stadium. The artistry and magnitude of that performance (and the album it was in support of, Lemonade) was iconic and unforgettable, and seemed impossible to outdo. Though she did return a couple years later with her husband and collaborator, Jay-Z, for a smaller and less career-spanning performance at Vanderbilt Stadium, it was her recent return to Nissan, for one of the first U.S. dates of her Renaissance World Tour, that managed to capture an even more impressive and stunning spectacle than the already near-perfect Formation show- a feat only Queen Bey could accomplish. Once again, we were thrilled to be there to witness it in person; read our review below!

With no opener listed and a 7 p.m. start time advertised and stressed on social media, I (and most of the crowd arriving in plenty of time for an early start) were left waiting, and a bit antsy, for the nearly two hours it took the show to get started. I wouldn’t have minded the delay, had I not taken an ill-timed edible and experienced most of the high pre-performance. However, if anyone can blow your mind with or without herbal assistance, it’s the Queen.

The crowd shimmered with mirrored cowboy hats and head to toe silver ensembles, honoring the old west meets 3023 aesthetic of the latest album and tour. As time went on, the anticipation continued to build, and finally, once the sun had set and stadium had filled, the star of the evening took the stage.

Before Beyoncé came into view, her sultry voice echoed through the stadium, “Hello Nashville.” 

For those expecting the show to open with a bang, the singer subverted expectations immediately. Choosing instead to not so subtly remind everyone in attendance that she is, beneath the glitz, glamor, and camp of her new album, an extraordinary vocalist, who conquered the r&b scene before becoming the pop icon she is today, kicking things off with more mellow, older songs and covers which helped form the foundation of her long and celebrated career.

While the night eventually ascended to an extravaganza worthy of the dance club-primed Renaissance album, and the queer community that inspired it, we started out in a smokey jazz club. Seated atop a shimmering piano, Beyoncé weaved her way through ballads with vocal runs that ignited cheers from some and in others, inspired an awestruck state of speechlessness. Her ability to vocally balance tenderness and power while making it look effortless is an unforgettable, almost holy experience.

The show was divided into a series of distinct acts, and as the first concluded, the crowd’s energy began to build for the party that was to come. Beyoncé took our hand, and led us to a fever dream inside a disco ball, and it felt like we took a time machine to get there. Uncertain if we had traveled to the past or the future. This two and a half hour show felt more like a lift off to Planet Renaissance (than merely Club Renaissance), an otherworldly sphere of glittering explosions, and pure unfettered joy. 1960s disco mania was an undeniable source of inspiration, channeling heroes like the late Tina Turner, whose influence was evident in the night’s production, and whom Beyoncé gave a heartfelt dedication to during the opening act of her set, covering “River Deep, Mountain High.”

While this night, and tour, are clearly a celebration of Renaissance and all it represents, Beyoncé’s classics were seamlessly woven into the new stratosphere of this era. Giving fans plenty of chances to scream the words to their favorites, like “Run the World (Girls),” “Love on Top,” and “Crazy in Love” to name a few, covering at least something from each of her seven album (and lauded 2019 soundtrack work The Lion King: The Gift). One surprise was how little of Lemonade made the set, but after the stunning, unforgettable tour for that album, it makes sense that she would want to close that musical chapter for awhile.

The costume changes, and vehicles (yes vehicles) were one knock out after another. With nods to iconic performances, like the hot pink ensembles from Beyoncé’s 2018 Coachella, a.k.a. ‘Beychella,’ which felt even more appropriate with Barbie mania currently sweeping the nation. Throughout the show, we were given nothing less than an opulent circus of sculptural art. From mirrored horses and tanks, to a giant seashell (which to me was a wink to her longtime friend, and Disney’s new Ariel, Halle Bailey) and, surely, the biggest disco ball in existence. The word “epic” doesn’t even begin to cover it.

From start to finish, Beyoncé gave us an experience that fully encompassed the excellence of her career, art, vision, and passion. The excellence of her being. I went into the night expecting be blown away, but I couldn’t have prepared for the ride that was the Renaissance Tour. Being left speechless by this incredible woman isn’t new to me, and I won’t tire of it anytime soon. 

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Setlist:

Dangerously in Love
Flaws and All
1+1
I’m Going Down
I Care
River Deep, Mountain High

I’M THAT GIRL
COZY
ALIEN SUPERSTAR
Lift Off

CUFF IT
ENERGY
BREAK MY SOUL

Formation
Diva
Run the World (Girls)
MY POWER
BLACK PARADE
Savage (Remix)
Partition

CHURCH GIRL
Get Me Bodied
Before I Let Go
Rather Die Young
Love on Top
Crazy in Love
PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA
VIRGO’S GROOVE
Naughty Girl
MOVE
HEATED

AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM
PURE/HONEY
SUMMER RENAISSANCE