Beyoncé Renaissance tour review – dazzled during on first London date | Music | Entertainment

Starting a set with a string of ballads was a bold move. But Beyoncé had an agenda for the London leg of her Renaissance tour: to start the party. And indeed, when the final lines of I Care curled into the air above the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, her cobalt Roksanda ballgown was packed away, replaced with the first of five sequinned leotards, and the dancing began in earnest. The show – the first of five sold out nights in the capital – was a star studded affair, with Dua Lipa, Kris Jenner, Frank Ocean and Jay Z in attendance among the 66,000-strong crowd.

Keeping it in the family, 11-year-old Blue Ivy was there too, joining her mum on stage as a dancer for Black Parade in a genuinely sweet moment.
Renaissance is Beyoncé’s first solo tour since 2016, and it was clear from the off that the 41-year-old was here to disrupt. The 40-song set list kept things interesting, shunning fan favourites like Halo and Single Ladies in favour of a Renaissance-heavy programme.
The result? A show to move to. A playful Beyoncé took us to the club in a celebration of ballroom culture and body confidence.
After starting slow with Dangerously In Love, Flaws and All and 1+1, a tribute to Tina Turner followed, honouring the late singer with River Deep Mountain High.
Next, highlights included Break My Soul, Cozy and Formation.
Old songs were layered over the new, freshening up Beyoncé’s extensive back catalogue. Love On Top was mashed with The Jackson Five. There was even the odd nod to Destiny’s Child thrown in.

While it was hard to take one’s eyes off Beyoncé herself, the production team would ask you to, having thrown just about everything at the set. It was amongst the most impressive I’ve seen.
There was a gyrating space buggy, a bejewelled hydraulic clam and enough pyrotechnics, confetti and glitter to rival the New Year fireworks. Beyoncé changed costumes six times, embodying a giant bumble bee and sitting behind a news desk for America Has A Problem.
Closing the show with Summer Renaissance – another curveball – she flew across the stadium on a glittering silver horse, rising off it like a fever dream of Glinda the Good Witch.

This was Beyoncé’s most visual tour yet. The dance moves from her were less, with rumours of recovery from foot surgery. But this allowed her voice to shine somehow all the more.
High fashion. High energy. High drama.
Beyoncé is well and truly in her fun era. And we love to see it.
“I’m host of imperfections,” she sang
I couldn’t find one.