- Music
- 16 Apr 18
On Saturday night the global superstar took to the Main Stage at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival delivering a performance that was nothing short of a gobsmacking marvel of choreography and musical direction
Exploding out onto the stage with horns, trumpets, trombones, sousaphones and a full marching band in the style of a historically black college football halftime show, the 36 year old oozed force and determination.
As Beyoncé always does with her live performances, she switched it up and changed all of her classic hits, starting with 'Drunk in Love,' beginning as a bass-thick molasses which quickly blew up into a confetti of trumpets. "Bow Down" transformed into a techno style chaos and then there was the incredible Caribbean laced "Baby Boy" which was backed up by a startling Jamaican jazz band.
Her performance was greatly anticipated after bailing on the festival last year after falling pregnant, but rescheduled for this April. Her performance at the weekend along with her second appearance next weekend are her only U.S dates this year.
Not only was the performance an intricate and complex demonstration of her capabilities as a global superstar, it was also a one-after-the-other series of stars that kept on coming out and joining her, making the crowd go absolutely bonkers. First came her husband Jay-Z, performing "Deja-Vu" with his wife who was showing affection for him yet still solidifying it was her show. And then came quite possibly the biggest surprise of the weekend; a reunion with her former Destiny's Child groupmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. The three of them looked phenomenal in diamond incrusted army sets, a recreation of the "Survivor" days. And just when we all thought she couldn't possibly bring anything more to the table, out comes Solange where the sisters performed a playful dance routine along to "Get Me Bodied."
Advertisement
The reaction from fellow celebrities was insane. Rihanna who didn't post anything, was too busy enjoying the performance up at front row. Draped in a sheer beige ensemble fans went wild as they filmed the Bahamas babe in her element. Adele who watched the concert from her home, is seen dancing in front of her television to the performance accompanied with a trumpet. And then everyone from Chance the Rapper, Ava DuVernay and Elizabeth Banks made sure to publicly praise the Queen on social media.
The detail that went into the performance (she changed her nail varnish twice), was out standing and like nothing Coachella has ever seen before. She single handily bulldozed the ideology of the relaxed festival vibe and the idea that musicians exist to perform in service of a greater vibe, turning her performance into a rowdy, fierce Beyoncé moment. There is no stopping this woman, especially not age as with every year she creates more and more outstanding content wether it be musically or performance based. She is in a league of her own, she is her own genre and institution and this weekend, Coachella saw it first hand.