JAY-Z and Beyoncé are the undisputed king and queen of hip-hop. Last night's stop in Vancouver for their "On the Run Tour II" sent the message that, first, this will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future, and second the gangster and the queen are in L.O.V.E. Love.
While many concertgoers were under the impression that the show started at 7:30, long-time Beyoncé supporting act Chloe x Halle didn't go on until after 8 p.m. The Carters wouldn't make it onstage until after 9, and then blast relentlessly through 43 songs in approximately three hours.
But the mega-celebrities certainly gave fans what they wanted — from the first moment they stepped out onto the giant stage in glittering, regal white, holding hands and looking soulfully at each other — to when Beyoncé took off her hat and whipped her hair for the first of what would be basically hundreds of times over the course of the evening.
The stage production was incomparable. Two enormous screens allowed fans to see JAY and Queen Bey and in larger-than-life vision, as they sang and rapped many of their biggest hits. Most of these were shortened versions, from "Flawless," to the grind-tastic "Naughty Girl."
"Drunk In Love" gave concertgoers the first real taste of Beyoncé's stellar voice. The beloved songstress favoured thigh-high boots and basically anything thong, and characteristically never once held back during the many, many dance sequences of the evening. Backup dancers and a massive backdrop of big band performers added even more pizazz to what was already a high-production ride. In fact, JAY and Bey would pull out all the stadium stops from fireworks, to fire and moving stages. The whole event was quite the spectacle.
Beyoncé's girl anthem songs weaved nicely with JAY-Z's master hip-hop hits like "99 Problems," "On to the Next One" and fan favourite "N***as in Paris." Jay was a smiley, cool performer throughout the evening, providing some stellar musical moments as his wife made jaws drop with every dance move.
Beyoncé's "Don't Hurt Yourself" from Lemonade was one of the most high-energy points in the evening, and had her taking the gangster reigns from JAY for a bit.
Short films dispersed between sets created a narrative and framework for the show's central theme of love, a play on the Carters' new album Everything Is Love. Clips of their three children brought the narrative together at the end of the concert. While a few more songs were to come, "Crazy In Love" really summed up the evening. It was a reminder of what the couple was like in the old days, and supports what they have become now.
The point of "On the Run II"? The Carters have battled some relationship problems, but they've come out on top and more in love than ever. And that love is on display for all the world to see.
While many concertgoers were under the impression that the show started at 7:30, long-time Beyoncé supporting act Chloe x Halle didn't go on until after 8 p.m. The Carters wouldn't make it onstage until after 9, and then blast relentlessly through 43 songs in approximately three hours.
But the mega-celebrities certainly gave fans what they wanted — from the first moment they stepped out onto the giant stage in glittering, regal white, holding hands and looking soulfully at each other — to when Beyoncé took off her hat and whipped her hair for the first of what would be basically hundreds of times over the course of the evening.
The stage production was incomparable. Two enormous screens allowed fans to see JAY and Queen Bey and in larger-than-life vision, as they sang and rapped many of their biggest hits. Most of these were shortened versions, from "Flawless," to the grind-tastic "Naughty Girl."
"Drunk In Love" gave concertgoers the first real taste of Beyoncé's stellar voice. The beloved songstress favoured thigh-high boots and basically anything thong, and characteristically never once held back during the many, many dance sequences of the evening. Backup dancers and a massive backdrop of big band performers added even more pizazz to what was already a high-production ride. In fact, JAY and Bey would pull out all the stadium stops from fireworks, to fire and moving stages. The whole event was quite the spectacle.
Beyoncé's girl anthem songs weaved nicely with JAY-Z's master hip-hop hits like "99 Problems," "On to the Next One" and fan favourite "N***as in Paris." Jay was a smiley, cool performer throughout the evening, providing some stellar musical moments as his wife made jaws drop with every dance move.
Beyoncé's "Don't Hurt Yourself" from Lemonade was one of the most high-energy points in the evening, and had her taking the gangster reigns from JAY for a bit.
Short films dispersed between sets created a narrative and framework for the show's central theme of love, a play on the Carters' new album Everything Is Love. Clips of their three children brought the narrative together at the end of the concert. While a few more songs were to come, "Crazy In Love" really summed up the evening. It was a reminder of what the couple was like in the old days, and supports what they have become now.
The point of "On the Run II"? The Carters have battled some relationship problems, but they've come out on top and more in love than ever. And that love is on display for all the world to see.
