Queen of pop Beyonce Knowles arrived in London this week for her current tour 'The Mrs Carter Show' and I was lucky enough to bag myself some tickets back in February! Having seen the singer perform before (I sat in the audience for A Night With Beyonce at the Fountain Studios) I knew she wouldn't disappoint.
On Wednesday I queued up with friends at around half three in the afternoon, which is a perfect time to go- we were behind the hardcore hobo-esque fans who had camped out overnight for a prime spot, but in front of the casual queuers.
After the doors opened at six-thirty, we implemented our plan of action as to where we wanted to position ourselves in correspondance to the stage (you have to be like this in the cutthroat concert-goer world) and managed to be five rows from the front of the main stage.
The support act of the night was the impressive R&B singer Luke James, who sang infectious tunes like "I Want You" and definitely warmed the crowd up with his sultry singles and rose-giving.
With a wonderfully heart-pounding introduction video before her entrance, Beyonce is seen in Elizabeth I- esque clothing before bursting on the stage to perform the ever- popular Run The World and fist-pumping and leg-kicking her way through End of Time.
For Get Me Bodied and Baby Boy, she donned a beautiful black encrusted leotard with sheer cut-outs, finished off with a cute bejewelled baseball cap complete with cat ears.
Mrs Carter continued to woo the crowd with Schoolin' Life and Why Don't Love Me? before placing herself on top of a piano to belt out 1+1 in a dazzling midnight blue jumpsuit.
The show continued to blow the audience away as Beyonce flew across to a B-stage, situated in the middle of the arena where she mingled with the crowd, inviting them to sing along to Irreplaceableand Survivor.
Next came the much anticipated Crazy In Love and Single Ladies (seen above and below) in which the singer adorned a baroque leotard as she gave the world famous track a Southern remix.
The star finished the night with unreleased track Grown Woman, which possessed an African theme, along with Halo; heart-felt and emotional, it was a perfect closure to a perfect gig.
What I love about Beyonce, is her genuine nature, the fact that she interacts with the crowd, belts out infectious numbers and projects an undeniable emotional presence.
Despite the large number of costume changes, the audience was always entertained by short artistically-obscure videos that distracted us for just the right amount of time. The underlying themes of British regalty and the influences of Africa also intertwined with some '50s pizazz made for a unique visual experience.
I can't wait for her next album and would definitely go and see her for a third time. I salute you Queen B!
(All photos are mine)
