good evening! so before i plunge into my thoughts on beyonce's los angeles show last night - i must first say once again that i'm a huge fan of ms. knowles & destiny's child - with that being said i can now say that last night's 'beyonce experience' was a drop disappointing - ok yes i know some people who have seen the show will totally disagree with me - it wasn't horrible by any means but overall i think the 'experience' can be summed up as 'over ambitious' - girlfriend packed way too much into her show - it was all over the map and didn't have a very cohesive feel unlike some recent concerts i've seen (i hate to keep comparing it to the timberlake show but i can't help myself - that show was super tight!)
some songs she didn't even finish before she was onto the next - like one of my favorite tracks ring the alarm - she only did about a half of the song! she also did a destiny's child medley but it all went by so quick - i would have preferred if she picked one or two songs and did them in their entirety! at the end of the medley she did a bit of survivor and called michelle williams & kelly rowland to the stage - to sing about 30 seconds - the crowd went wild - as did i - but poof they were gone before you knew it! she could've had them out for the whole song! then when she did upgrade u - she was joined by her main man jay-z who laid down his rap section of the song - again the crowd went nuts! but there were plenty of moments where people sat down as she ran through most of her ballads - i will say her voice was impeccable and she looked totally gorgeous but the whole show felt like she was trying too hard or something (b is a little over the top and sometimes too dramatic - her inner diva needs to calm herself down) it's hard to put my finger on exactly what the problem was...
for sure i didn't like the stage set-up at all which had no ramp/runway extending into the crowd - it was just a regular stage (with steps where the musicians were planted) i much preferred how madonna's most recent concert was staged with a runway where she could run down - or justin timberlake's round stage placed in the center (probably the best set-up i've seen at a large arena) my seats were decent but it's always fun to see them a bit closer!
there were plenty of costume changes (i did notice that i think she has gained a few pounds - not a lot but i've seen her thinner than last night) her male dancers were super hot and the all girl band totally kicked ass! her last song was 'irreplaceable' and ms. knowles made the crowd sing the whole first verse before she took over (a video from her anaheim performance is below thanks to somah who also let me use his pictures below!) then at the end her dancer & back-up singers rolled out a huge birthday cake - kelly & michelle popped up again - and we all sang 'happy birthday' (she turns 26 tomorrow) this was also her last north american show - she has like five more dates in canada and then the tour is complete - i'm very interested to see what she'll do next! (they were filming the show last night for a DVD release - of course i'll have to pick that up when it's released)
in the end i was way glad i went (although whenever i go downtown i get so lost - the streets totally confuse me and when i went to park i hit the curb which almost gave me a flat tire) i simply had to see her live but the show should have been tighter and not so scattered & hurried! when i got home i was flipping through my $25 souvenir program book - and it's the first one i've ever bought that had ads in the back (house of dereon, armani's diamonds, l'oreal, and samsung) which also slightly annoyed me...i still love my girl beyonce but i certainly couldn't give the show a glowing review - if anyone else has witnessed 'the beyonce experience' please chime in with a comment on what you thought! popbytes over & out for tonight - oh yes it's back to the daily grind tomorrow - ugh! xxoo
the beyonce experience setlist
01. crazy in love
02. freakum dress
03. green light
04. baby boy
05. beautiful liar
06. naughty girl
07. me, myself and i
08. dangerously in love
09. destiny's child medley
- independent woman pt. 1
- bootylicious
- no, no, no pt. 2
- bug a boo
- bills, bills, bills
- cater 2 u
- say my name
- jumpin' jumpin'
- soldier
- survivor
10. speechless
11. ring the alarm
12. suga mama
13. upgrade u
14. '03 bonnie and clyde
15. check on it
16. get me bodied
17. deja vu
18. dreamgirls
19. listen
20. irreplaceable
I used to be a HUGE Beyonce fan and everything you said above is exactly the reason I am no longer.
» this comment was posted by Fashion Critic on september 4, 2007 3:20 am «
Sounds like she breezed through that concert. I'm not sure about the amount she's charging for her concerts but it sounds to me like she owes it to her fans to give them a complete experience. You are the guys that turned her into a millionaire and you are the guys who are lining her pockets by going to see her in person. From the things that I've heard about her concerts over the months, I'd say this was an excuse to get people to come out and buy the products more than it was to thoroughly entertain the fans. I think they should come first. I like her but I can't see myself supporting her like that. Not with a rinky dink concert.
» this comment was posted by Candy on september 4, 2007 5:53 pm «
The Beyonce Experience was great!!!! She was trying to fit everything in for her fans. She is a great singer and dancer and gave her all every moment of the concert. I was tired just watching her! She is the total package. After seeing her in concert in San Diego (August 26th), I know now that she is IRREPLACEABLE!!!
» this comment was posted by Shana on september 5, 2007 2:32 am «
First I just want to say I finally got a chance to see beyonce performed in person by attending her concert in chicago. I am a huge fan of her as well as the dc together. I took my older granddaughter with me to her concert, and I don't know who enjoyed it more. Beyonce is a true icon. She is one of the best performer out now. She truly is a triple threat. She loves performing and she is a art at what she does. She even has become a great actress and I'm looking foward to see her perform with hopefully in the future with stars such as , denzel, ludercris, terrance howard, jada pickett smith and of course jamie foxx again. But first beyonce take some time off and get married and start your faimly. You deserve it. God bless you and yours
» this comment was posted by barbara on september 5, 2007 8:31 am «
I saw Beyonce in Atlantic City and needless to say that I was less than satisfied with the "Experience!" Not that I cared, but what happened to her opening act - Robin Thicke? Show time was supposed to be 8 pm but she came on the stage @ about 9:20. I wasn't even prepared for it. The lights just went out and then poof she was on the stage. I kept hearing about how wonderful her grand entrance was but to me there was nothing original about it! All throughout the show she kept commenting on how the crowd wasn't loud or hype enough. Now keep in mind that the arena may have held only 2000 people at the most where I am sure she is used to over 10 thousand easily but the reason why she kepy making those comments was b/c I don't think people were really feeling the show all that much. I LOVE beyonce, and of course I would go see her again but I was kind of bored with the whole show. I could get through it b/c I like most of her songs but something was definetly missing. I really felt when she sang the song "Flaws in all." her face is so beautiful, I kept saying out loud "what flaws??" And she actually shed a couple tears and got choked up towards the end of the song. I wonder if she did that anywhere else? I personally thought she could have left the Destiny Child medley out of the act and focused more on her solo songs but I guess she wanted to appeal to all her fans who like all her music.... and I kept hoping and wishing for Jay-Z to come out on stage for Up-Grade and Bonnie and Clyde 03 but he never did. I am a huge fan of his as well. In conclusion, I love my girl but her show could have been much better and I too was very dissapointed!
» this comment was posted by Kelle on september 5, 2007 8:37 am «
im the hugest beyonce fan and i saw her show in new jersey and i loved every moment of it!!!!!! She is a true icon and although it may have over the top to some of you, i think she did just enough to make the show a complete success! I loved every minute of and if she was to do it again, ill be there front row and center!
» this comment was posted by latonya on september 7, 2007 4:33 pm «
i thought that was the best show i have ever seen she was great her dance was great the hole thing was great i cant wait to see what she does next
» this comment was posted by Eric fossett on november 23, 2007 6:28 am «
HA THIS HOW WAS SO HOT. I HADNT HEARD SOME OF THOSE SONGS. BUT NOW THEY ARE SOME OF MY FAVS. SHE MAY HAVE GAINED A FEW POUNDS BUT SHE WAS HURTING THEM DANCE MOVES
» this comment was posted by Roderick Brown on november 26, 2007 9:12 am «
I think that she has reached her "fullfilment" and should consider starting a family!
» this comment was posted by LaToyia on december 8, 2007 11:52 pm «
B iz a important person
» this comment was posted by mrz.miller on january 31, 2008 7:53 am «
het pplz i love the concert and the male dancers lol yum
» this comment was posted by casey on february 19, 2008 2:43 pm «
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THE BEYONCE EXPERIENCE @ STAPLES CENTER