The summer of 2023 was a great one for live music, with a number of pop icons going on stadium tours including P!nk, Taylor Swift, and Beyoncé. The latter two filmmakers also adapted their concerts for film, which made it to theaters via AMC. While Taylor Swift’s Eras tour broke records first, Bey followed suit with Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce. I missed the Renaissance Tour live, and the film really made me feel better as a fan.
The FOMO was real for me over the summer, as I had plenty of fans who saw the Renaissance tour. I watched with envy on social media as everyone rocked fierce outfits and enjoyed the show, while I used the funds I could have bought a ticket with to go on vacation. So when Beyonce announced the Renaissance film, I was overjoyed that I’d finally be able to scratch that itch.
And the movie did just that. Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé ran for 168-minutes, and featured most of the songs that she regularly performed while touring the world for her acclaimed new album. Additionally, the documentary also revealed the tons of work done to make such a spectacular show exist. And Beyonce’s documentary has also done well in theaters.
My crowd for the Renaissance film was the perfect amount of rowdy, occasionally dancing or applauding Bey’s performance without disturbing anyone’s viewing experience. My friends and I dressed up for the occasion, and I finally got to see the spectacular visuals, choreography, and vocals from the show. Dancing within my seat, it felt like I was finally let it on the fun.
Case in point: the moment in every show where Beyonce tells the crowd to go on mute. Countless videos went viral during the tour, where audience member who failed to keep quiet were chastised by the fans. Being able to experience it in theaters was thrilling, especially since the documentary tested us by featuring a blooper and even a shot of Cardi B that could have easily made folks react. But I’m proud to say we stayed mute until Queen B gave us the clear and continued “Energy.”
On top of being treated to the Renaissance tour from the comfort of AMC’s reclining seats, the behind the scenes moments from the documentary were also quite entertaining. It was fascinating to see the hard work that went into the stadium show, and the way Beyonce’s detail-oriented mind. And the sequence surrounding Blue Ivy’s appearance on the tour was also quite moving. Plus there was a Destiny’s Child reunion involved. And while Tina Knowles recently defended her daughter, she also had some touching moments in the doc.
Of course, my experience watching the Renaissance film can’t compare to those fans who saw the tour in the flesh. And since there’s also a narrative in the documentary, some songs from the show had to be cut for time. That includes a number of ballads from the start of the show, including favorites like “1+1”. But considering I otherwise could have missed out on the tour entirely, I’m counting my blessings. JLo is following in Beyonce’s foosteps next, albeit in a different way.
Renaissance: a Film by Beyonce is in theaters now. Be sure to check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.