Both the air conditioning and music were blasting this scorching summer as many artists went on tour. Along with the classic summertime music festivals, well-known stars such as Beyoncé and Taylor Swift also held concerts. The extreme weather and record-high temperatures did not stop these artists from putting on a show. In fact, many of them continued their performance even in the rain or heat.
Beyoncé: The Renaissance World Tour
This summer, Beyonce greeted the world with her “Renaissance” tour. Her stadium tour stretched across the country with a setlist that lasted over two hours. Although a large amount of the setlist consisted of songs from the “Renaissance” album, Beyoncé included a few of her past songs as well.
“She brought in songs from old albums, which I really enjoy because I’m like a really old school Beyoncé fan,” Jan Williams (11) said.
By performing older songs, fans were incited with nostalgia. For many of the attendees who grew up listening to Beyoncé, this was the first Beyoncé concert they had the opportunity to attend. Her performance gave them the chance to relive how they felt their first time listening to the songs. This feeling was enhanced by the visuals on the stadium screens, costumes and props displayed as she sang.
“Beyoncé’s concert itself was just amazing,” Williams said. “It was very cinematic, it felt like more of a movie than an actual concert because she’s that type of entertainer.”
The concert goes through nine outfit changes, with Beyoncé adding extravagant new outfits periodically. One of the most highly anticipated events during the concert was when Beyoncé brought out her daughter, Blue Ivy, to dance to “MY POWER.” Yet, even in moments without Blue Ivy’s accompaniment, the choreography was highly organized and practiced.
“She was making sure that not only her professional dancers were doing their job, but she was also dancing with them,” Williams said. “She was giving her all to the best of her ability … She did amazing.”
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
Another profound artist continuing their tour this summer was Taylor Swift. With at least two concerts a week, Swift performed 27 times throughout the summer. Her setlist that lasted over three hours consisted of nine albums and 13 outfit changes. Although the concert stayed consistent for the majority of her shows, the second to last section of the show changed every night, with Swift performing surprise songs each night acoustically without any repetitions.
“I like the acoustic, little piano moment,” Daniela Rodriguez (11) said. “It was great, everyone’s just singing quietly and it’s not loud.”
Although the crowd lowered their voices during the surprise songs, most spent the majority of the concert screaming and shouting to their favorite songs. Similar to Beyoncé, many concert attendees also grew up listening to Swift. With performances for each album, fans were able to hear their favorite songs from any point in Swift’s career in person. Along with the excitement of hearing Swift’s music live, she also made many announcements during her tour, such as new upcoming releases of her re-recorded “Taylor’s Version” albums or music videos. This combination made the experience within the crowd very exciting for fans, no matter what section of the stadium they were seated in.
“[The crowd was] really into the music,” Rodriguez said. “It made me feel good because I felt embarrassed to get up and dance, but I saw that everyone around me was doing the same … It made me really happy.”
Re:Set Concert Series
Many music festivals took place over summer, one being the Re:Set Concert Series. The festival went through 12 cities and featured large artists such as Steve Lacy, Boygenius and Clairo. With four artists every show, concert attendees were able to experience a wide variety of music live. Many fans dressed up in themed outfits or created fan projects, which helped the performers see the entire audience.
“There were a few fan projects that night,” Audrey Wilkerson (12) said. “It was just super cool, and seeing so many really cool artists was super fun.”
The artists at the Re:Set Concert Series were able to interact with their fans and perform a variety of songs from their discography. The headliner for the Nashville show, Boygenius, performed for around 90 minutes, even including songs from the individual artists within the band and taking time to speak on Tennessee’s recent law against drag performers. Many concert attendees, including Wilkerson, who attended the Nashville concert with Boygenius, were able to learn more about the artists they were less familiar with.
“I wasn’t as familiar with Dijon and Bartees Strange’s music, but they both had a really cool setlist,” Wilkerson said. “Clairo and Boygenius both featured some of their more popular songs … and then they also had some more hidden hits that were for their actual fanbase. It was really cool to see so many different parts of their discography.”
