The Queen Bee herself, Beyonce, played the first of two shows in Brisbane last night at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. This is a woman who literally started the show with fireworks: and it only got better. Leila Parviz was there to report on the action. A full set list appears below.
There are only two things I will drive out to Boondall for and tonight I wasn’t shredding it up at Ice World. Instead I discovered that 1. apparently I am quite decent at the ‘maytag twerk’ (urban dictionary tells me it means ‘white girl dancing like a washing machine’. guys, you best put a ring on this) and 2. Jay Z was spot on when he claimed to have the hottest chick in the game.
Mrs Carter is the first pop star to steal my heart since I donned an Adidas twinset a la Sporty Spice, and, tonight confirmed why she is the only lady I have gone fan girl crazy over since the Spice Life revolution.
After a much-overhyped set from Iggy Azalea (now that gal sure knows how to maytag twerk) one overpriced beer and a seamless integration of lasers, lights and cool as shit graphics, Beyonce Knowles-Carter finally rose from the stage: her voice booming across the sea of iPhones and pun-errific fan made signs, asking ‘Who runs the world?” All the women in the house replied in unison ‘GIRLS!’.
What makes Beyoncé one of my favourite ladies on the planet, and what became evident throughout the night, is that she manages to stay so humble (apparent in hits like 1 + 1 and If I Were A Boy) whilst maintaining an of air of sassy fierceness, (see lyrics to Single Ladies and Naughty Girl), all while grinding her booty in a plethora of designer goods. My feline/fashion/music worlds magically collided when the beat for Crazy in Love started and B stomped on stage wearing a Givenchy cat ear baseball hat.
Her remark earlier in the night that “this is not the show for you to sit down and be cool” had clearly struck a chord with the two machos sitting behind as they finally gave in to the power of Bey and started fist pumping during Destiny’s Child hit Survivor, which was sadly the only nostalgic nineties’ tune of the night.
Despite 8 costumes changes, multiple flying fox glides across two stages, a grand piano, flaming guitars, a shit load of glitter and a solid two-hour set, it all ended too quickly. B gave her thanks to her kickass all-girl band, singing back up divas ‘The Mamas’ and her grooving dancers including Parisian movers and shakers Le Twins (who will further more be referred to as mon petit croissants) .
As a ray of light appeared from the ceiling, the first verse of Halo echoed around the room and I quite happily let myself believe I was being beamed up to Carter heaven, forever destined to worship Queen Bey and her Kenzo clad bootylicious behind.
Final tickets on sale now for tonight’s show at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre Tuesday October 29, book through Ticketek.
Words: Leila Parviz
Brisbane Set List:
- Run the World (Girls)
- End of Time
- You Are a Queen
- If I Were a Boy
- Get Me Bodied
- Baby Boy
- Diva
- Naughty Girl
- Party
- Freakum Dress
- Why Don’t You Love Me
- 1+1
- Irreplaceable
- Love on Top
- Survivor (Destiny’s Child cover)
- Countdown
- Crazy in Love
- Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
- Grown Woman
- I Was Here
- I Will Always Love You (Dolly Parton cover)
- Halo
