What’s it like to see Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ Tour? A superfan’s review

Beyoncé fans, it’s time to get in formation.

Starting July 8, Queen Bey’s ‘Renaissance’ Tour will hit North American shores and we “don’t think you’re ready for this jelly.”

So, to prepare stans and superfans alike, our team reached out to Mrs. Knowles expert Georgie Exinord who recently attended a concert of hers overseas.

The knowledgable Exinord breaks down everything from what to expect from Bey’s performance to practical tips like merch lines, when you should arrive, whether or not there’s a good time to use the bathroom.

Spoiler alert: there is no good time to go to the bathroom — but we’ll let Georgie explain in further detail later.

And now, without further ado, here is everything Ms. Exinord had to say about her experience at the ‘Renaissance’ Tour show at Cardiff, Wales’ Principality Stadium on May 17.

What was Beyoncé’s performance like?

• Be prepared to be left in a canonic state of starstuckness for the first 15 minutes of her being on stage. Yes, Beyoncé, is REAL, she actually looks like her photos, and her voice — over the span of her 20-year career — has inexplicably gotten better. 

What should I do if I’m in the Standing Room Only section?

• If you’re planning on being in an SRO section: (standing sections range from General to certain VIP tiers) Be open to making friends and socializing with fellow Beehive stans before the concert begins!
• The people you befriend will hold your spot for you in a standing region as everyone takes turns to use the bathroom, and make concession stand stops for food and drinks. They end up becoming your tribe that will act completely feral alongside you as you belt ‘I Care,’ and protect your jacket when you decide to place it on the ground so you can freely dance to ‘Move.’ Also making new friends will absolutely help the time pass by as you stand waiting for Queen Bee to come buzzing down.

When should I get to the venue?

• Arrive EARLY— AT LEAST two hours from when gates open for your tour location. However, the arrival time mostly depends on your seat/ standing section. 
  • General standing section (non-VIP) should arrive as early as humanly possible. I hate to say it, but even morning of (if you’re willing!) My friend who was in this section arrived at 8:30 a.m., day of the concert. He was #59 on the queue that would be allowed to enter the concert hall once the stadium gates opened he could select his spot on the floor. Important to note, members in this section get priority entry.
  • Club Renny (one of the standing VIP sections) is more up to your own discretion because I’d argue any spot in this section is nice given the circle configuration — yes, any spot is a good spot! But if you absolutely want to be along the perimeter of the inner circle edge, closest to the main stage, then arrive anywhere from 2.5 to four hours early.

Is there a good time to use the bathroom?

• Beyoncé gets on stage at 7:30-7:45 p.m. and the concert is three hours of pure vocals. No opener. She only stops for brief costume changes. So, make sure you use the bathroom and get your concession stand fix before then. You don’t want to miss a thing.

What’s the best time to buy merch?

• This may be varied based on the location, but I found in Wales, purchasing merch before the concert was a nightmare. It was a mile long line. So I purchased after the concert and the wait was only 10 minutes.

Should I bring anything?

• PACK LIGHT! Beyoncé is only performing at football-sized stadiums for each of her tour stops. So security will be spread thin as they try to escort as many as 50,000 people inside, which means long/slow security lines. I recommend packing a mini fan (it gets hot!), portable charger, house keys, state ID, and a credit card. The stadium in Wales was absolutely cashless so I won’t be surprised if the other stadiums on the tour do this as well.

Is there a section that’s best?

• CLUB RENNY. I’m totally biased because this is where I was standing but I have no complaints. This concert was THE BEST i’ve ever been to. Not just because it was Beyoncé but because it was the most positive concert experience I had, and I attribute it to being in Club Renny. The section is purposely capped so you don’t reach a physical max. There was SPACE to freely move, dance, and pull a muscle if you wanted to and not have to worry about feeling like a  sardine in a compacted area with people pressing against you. Club Renny is a circle pit encirculating Beyoncé’s runway stage. I felt like I had a great vantage of the main stage but obviously much better view when she walks to the runway . Also this section had a private “cash” bar, so I didn’t have to go far for drinks in between songs.

Are there any sections I should avoid?

• If you’re thinking about balling out and buying the “Pure/Honey On Stage Risers” where you’re LITERALLY sitting on the sides of the stage platform where Beyoncé will be… DON’T DO IT. I promise you, you won’t get any face time or attention from B because she’s too busy servicing her attention to the wider stadium. Think about it, why would you pay ~$3K to sit in the stage wings? Yes, you’re on the same stage as her, but because she’s facing center, you’ll only be able to see her profile and her back all night long. You’ll think you’re winning sitting here, but I promise you’re not.

How to get tickets to see Beyoncé live in the U.S.

Tickets for all 36 upcoming North American concerts are available on Vivid Seats starting with Bey’s back-to-back gigs at Toronto’s Rogers Centre on July 8-9 all the way to her stops at East Rutherford, NJ’s MetLife Stadium and finally her last show at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome on Sept. 27.

Some are cheap too — at the time of publication, we found tickets going for as low as $58 before fees on Vivid Seats.

And we’ve got one piece of advice for you here too.

Snatch tickets up early if you want to go. If we’ve learned anything from Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras’ Tour, it’s that prices spike as soon as the tour gets underway.

We’ll see you at the show.

All prices listed above are subject to fluctuation.

Huge concert tours in 2023

While we can’t wait to hear “Dangerously In Love” live this summer, there are a few other shows we have our eye on these next few months.

To keep you in the loop, here are just five huge stars you won’t want to miss live in the near future.

• SZA

• Alicia Keys

• Erykah Badu

• Diana Ross

• TLC with Shaggy

Plus, it’d be crazy if we didn’t mention Drake’s ‘It’s All A Blur’ Tour.

Who else is on the road? Take a peek at our 52 biggest concert tours in 2023 here to find out.