This past Saturday, I scurried through Downtown Cincinnati in hopes to find a umbrella for what seemed to be like an unshakeable rain storm. The Great American Ballpark had little shelter and I was determined to see the World’s most idolized couple. My inaugural visit into Bengals territory was solely to partake in Jay Z and Beyonce’s On The Run tour.
Cincinnati’s skyline was outlined with a crisp rainbow seconds before the powerhouse duo graced the stage. As the sun set, the heavy Ohio rain cleared up, and almost instantaneously, the couple kicked off their second stop for their US tour. The Cincinnati Reds home turf went from soggy and chilly to humid and exhilarating just from Jay Z and Beyonce’s opening ballad of “Bonnie and Clyde”.
The playing field was even and attractive between the songstress and her rapper husband, who even shared a cute kiss on stage. Beyonce performed some of my favorite songs from her latest surprise self-entitled album like “Drunk in Love” and “Pretty Hurts;” while Jay Z cracked out iconic Roc-A-Fella hits like “Song Cry”, “Big Pimpin'”, and “Hard Knock Life”. The duo has proven numerous times that their union, professionally and personally, is unstoppable.
The show had its slow moments where Beyonce had to remind us of her vocal range and sultry dance talents. But for the most part, consistency was the key. Beyonce did her unforgettable rendition of a famous Lauryn Hill song and Jay Z spit a freestyle verse to his wife’s “Partition” beat. And although her background dancers were exposed in Cincy, Mrs. Carter did not have her buttchecks out like she did in her previous Miami show.
The tour’s applicable message was clear: Movies, media, and other mass distributed forms, like reality tv, and tabloids, are NOT real life. Real life is creating and capturing the moments with the ones you love the most. The purest evidence was the tour’s never before seen footage of their adorable toddler, Blue Ivy, and the intimate video of their 2008 nuptials. Despite the Solange elevator incident (which was leaked by a greedy hotel employee), the Carter’s have held tight to their most precious moments and not exploited their family for further fortune and fame.
Concert Report Card: A-
The show is definitely a couple’s concert. My love bug was surprisingly next to me and that sort of company serves as the icing on the cake for a true live music experience. So, grab the one you love, your own Jay Z or Beyonce, and enjoy the On The Run tour. There’s no Pittsburgh stop, but the nearest shows are July 5th in Philadelphia and July 7th in Baltimore.
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