To say I appreciate great entertainment is an understatement. As a young child into my early 20’s I lived on the stage. The performing arts were always my safe space. Whether I was dancing, singing, or modeling in my childhood living room or performing to sold-out audiences at Constitution Hall, a large music venue in my hometown of D.C., I gave you everything I had. And I loved every minute of it. While at some point I decided to cultivate other talents and pursue different dreams, the love of performing arts never left me.
That’s why from the first time I was introduced to Beyonce as a teenager, a member of a girl group myself, I held a lot of respect for her. Whether or not someone likes her music or her as a person is and always will be subjective. What can not be debated is the fact that she is one of the greatest entertainers of our time. And her most recent Renaissance tour proved that fact.
The final numbers are still coming in from her tour, which just ended last week, but it has already surpassed previous tours in revenue. Ultimately, it is projected to be the highest-selling tour in history…perhaps by anyone. But beyond revenue generated from actual ticket sales and Beyonce branded merchandise, the economic impact of her mere presence in each city she visits is nothing short of phenomenal.
From the moment Mom and I touched down in Houston, Beyonce’s hometown, the Beyonce effect had already taken hold. As the flight attendant welcomed all of us from D.C. to Houston, nearly half the plane erupted in cheers. On our journey to baggage claim, we were met with lifesize cardboard versions of Beyonce. Of course, her fans could not resist snapping photos and videos in front of them. This was only minutes into our trip. I’m certain non-Beyonce fans were already sick of us.
I’m familiar with how entertainment can impact the economic development of a city having served as communications director of the Film Office in D.C. for several years. It was the very point of the agency’s existence – to attract film and TV projects to the nation’s capital in order to bring valued dollars into the city by way of productions spending time there patronizing restaurants, hotels, and basically anywhere you spend money.
Renaissance was on a whole other level.
On our first day in Houston, we ventured out to Houston’s Galleria Mall, which happens to be the largest mall in Texas. On any given weekend the mall is no doubt bustling with shoppers. However, the way the checkout line at Sephora was wrapped around the entire store you would have thought it was Black Friday. In each store we went to, shoppers were either eyeing, trying on, or buying out all the silver items in the store. (If you hadn’t heard, in late August, Queen Bey requested that all her fans wear silver to all her remaining shows in honor of Virgo season.) The restaurants had wait times of at least an hour.
What impressed me most, however, was Houston’s BeyHive homecoming party “HOU Run the World” on Avenida Plaza on Saturday night. Mom and I were thankful we had tickets to Bey’s Sunday night concert so we could attend. Let me tell you, Houston knows how to throw a party for their girl!
The night included a local DJ, an amazing hour of old-school and new-school tunes from The Drywater Band, and a dope 15-minute fireworks and drone show that featured more than 400 Beyonce-themed drone displays. Even the mayor of Houston Sylvester Turner gave opening remarks. The show, mostly geared towards Beyonce fans who couldn’t attend her concert, brought out thousands who were dressed in their Bey-inspired gear and purchased signature cocktails and other refreshments. Restaurants along the plaza, like Pappadeaux where we dined that evening, extended their hours to accommodate all of the diners who were hungry after the free show. You know what that meant for the city of Houston. Cha-ching!
I know it goes without saying that the show was amazing in every way. No doubt you’ve seen the millions of videos on social media since the start of her tour confirming as much. For me, what was almost as fascinating as the show itself, was how her fans showed up. The effort and energy that the Bey Hive put into their costumes and making an experience out of attending her concerts was mesmerizing. The people-watching was entertainment in itself. People of all ages, sizes, colors, genders, sexual orientations, and any background you could think of came out to slay.
In the opening line of the trailer for a movie documenting the Renaissance Tour experience Beyonce proclaims in her signature breathy tone, “When I am performing, I am nothing but free. The goal for this tour was to create a space where everyone is free.” As I watched each fan express themselves uniquely and confidently in their Bey-inspired gear throughout the weekend, whether they went to the concert or not, it was clear that Beyonce crushed that goal.
Throughout history, there have been many artists to sell out stadiums and attract visitors to cities sparking economic development on their tours. But from my vantage point, there is no one who has done that quite like Beyonce.
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