Power of love
Beyonce, Jay-Z deliver emotional show
Halfway through his opening set at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, a boisterous DJ Khaled shouted, “This is the biggest tour in the world!” And though the DJ and producer is known for hyperbole — frequently screaming “We the best!” at random times and for no apparent reason — in this case, he wasn’t really exaggerating. The Foxboro stop of Jay-Z and Beyonce’s On the Run II tour was an explosive spectacle that featured almost 40 songs, multiple wardrobe changes, a massive backing band and, most importantly, a powerful narrative of betrayal, heartbreak and reconciliation. The two-and-a-half-hour show exposed the wounds that were laid bare on Beyonce’s “Lemonade” and Jay-Z’s “4:44,” and then celebrated the healing that defined their joint album “Everything Is Love,” as the couple pulled from their hit-packed solo and joint catalogs. Video montages showed the Carters frolicking on deserted beaches, fighting and making up, vacationing with their three children and renewing their vows. They were frequently seen running from something and toward each other. Queen Bey dazzled with her seemingly effortless mix of choreography and vocal acrobatics on such songs as “Flawless,” “Diva,” “Formation” and “Run the World (Girls),” flanked by an army of dancers in matching bodysuits and boots, reminding us why she’s the heir to Michael Jackson’s throne.
Jay-Z seemed most in his element when he was onstage alone, ripping into such hits as “Dirt Off Your Shoulder,” “On to the Next One” and an explosive “Public Service Announcement,” like he still has something to prove.
He sported a bulletproof vest for “99 Problems” while celebrity mugshots flashed onscreen and he looked as if he stepped straight out of an N.W.A. video for “Big Pimpin’.” Through it all, the rap mogul seemed more like a giddy newcomer than someone 22 years deep into his career.
Together, the pair seemed to energize one other, trading swagger and sensitivity as they stomped around the main stage, strutted down the twin catwalks and sometimes danced like no one was watching.
They appeared looking like royalty and kicked off with “Magna Carta Holy Grail,” “Part II (On the Run)” and “’03 Bonnie and Clyde,” parting ways and then periodically reuniting for such joint tracks as “Drunk In Love,” “Crazy in Love” and “Black Effect,” which segued into Beyonce’s “Countdown,” one of many seamless transitions throughout the night.
As Beyonce sang a heart-rending “I Care,” Jay-Z rap-whispered “Song Cry” over her in the background, and then “Song Cry” took over, with Jay-Z seated on the catwalk’s edge to deliver one of his most vulnerable tracks, featuring a new verse alluding to the Carters’ marital strife.
As they closed with “Young Forever” and the sonic victory lap of “Ape----,” the message, “This is real love” flashed onscreen and the duo walked offstage the same way they appeared — hand in hand. Credits rolled like it was a movie, which made sense, because in a way it was.
Whether this was closer to documentary or fictional drama we’ll never know, but the power of their emotion suggests that this was all real, that this wasn’t just a staggeringly well-executed concert, but a public celebration of the power couple’s happy ending.