Show & Tell: Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter
Don't need no hateration, holleration in this dancery. (NO SPOILERS)
Cowboy Carter (Night 2)
Venue: SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA - May 01, 2025
Vibe Check: 👯
Mic Check: 🤘🏽
Oh, Say! Can You See?
A few years ago, just days before Independence Day, I was celebrating friendship on an ugly, gray day at an equally ugly, gray Redondo Beach. After several hours of lying in the sand, we wandered off in search of food—only to come across an image I still reference when talking about the perversion of the American flag. The flag was enormous, large enough to span nearly two floors of a commercial building. Despite the impending Fourth of July and all the signs of celebration around us (mattress sales!), the way the flag was displayed—towering and flanked by trucks lining the street—felt more like a warning than a welcome.
Contrary to that memory, seeing the excessive use of American flag imagery at Cowboy Carter was inspiring and reminded me of when living in America used to be fun and easy. When yelling “MURICA” at inappropriate times was funny and annoying, not a threat. The friend that accompanied me shared that she felt triggered by all the flags around I don’t blame her for feeling this way: seeing Old Glory on cars, red hats, flown on houses has become the most present and acceptable form of a dog whistle in these trying times.
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I arrived emotionally prepared to dance my ass off — not nearly cry at all the things we could have had when “Freedom” came on so early in the set. Beyoncé’s team of videographers, costume designers, choreographers, light technicians, set decorators (I really can and should keep going), et. Al. created an experience for me that brought me to tears a handful of times and left me agape for the remainder. I was awe-inspired by the outcome of what cannot be described as anything other than an amalgamation of these creatives’ life work, Black history, and the role of the Black creative in the Resistances.
It’s truly amazing what can be achieved when you combine creativity with money from your haircare line, your whiskey line, your collaboration with Levi’s, and the expensive-and-hard-to-get concert tickets. Say what you must about Billionaire Beyoncé not being the messenger for the revolution, but the woman damn sure knows who to call to compile moving historical imagery and sound to remind us not to lose sight of how she (and we) came to be.
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If you’re the type to have spoiled the show for yourself by watching videos, reading Vogue, or even just choosing to stay glued to Beyonce’s instagram, you would have seen most of her costumes adorned in the stars & stripes motif. Triggering and corny as they may be, I was here for it all. I particularly loved her final jumpsuit which was likely inspired by fellow Texan Selena Quintanilla.
Don’t be surprised if you catch me reclaiming and rocking the stars & stripes yelling “TAKE AMERICA BACK!” at a rally near you.
Ch-check One-Two
The show included several references to Black poets and musicians including Ras Baraka, Jimi Hendrix, and Gil Scott-Heron.
Beyoncé’s "AMERIICAN REQUIEM"
“AMERIICAN REQUIEM” introduces several recurring themes and motifs that show up throughout the album: funerals, righteous revenge, lingering daddy issues, and the complexity of being a Black woman in America.