DJ Kahled opened the show with back to back appearances from T.I., Ja Rule, Remy Ma, DMX, and more, using his signature “they don’t want” to introduce new guests. “They don’t want me to surprise you with another guest, so what am I going to do?” He’d ask, “Surprise you with another guest!” And he did! Song after song would drop and just when you thought, “no he’s not bringing out (insert artist here)” out they came spitting bars and giving us concerts inside the concert.
Once Khaled left the stage I was ready to settle in and enjoy my first major concert that I’d paid for and wasn’t hosted by my university during homecoming.
What really happened was that Beyoncé came to slay, sing and dance her famous butt off to close out her Formation World Tour. She brought Serena Williams out for Sorry, Jay-Z out while singing Drunk in Love and Kendrick Lamar finished out the appearances with his verse during Freedom. Please understood that I yelled, sang, and nearly fell apart with excitement for the duration of the concert. It’s hard to ignore that up until a few years ago my life goal was to be up on stage performing and loving every moment of it. Watching Beyoncé get to live her dream brought that feeling back. I’m still looking for an outlet for that yearning that I have, time will tell.
My biggest regret of the night is something that I wouldn’t have had if this event took place 10 years ago. I wasn’t present enough! I was so focused on getting everything on Snapchat (read: screaming my way through an hour long snap story along to Beyoncé songs) and recording the concert on my phone for my memories that I failed to rely on my two eyes and brain to record the way they’re supposed to.
I think this is a major issue in general in our society. We text and Snapchat our way through the day and scroll back through our memories on Instagram remembering who liked a picture.
Here’s a reminder! Nothing is more HD than seeing with your own two eyes while you’re in the moment. Photos are there to put you back in the mind frame you were in when you were there. Photos are NOT supposed to serve as your memory.
Enjoy your life, and remember to be a part of it, not just a part of the record, especially if Beyoncé asks you to Get In Formation.
anicolethomas 