Super Bowl 57 is coming up on Sunday, February 12, 2023 at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium. The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will be playing against each other, but as a music and pop culture lover I am more excited about the half-time show! This year’s halftime performer is Rihanna! She hasn’t performed in about six years, so this should be interesting! It got me thinking about previous halftime performances and here are my Top 6.
Prince’s 2007 Halftime performance! He was literally playing “Purple Rain” as it just so happened to literally be raining! Click here to watch the performance.
Photo from Google Images
Michael Jackson’s Halftime performance back in 1993 circa the Dangerous album era. It really was a mini concert from the King of Pop. People were passing out at the sight of MJ! Click here to watch on YouTube.
Photo from Google Images
Janet Jackson’s Halftime performance back in 2004. Despite the infamous wardrobe malfunction Ms. Jackson and her dancers hit every 8-count. Click here to watch on YouTube.
Photo from Google Images
Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, and Coldplay got in “formation” during the 2016 halftime show. Click here to watch.
Photo from Google Images
Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child reunited for the 2013 halftime show and literally shut it down! The lights in the arena went out after the epic performance causing a 33 minute blackout. Click here to watch!
Photo from Google Images
Last, but not least The Super Bowl 2022 halftime show was epic! I enjoyed it and the set design was awesome as well as the performances! It was a nice surprise to see Anderson.Paak on the drums and 50 cent make an appearance. Mary J.’s thigh high boots were everything and Kendrick and Eminem, Dr.Dre, and Snoop Dogg were great too! Click here to watch!
I finally finished The Beyoncé Bracket. I didn’t create this game. I just found it on social media and filled it out. As a member of The Beyhive, 🐝 I found this bracket’s song selections were kind of difficult to choose from, and certain songs on the bracket are better performed live in concert versus just listening to in your headphones. I’m excited about The Renaissance album era! The new album drops 7/29/22!
There is also different energy on stage when Beyoncè is performing on tour alone versus performing with Jay-Z. I’ve also provided a blank copy of the bracket, so you all can play too. Click the link below to listen to my favorite songs on my Beyoncé Playlist on Spotify and click here for the Beyoncé Playlist on Apple Music and here for the playlist on Tidal.
This bracket game is similar to the NCAA March Madness Basketball Tournament bracket instead of teams it’s songs. Out of the categories given you pick the song out of the two that you like more and that song advances to another round with other songs. Kind of like 2 basketball teams play a game and the winner moves on to the next level game and competes with other teams. It’s fun! Let’s play!
What are your favorite solo Beyoncé albums so far?
Happy Birthday to Beyoncé! Listen to the B-Day episode on “The As-I-Amber Podcast” on www.anchor.fm/asiamber I finally finished The Beyoncé Bracket. I didn’t create this game. I just found it on social media and filled it out. As a member of The Beyhive, 🐝 I found this bracket’s song selections were kind of difficult to choose from, and certain songs on the bracket are better performed live in concert versus just listening to in your headphones.
There is also different energy on stage when Beyoncè is performing on tour alone versus performing with Jay-Z. I’ve also provided a blank copy of the bracket, so you all can play too. Click the link below to listen to my favorite songs on my Beyoncé Playlist on Spotify and click here for the Beyoncé Playlist on Apple Music and here for the playlist on Tidal.
This bracket game is similar to the NCAA March Madness Basketball Tournament bracket instead of teams it’s songs. Out of the categories given you pick the song out of the two that you like more and that song advances to another round with other songs. Kind of like 2 basketball teams play a game and the winner moves on to the next level game and competes with other teams. It’s fun! Let’s play!
The Saturday show of the Atlanta stop of the On The Run II Tour at Mercedes Benz Stadium was crazy. After Jay-Z and Beyoncé performed the last song of the night, “APE S#!T“, a random man from the audience hopped on stage and tried to follow them until some of the dancers ran after him and fought him. I have no idea why or how this person was able to get access to the stage! Where was Security?! I have no idea, but I just hope Queen Bey and Jay-Z are safe.
Before the shenanigans at the end of the show happened there was an opening act before The Carters performed. At 7:30pm Chloe and Halle, a young singing duo from Atlanta, who are on the television show “grownish” and on Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment label were the opening act. They performed songs from their “The Kids are Alright” album and in my opinion did great singing and playing instruments.
After Chloe and Halle performed DJ Khaled came out to hype the crowd up and brought out special guests such as Monica, Cee Lo, Ludacris, and Jermaine Dupri. The diverse and excited sold out crowd went crazy as each guest performed.
At around 8:50pm the stadium went dark and the screens lit up and everyone in the diverse crowd started screaming loudly because Jay-Z and Beyoncé were about to come on stage!!!!
This was my fourth time seeing Beyoncé in concert and every time I’ve attended one of her concerts the energy in the stadium is electric! It feels like your favorite team winning a championship game and being a kid on Christmas all in one. Maybe I’m biased because I’m in “TheBeyhive”, but I’ve never been disappointed with her performances even Jay-Z held his own and did well! Beyoncé’s stamina and physique, especially after recently giving birth to twins is amazing.
The Carters performed their hits such as “Crazy in Love”, “‘03 Bonnie and Clyde”, “Deja Vu”, “Upgrade U”, “NICE”, and “Black Effect”. I also enjoyed how the set list mashed up some of their individual hit songs. For example Jay-Z’s “Clique” mixed in with Beyoncé’s “Diva” sounded amazing. Beyoncé performed “Drunk in Love” and it was mixed with F.L.Y.’s “Swag Surfin'” and some of the crowd started swag surfing with Beyoncé. Also, Beyoncè danced to O.T. Genesis’, “Everybody Mad“, which she also performed back in April at the Coachella music festival. Jay -Z performed songs off his recent “4:44” album such as “Family Feud” and “The Story of OJ”. He also performed older hits such as “Dirt off Your Shoulder”, “99 Problems”, “Big Pimpin’”, and “Song Cry”.
The concert went through the highs and lows of The Carters married relationship from infidelity to forgiveness and family. Beyoncé and Jay -Z changed outfits multiple times during the show. One of Jay-Z’s standout outfits was when he wore a bandana around his head and jacket with a glittery black panther on the back. A standout outfit for Beyoncé was when she went from a white and silver sparkle jumpsuit, then a black leather leotard, then to a golden yellow gown with a golden yellow train to perform the emotional relationship song “Resentment”. Other standout songs were when Beyoncé performed the female empowerment anthem “Run the World” , “Formation”, as well as “Flawless”. As she performed “Flawless” you could read the screens and hear audio from author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, talking about feminism and how society puts women against one another instead of working together and being confident.
Another stand out performance was when Jay-Z performed “The Story of OJ”, which samples singer Nina Simone’s “Four Women”. As Jay-Z performed this song various black and white cartoon images and mugshots from different activists and rappers and entertainers were seen on the screen.
My favorite part of the show was when Jay-Z and Beyoncé performed “Family Feud”, which samples The Clark Sisters’ gospel song, “He-ya”. When Beyoncé was on the stage singing the lyric “Heya” , which means eternal life, the stage literally rose up and moved across the stadium and the audience went crazy. It was so cool to me.
I loved the set design and the set list and attention to detail from the co-ed band, the multiple dancers, and the theme of going and running through the ups and downs of life. Overall, I give the show an A plus! I’m not sure if Beyoncé and Jay-Z will ever retire or if they will ever go back on tour together, but if you ever have an opportunity to attend one of their concerts you should most definitely go. Hopefully the concert will be on DVD or come on HBO like the first “On The Run” Tour did. Check out http://www.beyonce.com for more information and pictures from various cities they’ve toured.
Check out the Spotify Setlist Playlist below and click here for Apple Music & Tidal.
Check out the latest episode where Amber and special guest, Solomon Hillfleet, discuss the impact of Beyoncé’s #Lemonade album years later. This episode is now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts/iTunes, and other podcast platforms. Click here to listen. (www.anchor.fm/asiamber)
Beyoncé’s visual album is now streaming on Disney+Plus and it is visually stunning! Click here to find a platform to listen to the “Crown Royal” episode of my “As-I-Amber” podcast where I discuss more of my thoughts on Beyoncé’s visual artistic expression.
I went to the Beyoncé and Jay-Z concert all by myself and had an AMAZING time!
Back in April 2014 I heard rumors that the power couple was going on a Bonnie and Clyde: “On The Run” themed tour across the country. As soon as I heard about the concert I thought about the following things:
Who enjoys The Carters as much as I do?
Who can afford to go?
Who will I go with?
When the answers to my questions were lacking I thought I won’t even go because I have no one to go with, but I thought again and something said: “GO and live life to the fullest and have no regrets!”
At my age I’m comfortable enough with myself to go to places alone sometimes because it’s less hassle and very interesting to people-watch. lol
So, being the young working woman I am I went ahead and purchased my floor seat.
On Tuesday, July 15th as soon as I got off of work and drove to Atlanta I got on the MARTA Train because it was going to be too much traffic during that time of day and construction going on in Downtown Atlanta.
(How close I was to the stage.)
I got into the Georgia Dome with no problems. Then I stood in line thirty minutes because I had to get a souvenir t-shirt! After I finally got my t-shirt and pink wristband for the floor level seats I people-watched! I saw Kandi Burruss and her husband Todd from Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Atlanta” and they are so short in person! Television definitely makes people look larger. I didn’t see any other celebrities, but there were a lot of “wannabee” celebrities in the audience. I even saw an older woman who looked like someone’s great-grandma dressed in her Sunday Best for the concert. It was hilarious!
I was anxiously anticipating Jay and Bey to appear on stage! I’ve been a fan of Beyoncé since Destiny’s Child and have liked Jay-Z’s music since he sampled “Hard Knock Life” from the musical “Annie”.
The ticket stub said the show would start at 8PM, but by the time everyone got in the stadium it was about 8:45PM. Then right at 8:55PM the lights went off and the screens showed the On The Runmovie trailer and everyone in the audience stood up and went crazy. It was like magic when Beyoncé and Jay-Z appeared on stage and that’s when I literally screamed and almost cried.
Y’all don’t understand the chills I had when I saw them on stage and on screen. The concert was THEE BEST EVER and worth every penny.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z most definitely put on a show so good that I want to go again! The audience stood up the whole two hours! I loved Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s chemistry. Despite the rumors about their marriage you could feel their energy radiating from the stage. They put on a good performance . Jay-Z and Beyoncé performed “03 Bonnie and Clyde” and transitioned into other songs.
However, my favorite part of the show was when Beyoncé sang a cover of Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor” which was “flawless” and when Jay-Z performed “Public Service Announcement”. I don’t want to give everything away, but overall the show was amazing and will appear on HBO this Fall 2014.
I miss the girl groups of the 90’s and 2000’s. One of my favorite girl groups was Destiny’s Child. I remember buying “The Writings on the Wall” album from Wal-Mart when I was in elementary school. I was so hype. I had saved my lil’ money up and really wanted to have their CD after seeing them on The WB TV-show “Smart Guy” where they made a guest appearance. I even wanted my hair burgundy and curly like Latavia in the “Bills Bills Bills” music video and my room like Beyoncé’s on The MTV CRIBS episode where her bedroom ceiling was painted to look like clouds. If there is ever a reunion tour in the future I will have to be there! This playlist consists of my favorite songs from Destiny’s Child. This playlist is also available on click here Apple Music under “asiamberjamz” and on Spotify by clicking the link below:
Other standout songs were when Beyoncé performed the female empowerment anthem “Run the World” , “Formation”, as well as “Flawless”. As she performed “Flawless” you could read the screens and hear audio from author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, talking about feminism and how society puts women against one another instead of working together and being confident. 
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