After Seven Years, Beyoncé Returns To Solo Touring

In Stockholm, Sweden, Beyoncé finally returned to the stage. Seven years have passed since the singer last toured solo. During that time, she made history with her lauded Coachella performance, dubbed “Beychella,” and she released yet another critically acclaimed album, Renaissance.

The “Renaissance World Tour” opener saw Beyoncé dressed in a custom wardrobe made from Alexander McQueen, Mugler, Courrèges Paris, David Koma, Loewe, Coperni and Balmain. Fans traveled across the globe for the chance to see her, and tickets for the tour sold out nearly instantaneously.

The last time Beyoncé toured on her own was in support of Lemonade, the “Formation World Tour” including sold-out dates in France (grossing $6.25 million), Denmark (grossing $4.62 million), Sweden (grossing $3.93 million), Belgium (grossing $4.68 million) and more, according to reports submitted to Pollstar‘s Boxoffice.

On the U.S. leg of the “Formation World Tour,” Beyoncé sold out stadiums, grossing $6.73 million at Dodger Stadium, $4.89 million at Levi’s Stadium, $5.34 million at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, $5.18 million at Nissan Stadium and $6.06 million at MetLife Stadium, according to reports submitted to Pollstar‘s Boxoffice.

Those in Stockholm’s audience dressed in support of Beyoncé’s aesthetic for Renaissance, an album that pays homage to ballroom culture and the origins of house music. Sparkling outfits adorned those in the crowd, Beyoncé herself appearing in haute couture. Perhaps her most stand-out look from the opener was a custom Mugler designed by Casey Cadwallader, with Beyoncé proving herself as Queen Bey with her insect helmet, the look pulling influence from Thierry Mugler’s spring 1997 collection, “Les Insectes.”

Beyoncé performed hits from throughout her career, the setlist kicking off with “Dangerously in Love” (marking the first time the song was performed live since 2009), “Flaws and All,” “1+1,” “I’m Going Down” by Mary J. Blige, “I Care,” “I’m That Girl,” “Cozy,” “Alien Superstar,” “Lift Off,” “Cuff It,” “Energy,” “Break My Soul,” “Formation,” “Diva,” “Run the World (Girls),” “My Power,” “Black Parade,” “Savage (Remix),” “Partition,” “Church Girl,” “Get Me Bodied,” “Before I Let Go,” “Rather Die Young” (performed for the first time since 2011), “Love on Top,” “Crazy in Love,” “Plastic Off The Sofa,” “Virgo’s Groove,” “Naughty Girl,” “Move,” “Heated,” “Thique,” “All Up In Your Mind,” “Drunk in Love,” “America Has A Problem,” “Pure/Honey” and “Summer Renaissance.”

The night saw Beyoncé continue to nod to ballroom and vogueing culture, allowing her dancers to take over at various points and work to outperform one another.

To handle ticketing for Beyoncé’s tour, Ticketmaster rolled out sales in batches to ensure their site wouldn’t crash due to immense demand. She will perform in Stockholm again on May 11, her tour then continuing on throughout Europe until June 28 with two nights at Warsaw’s PGE Narodowy. July 8 marks the first “Renaissance” date in North America with two shows at Rogers Centre in Toronto. Highlights include two nights at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, three nights at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, two nights at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, three nights at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, two nights at NRG Stadium in her hometown of Houston and more before wrapping up on Sept. 27 in New Orleans at Caesars Superdome.