LOS ANGELES — Finally, it’s a real life boogie and a real life hoedown.
Beyoncé will take the stage at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on April 28 to launch her long-awaited Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit Tour.
There will be cowboy hats. There will be Levi’s Jeans. There will be fans from around the world getting the first glimpse of Beyoncé’s vision for this 32-date tour that will travel to nine cities in the U.S. and Europe.
The USA TODAY Network will be there, as well, bringing you minute-by-minute concert coverage. Reporting from inside SoFi Stadium will be Beyoncé reporter Caché McClay, who has spent the past year covering all things “Cowboy Carter.” Meanwhile, trending reporter Taylor Ardrey and Beyoncé editor Liz Schubauer will be at their desks, scouring live streams and social media.
So park your Lexus and stick around, ’round, ’round, ’round, ’round if you don’t want to miss a moment of opening night.
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Beyoncé rode a mechanical bull decked out in gold as she sang the lyrics to her song “Tyrant.” As she majestically belted the song, gold confetti filled the air.
For Beyoncé’s reimagining of the Dolly Parton classic “Jolene,” she soared above the crowd in a horseshoe before launching into her own classic — “Daddy Lessons.” It was Bey’s first country song, on her “Lemonade” album in 2016.
The Grammys declined to consider the track in country music categories, and when she performed it with The Chicks at the CMA Awards in 2016, the reception was chilly in some corners of the country music establishment. Beyoncé has said the experience inspired her to explore the genre more and create “Cowboy Carter.”
The fourth set settled into a midtempo with “Move,” “Desert Eagle,” “Riiverdance” and “II Hands II Heaven.”
Beyoncé tapped into her Sasha Fierce persona as she showed off her dance moves for “Desert Eagle” and “Riiverdance.” She danced more this tour as she was recovering from knee surgery during the Renaissance World Tour.
Fans waited in anticipation to see if Beyonce would do Drea Kelly’s viral dance during “II Hands II Heaven.” And she delivered, playfully doing the moves as she sang.
Beyoncé’s daughter Rumi Carter, 7, appeared alongside her mom onstage for the first time ever during “Protector.”
Blue, Rumi and Beyoncé ended the song standing together as they shared smiles with one another. Following the performance, a montage of Beyoncé and her children appeared on the screen, leaving fans in tears.
The crowd got a bit of a breather in the third set while Beyoncé’s vocals shined in “Alligator Tears,” “Just for Fun” and “Protector” and “Flamenco.”
In her second set, Beyoncé kept the energy high with “America Has a Problem,” “Spaghetti,” “Formation,” “My House” and “Diva.”
In her movie “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” her daughter Blue Ivy Carter — who fans joke is her manager — convinced the global superstar to keep the song on the final set list.
Beyoncé pointed out a diva in the crowd this time and declared she was in fact a diva, in contrast to her Reniassance World Tour when she would playfully tell concertgoers they “ain’t no diva.”
Blue Ivy has made several appearances during the concert, including an epic dance break during “America Has A Problem.”
In an Instagram story, Sheryl Lee Ralph said that this is her first time seeing Beyonce live.
“I’m so excited,” the actress wrote.
Blue Ivy is back on the stage with her mom, setting the stage on fire as she danced to “America Has a Problem” and other songs. The crowd went wild as the 13-year-old danced front and center while the other dancers stayed back. Beyoncé grinned as the audience screamed.
The energy went up a notch as Beyoncé moved into her hit “Freedom,” which served as the campaign song for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. She followed that with the banger “Ya Ya,” mixed in with her song “Why Don’t You Love Me” from 2008.
Then it was time for a costume change.
Beyoncé greeted the crowd ahead of her second song.
“Oh Beyhive, it feels so good to be on this stage,” she said at the end of the song. “I want to thank all of those who came before me that allowed me to be on this stage today. I want to thank you to my fans for allowing me to make this album. Thank you giving me the creative liberty to challenge myself.”
She then performed her cover of the Beatles song “Blackbiird” before singing the Star Spangled Banner and “Freedom.”
Beyoncé stunned in an all-white cowboy ensemble to perform “Ameriican Requiem” to open the tour.
The “Cowboy Carter” tour officially began at 8:15 p.m. PT as people wearing red robes walked onstage and the crowd screamed.
Just after 8 p.m. P, the lights began to dim throughout the stadium as the music volume increased. Fans stood to their feet in anticipation as the music escalated. It seems like the show will begin shortly.
Oprah and Gayle King jammed to “Texas Hold ‘Em” on their way to the “Cowboy Carter” tour, according an Instagram post. The media moguls previously attended the “Renaissance World Tour” and gushed about Beyonce’s performance.
As 8 p.m. PT neared, more fans made their way to their seats in anticipation of the show beginning. The concert had been advertised as starting at 7 p.m., but with no opening acts and sunset after 7:30 most fans weren’t seated by that time.
“Love Island USA” Season 6 stars Serena Page and Kordell Beckham have been spotted at the “Cowboy Carter” tour. Page is rocking a dark denim number, while Beckham opted for a blue plaid button up.
Shortly after winning the popular reality dating show, Page was featured in a Cecred ad talking all things hair and how she maintained it in the villa.
Beyoncé’s nephew, Daniel “Julez” Smith Jr., son of Solange Knowles, was also spotted on the floor.
As showtime approached, fans made their way to their seats, being sure to stop for merchandise, cocktails and other goodies along the way.
A variety of music played as fans filled the stadium with cowboy hats and boots. Alessandro Marques, 31, traveled a total of 24 hours from Brazil.
“It’s a lot to take in and it’s so surreal but of course I’m so happy to be here,” he says. “That’s why I wanted to go to more than one concert because one is not enough.”
The drinks served at the “Cowboy Carter” tour are fitting for the highly anticipated hoedown, with fans on social media sharing their mason jar-esque cups topped with white cowboy hats. The price tag? $43. SirDavis, Beyoncé’s whiskey brand, is the official spirit of the night.
Expect to hear plenty of tracks off “Cowboy Carter,” of course. But it’ll be interesting to see how Beyoncé incorporates earlier work, too, as she’s an expert at bending and blending genre lines.
The USA TODAY Network will be tracking the set list here throughout the night.
Fans who can’t attend the show in person will have the opportunity to witness the performance thanks to fans like Matthew Serafin, who turned live streaming Beyoncé shows into a passion and an act of service. He plans to attend and stream the opening show and a number of others from his personal social media accounts. Many other fans plan to do the same.
Doors opened to let fans into SoFi Stadium just past 5 p.m. and fans started to post photos of the stage on social media.
As fans waited for the stadium to open, many lined up at the merch truck parked outside.
Caryn Prince, 36, who will be attending the opening show and another concert in Los Angeles, says she’s really excited to see Beyoncé and for the community aspect of the fandom.
“Anytime you come here you just feel like everyone is so liked-minded and looking forward to having fun,” she says.
Elias Rios, 33, traveled with her two friends from Salt Lake City. She says they experienced some frustration with Ticketmaster when purchasing their tickets as they first bought nosebleeds for over $600 before exchanging them for floor seats.
“At the end it was worth it,” she says. “We don’t even care. We’re just happy to be here.”
Concertgoers second-guessing their hairstyles ahead of the evening’s entertainment had one last chance for a redo as Beyoncé’s hair care line Cécred hosted a pop-up salon outside the concert.
As much as a Beyoncé concert is a musical spectacle, it is also a fashion showcase for the singer and her fans alike.
The fans in L.A. held up their end of the bargain, heading to the stadium in Western outfits with red, white and blue accents. As expected, sashes like the one Bey wore on the album cover were the go-to accessory, along with cowboy hats.
Some small, Black-owned businesses have been supplying these items in the lead-up to the tour’s kickoff.
Fans will have their eyes peeled for special guests.
Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy served as a dancer on her mom’s Renaissance World Tour in 2023 and again during the Beyoncé Bowl NFL halftime show on Christmas Day. Will the 13-year-old be back to help bring “Cowboy Carter” to life on tour?
Other guests at the Beyoncé Bowl included Post Malone, Shaboozey and the Black female country artists featured on “Blackbiird,” Beyoncé’s cover of the Beatles song. Could Brittney Spencer, Tanner Adell, Reyna Roberts or Tiera Kennedy join Queen Bey in L.A.?
That halftime performance also featured Black rodeo stars and a striking white horse. Honoring rodeo culture and the Black roots of country music have been consistent themes during Bey’s “Cowboy Carter” era and are likely to continue into the live show.
Other collaborators on the album included Linda Martell, Miley Cyrus, Willie Jones, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson.
But the sky is really the limit as to who could appear because who wouldn’t answer Beyoncé’s call?
Yes, once.
The Beyoncé Bowl took place during halftime of the Texans-Ravens game on Christmas Day 2024 and was watched by 27 million U.S. viewers, according to Netflix.
Beyoncé performed alongside collaborators including Post Malone, Shaboozey, her daughter Blue Ivy and more. Plus, look at that horse.
While you’re waiting for the concert to begin, the halftime show is available to view on Netflix, on repeat.
What should I know about SoFi Stadium?
Lucky enough to have tickets? Here’s how to get around.
SoFi Stadium is located at 1001 Stadium Drive in Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California. Parking lots open at 4 p.m. PT, and doors at 5. The show will begin at 7. Concertgoers should enter at the Prairie Avenue and Arbor Vitae Street locations and follow signs to park in Lot N. Afterward, it is advised to enter SoFi Stadium at American Airlines VIP Entry 7.
Like any other stadium event, there are tight rules around personal items fans are allowed to bring inside. Ticketholders can bring a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc or similar) and small clutch bags, which cannot exceed 4 by 6 inches. Additionally, to accommodate guests who require medical items, clear plastic, vinyl or PVC totes that do not exceed 12 by 6 by 12 inches are approved.
Fans can save money by paying for parking online before arriving to the stadium. Parking zone maps show directions to each parking entry location. Rideshare pick-up and drop-off will be located on Kareem Court and Pincay Avenue.
What are the other tour dates?
If you can’t make it to opening night in L.A., don’t fret. There are still tickets available to upcoming concerts. The “Cowboy Carter” tour will span nine cities and 32 shows, including a hometown stop in Houston and some holiday performances that are sure to stand out — looking at you, July Fourth in Washington, D.C.
- Los Angeles: April 28, May 1, May 4, May 7, May 9 at SoFi Stadium
- Chicago: May 15, May 17, May 18 at Soldier Field
- New Jersey: May 22, May 24, May 25, May 28, May 29 at MetLife Stadium
- London: June 5, June 7, June 10, June 12, June 14, June 16 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- Paris: June 19, June 21, June 22 at Stade de France
- Houston: June 28, June 29 at NRG Stadium
- Atlanta: July 10, July 11, July 13, July 14 at Mercedes Benz Stadium
- Washington, D.C.: July 4, July 7 at Northwest Stadium
- Las Vegas: July 25, July 26 at Allegiant Stadium
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What kind of awards has ‘Cowboy Carter’ won?
Beyoncé released the 27-track album “Cowboy Carter” in March 2024 and deliberately featured country legends and emerging Black country artists alike. The album is the second part of a three-act project, with her seventh studio album, “Renaissance” considered Act 1.
At the 2025 Grammy Awards, Beyoncé became the fist Black woman to take home the award for best country album and the first Black woman to win album of the year for a country album.
“Cowboy Carter” has also made history on the charts, and the tour is set to break some records, as well, including in Los Angeles for the most performances at SoFi Stadium.
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