Beyoncé dominates final Atlanta tour show with Jay-Z, Blue Ivy: Top moments
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter closed out her Atlanta shows for the "Cowboy Carter" tour, and the grand finale performance was one of her most unforgettable shows yet, powered by an electric crowd and standout moments.
The Grammy-winning singer kicked off her final Atlanta concert at Mercedes-Benz Stadium around 8:29 p.m. local time on Monday, July 14. The concert marked her last of four shows at the stadium on her Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour.
A crowd-led wave rippled through the stadium as the night began, setting the tone before Beyoncé appeared.
"Welcome! I have to say thank you Atlanta for giving me some of the best shows of my life," Beyoncé told the exhilarated crowd as she opened the show for the final time. She also hit the stage July 10, July 11, and July 13.
The concert seemed to be one of the most high-powered yet. Beyoncé cemented this during the night, telling the audience, "I'm sorry, y'all are the loudest crowd."
Beyoncé first debuted her "Cowboy Carter" tour at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on April 28 with a 39-song set list. The nine-city tour has spanned the U.S. and Europe with the grand finale set for July 26 in Las Vegas.
The Atlanta finale stayed true to the family, fashion and genre mixing for which the tour has become known, delivering unforgettable highlights throughout the night.
Jay-Z surprises fans again, joining Beyoncé for a second night in a row
Beyoncé once again stunned the energetic crowd when husband Jay-Z returned to the stage as they sang their 2003 song, "Crazy in Love." He followed it up with his 2003 anthem, "Public Service Announcement." The night prior, Jay surprised fans when he joined Bey on stage for the first time in the U.S.
But during Monday’s show, he added another song to his set, performing his 2000 hit "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)." The crowd went wild, prompting Jay to pause briefly to take it all in.
Jay-Z first took the stage with Beyoncé on this tour during Beyoncé's third Paris concert at Stade de France on June 22, her last overseas show. He performed the same tunes along with his hit song, "N***as in Paris." Jay-Z's onstage appearances have also consistently ushered in the return of Beyoncé’s 2013 tracks "Partition" and "Drunk in Love."
'ATL!' Beyoncé returns the love after fans chant her name in Atlanta
It was clear from the start that Beyoncé felt the high-octane energy, and it only continued to build throughout the night. At one point, she paused as the crowd erupted into cheers and began chanting her name.
She returned the love by shouting back "ATL!" before hitting the the viral "innitt" dance, popularized by the song "Whim Whamiee" by Atlanta artists Pluto and YKNIECE. Beyoncé, her 13-year-old daughter Blue Ivy Carter, and 8-year-old daughter Rumi Carter each showed off the move at different moments during the tour stop, igniting the crowd.
Blue Ivy is moved by riveting crowd, closes out show with Beyoncé
It seems all the Carters felt the energy of the night. One of the anticipated moments of each show is Blue Ivy’s dance number to Beyoncé’s 2006 hit, "Deja Vu." Each night, Blue wowed fans with her dance moves, fierce strut and confident hair flips, but Monday's performance felt especially meaningful.
After finishing the routine, she appeared visibly moved, pausing a little longer than usual to take in the roaring cheers from the crowd.
That emotion was underscored when she and Beyoncé shared a sweet moment together at the end of the show, closing out the night with a hug and taking in all the love.
Beyoncé's tour has also been a huge showcase of fashion and creativity. Each night, Beyoncé continues to blend high fashion and cowboy couture, keeping fans on the edge of their seats as they anticipate a new look. There's been many looks incorporating Western-glam – sparkly chaps, cowboy hats, boots and piles of fringe – whihc continued throughout her Atlanta stint.
Follow Caché McClay, the Paste BN Network's Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.