As Beyoncé took to the stage at 7.40pm for the first of her six London shows, fans were waiting in excited-anticipation of what the next three hours would entail and Queen Bey did not disappoint. With a career spanning more than 30 years, Beyoncé in a tough position when it comes to working out a setlist and for the Cowboy Carter she brought timeless classics and a golden mechanical bull to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The nearly three hour run time of 40 songs gives fans a lot of her biggest hits complemented with quick changes, fierce dance routines and a country flair. With ticket prices going as high as £850 according to Ticketmaster, many will see this performance as getting their money’s worth.
But, despite the high price tag, Beyoncé can’t perform every hit from her incredible back catalogue so there is a chance one of your personal favourites doesn’t make the setlist. The setlist includes all songs from the Cowboy Carter album, along with some of her most popular hits through her career.
But with decades of songs, many were left off. With certain tracks missed entirely and others not being as fleshed out as they perhaps should have. There are three songs which stood out to me as deserving a spot on the setlist and working well with the tracks Beyoncé has selected.
Missing songs that would fit with the rest of the set
Some of Beyoncé’s most iconic moments occurred during her performance at Coachella, referred to as Beychella as the 2018 festival was so memorable. And if there’s one thing that Stans have been asking for it’s to bring back Before I Let Go to a tour setlist, and for good reason!
Beyoncé’s rendition of the Frankie Beverly & Maze song of the same name, was a huge hit with fans with its loud horn section and bounce beat. The hive has been begging for its return since but to no avail. A real shame considering it would’ve been a very fitting addition around songs like 16 Carriages and would’ve been a very welcome closer to the night.
Many tracks off Beyoncé’s previous album Renaissance, were noticeably absent from the beginning of the Tour. Energy has been included to the setlist for the first time, probably a result of the BeyHive’s outcry, but songs like Virgo’s Groove with its fusion of house, funk and disco were excluded from the setlist.
Virgo’s Groove was beloved by both critics and fans alike, for being a perfect demonstration of her vocal ability and impressive range. Its lack of inclusion is definitely surprising to me with it, arguably being one of her best songs of all time.
Certain songs were cut incredibly short, others had been interpolated to fit other songs. This is understandable as not every song will be able to be performed in entirety, unless you’re willing to go to a 10 hour Beyoncé concert (which I suspect for dedicated fans would be a dream come true). But for me, the most undeserving of this fate was Run the World (Girls)
A female empowerment anthem, Run the World (Girls) was a chart success. With lyrics proudly repping her Houston, Texas hometown over an electro pop beat. I am surprised that this song wasn’t given the full time it deserves, especially with the music video having a dedicated dance number that could easily be replicated on tour. With misogyny and sexism still being commonplace, a song as brash and uncompromising in it’s message would have really made the night complete.
Ultimately, Beyoncé has hundreds of songs to choose from, so it is expected that certain songs will be left off for tours. But many of her biggest hits are included in the setlist and are incorporated in very interesting ways, for example Beyoncé’s Diva fusing with Soulja Boy’s Crank That . But it would’ve been even better if some of these songs got a chance to shine. Maybe Queen Bey will answer our prayers in Act 3.
Beyonce Cowboy Carter tour setlist
The set list of Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter tour in Tottenham as submitted by fans to setlist.fm, is as follows:
- AMERIICAN REQUIEM
- BLACKBIRD (The Beatles cover)
- THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER (John Stafford Smith & Francis Scott Key cover) (Includes elements of Jimi Hendrix’s instrumental arrangement originally performed at Woodstock)
- FREEDOM (shortened)
- YA YA / Why Don’t You Love Me
- AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM (contains elements of “AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM (feat. Kendrick Lamar)” and “SPAGHETTII”)
- SPAGHETTII (contains elements of “ESSA TÁ QUENTE”, “WTHELLY”,”***Flawless”, “Run the World (Girls)” & “My Power”)
- FORMATION (shortened)
- MY HOUSE (contains elements of Wisp’s “Your Face” and “Bow Down”)
- DIVA (contains elements of Soulja Boy’s “Crank That”, GloRilla’s “TGIF” & David Banner’s “Like a Pimp”)
- ALLIIGATOR TEARS
- JUST FOR FUN
- PROTECTOR (contains elements of “Dangerously in Love”)
- FLAMENCO
- DESERT EAGLE
- RIIVERDANCE
- II HANDS II HEAVEN
- TYRANT (contains elements of “Haunted”)
- THIQUE (shortened; contains elements of “Bills, Bills, Bills” and “Say My Name”)
- LEVII’S JEANS (shortened)
- SWEET ★ HONEY ★ BUCKIIN’ / PURE/HONEY / SUMMER RENAISSANCE (Mashup)
- TEXAS HOLD ‘EM (PONY UP REMIX; contains an excerpt of “CHURCH GIRL”)
- CRAZY IN LOVE (Homecoming version; shortened; contains elements of Cassidy’s “I’m a Hustla”)
- SINGLE LADES (Put a Ring on It) (shortened; contains elements of “Get Me Bodied”)
- LOVE ON TOP (shortened; contains elements “Freakum Dress”)
- IRREPLACEABLE (shortened)
- IF I WERE A BOY (shortened; contains elements of Jolene (COWBOY CARTER version))
- JOLENE (Dolly Parton cover) (COWBOY CARTER version; contains elements of “Daddy Lessons”)
- DADDY LESSONS
- BODYGUARD
- II MOST WANTED (snippet; contains elements of “Blow”)
- CUFF IT (shortened; contains elements of “Dance for You”, “SMOKE HOUR II” and “CUFF IT (Wetter Remix)”)
- HEATED (shortened; contains elements of 803Fresh’s “Boots on the Ground”)
- DAUGHTER
- I’M THAT GIRL (shortened; contains elements of “APESHIT”; had wardrobe malfunction as gold chaps fell down; robot f)
- COZY
- ALIEN SUPERSTAR (shortened)
- ENERGY (shortened; contains elements of “Countdown” & “Lose My Breath”; first time on Cowboy Carter tour)
- 16 CARRIAGES (contains elements of “Ego” & “Halo” and an excerpt of “That’s Why You’re Beautiful”)
- AMEN
Sites such as viagogo, Stubhub, and Vivid Seats allow fans to buy resale tickets from other fans. However, it is important to note that ticket conditions often prohibit resale after initial purchase. Those tickets may not be valid for admittance to gigs.
Fans intending to buy tickets for live events through resale websites should check the ticket terms and conditions, to confirm whether resale is prohibited, before they buy. Ticket terms and conditions can be checked with the original seller, such as Ticketmaster or Live Nation. If resale is prohibited, tickets bought second-hand could be voided and admission to the event refused.
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How to buy Beyoncé tickets now
Beyoncé tickets were first released earlier this year, with countless fans flocking to websites such as Ticketmaster and Live Nation to get their fix. Resale websites currently have the best stock of tickets available.
These websites, including viagogo, StubHub and Vivid Seats, give fans the chance to buy their most ideal tickets at the drop of a hat. That means avoiding any kind of online queues and surge pricing. In fact, some Beyoncé tickets are available at the time of writing on viagogo for around £ 80. That’s cheaper than some of the tickets’ face-value prices.
Here’s the links fan need now:
Many fans will not want to purchase tickets from resale websites, however, and that’s more than reasonable. Thankfully, some official retailers still have a bounty of tickets available – if you know where to look.
One of the websites with the most reliable stock of tickets is Seat Unique. The VIP and hospitality-focused website gives fans the chance to see Beyoncé with added bonuses.
Whether that’s all you can eat and drink, early access, after-parties, premium seating, box views, or goodie bags, Seat Unique has it all covered. Here’s the link:
Finally, fans can also still look at major retailer Ticketmaster for tickets. While this website sold out of certain tickets upon release day, there may still be some available up to the gigs in question.
Here’s the link:
Beyoncé Cowboy Carter tour dates
- June 7, 2025 – London, UK– Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- June 10, 2025 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- June 12, 2025 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- June 14, 2025 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- June 16, 2025 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
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