Beyoncé’s London residency dazzled with a country-themed show but faced criticism over high ticket prices and slow sales.

Beyoncé closed the first night of her London residency by expressing to fans how “blessed” she felt to be able to do what she loves — performing live on stage. The superstar powered through a spectacular seven-act show at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, delivering an immersive performance that lasted just under three hours.

Although this residency marked fans’ first chance to experience Beyoncé’s new country-inspired era in person, the tour has sparked significant discussion around slow ticket sales and the high cost of attending. In the lead-up to the shows, promoters reduced some ticket prices to encourage stadium capacity, which led to some early buyers feeling frustrated and short-changed.

Bringing her rodeo theme to London, Beyoncé’s show was filled with every country music cliché imaginable — from cowboy hats and horseshoes to tassels and even a striking gold mechanical bull on stage. The 40-song setlist heavily showcased material from her critically acclaimed 2024 album Cowboy Carter, which had earned the top album award at this year’s Grammy Awards.

The entire performance was executed flawlessly. Beyoncé, now 43, dazzled with an impressive series of costume changes, each more dazzling and rhinestone-studded than the last. The transitions between songs and musical themes flowed smoothly, captivating the audience throughout.

Much of the chatter surrounding the U.S. leg of the tour, which took place during April and May, centered on Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s 13-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy. She made several appearances during the show, drawing thunderous applause as she danced to an instrumental rendition of her mother’s 2006 hit Deja Vu. Blue Ivy clearly enjoyed her moments in the spotlight. In contrast, her younger sister Rumi joined on stage during Protector, shyly mouthing lyrics while being held by Beyoncé.

The tour’s name, The Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit Tour, is a deliberate nod to Black performers who were historically excluded from mainstream country music venues. Throughout the show, interludes paid tribute to these pioneering artists. Beyoncé herself has previously hinted at feeling rejected by the country music establishment. Throughout the performance, she seemed to grapple with that history, blending some of her biggest hits — like Freedom and Diva — with tracks from Cowboy Carter, almost as a statement affirming her place in the genre.

Thursday night’s show confirmed that Beyoncé is more than qualified to be a country artist, but it also raised the question of whether a massive 60,000-seat stadium is the ideal setting for this style of music.

As the evening progressed, Beyoncé shifted gears into songs from her house-music-influenced album Renaissance, which ignited the crowd into a full party mood. The stadium was illuminated with LED wristbands glowing in various colors as she performed fan favorites such as Alien Superstar and I’m That Girl — which drew some of the strongest reactions of the night.

The set also included a segment of classic hits, including Crazy In Love and Irreplaceable, with the crowd singing along word for word. This moment suggested that a few more of Beyoncé’s timeless classics might have been welcome in the overall setlist.

Despite the energetic crowd, it was difficult to tell how full the stadium actually was. Just hours before the show, thousands of tickets remained available for purchase online. Although the European leg of the tour stops only in London and Paris, most of the other eight dates had not sold out.

Beyoncé’s tour features the highest top-priced ticket of any artist visiting the UK in 2025, with prices reaching up to £950, while the cheapest tickets start at £71. In some cases, seats that were sold during the Beyhive fan presale for around £620 (excluding fees) were later available for significantly less — as low as £141.60 without fees.

One fan, Zulkarnain Sadali, traveled all the way from Singapore to London to see Beyoncé live. He bought a presale ticket costing him “more than £700.” A few weeks later, out of curiosity, he checked the ticket prices again and found the same category seats available for about £300. “I’m really excited for the show, but I will say the dynamic pricing really left a sour taste in my mouth,” he told the BBC.

Another fan, Holly Whiteman, shared that she “panic bought” Beyoncé tickets during the presale on Ticketmaster for £170 each, which were high up in the stadium’s “nosebleed” section, even though her budget was initially £100. Just days later, when tickets went on general sale through Tottenham Hotspur, she found tickets in the same row and section for £50-£70 less per ticket. She told the BBC the process left her feeling “disappointed,” though she was still looking forward to the concert.

Despite feeling short-changed, Sadali emphasized that his excitement about the tour remained strong. “It’s really about the Beyoncé experience — you’re not gonna get it anywhere else. And I know this sounds like a contradiction, but it’s worth every cent,” he said.

A Ticketmaster spokesperson told the BBC that the company does not use surge pricing or dynamic algorithms to adjust ticket costs. Instead, event organizers are responsible for pricing decisions. “Since tickets typically go on sale at least 3-6 months before the event, organisers may review prices at key points leading up to the show, but they make any adjustments, not an algorithm,” the spokesperson added. The BBC also reached out to tour promoter Live Nation for comment.

Ticketing expert Reg Walker attributed the slow ticket sales to several factors, including “overexposure” after Beyoncé’s previous UK stadium tour, which included five nights at the same venue in 2023. He also described the ticket prices as “eye-watering.”

“You might be able to afford to go to one of her concerts where you’re effectively paying, in some categories, the same amount of money as a small holiday, but you can’t do that on consecutive years. The pricing strategy on tickets was clearly far too high,” Walker said.

He noted that many “affordably priced” tours are scheduled for the summer, but with so many big-name artists visiting the UK, fans will be selective about who they choose to see live. Among those touring stadiums this season are Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey, Dua Lipa, Kendrick Lamar, and SZA, while Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Drake are headlining major festivals.