Beyonce and her alter ego Sasha fierce may just be the Michael Jackson of our generation, at least if you look at it through the eyes of three first time concert goers.
There were countless concerts to choose from this summer, whether you were a fan of rock, pop, hip hop, or hard core metal. Some louder than others, some safer, and some more affordable.
Wanting to experience a memorable first concert, Seniors Reva Bhatt and Mahlet Yared, and Yared’s mother Misrak Dubale, chose to attend the concert of one of the most dynamic artists of our time: Beyonce Knowles, now known on stage as Sasha Fierce.
"She is basically my idol," Bhatt said. "She can sing, she can dance, and she has style, and she’s gorgeous, so everything about her is just amazing, and who I inspire to be almost, because she has this drive. When she performed, it reminded me of Michael Jackson and his dedication".
Beyonce’s appeal isn’t limited to teenage girls, but also extends to audiences of all ages. "I really like her lyrics. She’s very inspirational," Dubale said. "When [Mahlet and Reva] decided to go, there was no question of them going alone, and I love Beyonce, so I decided to go." However, once at the concert, Dubale was more of a die–hard fan than a chaperon. "Mahlet‘s mom was dancing and singing right along with us. She definitely came as a fan," Bhatt said.
Wanting to enhance their concert experience, Bhatt and Yared met ahead of time to make special t-shirts to wear to the concert. "We made [my mom] a shirt that said Big Mama on it!" Yared said.
"At the concert everyone would approach us and talk about our shirts and just go ‘Wow‘!" Dubale said. "I didn’t really know what to expect of the shirts but I love mine!".
Their shirts attracted many onlookers. Even major radio stations such as Wild 94.9 noticed and took pictures of their fierce shirts.
As they finally walked into the stadium, the buzz in the air was evident. With every additional person that stepped into the arena, the excitement built. "I was hyperventilating and I think I turned around and said ‘I think I’m gonna cry’," Bhatt said.
With expectations set so high, it would have been easy for the concert to disappoint. Known for being phenomenal on-stage, Sasha Fierce performed almost non-stop for three and a half hours. She experimented with a myriad of methods to keep the audience engaged throughout the show, from singing "Happy Birthday" to her birthday fans to singing "Say My Name" to a lucky crazed fan, to encouraging audience participation by making them sing "Irreplaceable" for her.
"It made us feel like we [weren’t] watching a concert … we‘re a part of one," Yared said.
Other highlights of the evening were some of the songs that she sang with genuine passion, such as "Survivor" and "At Last", which she sang at Obama’s inauguration, as well as her tribute to Michael Jackson.
What makes a Beyonce concert different from any other concert according to Yared, is Beyonce’s personality. On stage, she’s Sasha Fierce, but in real life she is a completely different person. "She’s so down to earth. At one point everyone was clapping and screaming for her, and she was so shocked that it was for her," Yared said.
"Honestly, I loved every moment of it," Bhatt said. "Every penny I spent was worth it. I’m glad that this was my first [concert]".
