Many fans faced severe weather and traffic delays to see Beyoncé perform in Raleigh Tuesday night May 3rd 2016
With thunderstorms over Wake County, Live Nation concert promoters asked Beyoncé fans to wait in their cars Tuesday afternoon. The concert was held at North Carolina State University’s Carter-Finley Stadium, the outdoor venue for Beyoncé’s Formation World Tour, was scheduled to open at 5:30 p.m. but fans were asked to wait in their vehicles for over an hour until it was safe to enter the stadium.
Some Beyoncé fans were actually students from Saint Augustine’s University most of them said they came prepared for the wet weather.
“We’ve got hoodies, umbrellas, everything you need to stay dry,” said Christopher Acevedo, senior at Saint Augustine’s University. “I was not going to miss this for the world. I received an email saying the show will go on rain or shine”
The show went off on time, but was momentarily postponed just after 10 p.m. because of lightning. The PNC and sports practice facilities were opened to give fans a dry place to wait out during the storm.
The show started again at about 11:30, but many fans had already decided to go home. “ I paid my money to see the Queen B herself and I was not going anywhere, said Leah Waldo, junior at Saint Augustine’s University. I’ve always wanted to see a Beyoncé concert and now that I had the chance I wasn’t planning on turning back around.”
Parking lots at Carter-Finley Stadium opened at 4 p.m., and signs warned drivers to expect delays along Wade Avenue and other stadium access routes throughout the evening.
Some fans who paid hundreds of dollars to see Beyoncé sat in traffic for hours after the show was scheduled to start, trying to get to the stadium.
Many abandoned their cars along Interstate 40 and walked to the stadium, but surprisingly authorities said vehicles would not be towed the roadways were not blocked.
This concert was one of the most highly-anticipated concerts of the summer Beyoncé takes the stage in a political manner that other artists have chosen to boycott.
Artists like Ringo Starr, Nick Jonas and Demi Lovato had canceled planned shows in the state in opposition to House Bill 2, which requires that people use the public bathrooms that links to their birth certificate and prohibits cities and counties from extending discrimination protection to people based on sexual preference or gender identity.
“I did not think it was going to happen, to be honest. I was worried because HB2 has just been killing it for everyone across the board,” said Beyoncé fan and Saint Augustine’s University senior Leslie Souvenance.”I was hoping she would not cancel it since her fan base is so devoted it would have been a crazy day in Raleigh”
Beyoncé has remained silent on the subject of House Bill 2 but caused controversy earlier this year after police officer unions felt her half-time performance at Super Bowl 50 expressed anti-police sentiments. Many officers across the country threatened to boycott the show, but Raleigh police decided against the idea.
“Overall it was a great performance whether it was rain or shine, Beyoncé got on stage and gave the crowd what they wanted, said Jahnai Isom, senior at Saint Augustine’s University It was amazing so happy that I got to experience such a lively performance.”
LaQuasia S. Jackson
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