By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment Writer
“Virgo season is upon us,” wrote Beyoncé on Instagram to her many fans and followers in advance of the last leg of her Renaissance World Tour and her upcoming birthday on Sept. 4.
“My wish is to celebrate with you wearing your most fabulous silver fashions to the shows (which hit SoFi Stadium Sept. 1 and 2). We’ll surround ourselves in a shimmering human disco ball each night. Everybody mirroring each other’s joy, Virgo season together in the House of Chrome. See you there!”
Your Tasty Clips writer didn’t get the memo before attending the stop at Charlotte, North Carolina’s Bank of America Stadium. So it was quite a surprise to see a sold-out crowd mostly adorned in an incredible array of sparkling accessories from cowboy hats, boots and glasses to T-shirts, chest plates and spandex.
No matter, with a humongous stage set-up that turned the cavernous home of the NFL’s Panthers into a more intimate arena setting, we were all dressed to play.
With no opening act, Queen Bey entered exactly an hour after the start time (as she has in most of the concerts) by reminding us of just how strong a vocalist she is before delivering a pumped-up house party consisting of dazzling costume changes, pyrotechnics, a killer band and dance troupe including the return of Les Twins and the emergence of daughter Blue Ivy Carter.
Be forewarned, this is not a greatest hits show — instead relying on most of the gems from the banging “Renaissance” album. Then again, with her birthday so close, Los Angeles may be in store for a set not yet seen.
It has been five years since Beyoncé last performed live with husband Jay-Z for the On The Run II Tour. May she not take as long to grace us the next time out.
FESTIVAL FILE: The Toronto International Film Festival (Sept. 7-17) announced that Colman Domingo will be the recipient of a TIFF Tribute Award. Two of the actor’s fact-based films “Sing Sing,” chronicling an arts rehabilitation program at the infamous maximum-security prison; and George C. Wolfe’s “Rustin,” about Bayard Rustin, the gay civil rights activist considered the architect of 1963’s March on Washington, will premiere there.
Just some of the highlights planned are a 4K restoration of the concert film “Stop Making Sense” to be followed by a Spike Lee-moderated reunion of the Talking Heads; and the premiere of Cord Jefferson’s “American Fiction” starring Jeffery Wright, Sterling K. Brown, Tracy Ellis Ross, Issa Rae and Erika Alexander. For more info, visit: TIFF.net.
The 13th annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival returns to the August Wilson African American Cultural Center and Highmark Stadium Sept. 14–17 with a lineup worth traveling for. Headliners include the incomparable Ledisi, Gregory Porter, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Bob James, PJ Morton, Kurt Elling with Charlie Hunter, Jose James, Nicholas Payton and Keyon Harrold with Pharoahe Monche & Mumu Fresh. The complete lineup and details may be found at PittsburghJazzFest.org.
FAMILY MATTERS: A judge ruled that a legal dispute over the band name the Isley Brothers has grounds to head to court. Brother Rudolph Isley claims that Ronald Isley is improperly trying to register a trademark on the name founded by them both with the late O’Kelly Isley in 1954. Ronald asserts that since Rudolph hasn’t performed with the group for over a decade, he gives up the right. It will be left to a jury to decide.
CLIPPETTES: Gino Vannelli sings at the Saban Theatre on Sept. 1, as Sam Smith plays the Forum; Sarah Silverman & Friends converge upon Largo, and Moneybagg Yo’s Larger Than Life tour with Finesse2Tymes, Sexyy Red and 17-year-old phenom Luh Tyler lands at The Novo …
The free fourth annual West Adams Block Party kicks off at noon on Sept. 2 with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, D Smoke, Soulection and more at Delicious Pizza-Mid City. Later it is the legendary Dionne Warwick at the Saban, and Fishbone frontman Angelo Moore performs at Zebulon …
The F.O.R.C.E (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Tour featuring collaborative non-stop live performances with LL Cool J, The Roots, DJ Z-Trip and DJ Jazzy Jeff hits the Forum on Sept. 3. The bill also boasts Salt-N-Pepa and Ice T …
In addition, Anthony Hamilton croons at the Saban Theatre, and Air Supply and Michael Bolton bring their hits to the Hollywood Bowl …
The not to be missed Buddy Guy Farewell Tour comes Sept. 6 to the Hollywood Bowl; as Lil Durk’s Sorry for the Drought Tour with Kodak Black, and NLE Choppa stops at The Forum; and Ellis Hall brings his musical talents to Vibrato Grill & Jazz …
The Grammy Museum spotlights husband-and-wife duo Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter aka The War And Treaty on Sept. 7 for a performance and conversation surrounding their career, creative process, and latest album “Lover’s Game” …
Also that night, Jodeci, SWV, and Dru Hill are at the YouTube Theater; and Vintage Trouble performs at the Troubadour.
TASTY QUIP: “Winning is still kinda unreal but it for sure feels like a confirmation. I know people go through seasons asking themselves if they’re doing the right things in life or going down the right path and for me [that was] leaving Hollywood years ago to work in the community and with the youth. Winning for sure tells me it’s time to blow the dust off some of these dreams and ideas and get back into my Hollywood bag. Seeing myself on TV and just seeing the feedback from the show for sure gave me the confidence that I might just need to be on that screen more! Lol!” – GABRIEL CANNON (Nick Cannon’s little brother) to Bossip on besting the field for $100,000 on ABC’s “Claim To Fame”
TC ON TV: Sept. 1 – “Today” (NBC): Darius Rucker in concert. “Power Book IV: Force” (Starz): A second season of the spin-off focusing on fan favorite Tommy Egan (as played by Joseph Sikora). “Time of Essence” (OWN): “Chapter Three: The 1990s”
Sept. 2 – “Hip Hop Treasures” (A&E): Fat Joe + Digital Underground
Sept. 3 – “Sunday Today with Willie Geist” (NBC): Idris Elba “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” (Bravo): The teasers for “Reunion, Part 1” have Kenya Moore serving combatant Marlo Hampton with a subpoena after finding her number in her ex-husband phone.
Sept. 4 – “First Take” (ESPN): The Shannon Sharpe era begins as the ex-“Undisputed” debater takes on Stephen A. Smith on Mondays and Tuesdays. “Office Race” (Comedy): An ensemble cast including Kelsey Grammer (“Frasier”), Kylie Bunbury (“Big Sky”), and J.B. Smoove (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) bring the laughs in this comedy about an unambitious office worker who goes to great lengths to defeat his exercise-obsessed, micromanaging boss. “Little Richard: I Am Everything” (CNN): Through a wealth of archive and performance that brings viewers into Richard Penniman’s complicated inner world, the rock and roll icon’s life story is told. With remarks from Nona Hendryx, Mick Jagger, Tom Jones, Billy Porter, Nile Rodgers, John Waters and more.
Sept. 5 – “Inside The NFL” (CW): For its 47th year of production, the Emmy Award-winning weekly studio series is now airing for the first time ever on broadcast television and streaming on The CW App and cwtv.com.
Sept. 6 – “The Little Mermaid” (Disney+): The streaming premiere of this year’s live-action adaptation starring Halle Bailey, Javier Bardem and Melissa McCarthy. “I Am Groot” (Disney+): The troublemaking twig from the “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise (as voiced by Vin Diesel) returns to mischief in the second season of five all-new shorts. “Superfan” (CBS): Five of Pitbull‘s most devoted supporters battle it out to be crowned his biggest fan on a new episode of the unscripted musical series hosted by Nate Burleson and Keltie Knight. “America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston” (PBS): A trip down “Suwanee: Wild River” opens the second season.
Sept. 7 – “Family Portrait” (AllBlk): Jason Mitchell (“The Chi”), Billy Britt Jr, and Michelle Lamb are featured in this movie about rivalries. “Star Trek: Lower Decks” (Paramount+): A fourth season of the animated comedy series of the ship led by Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis). “Top Boy” (Netflix): The final season of the British crime drama series.
A HELPING HAND: “Award-winning singer/songwriter Rachelle Farrell, the instrumentalist also gifted with a six-octave voice, is reportedly urgently in need of support through health, wellness and life-related hardships. Prayers are being asked for and a crowdfunding page has been set up at www.sweetrelief.org with more information.
As featured in the Los Angeles Wave and Independent, Tasty Clips is one of the leading entertainment columns in the nation, serving nearly one million weekly readers. Bill Vaughan may be reached at tastyclips@yahoo.com, via Twitter @tastyclips, or Instagram @tasty_clips.
