‘Worst Concert Experience of My Life’: Beyoncé Fan Leaves SoFi Concert Furious After Experience Took a Shocking Turn — Ticketmaster Quietly Responds

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What started as an opportunity to finally see one of the world’s greatest performers live turned into a nightmare for Daily Mail senior entertainment reporter Jacques Peterson, he reported this week.

The British tabloid’s reporter purchased tickets for a recent date Inglewood, California, date on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour and took to the platform to put her, the ticket vendor, and the production on blast.

Concert critic says Beyoncé concert was the worse show he ever attended because of his bad seats. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Despite not being the biggest Beyoncé fan, according to his description of himself, Peterson was drawn to the superstar’s latest country music venture and thought declining ticket sales would make it the perfect time to experience Queen Bey’s legendary stage presence firsthand on what apparently was the second concert of the tour.

In his concert review for the May 2 date in suburban Los Angeles, the writer admitted to being a huge fan of Beyoncé’s history-making “Cowboy Carter” album, praising its breathtaking production and vocal arrangements that showcase a level of artistry rarely seen from the singer’s pop contemporaries.

With high expectations, Peterson splurged on tickets priced at over $350 each in the first elevation section, just above the floor area at SoFi Stadium.

“I couldn’t believe that I’d spent $700 for me and my friend to see Bey live, but she is the most awarded artist in Grammy history and has been lauded as the greatest performer to ever grace the stage,” Peterson wrote, recounting the anticipation of what should have been the concert of a lifetime.

The excitement quickly faded when an usher led Peterson to seats with severely obstructed views.

Gigantic scaffolding and a large box-shaped structure blocked much of the stage, despite Peterson’s “careful research” of the seating arrangement beforehand.

No warnings about obstructed views appeared on the tickets, either, leaving Peterson feeling “completely bamboozled.”

To make matters worse, the stadium speakers were pointed directly at Peterson’s section, causing deafening and distorted sound.

Combined with freezing air conditioning that seemed to target only their area, the concert quickly became unbearable. Peterson missed Beyoncé riding a mechanical bull onstage while attempting to resolve the seating issue with confused staff members amid the overwhelming noise.

After the show, Peterson sought a refund from Ticketmaster, which initially only returned the $114 service fee. However, as of May 5, Ticketmaster has since refunded the full $700 ticket cost.

The incident sparked various reactions from Daily Mail readers.

One commenter simply stated, “The show was amazing,” sharing what the critic did not see, while another suggested, “Your issue should be with Ticketmaster.”

Some placed blame on Peterson, with one reader writing, “How ever pays 700 for a ticket is out of their mind.”

Another claimed, “You spent $700 for behind the stage tickets. I’m quite certain you were warned.”

One particularly unsympathetic response read, “$700 for a ticket! Well, that’s a self inflicted injury. Word on the street was that the tickets were not selling and someone decided to buy before they went down to $25.00. Financial genius.”

Peterson’s experience comes amid reports that Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour is struggling with ticket sales.

Resale prices have reportedly plummeted below $60 in some markets, with thousands of seats remaining empty across multiple stadiums.

Financial experts suggest this sales slump may indicate broader economic concerns, as luxury entertainment expenses are often the first casualties of consumer belt-tightening amid recession fears.

The contrast is stark compared to Beyoncé’s previous Renaissance tour. Opening night tickets for Cowboy Carter in Los Angeles were available for just $44 on resale platform Gametime, while Renaissance tour tickets started at $115 in Philadelphia just two years ago.

Some tickets are said to be as cheap as McDonald’s Happy Meals.

Despite these challenges, tour promoter Live Nation presents a different perspective, stating the tour was over 94 percent sold as of mid-March, with 10 additional dates added to the original 22-show schedule. The company emphasized “tremendous demand” and characterized the tour as a “record-breaking run,” with the schedule ultimately expanding to 32 performances.

Billboard projects the tour will still generate approximately $325 million, averaging about $10.15 million per show—only slightly below the Renaissance tour’s $10.33 million average. This indicates that while individual ticket prices may be declining, Beyoncé’s overall revenue projections remain robust.

Not all reviews have been negative. Billboard veteran reporter Gail Mitchell described how fans were aglow about the opening night concert at SoFi last week, with two declaring, “We’re going to scream our faces off!” at the venue as they waited for the singer to take the stage.

Mitchell’s review reported fans extolled the nearly three-hour April 28 performance as “fun,” “amazing,” and “memorable,” and she highlighted Beyoncé’s strong-voiced performances, mesmerizing video imagery, and empowering themes throughout the show.

For Peterson, the only glimpses of Beyoncé’s masterful stage presence and flawless choreography were visible between the obstructions, making the experience even more painful.

“I’ve seen almost every pop star from Beyonce’s generation in concert— Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Britney, JLo, Justin, Miley, Pink, Christina— and this was by far the worst concert experience I’ve ever had,” Peterson declared, lamenting that the singer’s remarkable talent only heightened the disappointment of having the night ruined by seating issues.

‘Worst Concert Experience of My Life’: Beyoncé Fan Leaves SoFi Concert Furious After Experience Took a Shocking Turn — Ticketmaster Quietly Responds