Robin Harper/Parkwood/PictureGroupThe show must go on!
Due to inclement weather, Beyoncé and Jay-Z got a late start when they took the stage at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Thursday, as part of their global On the Run II tour. Chloe x Halle, who are signed to Beyoncé's Parkwood Entertainment, performed before the storm rolled in, and afterward, DJ Khaled brought out Bazzi, Fabolous, Freeway and Jim Jones.
"We expect the weather situation to clear shortly. Please standby for further updates," a spokesperson for the stadium tweeted at 10:21 p.m. local time. "Thanks for your patience." Thirty minutes later, the sky cleared: "We ask you please return to your seats. Show will go on!"
The concert started at 11:08 p.m. and wrapped at 1:29 a.m.
During the delay, Beyoncé and Jay-Z's fans shared updates—both humorous and worrisome—from inside the venue. "Everybody in this stadium had to seek shelter before Beyoncé," comedian Matt Bellassai tweeted, "and honestly the most upsetting part is knowing that she possibly doesn't control the weather." BuzzFeed reporter Amber Jamieson tweeted it was "super unclear if Bey and Jay will come on or cancel this whole gig." While the experience "sucks big time," she added, "Beyoncé being struck by lightning would be A LOT WORSE so..."
The couple kicked off the show with "Holy Grail" and "Part II (On the Run)," and went on to perform some of their collaborations, including "APES--T," "Crazy in Love" and "Drunk In Love."
At one point during the show, Beyoncé and Jay-Z shared a sweet kiss onstage.
Before she sang "Formation," Beyoncé asked, "Y'all came to party here tonight?" Before the show ended, she thanked fans for not "letting the rain stop" ruin a good time. "Thank y'all for riding—it's like 1 something in the morning. God bless you! We appreciate you! We love you!"
Beyoncé and Jay-Z will perform again tonight at MetLife Stadium.