Modern culture has two Queens: the aging British monarch and the globally accepted superstar, Beyonce. This woman is much more than a musical phenomenon; she’s a mother, wife, businesswoman and fashion icon. Beyonce’s legacy transcends that of musical acts of the past; despite being a household name, there is an air of mystery and reverence surrounding her at all times.

With this being said, Dec. 14 I had the opportunity to attend her Mrs. Carter World Tour show in St. Louis was an experience I anxiously looked forward to for months and also felt like I needed to prepare for emotionally, physically and mentally.

After braving wind, snow, rain and the extreme cold all in the name of The Queen, my friends and I were able to purchase an upgrade for our general admission floor seats and get into the arena 15 minutes before the rest of the floor, with 200 eager fans. The cold and long wait was well worth it after we ended up third row, dead center. Despite her over-the-top sexualised opener, Luke James, delivering a cringe-worthy performance that included one ripped-off shirt, one innapropriate fondle and many a falsetto, The Queen arrived in a style only reserved for royalty.

With nothing less than a coronation ceremony video as the lead-in to her appearance, Beyonce stunned from the start with “Run the World (Girls)” one of her most high energy and female empowering songs off her album 4. The powerhouse performances kept up throughout the show “End of Time”, “Naughty Girl” and “Love on Top” to name a few. These were all packed with explosive choreography from her uber-talented company, including the famous Les Twins.

The Queen changed costume almost every two or three songs, each outfit flashy, flowing and sassy, but Beyonce wore every piece with the utmost confidence. By the end of the show, I wanted to go out and buy a midnight blue pantsuit with an embellished collar.

The entire concert I felt in awe of the performance and pulsing with energy from Beyonce and the crowd around me. Even the slower moments during “If I Were A Boy” and “Flaws and All” were captivating and Beyonce never failed to stun with effects and vocals.

I have no complaints about the Mrs. Carter Show. The Queen delivered everything I expected: extravagant effects, amazing choreography, intense energy and of course, above-par vocals. The show had rhythm and each part was connected by visually striking videos that gave us an insight into Beyonce’s creative process and mindset. She frequently interacted with audience and often held the microphone for fans to sing into. Despite being one of the most well-known names in the music industry, Beyonce took multiple opportunities to tell us how grateful she was for the chance to perform for us.

At the end of the show, despited my feet hurting, a back ache and exhaustion after a long day of waiting, I was disappointed when the encore ended. When The Queen ran off for the last time, I told my friends I could have stood through another two hours of that, easily. The Mrs. Carter Show exceeded my already high expectations and left me eager to see Beyonce perform again. Lets cross our fingers for a short wait for Beyonce Part II after the release of her new, veritable masterpiece of a visual album, Beyonce.