Hey Mrs. Carter :: Beyoncé Brings Out the Best in AC

JC Alvarez READ TIME: 4 MIN.

Proving still stronger than any storm, Atlantic City stood up to the gale force winds when pop superstar royalty Beyonc� moved into Boardwalk Hall during a stop on the Jersey Shore on her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. The "Queen B" played to a packed house on the iconic boardwalk convention hall that was filled to capacity. Fans surrounded both stages laid out for Beyonc� who gracefully navigated each in a two-hour set of her current and greatest hits.

Steering clear of any high-powered fans that could catch onto her locks, Beyonc� danced, played up to her inner diva, and soared high above the crowd during performances of songs from her latest album "4," some Destiny's Child favorites, and even revealed a new track "Grown Woman." Under a series of pyrotechnics and lighting effects, and enough costume changes to inspire next season's collection, Mrs. Carter proved why she is one of the music industry's most powerful artist to the delight of all of her AC fans.

Her concert at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall is part of the final stretch of Beyonc�'s world tour as it prepares to come to a close (appropriately) for 3 nights at Brooklyn's Barclays Center in August. After controversially parting ways with her longtime manager, her father Mathew Knowles, and giving birth to her first baby girl with husband Jay-Z, the very grown woman is outshining most of her contemporaries as one of the only acts able to sell out venues in the pop music world.

Though her last album "4" didn't perform as well as her previous works, it still landed Beyonc� some of her best reviews and featured the singles "Run The World (Girls)," and "Best Thing I Never Had," and "Love On Top." Not one to sit on her laurels, Beyonc� has already promised a new album set for a release later this year. She is already shaking up clubland with the remixes for the singles to "Grown Woman" and "Standing on the Sun." These tracks have prominently moved up the list of favorites among today's DJs and feature re-workings from NERVO, Ralphi Rosario, WAWA and Ti�sto.

Atlantic City...Do It All

Showing signs of full recovery from its brush with Superstorm Sandy last year, Atlantic City and its beaches were bustling with activity, and continue to provide more than enough to keep the LGBT visitor engaged. The very gay-friendly Resorts Casino Hotel has benefited from some serious renovations enhancing its 20's inspired Art Deco design. Still featuring the AC's most popular gay bar and nightclub, Pro Bar is often filled to capacity especially when hosting superstars - this weekend not only featured Beyonc�, but also welcomed New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men who were performing on the strip as well.

Resorts has also extended its offerings right onto the famous Atlantic City beach. Adjacent to the historic Steel Pier amusement park and pier, visitors can dine and party at the Landshark Bar & Grill, which is part of the new Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville also built into Resorts -�and offering year-round full-service on the beach.

Keeping with its "Do Anythng, Do Everything" motto as Atlantic City prepares for its upcoming and famously popular "Miss'd America" Drag Pageant in September, the AC's nightlife is thriving. When locals and visitors prepare for this spectacle, one of the local LGBT community's largest events, area clubs will be preparing to host dance revelers especially super dance club "HQ" at Revel, "Boogie Nights" at the Tropicana, and "Dusk" at Caesars. You can expect Pro Bar to pull out all the stops to keep LGBT guests of the "Miss'd America" Drag Pageant dancing into Sunday morning.

It's time to book your AC/DO weekend now, so check out the sites at www.atlanticcitynj.com and the new Atlantic City.

This year's "Miss'd America" Pageant will be hosted by none other than the seductive Michelle Visage from "RuPaul's Drag Race" and features a special performance from dance icon CeCe Peniston. The pageant weekend begins Friday, September 20 with events scheduled at Resorts Casino Hotel and the House of Blues.


by JC Alvarez

Native New Yorker JC Alvarez is a pop-culture enthusiast and the nightlife chronicler of the club scene and its celebrity denizens from coast-to-coast. He is the on-air host of the nationally syndicated radio show "Out Loud & Live!" and is also on the panel of the local-access talk show "Talking About".

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