Three years after her death, Tina Turner is captivating the internet all over again.
A full length recording of her concert at the Gelredome in Arnhem, Netherlands, has been circulating on YouTube and Threads in recent days, and viewers are struggling to believe what they’re seeing. The two hour, nine minute show was filmed in March 2009, when the music icon was 69 years old.
A farewell tour that covered it all
The performance came from the Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour, which marked her 11th and final trip around the globe as a headliner. The run honored five decades in entertainment. Turner, who died in 2023 at age 83, first entered show business in 1959, when she teamed up with Ike Turner, later her husband, and his band, the Kings of Rhythm, in St. Louis.
Because the tour was a celebration of her staying power, the set list drew from every era. Audiences heard songs from her early partnership with Ike, including “River Deep Mountain High,” “Proud Mary” and “Nutbush City Limits.” They also got the solo hits that defined her comeback, such as “Private Dancer,” “What’s Love Got to Do with It” and “We Don’t Need Another Hero.”
Fans are still in awe
Although these dates would be the last time she performed live on a major tour, Turner gave every ounce of energy to the stage, and that effort is leaving people speechless all these years later. One YouTube viewer wrote that only minutes into the video, they were amazed at how someone nearly 70 could look and move like a woman three decades younger, then sent love and respect to the late star. Another commenter, who grew up listening to her in the 1960s, called her a marvel and praised her voice, her charisma and her kindness.
Over on Threads, one person described Turner as one of the last great female singers with real grit. Another responded with a nod to her signature anthem, “Simply the Best.”
Others used the moment to reminisce about seeing her in person. One fan said they were lucky enough to attend nine of her shows starting in 1988, and took their 13 year old daughter to the final one, where they cheerfully embarrassed the teen. That person ranked Turner’s concert above all 24 shows they had attended by other artists. A second commenter said they were in the Netherlands for one of her 2009 performances and called it the best live event they had ever witnessed, adding that they kept closing their eyes just to soak in her powerful voice.
From Ike and Tina to solo superstar
Tina and Ike, whom she married in 1962, broke into the mainstream in the late 1960s, boosted by their renditions of “I Want to Take You Higher,” “Come Together,” “Honky Tonk Woman” and “Get Back.” The pair went into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame together in 1991.
Turner separated from Ike in 1976, and their divorce was finalized two years later. What followed was a difficult stretch. She fought for years to regain her footing in the business and was frequently labeled a nostalgia act. That changed in 1984, when her album Private Dancer catapulted her back into the spotlight, and this time she was firmly in control of her own career.
The Rock Hall welcomed her again in 2021, this time as a solo artist. At 81, she joked during her acceptance speech that the continued honors suggested she had done something right.
A legacy that keeps reaching new fans
The renewed attention shows how deeply Turner‘s artistry continues to resonate. Nearly two decades after the Arnhem show was recorded, and three years after her death, a new wave of viewers is discovering what longtime devotees have known for generations: few performers could command a stage quite like she did. With five decades of hits, from gritty rock anthems to polished pop favorites, her catalog offers something for nearly every listener.
For those who never saw her live, the video offers a rare full length look at an artist at work, singing, strutting and holding a huge crowd in the palm of her hand. For those who did, it is a reminder of just how special those nights were.
