Usher was my first love. Before the Famous Jett Jackson, before Sammie, before J Boog — there was Usher Raymond IV. You name a record off My Way, 8701, or Confessions and my mind instantly goes to a cherished memory from my childhood. Growing up, Confessions defined for me what success was in the industry — diamond album, sold-out tour, movies, timeless music. Until he went and messed around with Tameka, Usher was the standard.
Some argued after Confessions he had nowhere else to go but down — I had always believed he would be considered one of, if not the best entertainer of our time. Nonetheless, it’s been years since I’ve attached Usher’s career with unmatched excellence. In his stead, Beyonce and Justin Timberlake have risen in the ranks, dominating the industry and record sales.
He has the star power, voice, technical skill, and over 20 years in the business — what is the missing element? It’s a question I have asked myself a thousands times. After attending the UR Experience tour at Mohegan Sun arena in Uncasville, CT, I think I can finally articulate my answer.
I’ll fast-forward through DJ Cassidy (mostly because I missed his set — CP Time), and August Alsina (who sounded much less like a goat than anticipated).
I’ll tell you this, the problem with the concert is not Usher and it’s not the music. For two hours straight Usher performed all of his greatest hits with near perfect precision. He was accompanied by world-class dancers who performed a very high-energy set without hint of fatigue, three background singers, and a full-piece band. His charisma shined as he weaved in personal anecdotes throughout the night, keeping the crowd entertained.
The answer then — lack of innovation. The production value was nowhere near where it should be for a star of his caliber. Let’s start with the staging — a small, triangular stage flanked by two short ramps. There was no second stage. There would be no “flying” around the arena. Fans that weren’t in the front, lower level of the arena had little to no interaction with the star beyond a few shoutouts. There was scattered smoke and pyro throughout the performance, but nothing out of the ordinary for your average concert. There would be no stunning visual elements, no spectacular costume designs, and no storyline or cohesion to the songs performed. I counted one video (the intro), some filtered camera shots, 2 jacket changes, 1 shirt change and 1 hat.
I forgot, I think he changed his sneakers too.
Now I believe had the tour gone as planned, as a promotional tool for the now indefinitely delayed UR, the show would’ve been more along the lines of what I had envisioned. I understand they most likely had to cut back on the scale of the production as a result, but at 36, Usher doesn’t have time to waste on mediocre presentations. He needs something BIG to shake up the industry and remind us who has the #1 spot, and I.M.O. it’s now or never. From the album rollout, to the award show performances, to his tour production — everything needs an infusion of innovation.
Steps down off soapbox.
I know I just went in, butttt purely as a fan, I would still encourage you to attend the tour if it stops in your city. I had a great time, I sang, I danced, and when he flashed those pearly whites….swoon.
The rest of the tour dates are below:
NOV 15 Boardwalk Hall | Atlantic City, NJ
NOV 17 United Center | Chicago, IL
NOV 18 Xcel Energy Center | St. Paul, MN
NOV 21 Staples Center | Los Angeles, CA
NOV 22 MGM Grand Garden Arena | Las Vegas, NV
NOV 24 SAP Center at San Jose | San Jose, CA
NOV 26 KeyArena | Seattle, WA
NOV 27 Rogers Arena | Vancouver, Canada
NOV 30 Rexall Place | Edmonton, Canada
DEC 02 1st Bank Center | Broomfield, CO
DEC 04 American Airlines Center | Dallas, TX
DEC 05 Toyota Center | Houston, TX
DEC 06 Smoothie King Center | New Orleans, LA
DEC 08 FedExForum | Memphis, TN
DEC 09 Philips Arena | Atlanta, GA
DEC 12 Amway Center | Orlando, FL
DEC 13 AmericanAirlines Arena | Miami, FL
DEC 14 Amalie Arena | Tampa, FL