The UR Experience: Usher Celebrates Twenty-Year Legacy
The eight-time Grammy award-winning artist Usher has teased fans all this year with new music to anticipate the release of his eighth studio album UR. A great way to show his fans appreciation for supporting him during the past two decades is embarking on his worldwide tour, The UR Experience. This was my second time seeing the singer in concert, as my first show was four years ago on his OMG Tour. For the ‘Experience’ this time around he brought a couple new friends with him, DJ Cassidy and August Alsina. Whether or not you have seen Usher live in concert, this is an artist you don’t want to pass up when he comes to your town because he always puts on an electrifying show.
On Monday, DJ Cassidy kicked things off as fans of all ages filled the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. Some fans were a bit uneasy when the tour was announced about a DJ as the opening act. However, Cassidy’s set was not just an artist spinning records. The DJ brought songs to life with his full band beside him to get the party started. He played old school songs from artists such as Michael Jackson and Cameo to hit songs of today from popular EDM artists, pleasing the entire audience with groovy tunes to sing along to. Since the audience age demographic spanned from baby boomers to millennials, he not only took the older generations down memory lane, but also spawned musical interest with the newer generations.
Next to take the stage was R&B heartthrob August Alsina. The “No Love” crooner had a breakout year in 2014 releasing his debut album, Testimony, and touring the world with acts such as Pusha T and 2 Chainz. For R&B lovers, the pairing of Alsina touring with Usher is a match made in heaven, a newcomer learning the ropes from a veteran. Infatuated by his street style and sultry lyrics, #TeamAugust was in full effect as girls screamed his name throughout the arena. The Testimony singer sure knows how to win the ladies over as he serenaded them with songs such as “Porn Star” and “Kissin’ On My Tattoos.” He mentioned how much he loves the Bay Area, “It’s something about the women here, they’re beautiful and strong at the same time.”
During the middle of his set, Alsina changed the mood in the arena. He took time to reflect on the verdict in the case of Michael Brown. Just a couple hours before the singer took the stage, news outlets announced the grand jury’s decision in the fatal shooting case. Alsina asked the audience to take a moment of silence for the young man who lost his life. He tried to fight back his tears as he said, “I’m emotional ‘cause I could’ve been that n***a they killed.” This reflection was a respectful way for the singer shedding light about worldly issues, connecting emotionally with his fans, and becoming one of the best highlights of the night.
After the new artist concluded his set, it was time for the headliner to take the stage, Usher. The lights dimmed as the 36-year-old walked out with a suave strut as spotlights and smoke illuminated across the stage. He sported a Michael Jackson-inspired leather jacket adorned with red and silver sequins on the right sleeve. His rock star chic wardrobe changed a few times throughout his set between red high-tops, gold metallic tennis shoes, and fancy jewelry. He opened the set with his 1997 hit, “My Way” before continuing into more of his recent singles such as “Love In This Club” and “OMG.” His band including a massive horn section came out in full swing along with his B-boy dancers to get the crowd amped up. It wasn’t long before the singer was dripping in sweat from all the high jumps and pop-locking dance moves.
Usher sings “Love In This Club”
“Tonight I want to take you on a journey through music, my music,” said the “You Make Me Wanna” singer. He kept it sexy for the ladies as he took the audience back in time with his ‘90s hit, “Nice and Slow” as his guitarist performed an insane guitar solo at the end. His energetic moves continued with fancy footwork and backflips on his funky tune, “Twisted,” pulling inspiration from artists such as Jackie Wilson and James Brown. His dancers and band members created a Soul Train line to show off their moves on the disco-infused track. He continued performing hits from his massive catalog from the crowd bouncing to the infectious beat on “Confessions,” to the fans creating a cell phone light show on “Let It Burn,” to the singer dedicating an unplugged version of “There Goes My Baby” to all the single ladies. His medley of ballads showcased his falsetto range as he often turned his microphone towards the audience to help sing the hooks.
Usher is known for bringing fans on stage with him at every concert. This time, he brought up six lucky ladies to show their best dance moves to his hit, “Bad Girl.” He then surprised the crowd as he elevated on a hydraulic platform with an electric drum solo before singing one of his newest hits, “Good Kisser.” Neon lights soared across the stage as he sang, “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love,” as fist pumps filled the venue to make it feel like an EDM concert. Once the beat dropped and fans heard the Lil’ Jon verse, “Peace up, A-town down,” the crowd went wild as the singer brought his “Yeah!” video to life and fans imitated all the popular Atlanta dance moves. As he thanked the audience for coming to his show, some fans started leaving, but as the lights stayed dim, his “day-one” fans knew the show wasn’t over just yet. He came back out on stage and told the audience, “The Bay loves Usher and Usher loves the Bay,” as he concluded his 20-plus set list with an encore performance of “Without U.”
The UR Experience
The UR Experience alludes why fans have fallen in love with Usher over these past twenty years. Although the music industry has changed tremendously with distribution, promotion, and record sales, he is a prime example of artists who continue to have longevity. As a singer, musician, and dancer, he’s the epitome of a triple-threat entertainer that many new artists continue to idolize. Between the pyrotechnics, stellar dance moves, and soulful vocals, the energy was kept up the entire night. So what’s the melody behind this experience? Usher is in it for the long haul and I’m looking forward to seeing what he brings to the industry in the next twenty years.
