My heart nearly exploded as I tried to both live in the magical moment and document it. As the audience was distracted singing along to the chorus, Babyface himself emerged from the darkness, strapped with his guitar as the song’s second verse began. As he began to sing, “Now that you are here with me, baby, let’s do it right,” the opening lyrics to “Rock Wit’cha,” true fans immediately knew he was talking about the bad boy of R&B himself, Bobby Brown (it was Brown’s bodyguard who actually discovered Usher and started his career).Īfter the crowd settled down, Usher eased into a special rendition of The Deele’s “Two Occasions.” The 1988 slow jam was written by Babyface, and featured lead vocals from the famed producer-songwriter as well. With fans looking around wondering who he could be talking about, the crooner reflected on the beginning of his journey at around 8 or 9 years old. Following a quick rendition of “Superstar,” he began to speak on classic R&B cuts he wished he had under his belt and “significant artists” who helped shape him into the performer he is today. Usher promised more surprise guests throughout the two-hour, once-in-a-lifetime experience, and he exceeded expectations. Throughout the concert, I noticed an unseen host sounded just like Lil Jon, as he shouted at one point, “Ayo Ush, let’s turn this thang into a partayyy!” Little did I know, it was Lil Jon he made an onstage appearance toward the end of the show when he joined Usher for a dynamic performance of “Yeah” that practically mimicked the music video for the 2004 chart-topper. Transforming the stage into a jazzy juke joint, a skating rink, and a strip club, the 43-year-old got “caught up” under a hue of red lights, literally slid across the stage as fans sang the opening lines to “U Don’t Have To Call,” took off his jacket as his dancers grooved to a sultry breakdown of “Love In This Club,” and ignited a wave of slow twerking and body rolling when “Lovers & Friends” filled the room. The eight-time Grammy-winner guided fans through his discography, gliding back and forth between his iconic run in the early 2000s, foundational elements from the ‘90s, and crossover classics from the 2010s. It’s what I felt like I was sent to this planet to do.” Walking through the aisle on the main level in a deep indigo sparkling ensemble, he kicked off the night with a remixed version of his 1997 single, “My Way.” A montage of backstage video clips started to play on the jumbo screens as a young Usher narrated, “As a kid, I always just wanted to entertain. Though it began 45 minutes late, as soon as the lights dimmed, nothing else mattered. Judging by the couple sitting two rows in front of me who looked like castaways from Rock of Love, the woman who kept tumbling down the stairs in heels she couldn’t walk in, and the sea of sparkle-ridden outfits spread across the lower level, it was clear whatever was about to take place in Vegas was not going to stay there. 23 and 24.Ī post shared by Usher waiting for the show to begin, the diverse audience-ranging in both age and ethnicity-piled into the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Due to overwhelming demand, eight additional shows were later announced, with six dates added in Aug. Initially, the residency was set to run for only 12 shows, beginning with eight shows in July and four final shows to close out 2021 and kick off 2022. My earliest memories of the Atlanta-bred crooner include his recurring role on Moesha, his leading role in Light It Up, and the first song that ever stole my heart, 1997’s “You Make Me Wanna.” Fast forward nearly 25 years later, Usher still has that same baby face, but it’s now paired with the mental and physical makeup of a grown man and the career of an industry veteran.Īs arguably the greatest R&B male solo artist of this generation, and one of the few acts with a Diamond-certified album, Usher has added another accomplishment to his resume-his Las Vegas residency sold out almost immediately when it was first announced in Sept. I’ve been an Usher fan for as long as I can remember.
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