When I last wrote about Usher, I finished the article saying I was hoping for a European Tour. Well, my prayers were answered – even though somehow differently than what I had in mind because my old-school belief expected an album to drop first. Well, it didn’t! There are three singles out now – “Good kisser“, “She came to give it to you” and “I don’t mind” – with the first having been released ten months ago, and still no album in sight. Allegedly Usher postponed the album to take more time and get it right. Well, I like all three new songs and hope he won’t take too much time to chance the vibe!
Anyway, the tour, which had initially been concepted to support the album, went ahead and so audiences around the world were/are able to enjoy Usher live again!
I don’t think I have to mention that this guy can dance! And sing! And put on a show with lights, screens, fire, special effects, moving stage parts etc.! That’s what he’s known for, that’s what you expect from an Usher concert and that’s what you get. What’s more interesting is what you got on top this time!
With this tour Usher is moving into a different direction as well. He’s focussing on the music itself much more than on his last tours. That means, for example, that he has special versions of many songs, especially of some of his great hits like “You remind me“, which he played in a very slow R&B version. “U got it bad” was performed only with a set of bongos, guitar and a Fender Rhodes. He even sat down behind the drums himself for “Good kisser”. I think it’s a good way to grow, to slowly move away from this womanizer image (he didn’t even take off his shirt!) towards a more mature musician.
What I didn’t really like was the setup of the stage, which was v-shaped. It was interesting to have a completely different kind of layout and I guess it really worked for those people seated or standing further away. But for those at the front there was only a very small zone from which you could see the concert head-on – the way the show looks best. If you stood somewhere else, you saw it from the side and partly even from the back. This kinda made it difficult to feel “in” the show. But maybe that’s a matter of taste.
I was glad Usher did so many of his old songs! I really could do without “DJ got us fallin’ in love“, “Scream” or “Without you“. I said it before and I’ll say it again: I don’t like this electronic Eurodance stuff and I’m more than happy that this phase in R&B seems to be over. Well, a lot of the young members of the audience of course had come to hear exactly these songs, so I guess it makes sense to play them at the end, although my highlights were others.
All in all a wonderful evening of great entertainment. My 7th Usher show so far and I hope there are many more to come!
music, the world & me 