R&B has been playing second fiddle to hip hop for a while now, but for every three or four hot rappers, there’s an Usher or a Trey Songz working hard to keep R&B crooner’s hopes alive.
As part of that effort, the two have joined forces, along with “All I Want Is You” newcomer, Miguel, to tour the country with Usher’s OMG tour. It’s a can’t lose roster; collectively, they currently occupy over seven spots on Billboard’s Hot 100 and R&B/Hip Hop charts.
The tour is making its “Left Coast” rounds, and rolling out was in Vegas to check it out at the Mandalay Bay Events Center stop. The sold out four-hour show was fire from beginning to end. Miguel isn’t a household name like Songz and Usher, but based on his opening performance, he’ll be there in no time. A singer and producer who contributed to Usher’s Raymond Vs Raymond and Here I Stand, Miguel was able to stir the arena into a frenzy during his set, knocking his “You” performance out of the park. His set was short, but he lit the fire. Trey Songz picked up where he left off.
“Trigger” had ’em at hello. The “We Can’t Be Friends” singer has been winning over female fans for several years now with hits like “I Can’t Help But Wait,” “Neighbors Know My Name,” and “Say Aah,” and his Vegas contingent made sure he knew it. Amid piercing screams that lasted nearly his whole performance, the shirtless Songz zeroed in on the ladies’ raging hormones and wouldn’t let up. He seductively performed all his hits, including “Jupiter Love”, “I Invented Sex,” and “Love Faces,” ending – appropriately – with “Bottoms Up.”
When the lights came up, in preparation for Usher’s elaborate stage set up, you could’ve questioned whether you were at the right show. There were young and old, white, black, and yellow, men and women on hand to support the show, which was encouraging to see. Usher also had support from his ATL-based “Oceans 7” crew in Jermaine Dupri and Johnta Austin, who showed up with LaLa Anthony. After a photo-op stir over Dupri and his crew, the 12,000-seat arena went dark and it was Usher time.
Usher has been known to put on dynamic shows, and the singer tries to outdo himself with each tour. The direction he took with the OMG tour both reflects his affiliation with global-pop, envelope pushing will.i.am and his affinity for Michael Jackson. His set started with futuristic ninja-like warriors on stage demonstrating a readiness for battle, as Usher appeared on an overhead platform performing to the ear-orgasmic “Monstar.” It was Cirque Du Soleil meets Star Wars meets Michael Jackson meets … you get the picture.
The proud father of two took the Mandalay Bay crowd on a journey through nearly every hit song that propelled him to being the pop star that he is today. He made use of signature dance routines and wardrobe changes, pyrotechnics and futuristic themes to keep the energy pulsating through the event center for over two hours. His set list was as follows:
“Monstar”
“U Remind Me”
“U Don’t Have to Call”
“New Relationship”
“Nice and Slow”
“Trading Places”
“Moving Mountains”
“Love in this Club”
“LIl Freak”
“Hot Toddy”
“There Goes My Baby”
“You Got it Bad”
“Bad Girl”
“Daddy’s Home”
“Confessions”
“My Boo”
“Caught Up”
“Tonight”
“OMG”
Sweat poured from the chart-topping singer as he labored to give his fans their money’s worth and it was mission accomplished. A classic performance, done in true Vegas form, complete with fireworks and confetti. MJ would be proud of his protégé. –gerald radford
