SWV and Xscape have both recorded music for over 30 years. So, it was fitting for the two groups — who had a reality show last year called the “Queens of R&B” — to unite for the “Queens of R&B Tour,” a 30-city trek that began late last month. The tour touched down at Madison Square Garden in New York, and several surprise guests stepped on stage to make the evening extra special.
Hip-hop legend and actor Method Man joined SWV — who released a “Tiny Desk” concert last month — for their 1994 classic “Anything.” which delighted the crowd. It was the final song of the night. Xscape came onstage to greet the Wu-Tang Clan member and to thank the crowd for coming out for the evening of about four hours of entertainment.
SWV, which stands for Sisters with Voices, performed most of their hits during the concert, which saw the two groups perform short sets of two or three songs before the other took the stage.
Wearing silver ensembles to begin the show and switching to red ones later in the show, SWV — made up of lead singer Coco, Taj, and Lelee — performed their hit ballads “Weak,” “Always On My Mind,” “Downtown” and “Rain” and their mid-tempo and up-tempo hits “You’re The One,” “I’m So Into You,” “Use Your Heart” and the Michael Jackson-sampled “Right Here.” The two groups combined to sing Xscape’s 1998 hit “The Arms of the One Who Loves You,” and a pair of songs by the Clark Sisters, “Is My Living In Vain,” and “You Brought the Sunshine.”
Three of the four original members of Xscape are on the tour, with Tamika Scott, Kandi Burruss and Tameka Cottle, better known as Tiny, all participating; LaTocha Scott sitting the tour out. But the three members sounded phenomenal together, performing many of the hits from their catalog of mostly mid-tempo hits and ballads, including “Just Kickin’ It,” “Do You Want To,” “Softest Place On Earth,” “My Little Secret” and their popular remake of the Jones Girls song, “Who Can I Run To.”
Southern hip-hop icon T.I. — who is married to Tiny of Xscape — performed one song, “Live Your Life,” his collaboration with Rihanna. T.I. performed the song with their eight-year-old daughter, Heiress Diana Harris, who sang the track’s hook.
Other show highlights included a surprise set from Brooklyn hip-hop pioneer MC Lyte, who performed “Cold Rock A Party”, “Paper Thin” and “Ruffneck.” Mya also performed many of her hits and was joined onstage by Dru Hill lead singer and solo artist Sisqó; the pair performed the hit “It’s All About Me.” Total and 702 also performed, with 702 giving a brief tribute to original member Irish Grinstead, who died of kidney failure in September 2023.
The “Queens of R&B Tour” will hit Boston, Chicago, Detroit and Toronto before ending in Los Angeles on Aug. 18. Visit ticketmaster.com for tickets and additional information.
