Chris Brown and Usher Raymond made the most of the collaborative possibilities presented by a co-headlining tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale when they got the party started with the aptly titled “Party,” a song they recorded a decade ago.
Brown handled the opening verse and two choruses, flanked by a large crew of dancers as he showcased his own effortlessly fluid moves, on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
Then, Usher emerged from beneath the stage on a hydraulic lift to dramatic effect in a nearly floor-length red faux-fur coat, leather pants and no shirt (in keeping with tradition). He stood there a moment just soaking everything in before singing his verse and quickly disappearing through a door in the massive video wall.
Chris Brown and Usher Raymond shared the stage on several occasions
And it was not the last time
they would share that stage before the night was through, making the most of the undeniable chemistry they share.
After going their own way for two sets each, they rejoined forces in a hit-filled sixth act that found the spotlight shifting back and forth between them as they alternated hits, joining forces on “Back to Sleep (Remix).”
Each of the headliners turned in another full set before coming together one last time to end the night on “New Flame,” a Brown single featuring Usher that topped the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rhythmic Airplay charts in 2014.
We didn’t get a cameo from Snoop Dogg, Ye or Robin Thicke like SoFi Stadium this past weekend, but we did get special guests Eric Bellinger, Tank and Mario doing quick sets between the main acts.
The R&B Tour is elaborately staged with Chris Brown taking flight
And it’s doubtful many R&B fans felt short-changed by the lack of celebrity mystery guests during the two-and-a-half-hour concert packed with huge career-defining hits and plenty of sensationally choreographed dancing from both superstars.
The R&B Tour takes its name not only the genre these two stars have dominated in the prime but also their actual names, Raymond and Brown.
It was elaborately staged with plenty of pyro, pole dancers, a fire dancer and other entertaining visuals. The entire concert made brilliant use of the video wall that dominated the diamond-shaped stage.
For one of Usher’s sets, he donned a twinkling pinstripe suit, performing in an upscale nightclub called Raymond’s, where well-dressed patrons sat at tables drinking wine. That set ended with Usher staggering down the runway, dripping liquor from a bottle for a trail he then ignited with a carelessly tossed cigarette while singing "Let it Burn," the stage eventually engulfed in flames.
Brown rolled onstage sprawled on the hood of a vintage Chevy Impala to a recording of Prince’s “Purple Rain,” standing on the hood to sing “Fallin’” in a microphone suspended from the rafters.
At one point near the end of the performance, Brown flew across the stadium in a harness, briefly touching down on tiny places in the audience before landing a satellite stage at the opposite end of the stadium, where he performed several songs before flying back to the stage.
Chris Brown did not address his troubled history this time
Unlike the Breezy Bowl XX Tour, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the self-titled album that launched his career, which featured a video montage of newspaper headlines detailing a handful of the legal troubles that have made him such a controversial figure, Brown did not call attention to his troubled past at State Farm Stadium.
It’s doubtful even hardcore fans would’ve figured a stadium tour would ever be in the cards for Brown after 2009, a year that saw the singer, then 19, plead guilty to the felony assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna on the eve of the Grammy Awards.
He’s faced a number of civil lawsuits and criminal cases tied to allegations of assault and other misconduct since then.
But if the size of Tuesday’s crowd and the reaction to his songs at State Farm Stadium are any indication, which I’m pretty sure they are, whatever temporary setbacks he may have endured as a result of his own actions, Brown remains one of the most beloved entertainers of his generation.
All 10 albums he’s released since that infamous night in 2009 have hit the Top 10 on the Billboard album charts with three of those releases going all the way to No. 1.
Now he’s touring stadiums to rapturous applause with Usher, rewarding fans for standing by him through it all with a performance that left no doubt as to the undiminished artistry that made him famous before he was infamous, especially those awe-inspiring dance moves.
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Usher was a winning blend of personality and choreography
Usher was every bit as entertaining, from the time he emerged in a black leather suit for his first breakout set with "Yeah!," swaggering through the crowd to the main stage as he sang. It was the perfect introduction to a hit-filled set that also featured "Love in This Club" and "Bad Girl."
Making the most of the magnetic personality (and smile) that made his such a big hit with the ladies, Usher rolled out several stylish costume changes that inevitably losing his shirt as the night went on while executing the slick choreography he's taught us to expect with ease, although there were no roller skates, a highlight of that tour that came through here in 2024.
At one point, Usher got up close and personal with fans, feeding one woman cherry after cherry in one of the VIP sections near the stage.
Usher’s vocal sounded great, as did Brown’s, as they dusted off a number of the biggest R&B hits of the past three decades, effortlessly turning back the clock on those earlier efforts. It's amazing just how many hits you can squeeze into the setlist in the course of a two-and-a-half concert. The trick is having enough big hits to make it happen. I assure you, that was not a problem here.
Ed has covered pop music for The Republic since 2007, reviewing festivals and concerts, interviewing legends, covering the local scene and more. He did the same in Pittsburgh for more than a decade. Follow him on X and Instagram @edmasley and on Facebook as Ed Masley. Email him at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Chris Brown and Usher gave a master class in modern R&B in Phoenix
