Were you hoping to see with his shirt off on Tuesday? Did you want a night of sweaty club music? Then you were probably at the for the Colorado stop of Usher’s UR Experience.
The eight time Grammy Award winner did not disappoint as he slinked his way through over 25 songs in a dizzying array of lights, dance numbers and, yes, abs and pectorals.
Teenage girls swooned and middle-aged moms fantasized as Usher Terry Raymond IV treated the almost capacity crowd to songs like “My Way,” “OMG” and “Love in the Club” to start the show.
Usher’s music has ruled the club scene for over 20 years and his stage show reflects that. At one point a moving stage seemed to replicate a high class gentleman’s club.
“Tonightap about stripping down the layers.” said Usher at a break in the action (possibly foreshadowing for the inevitable shirt removal?). The songs, all recognizable, were arranged for a live show with a four piece brass section, acoustic and electric guitars, keys and two percussionists.
At times the songs in the catalogue may have been too recognizable. Usher used this to his advantage and would only sing the first two words of a verse and point his gold plated microphone at the audience letting them finish the song.
He used this gimmick the entire night, but the audience didn’t seem to care that “The Voice” star wasn’t using all his voice. Mid-way through the show Usher was now playing relationship counselor.
“Take it from me,” he joked, no doubt referring to his high profile divorce to Tameka Raymond.
“We all go through hard times. The key guys is… just to play it cool,” he continued as he pulled out his signature shades and started up the show again with the song “Twisted.”
Usher’s dance moves are effortless and at times his supporting cast seems to be doing all they can to keep up. Microphone changes and dress changes, all led up to the finale of the show and … the moment that the teens and moms had been waiting for … his shirt coming off.
Perched on a hydraulic rising throne, Usher showed off his rhythm skills by playing a gold plated drum set, as he lead the band into “Bad Girl.”
It was a sprint to the end after that as he rounded out the set with “Good Kisser,” “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love and “Yeah.”
The show wasn’t complete without one last dress change. Usher finished out the show wearing his now signature Davy Crockett hat. Strangely fitting for the Colorado stop.
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Evan Semón is a Denver freelance writer and photographer and regular contributor to Reverb. See .
Seth McConnell is a member of YourHub at The Denver Post and a regular contributor to Reverb.
