Concert Review Usher: The Ultimate Showman

Usher has been selling out arenas for a long time. The fans never seem to tire of hearing “Let it Burn,” and Usher keeps producing club bangers like “OMG.” Surprising that the second leg of his massive tour is titled just that. The OMG Tour made its way through the Hp Pavilion in San Jose and this time around he brought along The Cataracts and Akon for support. Not that he needs it. The fans were antsy and just waiting for the opening acts to clear the stage.

Usher doesn’t walk onto the stage. He flies to it. The man of the hour rose from beneath the arena floor, emerging in the middle of the audience on a platform. He then performed three songs as he slowly made his way to the main stage hovering over the crowd. Although many of the fans were expecting him to do this and the surprise factor was gone, as Usher had pulled the same move last November in the Bay Area, it was still a very dramatic entrance. One that immediately justified the ticket prices.

The Cataracts were awkward, Akon was predictable. When Usher hit the stage it was clear why he has achieved the status he now holds. Without the smoke, the dancers, the fireworks and all the production that comes with the OMG Tour, he would have still been entertaining. His songs can stand on their own, many of them now being considered classics.

All of those quickly recognizable songs are actually sung. No performance tracks blare behind Usher. He sings through his complicated dance routines, sometimes the vocals aren’t the greatest, but they’re all live. One of the highlights of the show was when he took a break, walked to the end of the catwalk, and just talked to the massive crowd. He picked out specific people from the large audience and thanked them. Usher’s tour is one of the largest to make its way around the country ever year, but he also makes it personal. Not an easy thing to accomplish.

As the show came to a close, “OMG,” blasted through the amps. The fireworks began and Usher left the stage to ear splitting applause. The night had been what the fans have come to expect from the showman. Usher doesn’t have concerts, they’re events. This is a man who has been practicing his craft since he was a teenager. Now he’s in his prime and his show reflects it.

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