Review: Usher sweats it out for Dallas crowd, bowls them over with slow jams
Pop superstar Usher came out swinging Thursday evening at American Airlines Center, kicking off the Dallas stop of his UR Experience Tour with pyrotechnics, sensational dance breaks and a whole lot of sweat. The first hit of the night was the 1997 single “My Way,” followed by later smash “OMG,” and then “Love In This Club.” All crowd igniters in their own way.
But as the 36-year-old artist and recent Voice coach continued to give the performances everything he had, literally dripping in perspiration but never flubbing a move or a high note, the crowd became strangely still and disengaged. How were they not entertained by the high-tech triangular set, the large band complete with horn section, the uber-talented 7-person dance crew and the singing, dancing dynamo himself?
We actually started wondering, during a breakneck run of “Twisted,” “Caught Up” and “She Came to Give It To You,” if the infectious enthusiasm of the show’s beginning moments could ever be restored.
Turns out the ladies dominating the healthy-but-not-capacity crowd were simply holding out for some good ol’ slow jams. All it took for the singer to find his sweet spot again was to roll out his sexiest musical chestnuts, rapid-fire. Many arena performers offer medleys in order to cover obligatory hits in quick fashion, but this time the strategy proved a show-saver. “Confessions,” “I Need a Girl,” “I Don’t Mind,” “Burn” — each snippet breathed greater life into the fans around us and everywhere else in the house. And when the famously fit singer changed into a tank top and gold chain, forget it: They were at his command.
Usher seemed happiest when he was connecting with and singing with his audience during the more intimate songs. But he looked the most impressive while dancing to the faster ones. Taking Michael Jackson’s basic concept of moonwalking to the next level, he appeared at times to defy gravity, as did his male and female dancers.
Some of the between-song moments revealed a performer comfortable enough to speak at length without necessarily having a segue. Usher said he was proud to have been born in Dallas, even though he was raised elsewhere. He expressed appreciation for both his old and new fans, saying that bringing them out to this tour felt like a family reunion.
The artistic high point near the end of the two-hour concert involved the recent single “Good Kisser,” which thrived on forward-looking beats, note-perfect vocals and joyful group choreography. The only lag of the evening came just before that, when Usher demonstrated his serviceable drumming skills for a bit too long.
But by the time he reached the apex of the evening with “Yeah!” and “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love,” any and all awkwardness had dissipated, and folks were left with the memory of a good show from a great showman.
More: See more photos from Usher’s concert in Dallas