The UR Experience
From 1997's "My Way" to 2014's "She Came to Give It to You," Usher took the Madison Square Garden stage to perform twenty years of hits, beefed up with brass and bass. Read THR's review of the concert here.
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Image Credit: Photo Credit: Paul Familetti -
“My Way”
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Paul Familetti After sets from opening acts DJ Cassidy and August Alsina, the always cool and casual R&B man first triggered fireworks after gliding through smoke in a studded leather jacket and a pair of red sneakers on "My Way."
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Humble at Home
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Paul Familetti "Hello — it's been some time since I've been here at Madison Square Garden," he humbly admitted in the middle of the show. "No matter how long it has taken for me to get back here, it's like I'm right back at home."
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Ongoing Gratitude
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Paul Familetti "Thank you," he continued. "Thank you for all of your support, thank you for all of your love, thank you for recognizing my music. These heartaches, these happy movements that tie us together though the music — thank you for continuing to be there."
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Stage Spectacle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Paul Familetti The 90-minute spectacle was outfitted with smoke, fire, randomly-activated risers and, at one point, graphics of fish and Chinese dragons.
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Dance Breaks
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Paul Familetti Usher's routines were sharp, effortless and even playful at times, and he didn't need to rely on constant gyrating to entertain (he only showed his abs once, nearly an hour into the show).
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Sold-Out Singing
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Paul Familetti Usher also shined vocally when bouncing his gold mic stand during "Caught Up," hitting the top of his range on "Climax," adding extra runs to "U Remind Me," impressively closing "Burn" a cappella.
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Madison Square Garden
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Paul Familetti "New York — house of the Rangers, house of the Knicks," he told the sold-out arena. "But tonight, I'm welcoming you to my house!"
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Shoe Game
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Paul Familetti Throughout the show, Usher switched his shoes from bright red to black glitter to metallic gold, and later brought out his now-signature Davy Crockett-like hat.
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“Without You”
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Paul Familetti "Truth is, none of this would be possible without God," he said before his "Without You" encore. "Whatever brings you through your hardest times, that's what this next own is about. And I thank God for each and every one of you because I could never do this without you."