Usher in the fun, not sleaze

Usher’s tour stop at the O2 last week showed just how a male ego can get in the way of performance. Opening the show with an album track, the smooth man unexpectedly rose from the sound booth at the back of the venue on a platform – which would have worked much better if non-hardcore fans knew the song. He tentatively floated across the audience to the stage throughout the song, and then followed it with another album track. Hmm. Finally at song three he belted out in 2004 hit ‘Yeah!’ (yes, 2004) and the crowd erupted into party mode.

However the party was short-lived, as the next 45 minutes were filled with uninspiring, slow album songs surrounded by the concert-standard barely dressed dancers and only one crowd-pleaser ‘Love in this club’. The title of said song reflects the overtly sexual nature of Usher himself, who was certainly entertaining the ladies. Sure, the man has some amazing moves, a good body and a voice that can make you melt but arrogance will make things awkward.

Three ripped shirts later Mr Raymond decided to search the audience for a lady to sing to. Seeming as I was up on the O2’s fourth level it was obvious that I would be chosen, so instead the rest of us had to wait for what felt like 10 minutes while Usher walked to and fro to pick a shawty. Then the girl he eventually ‘picked’ was so obviously a plant I couldn’t help think I was wasting my time, plus their gyrating was so much that it borderlined pornography.
NO-ONE clapped after that song.

Either unaffected or oblivious by this, Usher returned to his platform an hour after he started on it to sing ‘Burn’. With no lady to distract him it seemed he had finally turned his attention to his audience and in return, we sang back whole-heartedly. What followed was a different show to the sleazy first half. A medley of ‘My Boo’, ‘Pop Ya Collar’, ‘U Remind Me’ and ‘You Make Me Wanna’ reminded us of party Usher and the brilliant ‘Caught Up’ in full got the whole place jumping.
So like that bad boy we know we shouldn’t like, Usher had redeemed himself from a try-hard crooner to world-class performer in two songs. His professionalism and showmanship was how I’d always thought a younger Michael Jackson would have been, with the dance moves and smooth tunes to go with it. He ended on a triple whammy of ‘More’, ‘DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love’ and ‘OMG’ to the delight of the party-hungry fans.

So while a smooth talker may always appear to have the ladies in the palm of his hands, it’s more than likely that he actually comes across as too sexual. Loosen up and the response will follow. Although the fit body, dancing and voice certainly help.