Soldier Field says “Yeah!” to “The R&B” Tour “Party” starring Usher Raymond and Chris Brown
Photos by Andy Argyrakis
Given their parallel paths to becoming two of the most popular soulful superstars since the 1990s and 2000s, it was only fitting to find Chris Brown and Usher Raymond finally coming together for a run of co-headlining shows on the just as aptly titled “The R&B” Tour.
The historic “stadium in a park” known as Soldier Field was the sight of two sell outs, which continues on Saturday, August 22 with the chance of select seats becoming available, though on opening night, it was nearly three hours of their primary style, pop and hip-hop at its finest.
Beyond each artist’s charismatic presences, the sheer scope of the show and its multiple runways rivaled anything in Las Vegas or on Broadway, but could more realistically be described as a live, Michael Jackson-level music video, and at times, a blockbuster movie even a brief heavy downpour couldn’t damper.
Brown was the first to appear in a Chicago Cubs hat to the throbbing beats of “Party,” setting the mood for the mania that followed and enhanced by Raymond’s signature cameo, the latter of whom took the initial solo set in a rotating series.
Adapting a suave, often downright sexy approach to a blend of bangers and ballads, Usher had the ladies swooning and the guys grooving to the grinds of “Yeah!,” “Caught Up,” “Love In This Club” and “You Make Me Wanna…”
Equally enticing when surrounded by dancers or going solo and shirtless, the “Burn” continued throughout “Nice & Slow” and “Can U Handle It?” before building back up to “OMG” and countless “Climax(es).”
Despite Brown being no stranger to a series of abuse-related allegations and actual incidents, it didn’t stop appreciators from sticking around or showering him with praises, and strictly as a performer, he definitely didn’t disappoint.
Equal parts MJ, Prince, Motown and Marvel, the song and dance spectacular was stacked with “Poppin,” “Loyal,” “Residuals,” “Yo (Excuse Me Miss),” “Under The Influence,” “Back To Sleep,” “Forever” and so many more movers.
By “Ayo,” “Breezy” was literally flying high, strapping into a “Spider Man”-like harness to scale dizzying heights, while visiting practically every section of the venue and boundlessly adding to the constant thrill of the tag team.
Rather than having traditional openers, guest vocalists/chart-toppers in their own right Mario and Tank appeared in the middle to give the guys a bit of a break, ensuring the pacing flowed perfectly rather than being weighed down by lengthy interludes.
Yet it was the return of the Bulls-clad Raymond and Brown for “New Flame” that absolutely brought the house down, featuring the complete cast of entertainers and literal fireworks exploding everywhere to symbolize exactly how it felt to when this exceptional “R&B” combination scored nothing but touchdowns.
For additional information on Usher Raymond and Chris Brown, visit UsherWorld.com and ChrisBrownWorld.com.
For a list of upcoming Live Nation concerts, visit LiveNation.com.
Upcoming shows at Soldier Field include Usher Raymond and Chris Brown (Aug. 22); BTS (Aug. 27-28) and Ye (Sept. 3-4). For additional details, visit SoldierField.com.







