Nashville Was a Harmonious Interplay Between Audience and Artist-the Crowd So Excited for Usher & Chris and Showed It in Call and Response and Pre-Concert Beats

Make a joyful noise to the Lord all the earth

Psalm-150

The audience had filled the stadium almost to capacity and the "audience-warmer" DJ enthusiastically blasted the air with recorded sounds of R&B and soul music greats while the audience responded energetically dancing in celebratory anticipation of the historic concert, co-headlining two R&B icons. It was a giant pre-concert stadium-filled party southern style with vibrant dancing and wild routines of twerking, hustle routines on the main floor embellished by audio call and responses. Some of the live concert music fans chants sounded like college fraternity and sorority chants from a roaring and cheering pre-game crowd. 

It was then that I looked around and observed that the seats were filled to capacity with the magnetic energy of thousands of fans-70,000 capacity seating in unison eagerly anticipating Brown and Usher's appearance on stage. It was dazzlingly uplifting  to view the coordinated light show conducted by the pre-show DJ who led the crowd in a symphony of lights by their seating sections. Instructed to "put your lights on",  the result was a bright switch off-and-on that was done quickly between the sections and created a beautiful flashing light pattern by section across the stadium when that particular section received the command.  The light was provided by individual cell phones.

 I wish I  could have filmed it. A wonderful display of solidarity among fans around the stadium created a harmony and sense of unity that would encircle the stadium throughout the concert. It was truly inspiring to observe what the love of these world class entertainers could inspire.

I had the good fortune to view it via livestream. It was an educational experience to say the least, in the midst of a vast community of concert attendees enjoying the experience of robust commentary by other fans-as they observed the vocals and dance moves of Brown and Usher. They made the kind of relational outbursts you may have experienced from excited movie fans in a neighborhood theater. Cheering the stars on like they were close family members or friends.

In summary, I thought the concert was very good. What I noted most were the vocals, both Usher's and Brown's stage presence and the audience's  enthusiastic response to their favorite songs. The sound wss somehow crisper and clearer from previous concerts that I observed before. Of course, we know each artist can sing and they have the accolades, record sales and Grammys to prove it. We also know that the music for the tour is being done by the well-known and respected Avila brothers. But if this means anything to all you audiophiles out there, the microphones were indeed on, as one person interjected frequently during the singing and you could definitely tell.

Usher performed first making his entrance with customary smooth, suave and cool swagger. The ladies in the audience went wild. I had one screaming in my ear, "that man is so fine" as he made his way to center stage. All eyes were on him during his  selection of a woman from the VIP section to perform one of the rather risque heated scenes. She was rather nonchalant and Usher quickly picked up on it and handled the matter with class and finesse. His performances of "Climax", "Confessions","You Don't Have to Call",  "Superstar", "You Got It Bad", "Let It Burn", the joining or mixing transition with Chris on "It Depends" and of course his duet with Chris the concert finale song "New Flame" were just fine, well received by the audience and on point.

Mario performed a nice suite of songs during the break getting a strong applause for his hit song "Let Me Love You" and two others after Eric Bellinger performed an abbreviated set. Though he didn't perform long,  the audience responded enthusiastically to his performance.

 You could clearly hear and listen to the vocal runs. Chris Brown's singing on "Something in the Water", "Residuals", "With You", "Ain't No Way", "Forever", his dance spins and the real quasi-explicit pole dance scene with the dancer roused the audience, though it was toned down a bit. A little old-fashioned myself I appreciated that and I'll just leave it there.  His flight through the air thrilled the audience. I am not too keen on that flying through the air myself. However, he and the audience seem to enjoy it immensely. I'm always on pins and needles.

I really enjoyed the show and had pretty good views throughout surrounded by some rambunctious personalities who loudly made their views known.😉 Although the Nissan Stadium's wifi was sketchy at times participating in the online chat in which I wrote a prayer before the concert started and at the end of wishing everyone a safe exit from the stadium and safe travels home.

 If you have the opportunity, get your tickets to the show. The concert is definitely worth it.

God bless,

Cynthia Wilson

Edited 7.27.26 @6:25p.m. to include Usher short on his viral moment and Mario's performance and Eric Bellinger.

Raymond and Brown Tour on a Creative and Artistic Roll Since Denver's Mile High Kick-Off: Bringing Memorable Performances to Denver, Minneapolis, Detroit and Cleveland With Stadiums Filled to Capacity

When I saw the first video footage in a video clip the morning after the kick-off concert   in Denver, I was quite honestly simply wonderstruck by the fantastic light show and stage art design. Especially liked Usher's background show where a chess board was portrayed kind of holographically throughout the song performance. He has such a smooth and cool stage presence and an impressive majestic command of what was the vast audience before him. 

Throughout the show how Brown paid tribute to Michael Jackson, Prince and other r&b artists was heartening. I particularly liked his performance of Residuals where the hood of a car was used as his stage and all the lights glowing in the backdrop from what appeared to be Los Angeles, provided an amazing backdrop.

 Detroit's show was as energy packed as Denver's. The crowd really enjoyed Chris coming down from the stage, mingling and dancing with some of the audience. The performance of New Flame where Chris and Usher danced and sang together was great to see after all the build up and pre-concert enthusiasm expressed by both of them about working together. To actually see it accomplished was heartwarming. Of course, Chris flying through the air had everyone excited and probably on the edge of there seats and on pins and needles.

Here's a video recorded by a fan at the second night's concert at Ford Field in Detroit. And, a link to an experience shared by a seasoned Detroiter who had an absolute blast! 

The concerts on both nights have been  spectacular. The combination of these two entertainment icons performing live at a huge stadium with capacity crowds surpassing 50,000 created quite a buzz.  

Clip from Minneapolis:

Clip from Cleveland:

Forthcoming via link

While I thoroughly have enjoyed watching the amazing concert videos and live streams,what has been most notable about the tour is the way the artists have opened up access and opportunities for our youth as well as fans in general. Usher through his non-profit Usher's New Look , 10 interns have had the paid opportunity to learn what goes on behind the scenes of such a large production. Chris has VIP receptions  special behind the scene/backstage tours and raffles, Meet and Greet space for group and fan photos. And the tour has recently sent out a call to the pubic to apply for paid positions to participate in the actual stage concert performance as background extras.

As for the relationship of all of the foregoing in terms of its theological implications and relationship to serving God, giving back to the community that has contributed to your wealth and success is one of the things that god loves us to do. "Love your neighbor as yourself" and God loves a cheerful giver are starters for discussion. Scripture also calls upon  us to make a joyful noise to the lord. There is evidence of that and some sounds that may be a little risqué. That will be discussed in the follow-up podcast. I believe that may be where the bridge comes in.

Please tune into my podcast to learn more about my coverage of this and other concert and music events as well as how music plays and has played a role in our relationship with god in gospel music, jazz, blues and R&B.

God bless you and continued success to Usher and Chris on this tour. Shout out to the fans as well.

Cynthia Wilson,

Founder,Editor & CEO

Cynthia D. Wilson Speaks

Blog and Podcasts

Long Awaited "Epic"Raymond and Brown Tour Kicks Off in Denver the Mile High City Friday, June 25,2025

 

The highly anticipated and long awaited Raymond and Brown, the R & B Tour kicks off in Denver, Colorado tomorrow, Friday, June 25,2025 at the Empower Field. 

Eager fans, well respected titans and old school influencers of the  industry have been commenting about this historic tour for months including Jermaine Dupris who's comment  was motivating and deferential. He shared it in his customary  laid back style. It can be found here on YouTube:

https://youtube.com/shorts/5sDTI-4-dK4?is=OIHoP1jwHd_E-4nc

and just today Damien Damizza had this to say:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaAr7LVp5zK/?igsh=MTdiaWF4aWJ6cncycw==

Note- Please excuse the link malfunction. I am experiencing technical difficulties at this time of posting by way of glitch or hackers. Hopefully, things will be back to normal soon. In the meantime, you can catch this update on the related YouTube channel at the following link:

http://youtube.com/post/UgkxozzCxY4OXS2fSatfnyt_MKL-qwIHml6d?si=ZpZ3EzBwr4JU2BGS

How R&B Co-Headliners Raymond and Brown Tour Have Given Back to Community Over the Years

 

While it was recently announced that $1 from each ticket purchased from the upcoming Raymond and Brown, R&B concert tour will be donated to FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, both Usher and Chris Brown have been contributing to the Global and local communities over the years in admirable ways. Each one of them has enriched the lives of artists and youth through various community enrichment, support and outreach programs of their own. Usher already serves as a Global Citizen Ambassador and will continue his commitment to that project on this tour. For more information about FIFA Global Citizen Fund click here and view the video.

Usher recently in partnership with Big Sean contributed a million for a start up that invests in the creativity of Detroiters. Its a space where they can go to create podcasts  paint, design in an arts and music studio at Michigan Central a newly renovated train station in Detroit. 

The Detroit R & B concert is scheduled for July 2 and 3 at Ford Field. Pre-sale concert tickets are  currently live and tickets go on sale officially April 27. For more information about what you need to do to be added to a list, get ticket codes or to purchase, click on this link.

Usher also has been quietly grooming and training up and coming artists for years through his foundation's special training program. Many of the artists we know. Once they go through the program they return as instructors and mentors to the new trainee artists, investing 15 million of his own money. See more in this Instagram post by Prime Source Media here.

Chris Brown has been active in a number of special youth  programs throughout the years in the Los Angeles area donating clothes, gym shoes, hugs and basketball moves at a High School's  Unity Day in particular. To get a glimpse of these past events, view the YouTube video, Funny Chris Brown. The Crenshaw event is halfway through the video.

He was honored with an award from the 2nd Call organization in 2014 for spreading hope.  Check out an archived post from his archives. More recently Breezy lost one of his dancers and committed to take care of her child. The dancer passed away several months ago. See more here.

Just a reminder and brief vignette of those god has blessed with fortune, fame and favor and how they give and  have given back to the community. Two brothers who made good became famous, made fortunes and do good works we don't often hear about,see, or read about in the news broadcasts.

Its important to spread the good news of celebrities and others who are doing good things and give credit where it is truthful and due.