Usher Shines Bright on Opening Night of His ‘Past Present Future’ Tour: A Spectacular Career Retrospective
Usher‘s “Past Present Future” tour lives up to its name, offering a stunning retrospective that spans his illustrious career. While fans expected the R&B icon to deliver his signature moves and chart-topping hits, they were pleasantly surprised when he seemingly brought a time machine on stage.
This time machine wasn’t a physical vehicle but rather an intricate cube made of massive LED screens. These screens could display a single large image or multiple smaller ones, transporting the audience through various eras of Usher’s career. For instance, when the screen flashed “1993,” a remarkably lifelike version of a 14-year-old Usher appeared, performing his debut single, “Call Me A Mack,” while the real 45-year-old Usher looked on with a smile.
Throughout the evening, the cube served as a dynamic set-piece, featuring a penthouse on top and a versatile bottom section where the screens lifted like a garage door. This revealed different settings, including a room in a house, a strip club, and a dance performance area.
Despite a delayed start due to a neck injury sustained during rehearsals — the tour was initially set to kick off in Atlanta — Usher was in top form for the official opening at the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. This tour serves as a victory lap after his successful two-year residency in Las Vegas and his show-stopping Super Bowl Halftime performance earlier this year. It’s also a celebration of a remarkable career, from his breakthrough with producer Jermaine Dupri on 1997’s “My Way” to his iconic 2004 album “Confessions,” and his latest release, “Coming Home.”
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The concert began with the title track of his new album, but not before teasing the audience. As the sounds of snapping fingers filled the arena, a figure resembling Usher appeared at the top of the cube, followed by another at the back of the stage. As the crowd’s excitement grew, the real Usher finally emerged from beneath the stage, concealed by an oversized fedora. When he removed the hat and joined his dancers, the audience erupted in cheers.
Usher didn’t seem like a man recovering from a neck injury; he appeared to be in peak physical condition. Dressed in a sleek black coat, he made his way to a rotating circular stage connected by a runway that formed a U-shape, with fans in a mosh pit-like section at the center.
“I just wanna get your attention,” Usher belted out, opening with “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home).” The cube then transported the audience back in time, starting with “Call Me a Mack” and transitioning into “Can U Get With It.”
As the younger version of Usher declared, “I wanna be the greatest there ever was. I can see it now, DC, in front of 20,000,” the screen displayed “Loading album #2,” and the music shifted to his 1997 hit “U Make Me Wanna.” The performance included an elaborate dance routine reminiscent of the music video, where Usher and his crew used chairs as props. The journey continued with hits from “8701,” including “U Remind Me” and “U Don’t Have to Call,” before quickly moving to “Confessions,” despite Usher’s playful protest, “Wait up, we not there yet!” The cube didn’t listen, and the show transitioned into “Caught Up.”
“Oh, this is what y’all want? Y’all better sing my shit!” Usher shouted as the crowd eagerly joined in.
The show took an unexpected turn when the cube displayed “Malfunction” during his smash hit “Yeah!” Usher left the stage, and a 1960s-style version of the song began playing — all part of the show’s theatrics. From that moment on, Usher kept the audience on their toes, delivering a non-chronological setlist that jumped to 2019’s “Just Don’t Waste My Time.” Usher even appeared on roller skates, gliding backward with his dancers.
The evening also featured a go-go dance party, a nod to DC’s vibrant music scene, with his DJ spinning EU’s ‘80s classic “Da Butt.” Usher even mingled with the crowd, letting fans sing into his mic.
As the night drew to a close, the cube looked ahead to the future, playing a mock interview from 2044 in which Usher reflected on his life after retiring from music. The screens then flashed through his past selves, from a child to a young man, until the 2004 version of Usher asked if he could finally perform “Yeah!,” which had been cut short earlier.
Usher granted his younger self’s request, bringing the electrifying evening to a fitting close.
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