(Yes, he is the grandson of Broadway lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II.) His current role required him to weigh in on a list of last-minute issues: fine-tuning the automated time codes that coordinate the action, cleaning up the staging for “this kind of skate ballet” and figuring out how to fit more “Ush Bucks” into Usher’s shoes so the singer could make it rain during a strip-club sequence. It would still be a long next 36 hours for Hammerstein, 44, who came up in the downtown New York theater scene and is best known for co-founding The Box, an intimate nightclub with vaudevillian, burlesque and other outré entertainments. “All right,” Hammerstein declared, “we’ve got an ending.” Mars cued up the track and the cast went through the motions of the number, grouping up to perform in unison the club moves Lil Jon calls out at the song’s end: the A-Town Stomp, the Muscle, the Rockaway. “We’re having a fight.” He explained what he wanted: a song that would effectively take advantage of the 23 dancers, roller skaters and pole dancers onstage and feel like “the choreographic version of a high-five … and then end with lasers and walk out to more lasers.” “Aakomon, perfect timing!” said Hammerstein. Twenty minutes later, though, his enthusiasm had dimmed, and he returned to an earlier choice: Usher’s dancefloor hit “Yeah!”Īakomon Jones, Usher’s personal overall creative director, slid onto a stool next to Hammerstein. “Mars just solved it!” Hammerstein exclaimed. So Mars suggested “Good Love,” Usher’s recent summer collaboration with City Girls. Usher – The Las Vegas Residency continues Saturday (July 17) through Aug 14.Hammerstein wasn’t sold, though. I couldn’t do this without you.” Capping the evening: a shower of miniature $20 Ush bucks raining down on the sated audience. A close-up of his face flashed on the two giant video screens framing either side of the stage (below each of which were platforms housing the musicians) said it all: Usher grinning ear-to-ear through dripping sweat.īefore closing with a heartfelt performance of “Without You,” the 2011 David Guetta track he guested on, Usher told the audience, “I want to take two seconds to appreciate this moment.” The song was a fitting way to end the show as the singer noted afterwards, “Thank you so much for being here. Except for several quick costume changes, he spent the majority of the show onstage. Rounding out the sexual tension in that segment during which Usher had women screaming thanks to his own suggestive moves: “Bad Habits,” “Nice & Slow” and “Climax.” A major climax of the evening itself arrived with the ballads “Burn” and “Confessions Part II.”īeyond the depth of his catalog, the thread running throughout the evening was Usher’s showmanship and passion for his art. ![]() Usher Teleports From the Desert to the Club for 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards MedleyĪnother crowd-pleasing moment occurred when Usher simmered his way into the Summer Walker mellow vibe on which he’s featured, “Come Thru,” complemented by sensual interplay between him and a lone female dancer. Noted Usher at one point, “You all know I was raised in the ‘A’ … it’s the ATL in Vegas.” ![]() Then in a nod to Magic City, Atlanta’s famous strip club, pole dancers showcased their flexibility amid a shower of Ush bucks to such songs as “I Don’t Mind,” “Bad Girl,” “Good Kisser” and “Back to Sleep” (Chris Brown featuring Usher and Zayn). It was a nonstop audience sing-along as Usher and his crew of dancers triggered a slew of oh-wow moments from there, including “Lovers and Friends” and “There Goes My Baby.”ĭuring a segment devoted to his Atlanta roots, Usher donned skates along with his dancers and turned the massive Colosseum stage into a giant roller rink as he performed “Don’t Waste My Time” (featuring Ella Mai). The energetic journey down memory lane kicked off with “Caught Up,” followed by “Love in This Club” and “Party” (the Chris Brown song featuring Usher and Gucci Mane). Usher Adds Dates For Las Vegas Residency, Talks 'Ush Bucks'įrom there, Usher rolled out hit after hit as well as other fan faves curated from a Grammy Award-winning career that began in 1994.
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