By Javacia Harris Bowser | The Birmingham Times
This is not a concert review. In the age of social media, writing a recap of a major musical production like the R&B Tour with Chris Brown and Usher Raymond can feel redundant. Unless you’ve intentionally avoided the footage floating in your feeds, you probably saw highlights from the entire show and knew the whole setlist before you set foot in the venue.
But what the videos trending on your TikTok timeline can’t fully capture is the electric energy not only at Protective Stadium but throughout the city as the R&B Tour made its way to Birmingham for two shows on July 28 and 29.
Long before Usher and Chris Brown took the stage, Birmingham was buzzing.
The leaders at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex were excited to make history, hosting its first two-night concert engagement and welcoming more than 50,000 fans.
Many of those fans started celebrating on Monday, July 27 at Matcha Mondays — a new event hosted at Alicia’s Coffee by Kendra Woodfin that “brings the city’s energy together through coffee, culture, and connection.” The pop-up event took things up a notch with an R&B Tour pre-game block party featuring DJs, food trucks, and vendors gathered in the Civil Rights District for a good time.
On the first day of the two-night R&B Tour stop in Birmingham, the block party vibes continued as local radio stations set up outside Protective Stadium, keeping fans entertained as they braved the sweltering Alabama heat waiting for showtime.
Once inside the stadium, Birmingham continued to bring the energy. As DJ Fresh played everything from tracks for twerking to old school R&B ballads, fans sang along and danced in the aisles. At one point, hundreds of people broke into the Electric Slide and suddenly Protective Stadium felt like a giant family reunion.
The show officially began at 8:45 p.m., and the action was nonstop with seamless transitions between Usher’s and Chris Brown’s sets. The show blends nostalgia with superstar-level showmanship in a way that offers something for all generations of R&B lovers. Usher brought his signature charisma and smooth stage presence, while Chris Brown brought the explosive energy and acrobatics his fans love. Together, they created a high-energy, nearly three-hour celebration of the genre.
Usher and Chris Brown also used the show’s production and storytelling elements to pay homage to the greats before them, such as Prince, Luther Vandross, and Michael Jackson, and they drew inspiration from the Black music clubs of the past.
If you grew up listening to Usher and Chris Brown, the R&B Tour is the chance to see the soundtrack of your younger years brought to life through powerhouse performances that you’ll be talking about for years to come.
But seeing a concert of this magnitude in my hometown made the show even more special. And this is why I love Birmingham. At the R&B Tour, we fused Southern hospitality with energy and enthusiasm, making an already great show incredible.
The strangers you were in line with or seated next to became your concert buddies for the evening, and you enjoyed each moment — together.
You screamed together when Usher sang your favorite songs. You marveled together at Chris Brown flying through the air. You cheered together at all the pyrotechnics (even though you briefly felt like you were standing in an oven). And you giggled together when it was clear that Usher and Chris Brown were about to bring ladies on stage for moments you were sure would go viral.
So, no, this is not a concert review. This is a love letter to Birmingham. And after the R&B Tour, my city is my favorite superstar.
