Chris Brown & Usher’s R&B Tour: The Dream Setlist

As the opening yells from “Run It!” blare through the speakers, the stage immediately illuminates. The backup dancers, similar to the music video, frantically run from both sides of the stage and even hop fences to get into position. Noticeably, there is a concentration of them in the middle of the figurative “dance floor.” It looks like they might be establishing sides for a dance battle, but instead, Brown struts through the middle of them. The “Run It!” intro is extended, with no Juelz Santana verse, to build up anticipation. Finally, CB and all of the dancers are facing the audience, dancing in sync while he begins his verse.

“Run It!” was Breezy’s introduction to the world and “Gimme That,” the third single from his self-titled debut album, showed he could churn out hits off rip. The two records almost go hand-in-hand, so it would only make sense for him to go right into this. 

Chris should stick to this era of his career. A fine lady walks through the crowd while he’s dancing, stops every man in his tracks, and he focuses on courting her while the backup dancers look on.

“Ain’t No Way” is one of his cult favorites. It has hit appeal, without the hit packaging, but fans love it so much that it would send them all into a frenzy. 

“She Ain’t You” has a somewhat similar BPM, and somewhat continues the story of “Yo” and “Ain’t No Way.” He could even play with the lighting a bit to convey a sense of chaos. CB is with one girl, but his mind is on who he wants more.

And when it’s time to cut someone loose, he’s got to chuck up the deuce. This is another record where he could play a long intro and show off the dance moves people have grown to love him for. Put an LED screen to use and flash “Deuces” incessantly with two peace emojis flanking the word.

Now, being a top tier R&B/soul and pop performer, you know Brown is going to have a live band present. Put a heavy focus on the acoustic instruments, let him take a seat on a staged staircase, and really show off his vocals with a moving rendition of “With You.” 

Sadly, all good things must come to an end. Let the piano keys take over the venue as Chris performs an emotional, slower dance routine. One can easily envision some spins building up to the portion of the song where his vocals crescendo. And if he could get some fake rain, that would put this over the top. 

Now, he can show the relatable journey of a single man who tries to find recovery in the next person. “No BS” can be him projecting his trauma and triggers onto another woman, but instead putting the onus on her to ensure their night goes smoothly. The backup dancers here should appropriately be an all-women cast and the lights should absolutely dim.

Though he is seeking a drama-free night of sensual splendor, he can’t run from his emotions. As the lights brighten a bit, he emotes to one woman about letting the past remain there and focusing on what they can do in that very moment. 

As he gets on the same accord with said lady, the lights dim again, and he breaks out the body rolls. Once he catches a whine from a fair maiden, he sings this song directly to her, mimicking the conversation that takes place in the lusty cut.

Now here is where his set hits one of its peaks. The stage crew position a bed or landing pad for he and the woman to lie down on, and they live up to this all-time bedroom anthem. The lighting completely blacks out everything around them, leaving room for the spotlight to illuminate him and the woman as they roll around into different positions that mimic wrestling moves. The crowd will likely erupt here so that he can drag it out plenty.

Eventually, Brown stands up and realizes that he is a bit out of sorts, because some spirits charged his romantic evening. Strobe lights would be great here, along with CB and his dancers almost stumbling all over the stage before abruptly getting upright and going into group choreography. 

Chris continues regaining his full consciousness and reflecting on what he has been through, ultimately questioning if this lifestyle is right for him. He takes center stage alone and opens “Residuals,” ultimately walking to each side of the stage and singing directly to fans.

Hey, rehabilitation isn’t instant. Even as he ponders his life and what the proper thing to do next is, he reverts back to what he was doing before. The lady backup dancers return to stage and in more revealing outfits, and he moves throughout them while they strut their stuff.

Eventually, he chooses one and now it is time to convince her that he is worth her time. This would be a cool opportunity to flash some Transformers-inspired graphics on the screen and maybe even have his dancer come out in robotic clothing.

Now, the tough part about being a heartthrob is having a wandering eye. So while he continues dancing with the current object of his affection, women flood the stage and try to take his attention off of her. Nonetheless, he Harlem shakes through the pressure.

Another major aspect of his romancing is letting the woman know everything he can offer. Brown pulls out a stack of money from his pocket, as do all of the dancers for “Look At Me Now.” Additionally, money signs appear on the LED screen in the background. After all, it ain’t trickin’ if you got it.

When it seems like Chris Breezy has won the lady over, he hits a Tiger Woods fist pump that lets right into a striking dance set to “Look At Me Now.” The thumping production and synths match his every move, but it is his animated vocals that steal the show. However, he’s got some haters encircling him as the record draws to its closing.

Instead of feeling threatened, Chris doubles down on his boasting. He dances in front of every jealous dude, reminding them that they simply didn’t have enough to secure the loyalty of the woman they were pursuing, especially not in comparison to him. A spotlight following him as he goes from guy-to-guy would be the nail in the coffin.

CB eventually remembers the assignment and gets back to his lady, while men and women dancers join them all on stage for paired choreography. And now with everyone seeming like happy campers, they can all party together.

“Yeah 3x” is the ideal intro to the most upbeat portion of this set. There is a lot of jumping around, flashing colorful lights and crowd engagement.

“Forever,” one of his best songs of all-time, can serve as one of the most intricate dance numbers. The race-against-time feel of the production would lend itself to visuals that mimic a car driving 90 miles per hour through a tunnel. 

It’s not a Chris Brown performance if he doesn’t pay homage to Michael Jackson. The “Fine China” introduction gets extended as he picks up a black and white fedora and vest, and performs Michael-inspired choreography. The vocals take a backseat here as he recalls his classic MJ tribute from 2010.

Now it’s time for the home stretch. The party vibes shift back to hip-hop, but the energy doesn’t diminish. This dance number is more for his crew than him, as Chris walks around the stage singing and holding out the microphone for fans to handle Young Thug’s portions.

The final song, however, is all for CB. Picture the “No Guidance” video and all of the choreography he did there, and then everything he can do during the beat break, given how apt he is at freestyling. This would be the ideal closer to his set before fans get to take a breath, maybe grab some drinks, and prepare for what Usher has cooked up.

Now, for the main event. Everyone knows the opening notes to “U Don’t Have To Call,” so the beat can hit with the lights out to build anticipation for Usher pulling up to the stage. As the lights come on, his dance crew appears first, leaving him space in the middle. Being such a superstar and showman, he deserves one of those entrances where an act rises up from under the stage. However, fans hear his voice before they see him, delivering the classic “After tonight, don’t leave your girl round me” lines. Finally, he is out and gets into the first verse.

If you’re going to start with 8701, you might as well keep it there. Ursher takes some time to talk to the crowd and thank for them for joining this special evening. For him, it is not just a celebration, but an opportunity to remind fans of the impact they have had on his illustrious career. Speaking of reminders, the highly musical “U Remind Me” begins to play as he gets into position. He stands behind a microphone stand and delivers an impassioned rendition of the hit song while women dancers encircle him. 

And if it is time for the ladies, then he has to acknowledge the good and the bad that comes with romance. The energetic choreography of the past two records gets swapped for slower, smoother movements when “Bad Girl” hits. The lighting gets a bit darker, to align with the concept. However, given how the term also refers to a woman’s beauty, it is far from a somber occasion. He continually looks left and right while singing, acknowledging that he is among a sea of striking femme fatales.

With so much temptation around him, it is easy to get overwhelmed. Thus, “Bad Girl” and the scenario presented provide a great launch point to get into the frantic “Caught Up.” The men return to the stage for synchronized dance moves with the women. Meanwhile, Usher maneuvers around the stage frazzled, trying to maintain his composure while unsure of who to give his full attention to.

Now, he’s certainly not new to the game. So, while he wants to make the right pick, he understands he may not be the only man on the women’s minds either. Thus, he jumps into “I Don’t Mind.” One by one, he moves from lady to lady, enjoying the fleeting moments he has with them, before moving on. It would be really cool if the lights could flash in and out, and each time they come on, he is with somebody new. 

As the song winds down, Usher gets into a pseudo huddle with the men on stage to pass on his wisdom. He’s made his rounds with the women dancers and understands what they bring to the table, so he doesn’t want the fellas caught off guard. And thus, we have the affirming “She Came To Give It To You.”

There’s one girl that he can’t seem to get his mind off of, so while the fellas all pick their matches, he ends up with the lead backup dancer among women. This sets off the peak energy portion of his set, leaning into his pop and house ventures.

Will.i.am’s voice consumes the venue as the introduction of “OMG” comes on, and the Atlanta legend gets his mack on. “OMG” features some of the most intricate and animated choreography of the entire set, with unique four-counts and partner routines. And it’s just the beginning.

Usher is more caught up than ever before. He realizes it’s not just the woman he is with and how they fit together so well on the dance floor, but the music being played that’s curating that environment for them. During a pause, he shouts out his tour DJ, which is an alley-oop to himself since it’s all his songs. He asks the DJ to play something else to keep the vibes high, and the next song is none other than “DJ Got Us Fallin In Love.” It is as meta as meta can get.

Ultimately, he has to remember what the mission is. So in true party fashion, the vibe shifts into something slower, more sensual. Both Usher and the object of his affection understand where the night can go next, but they don’t even want to wait. They slow grind and caress each other’s skin as “Love In This Club” blasts through the venue speakers. 

And that’s it. It is over for him, he has reached peak infatuation. As “There Goes My Baby” comes on next, he struts around the stage with his lady on his arm, showing her off for all to see. He even flexes her to the crowd, including women who wish they were in her position. 

Unfortunately, that moment of bliss is finite. While his actions signal he wants to make more of their newfound bond, the lady was just having a fun night on the town. They have an expiration date coming as soon as her Uber arrives, and a slim chance of any kind of future. In other words, they’re going nowhere fast because they hit their “Climax.” He has this realization as the beginning of “Climax” hits with electric synths and thumping drums, mimicking a heartbeat. 

After realizing they had different intentions, the 47-year-old heartthrob makes a last-ditch effort to secure more than just a passionate night on the dance floor. He breaks out into a solo version of “The Matrimony,” which is bold and premature, but signals just how invested he got in a short period of time. He returns to the microphone stand, and leads the crowd in a unified effort of the classic chorus.

Usher realizes his attempts are futile and throws up one more Hail Mary with a powerful performance of “Superstar.” His tone and expressions conveys that he is willing to completely submit to her, despite being the Renaissance man that he is. He asks the crowd to help him out again because there’s strength in numbers. It is ultimately unsuccessful as the woman is long gone, but he is more focused on feeling the love from the audience than a woman he barely knew.

Usher continues this guided karaoke, taking it back to 1997 with “My Way.” He asks the crowd how long they have been fans of his and says he’s going to test it again later in the show, but for now, they can have this. After the song, he talks to the crowd about how he takes pride in doing his career his way and highlights another man who did the same, his partner-in-crime on the tour: Chris Breezy. He speaks about their diverse array of songs, and while they both got the crowd deep in their feelings, they hope they have a good time through it all. Breezy walks onto the stage and tells Unc he’s talking too much because the fans want to party. And boom, they get into their joint section of the show. 

Nothing else needs to be said. “Party” begins and Usher sings while Breezy shows off his dance moves. The backup crew returns to the stage once again, hyping each other up and truly conveying the essence of a function. There is a special part here where Ush and Brown do some duo choreography as well, which will be a lasting memory for the fans.

“Party” ends and Usher says he has to give CB his flowers, saying he has always been a fan and happy to be a brother throughout his career. Though they haven’t collaborated a lot, he has valued each time they have been on a record together. Breezy says that they haven’t missed when working together, especially their most recent track. And with this, the remix to “It Depends” comes on.

With Usher’s verse first and some very meta lines, the beat drops out various times so the moments he mentions can get their full attention. They harmonize on the chorus and continue their duo routines, making the record feel larger than life.

After “It Depends,” Breezy says he has a personal favorite of the songs they have done together. Usher asks him which one, and Brown simply says “it’s hot,” which leads into “New Flame.” Their backup dancers throw them each a towel to fully capture the essence of the record, and the women move to the front of the stage for a special dance number with the two superstars.

Ultimately, this is an R&B concert, so they both show appreciation for their women fans in particular. And fittingly, for their last record together, they go into the remix of “Back To Sleep.”

After the song ends, the duo exchanges kind words about one another, shake hands and hug. Breezy tells the fans he’s going to leave them in the trusted hands of Usher as he continues the messaging of “Back To Sleep.”

Usher says he wants to stay in the grown and sexy realm for a bit. The lights go down and there is a brief pause. Abruptly, “Lovers And Friends” comes on. As the beat progresses, the lighting slowly brightens to reveal Usher in the middle of the stage once again with his cast of women dancers. This song doesn’t go for too long, but it is another signature moment for all in attendance.

Usher reminds the crowd that he was going to test them on their knowledge of his music from 1997. After “Lovers And Friends” comes to a close, he goes into an acapella version of the legendary first few lines of “Nice & Slow.” He continues to test the crowd, muting himself for certain parts of the song while fans scream the lyrics to their hearts’ desire. And then when it’s time for the chorus, the band joins in for the highest level of karaoke one has ever experienced. 

1997 doesn’t stop here, either. “You Make Me Wanna” raises the energy a bit, and Usher dances as if he is 19 again. Of course, he is briefly joined by his crew of dancers but this song doesn’t last long either, because there is something weighing heavily on his heart.

He steps to the front of the stage again, with the back lighting dimming to show only him. He delivers one of the most emotional vocal performances of the night to “U Got It Bad,” prompting crowd engagement for the very heartfelt lyrics.

He continues this somber portion of the show with a quick transition into “Burn.” Flames raise up from the stage and appear on an LED screen in the background. He removes the microphone from the stand, walking across the stage and clutching his chest as he belts the lyrics. It is truly gripping.

And if legendary vocal performances are what’s moving the people, it only makes sense to go into “My Boo” next. He continues occupying all sides of the stage, pointing to women in the crowd and holding the microphone out so they can sing Alicia Keys’ part of the song. 

Usher says he’s enjoyed the night he’s had with the fans and Breezy, and that he wants to perform two of his most important songs ever to put the cherry on top. With everyone doing the mental math of what he hasn’t performed yet, they’re naturally expecting either “Confessions Part II” or “Yeah!” However, he fakes them out with the first “Confessions” and builds up to a crescendo kicking things into high gear.

“Confessions Pt. II” starts and fans have a Pavlovian response. They scream, they cheer, iPhone lights illuminate the venue and Usher smirks because he knows he played it right. Strobe lights come on, the band’s volume is raised and everything is perfect. 

And finally, the conclusion. “Yeah!” is so powerful that even Chris Brown has to come back onstage one more time to create a moment bigger than his legendary backflip to “March Madness.” However, Usher won’t let himself be outdone to his smash hit, and we get a dance battle that could never be topped. Ultimately, they remember the purpose of the tour, and close the record by hitting the A-Town Stomp together.

Ultimately, whatever they choose to do will be great. But taking fans on an audio-visual journey, capturing all of the feelings they have provided over the years, and finishing the night on Usher’s signature hits would be the closest thing to a dream set come to life.