Kutlwano Olifant
They were the lucky ones, the 30 000-odd fans who crammed into Orlando Stadium to see top US R&B singer Usher in the flesh and on stage.
At 9pm on Saturday, the man himself made his entrance dressed in a black Robocop suit.
There had been plenty of rain, and many people had waited from midday to get into into the stadium, but it was worth it.
Not only did the live performance catch the attention of the fans, but Usher’s many wardrobe changes kept his female admirers eyeballing his honed physique.
There was more for the ladies when he slipped off his leather jacket and then took off his vest.
Some snapped pictures on their cellphones while others tried to catch a recording of the music.
While he performed songs from his new album, Usher also entertained the crowd with some of his better-known songs, like My Boo, Let it Burn and Lover and Friends.
“I really didn’t like the track Oh My Gosh! before, but after his awesome performance, I fell in love with the song immediately,” said Tlotlane Setshedi, from Daveyton, Ekurhuleni.
Another admirer in the crowd was Bongi Ngema-Zuma, the fiancée of President Jacob Zuma, who was spotted at Hansa’s hospitality suite.
“The performance was long awaited. We had long waited for him to arrive. He did not disappoint as we had thought the performance would be short. We had fun,’’ said Lindokuhle Windvoel,who attended the concert with her cousin.
Earlier, fans could be seen flocking into the stadium, ignoring the heavy rain that pounded Soweto on Saturday afternoon.
Before Usher’s appearance, they were entertained by Hansa’s Legends in the Making – Mo and the Dark Knights from Gauteng, Busi M from Western Cape, Shoelace from the Eastern Cape, Mapak’shop from Limpopo, Mo Klaassik from the Free State and Abdus from KwaZulu-Natal.
Local musicians Gang of Instrumentals, Liquideep, Teargas, Zakes Bantwini, Oskido and L-Tido kept the fans in the mood as they danced in the rain.
“It was raining when I started performing but the crowd showed up with much love,” said L-Tido.
“I was humbled by the fans – they had so much energy,” he added.
Bantwini performed his hit song Clap your Hands, which bowled over many fans in the audience.
“(Saturday night’s) performance was one of the best performances I have ever done. I gave the crowd my best. The fans enjoyed it and came in numbers, which was really good,” he said.