On Wednesday, March 26th, R&B music was prominently showcased in the Nation's Capital as the esteemed Queen of Hip Hop Soul, Ms. Mary J. Blige, presented her "For My Fans" tour at Capital One Arena. Accompanying Ms. Blige were notable R&B artists Ne-Yo and Mario, who supported the evening's performance.
Local radio DJs warmed up the crowd before Mario took the stage. Since Mario is from nearby Washington, D.C., he received a warm welcome from the audience. He started his set with "Here I Go Again" and smoothly transitioned into his debut single, "Just a Friend." Mario performed a nine-song set, including hits like "Braid My Hair," "Break Up," "Crying Out for Me," and "Music for Love." The highlight of his performance was "Keep Going (Aaaaahhhhh)" from his newest album. Naturally, Mario concluded his set with his signature song, "Let Me Love You."
Ne-Yo was up next, and his set kicked off with a futuristic AI video theme before setting the stage on fire with a high-energy performance of "Stay." The energy and hits were evident throughout his 21 song set. Fan favorites from his twenty-one-year career, including "Nobody," "She Knows," and "U 2 Luv," were all met with thunderous applause from the audience. Ne-Yo also took to dip into the feature catalog and, of course, seduce the ladies in the audience with the sensual slow jams "Mirror," "Say It," and " "Show Me." Ne-Yo's set concluded with the infectious "Give Me Everything."
Finally, it was time for Ms. Blige, and I can admit I had some reservations about seeing Mary after my previous experience in 1998. Thankfully, from the moment she took the "B stage" in an elegant pantsuit, sang the first notes of "Take Me As I Am," and moved into the deep-cut "A Dream," my fears were erased.
When she made her way to the main stage, Mary performed a tight twenty-song setlist. It's not a secret that singing and dancing were never Mary's strongest suits; however, the energy she displayed and the message of empowerment were felt by both men and women. Hearing songs like "Love No Limit," "You Remind Me," and "Love Is All We Need" reminded me why I fell in love with her music as a teen.
The ballads "Not Gonna Cry," "Share My World," and "Everything" had an extraordinary emotional gusto, while the covers of "Sweet Thing" and "I'm Going Down" turned the venue into a sing-along choir. If I had one gripe about Mary's show, she didn't bring Ne-Yo out to perform some of the deep album cuts that Ne-Yo penned from her eighth album, Growing Pains.
Nevertheless, when her set ended with "Family Affair," the tour more than lived up to its title, and I'm more than willing to see her live again.
Final Grade :Â B+