From the glory days of the Rat Pack through the eras of Liberace and Elvis, Las Vegas remains synonymous with live entertainment. Yet, the last decade has seen a seismic shift in the tone of Sin City’s performance circuit. Once a place for legacy acts and glitzy fare, Las Vegas now boasts wall-to-wall sounds of a decidedly more youthful variety. Usher: The Las Vegas Residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace exemplifies the city’s changing reputation. Supported by IZ and Bobby Avila and drummer Aaron Spears—with crucial input from Lil Jon—Usher is redefining the concept of a superstar residency.
To Arrive in Vegas
“Seeing Prince at the Rio, DJ AM, Steve Aoki—this was the hot spot for entertainment and music,” says Bobby Avila. “Las Vegas is now the place where it’s like, ‘You’ve arrived.’” Bobby and his brother know more than a little about arriving themselves. IZ and Bobby worked with Usher on the career-defining megahit Confessions, and the latter has been a staple of the singer’s band since the early ’00s. Indeed, the talented siblings have a golden touch. Their discography overflows with hits for the likes of Janet Jackson and Gwen Stefani.
IZ Avila explains that bringing the Usher show to the strip was a team effort. “To have that melting pot of creativity to stand this show up was extremely beneficial,” he says. “Usher, Bobby, Lil Jon. We made sure we brought something impactful beyond anything Vegas had seen prior.”
Moreover, with the challenges in the world, the moment felt right for the positive energy of an Usher residency. “Vegas lends itself to something bigger than us. The show is a community, humanity healing, a medicine,” posits Bobby.
"Prince, DJ AM, Steve Aoki. Las Vegas is now the place where it’s like, ‘You've arrived.’”
-Bobby Avila
Crafting a Seamless Set
Along with Lil Jon, the trio refined the setlist in a Los Angeles studio before connecting with the dancers and staging to shape the finished product. Drummer Aaron Spears has been with Usher since 2003. An in-demand player, he’s held down the throne for Backstreet Boys, the American Idol touring band, and dozens of other headliners. He underlines the fact that the Vegas residency—broken into four separate sections—differs from a traditional Usher show.
“The vibe is to make sure the music keeps rolling,” Spears explains. “We wanted things to morph into each other, so people aren’t noticing a bunch of starts and stops—keep the party moving.” From the drummer’s seat, the seamless, club-style approach to the set was an instant success. “From start to finish, everybody is on their feet standing up, singing every single word, dancing.”
IZ explains that this smoothness is by design. “It’s geared by how me and my brother craft records as producers more than anything, not as musical directors,” he says. “We treated this show like we were literally producing one long song.”
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Each member is key to bringing the songs to life. “We wanted to make sure the songs sounded like an army,” Spears says. The results belie the fact that there are but three players on the stage. Spears finds a consistent theme from concertgoers. “You hear people say, ‘I don’t know how you three did it, but, man, this music sounds amazing.'”
“How do we refresh them, but make sure they're still the records that you fell in love with?" -IZ Avila
The Avilas and Spears are quick to praise each other and their behind-the-scenes collaborators. They also have endless accolades for the show’s charismatic secret weapon: Lil Jon. “I call him the modern-day George Clinton,” Bobby says with a grin. “George Clinton was able to take Bootsy Collins from James Brown and Eddie Hazel and create Parliament. That’s Lil Jon for us—he is so passionate and has the connectivity.”
Lil Jon’s comfort with the city’s show formats was another asset. “Jon’s been rocking Las Vegas for years now. Plus, he understands the musicality of Usher and how to put it together so it doesn’t fly over the showgoer’s head.”
Refreshing the Classics—Retaining the Feel
While maintaining the key moments fans love, there were also arrangement tweaks. “Some of these records are over 15, 20 years old,” IZ explains. “How do we refresh them, but make sure they’re still the records that you fell in love with?”
Roland gear plays a pivotal role in reproducing those iconic tones, including FANTOM, DJ-808, JU-06, and D-05. “On ‘Love in this Club,’ I have nine banks full of patches to keep the authenticity of the records,” Bobby says. “We were in a safe comfort zone, knowing our tools were there for us when we had to make the adjustments before we even got on stage.”
"When Usher talks about how we’re more powerful together, music is the bridge."
-Bobby Avila
Challenges = Opportunity
Both brothers and Spears appreciate the visual splendor and sound of the Colosseum, a venue originally built for Celine Dion’s 2003 Vegas debut. However, the sonic needs of an Usher set are a world away from that pop chanteuse. “We come in there trying to kick you in your chest, trying to push you off the cliff,” IZ says. “When you look at the 808 frequencies and everything, the amount of sound pressure we were pushing took a while to dial in.”
There were other challenges in putting a show of this size together during a gobal pandemic. “Normally, while the band is rehearsing and dancers are rehearsing, staging and creative are working,” IZ explains. “Then some point where we feel that each of team is ready, then we bring it all together.”
Staging the Usher residency was a little different. “Vegas was a little different only because we had a lot of custom pieces built for the show,” IZ reveals. “A couple of days prior to our friends and family show, we hadn’t done a full run-through. It was amazing for us to get out, to get through that and have it come off well.”
Still, there is the convenience of playing at the same venue nightly after years of touring. “We’re older in the game,” IZ shares. “To show up to the venue at 7 PM, jump on stage, play the hits, have a great time, and go back home and be with the kids—that’s the luxury Las Vegas provides.”
To that end, the comforts of the venue’s backstage let the players loosen up and get their heads in the game. The trio keeps a stripped-down preshow setup ready at all times. Spears can hop down from his hotel room and drop into a pocket on Roland V-Drums in a flash. The ease and customizability of the kit are bonuses. “It’s super simple, and I even have the ability to tune a floor tom if I want.”
Mutual Admiration Society
The players’ affection and respect for one another are always apparent. Spears notes how IZ prefers to share the credit for the finished product, despite his position. “IZ says we’re all the musical directors,” he explains. “But IZ was working way ahead of time. I always defer to him.”
Says Bobby of his brother, “IZ is a craftsman who understands songwriting first and foremost. To have the camaraderie of being a friend, a brother, a family member, is an extension of that.”
For IZ, the magnitude of their achievement moves him on a personal level. “To see these Mexican brothers from Rialto doing this, it’s amazing,” he says. “We’re fortunate, and it’s a treat to share the stage with Aaron. It’s definitely something to hold onto.”
Bobby agrees. “That’s what I love about this residency,” he enthuses. “When Usher talks about how we’re more powerful together, music is the bridge. Everybody loves having a great time, everybody loves going out, everybody loves being a family.”
"From start to finish, everybody is on their feet standing up, singing every single word, dancing.” -Aaron Spears
