Review: Houston hosts Chris Brown’s 11:11 tour at Toyota Center

The Toyota Center was the final stop on R&B superstar Chris Brown’s 11:11 Tour, featuring over 40 songs from his entire discography in a performance lasting just over two hours. The tour kicked off in June and came seven months after the release of his 11th studio album and the tour’s namesake, “11:11“.

Fans filled the arena and watched as the giant LED screen behind the stage counted down to zero and then Chris Brown appeared on a platform. A single beam of light illuminated the R&B singer and the stage below him was filled with menacing masked people with red eyes.

The platform lowered and Chris Brown walked on stage as fire and sparks flew, “Angel Numbers / Ten Toes” blared and the night in Houston officially began.

The set was divided into four acts: Fire, Water, Air and Earth. The giant screen behind the stage matched the theme of the acts and projected mesmerizing images that immersed the audience in Brown’s world. Each act had an intermission where DJ Fresh played a mix of party classics and some of Brown’s hits that didn’t make the set list but that Fresh felt the audience knew best.

Fans were primed after opening performances by Roc Nation artist Maeta and Florida native Muni Long set the stage for what was to come.

click to enlarge

Muni Long was the second opener for Chris Brown.

Photo by Sean Thomas

The first act started the evening off on a fiery note, playing songs like “Heat,” “Go Girlfriend,” and “Summer Too Hot,” which fit the theme of the act. The act brought intensity and, as you can imagine, plenty of fire on stage.

“Houston, how are you all doing so far?” the singer asked as the first performance came to an end. He went under the stage and would return in a new outfit. Brown took it easy with the Water performance for the crowd. It started with the first track from his latest LP “Bruce Lee”.

The popular hit “Only” was also played during this act. Fans saw Brown being lifted into the air by a harness and taken to the other side of the venue with three of his dancers. The four were now on a much smaller rotating and tilting platform that was closer to the fans.

Breezy eventually returned to the main stage the same way he left it, dancing through the air before landing and disappearing back under the stage to begin the third act.

DJ Fresh provided the intermission entertainment, continuing to entertain the crowd with songs and calling on dancers on the screen. Signs declaring their love for the Virginia singer could be seen throughout the crowd.

click to enlarge

Chris Brown brought his signature dance to the Toyota Center.

Photo by Sean Thomas

“How are you girls? Are you OK? Let’s slow down a bit,” Brown called as he returned to the stage and began singing “into a diamond-encrusted microphone that was now hanging from the rafters.” Brown performed “Back to Sleep” and “Very Special” before returning to his handheld microphone.

“Ladies, I need your help here,” he said as “No Air” began to play and the crowd erupted in cheers. They knew every word and Breezy let them take over. With that, Act 3 ended and Brown went back under the stage for a final outfit change for the final set of songs.

He returned singing and dancing in a clear glass box and as he left, two more appeared, this time with his backing dancers inside. “Natural Disaster” opened the final act. On the screen behind them were images of apparent war and chaos while “Call me Everyday” and “Sensational” were performed.

click to enlarge

Chris Brown brings the 11:11 tour to Houston.

Photo by Sean Thomas

“I don’t wanna play no games,” Brown sang as he concluded his performance of 2019’s chart-topping hit “No Guidance” before pausing and saying, “So, I lied, let’s all play a game.”

Immediately the board displayed the four acts, with a circle of songs underneath each. The game was a sort of “wheel of fortune” where songs were chosen at random, and Brown said this would determine the next three songs.
First up was fan favorite “Poppin’,” followed by “Deuces” and “Say Goodbye,” and the crowd loved every song they got.

The evening was crowned with “Grass Ain’t Greener” and Breezy expressed his gratitude to the fans.
“That’s the most important thing for me,” he said before thanking the fans and the city.

Set list
Angel Numbers/Ten Toes
run away
That’s up to you
heat
Party/spa town
Go, girlfriend
Ayo/Beat it
Freak
Summer is too hot/Can’t stop, won’t stop
Getting crazy
New flame
Bruce Lee/Delusions/Alcohol/Privacy
indigo
Only/Wrist
Finish you off
Wet the bed/I don’t give a shit
Feeling something/Under the influence
Pills and cars
Hug me
she is not you
No playing games/strip
Need a friend
Fall asleep again
Very special
Comes together/Does not judge/Remaining amounts
No air
Natural disaster/HMM
Call me every day
Sensational
No instructions
Twos/No Shit/Poppin
Faithful
The grass is not greener