Despite torrential downpour soaking the 50,000 fans packed into Rogers Stadium, nothing could dampen the energy of Chris Brown’s back-to-back sold-out Toronto shows on August 19th and 20th. Live Nation’s newest all-outdoor stadium proved both breathtaking and challenging, bringing a festival-like atmosphere to a concert setting — though umbrellas and ponchos did make viewing tricky at times across the bowl and the seated floor section. With this tour attempting to bring the vibe of a touring music festival across Europe and North America, Breezy Bowl XX was a clever name for this tour run, celebrating Chris Brown’s impressive 20-year career.

Full gallery and review by Kianna Sumitani.

Summer Walker set the tone with a cinematic set, complete with dancers, a large white staircase centre-stage, and bursts of CO₂. She maximized the larger budget for these stadium shows, delivering crowd favourites like “Girls Need Love” and “Playing Games”. Bryson Tiller followed with a much more stripped-down performance, showing his nonchalance in a hoodie and sunglasses as we moved along the catwalk. While his sound was sharp and the audience still danced through the storm, his placement on the lineup felt mismatched after Walker’s dynamic set — though his gratitude to Chris Brown for inspiring him since age 14 was a touching note. Please note that there was no media for Bryson Tiller’s set.

When Chris finally took the stage, questions swirled about how his choreography-heavy show would adapt to the rain. He delivered with precision, showcasing his decades of experience as he rotated between group choreography and allowed his stage presence to take up the XX-shaped stage during his solo performances. The lighting was a mix of reds, blues and greens, which allowed for a dynamic range for all attendees to watch as he spun on stage. Brown’s most impressive feat was “flying” seamlessly from mainstage to b-stage, an element we highlighted in our last review of the artist’s previous tour in 2024. This set was impressively long, showing Chris Brown’s artistry during the dance-packed, nearly 3-hour-long set. The rain was only evident in between sets from the singer and his dancers, where the crew scrambled to dry off as much of the stage as they could before the next set of songs began. As this was a nostalgia-filled tour, it was only fitting to see clips of Chris Brown’s two-decade career flash across the screens, used as introductions as well as visuals throughout his show. Each segment felt like an ode to his legacy, balancing man vs. machine while showcasing why he continues to sell out arenas and stadiums globally, despite the numerous run-ins with law enforcement over the years.