A new era of live entertainment arrived in Clayton County, Georgia, on May 1, as The Arena at Southlake threw open its doors for the first time and immediately announced itself as a premier destination for culturally resonant performance. The 8,000-seat facility, owned by Clayton County Public Schools and the Clayton County Board of Education, and managed by TRP Now, Inc., welcomed a capacity crowd hungry for something meaningful, and the night delivered far beyond expectations.
A venue born for this moment
From the moment the first notes filled the air, it was clear that The Arena at Southlake was not simply opening, it was arriving. The sprawling venue, built under the stewardship of one of Georgia’s most prominent public school systems, carried with it an inherent sense of purpose. Behind its management stands TRP Now, Inc., a powerhouse in venue management, event production, and experiential programming founded in 1996 by President and Chief Executive Officer Shahida Mausi. Under the banner of The Right Productions Now, Inc., Mausi and her team have spent nearly three decades building culturally significant spaces where community and artistry intersect. That legacy was palpable throughout every moment of opening night.
Teedra Moses sets the stage
The evening opened with Teedra Moses commanding immediate attention. The New Orleans-born recording artist moved through her catalog with precision and warmth, performing beloved tracks alongside newer material that showcased the continued evolution of her artistry. The response from the audience was immediate and sustained a crowd that arrived ready to feel something and found exactly what they came for.
Moses anchored the night’s emotional foundation, establishing an atmosphere of intimacy inside an arena of thousands. Her performance reminded the room that great R&B is not simply music; it is a conversation between artist and audience that collapses the distance between stage and seat.
Raheem DeVaughn commands the room
When Raheem DeVaughn took the stage, the energy shifted into something deeper. The Washington, D.C.-based vocalist moved through the crowd, drawing concert-goers into the performance and blurring the boundary between performer and participant. His set paid homage to the enduring artistic contributions of Angie Stone and D’Angelo, honoring two pillars of soul and neo-soul whose influence continues to shape the genre.
Beyond the music, DeVaughn used his platform with intention. He addressed the outsized impact of HIV on Black women, centering a public health conversation within an entertainment space and demonstrating that the stage has always been one of the most powerful tools for community education. It was a moment that elevated the concert from event to experience.
Floetry closes with magnitude
The evening reached its crescendo when Marsha Ambrosius and Natalie Stewart, the duo known collectively as Floetry, stepped forward to close out The Arena at Southlake’s inaugural night. Their performance was a masterclass in emotional precision, weaving through cornerstone records including Butterflies, Sunshine, Say Yes, and Floetic with a command that reminded every person in attendance why this group occupies an irreplaceable space in music history…