• Home
  • Who’s That Girl?
  • Hire Me
  • Music Events Calendar
  • Upcoming Album Releases

SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE

~ Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE

Tag Archives: new amerykah

Badu’s Voodoo: Review of The Vortex Tour

18 Wednesday Jun 2008

Posted by Vivrant Thang in Feeding The Music Jones, Let's Rock: Concert Reviews

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

erykah badu, erykah badu baltimore show, erykah badu concert videos, erykah badu live, erykah badu music, erykah badu new amerykah, erykah badu tour, erykah badu vortex tour review, new amerykah

by vivrant thang on feeding the music jones

Ya’ll already know I was all over New Amerykah before it even hit store shelves. So it was a no-brainer that I would be front and center for the Vortex Tour. I decided to go up to the Baltimore show in early May at the outdoor Pier Six Pavilion. (Yea, I know I’m way late with this!).

The Roots opened to a somewhat nonchalant crowd. I don’t know if folks recognized that they were watching hip hop legends fifteen years in the game – and one of the illest MCs to ever touch the mic. We won’t even mention the uber-talented ?uestlove. There were a few heads up out their seats showing love. Maybe the real party was back in the cheap seats. Just seemed to me that for the most part, the crowd that was there and not on CP time were (im)patiently waiting for Ms. Badu to grace us with her presence.

I thought for sure they would get hype on “You Got Me.”

Negative.

Just criminal, I tell you.

Although it was another consistent performance, I definitely prefer to see The Roots in venues where heads are in the know…where the energy is high. I guess I’ve been spoiled.

Here they are performing:

You Got Me

Rising Down

I remember feeling an unusually high sense of anticipation before Erykah took the stage. What would the she be wearing? What would be sitting on top of her head this time? When I last saw her some eightyears ago or so, she was still all about the headwraps and incense. There was some predictability there. Now who knows what the chameleon is going to come with next…and I love it!

Don’t tell nobody but these pictures were shot by Todd over at ishootshows.com three weeks after my Baltimore show. This is exactly what she was was wearing…from head to toe. I was lucky to find these excellent photos, huh?

I was mildly surprised there wasn’t an extended wait for her to take the stage. Since time is for white people and all. When her background singers took the stage, the girl sitting next to me swore one of them was Erykah. I hadn’t read much about the tour but I immediately said that wasn’t Erykah but must be her sister. I was right. Evidentially I’m very much behind on my Badu news because I’m not sure I knew she had a sister in the business.

The first half of her set was all New Amerykah. I kept holding my breath for my favorite, “That Hump.” It was not to be. Here’s the set list (might have missed a few)

  • “Amerykhan Promise”
  • “The Healer”
  • “Me”
  • “My People”
  • “The Cell”
  • “Twinkle”

Amerykhan Promise

My People

Twinkle

As she performed, it was hard to take your eyes away from the one-woman show. You barely noticed anyone else on the stage. Even as she would turn her attention to her beat machine, I still found myself watching her every move. And that black girl sure plays some funky music on that thing! As she boogies on down, you want to get up there and do it to death with her. But alas, it’s a private party. You can watch, but don’t think you can get with her. As she rhetorically asked one girl, “You think you can shake it better than me?” Of course not.

The crowd, who may not have had time to scoop up New Amerykah yet, really came alive when she went into her classic hits from the first three albums – particularly tracks from the classic, Baduizm. I feel like she would have rather not. She strikes me as the type that wants to keep moving forward, which she will with two more albums on tap this year! But that would not make for very happy customers.

They want to hear classics like

  • &…On
  • Appletree
  • Otherside of the Game
  • Danger
  • Times A Wastin

Appletree

Otherside of the Game (LOVE. THIS. SONG)

In between the classics, she had to remind us that she had some new stuff out! Ya’ll can groove to this old stuff but don’t forget the new. She performed two more of my favorites from New Amerykah, “Soldier” and “Master Teacher.” I particularly love “Master Teacher” because my beloved Bilal throws his voice in the mix.

Master Teacher

She left the stage and returned for her encore with “Green Eyes,” which is probably my second favorite track on Mama’s Gun. We weren’t ready for Cirque de Badu though! She brought out her exercise balls and put on quite a show (and got quite a workout!) She also took the time to introduce the security guard to the mysteries of HER personal vortex. Only Erykah. Gotta love her.

To my surprise and to the extreme chagrin of the woman standing beside me, she ended the show with “Bag Lady” and “Tyrone.” She came down through the audience and “picked up some good shit.” I was over “Tyrone” a long time ago. The crowd wasn’t. Personally, I wanted some of that “Honey.” It was not to be. I haven’t heard of any show where she has performed it. Guess she has her reasons.

Bag Lady

Another great one down in the books. I’m not sure if Baltimore was near one of the five natural vortices. But damnit, we sure created one that night!

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

Super Tuesday: Ya’ll Better Get That ‘Honey!’ Don’t Be Acting Funny!

22 Friday Feb 2008

Posted by Vivrant Thang in Feeding The Music Jones

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

erykah badu, erykah badu listening parties, erykah badu new album, honey, new amerykah

by vivrant thang on feeding the music jones and in heavy rotation

ebadu1.jpg

Music makes me higgghhhh!

Just back from a listening party for New AmErykah, the fifth album from the reigning Queen of Soul Bounce, Erykah Badu. It was quite a crowd of music lovers who had braved frigid temps and the threat of nasty weather in hungry anticipation of this album that has long had the streets buzzing for that honey.

It will be in stores and online on Tuesday, Savior’s Day and has the tagline, “freeing the slaves and the slave masters.”

Tall order, huh?

I’m a believer.

ebadu2.jpg

New AmeErykah delivers in a big way. I am already in love with this album. Judging from the crowd reaction, I’m not alone.

Entertainment Weekly calls the opening song, ”Amerykahn Promise,” ‘wonderfully bizarre.’ I told a friend it was ‘other worldly.’ (note: I was actually listening to “Twinkle.” I would call that song “wonderfully bizarre” and “other worldly,” whatever the hell that means). I’m not sure what I meant by that at the time, but that’s what came to mind. From there, the ride continued to get better.

Every single song was like a different experience, but not like the confusion and disappointment that was Worldwide Underground. She took her time with this one and it shows. I can’t wait for her other two releases later this year…although I think I will be spent after all the eargasms I’m sure to experience with New AmErykah.

You know you want some of that honey too. Act like you know on Tuesday! I’m already scoping out where I can cop mine early in the day since, MUCH to my chagrin, I no longer work right across from Best Buy.

They were giving away some promotional posters, including one of the famous album covers. I can’t wait to frame it. No hateration please.

ebadu3.jpg

ebadu5.jpg

Yes, I’ve got a red and a gold wall in my home. They don’t call me Vivrant for nothing!

Feenin for more Badu before the big day? Bounce on over and get your fill.  Stop back next week and tell me how you loved it!

* I just got another listen. Don’t ask how and it doesn’t matter. I will still be PURCHASING a copy on Tuesday. If you aren’t as thrilled by “Honey” as I am,  it is indeed the weakest song on the album. And I would only make that admission if “Mama’s Gun” was put to my head. It’s really hard to choose my favorite tracks because honestly, they all speak to me. The ones that speak the loudest so far are “Me,” and “That Hump.” When listening to Amerykahn Promise, I feel like a baddddaaaaassss ready to bust up out of a dumpster blasting! 

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

Subscribe via e-mail for updates.

Get Up With Vivrant Thang!

Recent Posts

  • You Should Be Here: Stevie Wonder Is Taking Songs In The Key of Life Show on Tour!
  • Stevie Wonder Reacts To Verdict In The Trayvon Martin Case
  • A Song For Trayvon
  • Music Events: Jilly From Philly In Convo With National Museum of African Art
  • #ThrowBackThursday “Reminisce” With Bilal (For Dilla)

Categories

  • Album Reviews
  • Best Of Lists
  • Feeding The Music Jones
  • In Heavy Rotation
  • Let's Rock: Concert Reviews
  • Music Events
  • Music Legends
  • Music News
  • New Flava In My Ear
  • Soundtrack of My Life
  • Throwback Thursday
  • Underrated Artist Spotlights
  • Upcoming Album Releases
  • Weekly Round Up

Back In The Day

Top Notch Posts

  • Let's Take It Back To The Old School: Legends of Hip Hop Concert Tour Review
  • Old School Friday: Kids Groups
  • Underrated Philadelphia Soul Singers

Recent Comments

Patsy Canady on Underrated Female Soul Singer…
#uristonline on Old School Friday: Men With…
LarryLot on Old School Friday: Men With…
MatthewWeich on Old School Friday: Men With…
AndrewWharm on Old School Friday: Men With…
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE
    • Join 74 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    loading Cancel
    Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
    Email check failed, please try again
    Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
    %d bloggers like this: