Yes siree

Atop the long list of things that amaze me about Erykah Badu is how much she can get away with. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm kinda obsessed with the lengths people are going to for a hit these days. And so it's incredible to me that an R&B artist who's more or less a household name and certainly on a major lable was able to get something as complex, challenging, political and single-free as New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) past the suits that hold her career in their bank accounts.

And so, it was with a slackjaw that I watched her perform for about two hours Friday at Radio City Music Hall. With a band so big it felt like a nation of millions propping her up, she ran through most of her latest disc, though missing from the set list were "My Hump" and the Dilla eulogy "Telephone" (fair enough, since they're kinda downers) and the set's first single "Honey" (which could be considered a downer in its own way, since the record company more or less forced it on to give radio something to play). If skipping over the most recognizable song of hers in recent memory seemed audacious, her non-stop barrage of album cuts felt like a revolution. Not that anyone cared either way -- Mama's Gun's "Orange Moon," "Time's a Wastin'" and a Soul Sonic Force-ful revamp of Baduizm's "Appletree" were met with the kind of rapturous sing-a-long response that had me just checking Wikipedia to make sure I wasn't going senile and that these were never officially released to radio.

Her performance of another one of those beloved non-singles, the 10-minute suite "Green Eyes," is excerpted in the video below. Though she performed it during the encore, it opens the clip -- I wanted to show immediately just how out there she went. With the aid of two blow-up exercise balls, she danced interpretively for the entire 10 minutes, banners waving in the background. It was part Debbie Allen, part You and Me, Kid and part yogurt commercial. It pleased me so, and it exemplified why Erykah gets away with so much: her kooky charm saves her every time. Her banter with the audience was entirely hilarious. She did this thing when she sang "Tyrone," wherein she sang the "my" in the last line ("...But you can't use my phone") over and over to prolong the song. At one point, she sang a bunch of "my"s to the tune of "Wipeout" while feverishly doing the Watusi (at least, I think that's what it was). When she was finally done the song she reported, "Someone said, 'Work, bitch!' Uh, thank you?" Similarly, she kicked off a five-minute closing speech in which she thanked the audience for basically letting her do what she does, by saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, I want to let you know something: this hat itches."

It was thrilling to watch her command the stage the way she did: lest you forget that she's a band leader, she's constantly giving her accompaniment cues (a quick, flat "Wait.") to drop out and let her go acapella. Between songs, she played snippets of old soul songs I should have recognized (but didn't) and Audio Two's "Top Billin'." I got the feeling she just wanted to hear them, as you do. Oh, and she also had this seemingly random guy and his girlfriend out on stage, per his request. He proposed in front of all of us. It was suitably warm and fuzzy and weird.

She commanded the audience, too, telling us to sing along to the "Yes siree"s in "Soldier," which was not just a highlight of the night, but a highlight of my concert-going life. I can't even express how moving it was to hear live and saluting those who share her determined outrage ("To my folks on the picket line / Don't stop till you change their minds / I got love for my folks / Baptized when the levy broke..."). I captured the first part of the song (it's it the video below), but not that most moving part. It's just as well - my shitty little camera was no match for the power in that room, anyway.

Comments

[Shawn-Shawn]

So jealous. I wanted to go but couldn't find a single person to keep me company. I know that Erykah has gone a bit left of center for a lot of her more mainstream fans to appreciate her now (that's an understatement---homegirl is clearly cutting her new tracks on Jupiter), but I think that she's only become more interesting with the years. She's one of the few soul artists out now who's genuinely willing to be experimental in her music, to release an album that's like a mixtape, with sketches of songs that sort of saunter along to their own conclusion. New Amerykah is one of the best albums to come along in a long while---it pushes the boundaries and conventions of soul music while still presenting Badu's playfulness and politics.

[l.]

I was at this concert as well and was blown away by her interpretive dance with red balls.

I thought there were a few places where the show seemed to drag and the energy seemed to stall, but overall, she was so incredible.

I love that she owns her craziness. And her hat quip was fantastically genuine, as was when every now and then she would crack herself up.

[mariaaaaa]

""Ladies and gentlemen, I want to let you know something: this hat itches."" is what I would use as my IM status this morning if I didn't have a contact list full of work people.
Shawn-Shawn: next time go by yourself! I am in the same position as you, my friends aren't into the same music as I am, so I just go by myself now.
I'll watch this tonight. I love your music writing, Rich.

[Qbot]

Shawn-shawn and mariaaaaa, it's hilarious because I feel the exact same way! Erykah was in town a few weeks ago and I couldn't get a single person to come with me. I'll be going next time, this is awesome.

[Gus]

Ahhh I love Erykah Badu. She was all I listened to for the first three months of 2008.

Her shirt thing's really ... unflattering though from your video. But, whatever, she commands the stage - I love that thing she does when she stops the music with a "hold on".

[HouseofJules]

E. Badu is the perfect example of why it really doesn't matter much what gets on the radio. I'm a fan, but I defy anyone declaring themselves NOT to be to stick to that opinion after seeing her live. I took a friend with me several years ago. He walked in all but rolling his eyes, and walked out more hyped than anybody in the crowd.
Love her.

@Shawn-Shawn: Don't miss her show just because you can't find anybody to take. Life's too short!
Jules
House of Jules

[brittany]

agh! Got tickets to her show in Chicago - and am sooo excited to see her rock the Chicago Theatre. have loved her since "on and on".

Fantastic rich!
xox

[somedude]

did she sing Annie No Panties?

[Donny B]

A household name? Not even near that. I think that's why she can get away with that shit - she's not Mariah or even Mary J., so expectations are different.

[sweetmintyjesus]

oooooooweeeeeeeeeeee! i saw her in atlanta at the tabernacle a few years ago when world wide underground first came out and it was awesome! i sho wish i'd been at this show.

[teebee]

I LOVE HER!!!!! Im seeing her on thursday in DC and I cannot wait!!! :)

[les]

I caught Erykah and the Roots this weekend in Baltimore at an outside venue. It was my first time seeing her and I was blown away. When she quotes "i'm an artist and i'm sensitive about my shit" you can feel that in her music and performance at large. INCREDIBLE!

[astrid]

I saw her in Boston last week, and though I love her I don't think the energy at the Orpheum here was the same as you described in NY. (Or maybe it was my allergy attack). The stage was small, so the whole yoga balls thing looked cramped and out of place. I saw her at Radio City back in 2004 and she blew me AWAY then (I think there was a 10 minute spoken-word-with-music component to it).

For this show, I did love her ensemble, her presentation, her back up singers and the way she treats everyone on stage and in the audience. She's an artist, for real.

By the way, I saw Mary J. last month and it's apples and oranges. That was a damn fine show too -- for different reasons. MJB brings tears to my eyes.

[MissNee]

a friend and i are going to see here in oakland in june. i have never been so excited to see someone live since pj harvery and morrissey.

even if i wouldn't have found someone to go with, i would have dragged my ass down there anyways.

[pete]

i'm going to see her in Oakland in June. i saw her at the Paramount Theatre(Oakland's AMAZING art deco landmark)before, and had to go by myself then. sometimes ya just gotta.

[Molly]

God I'm so excited to see her in LA. I love Erykah, the way she takes risks, her beautiful voice and spirit. You know sometime soon Andre 3000 is gonna see his beautiful baby mama performing and be like "DAMN I FUCKED UP!"

[BayBB]

I love Ms. Badu! She is one of the few real artists in the industry today. Others may have the voice but she's one of few with the voice and creativity. It makes me sick that other artists that I will not name *cough, cough Alicia Keys & Beyonce cough* sell so many albums when put out lackluster music and Erykah puts her heart and soul into it yet is largely ignored.

[Parker]

May 30th is my day of birth as I will see her for the first time at the Chicago Theater. Unfortunately the place is gigantic and won't be nearly as intimate. Her latest album is amazing and it's entirely different from previous ones, which are also amazing.

[Tim]

Thanks so much for the commentary and the footage, Rich. But I have to point out that you misstated "That Hump" as "My Hump," which has a really unpleasant, Fergielicious connotation.

[mp]

I am an E.Badu true believer and it was a great show. I loved her last show at Radio City in 2004 more in some ways, but between the crazy fitness ball routine on "Green Eyes" (which really impressed me b/c she allowed herself to be so vulnerable and kooky while performing a song about a painful breakup with Dre), the climbing out into the audience on "Bag Lady" and the couple from Cinncinati getting engaged on stage, this show was bananas.

Also, did you note that Sasha Frere-Jones thinks this concert changed history and we can all brag about having been there? Pat yo'self on the back!

[mp]

Also, I really wish she had performed "The Cell."

[Noel]

"Green Eyes is by far my favorite Erykah Badu song and holds the title as most played on my iTunes! Anyway I have to see her live.

[Brianna]

Erykah Badu was the first CD I ever purchased and so she always holds a special place in my heart. This concert seemed amazing and so unique.

[bucknips]

Welcome to the Badu Experience! I have seen her several times "live" and now consider her one of my all time favorites!

[Ben]

What I wouldn't give for her to release that version of Appletree! Damn, that was hot.