Concert Reviews
Local Music
A night of improv flute from the Atlanta hip-hop icon turned magical with Badu showing up for the hometown crowd.
By Leah Frazier
September 23, 2024
Andre 3000 surprised his Dallas audience.Leah Frazier
Audio By Carbonatix
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If you’ve graced the Dallas music scene enough, you’re well aware that Erykah Badu is bound to crash the stage at any time and at any place, and frankly — whenever she pleases. Nothing fared different for the “Queen of Neo Soul,” as she took to the stage Saturday night, for a surprise appearance with former beau Andre 3000, for his New Blue Sun tour at the Winspear Opera House. Referring to Badu as “family”, the duo proceeded with an impromptu performance, while the crowd — and the couple’s 26-year-old son Seven — looked on.
Dallas was the second stop for the highly anticipated tour, marking it as the unofficial homecoming for the former Outkast rapper who briefly called the Big D home, many years ago. His latest album, New Blue Sun, was his first in 17 years, and received mixed reviews from fans who nostalgically craved “the old Andre,” to those who surprisingly enjoyed the mellow and meditative vibes of his new, flute-summoning creations. Following the chaotic uproar from his May Atlanta Jazz Festival performance, many were unsure of what to expect from the Grammy award-winning artist, once he hit Dallas.
“All of the sound healers are in the building,” joked Dallas musician Jess Garland, as she made her way through the lobby and to her seat.
Inside the venue, fans were all abuzz — with crowds snatching up merch just seconds before the show — and many trying to guess what was about to unfold in the next hour to come. After a hypnotic opener by Sudan Archives, Andre 3000 then took the stage, transporting the audience to an imaginative jungle of sounds.
The immersive, ambient experience was a blend of playful compositions featuring various styles of flutes (we lost count after four), and the roars of leaves, thunder, rain, birds, wind chimes, and more artfully curated by his band. Culturally, it was clear that the Atlanta native packed all of his global influences into a singular soundtrack that carried everyone away. For some, it brought tears, and for others, an oasis — but for many, the vibe was futuristically high.
The flautist took to the mic mid-way, telling the crowd that the evening (just like the album) was impromptu. Everything was being made up on the fly.
“I promise we [are] not on drugs,” the multi-instrumentalist laughed and said following his introduction of Badu. “Well…at least not tonight.”
Badu hopped right in, softly crooning into the mic, and gracefully pouring in her own symphony of rain, drums, and chimes. It was the dynamic duo that Dallas never knew it needed.
After being bathed in creative artistry for 90 minutes, the journey closed with nothing but Andre 3000, his flute, and the collective stillness — to which a standing ovation ensued.
“That was the sexiest [thing] I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” said artist and educator, Ciara Elle Bryant. “You have to have a very specific type of energy to even experience what just happened.”
“At one point, the frequencies were so high I had to eat popcorn to ground myself,” said breathwork facilitator Shayla Williams. “It was really healing and just plain amazing.”
“It was very authentic,” Garland added in finality. “A lot of people feel like this is new to Andre. But if you’re aware of Erykah’s background and Andre’s background…then you would know that they are doing what musicians here in Dallas have been doing all along, which is experimental, avant-garde, improv music.”
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