When Erykah Badu announced she was touring her ‘Mama’s Gun’ album, it was challenging to have any sort of self-control. After an unfortunate experience of her dropping out of the ‘X The tracks’ festival with no explanation, I was particularly thrilled about seeing her. I’ve only been to a select few venues in Manchester, and I have to say, the O2 Apollo was quite literally the most perfect space for this performance. It was spacious, yet beautifully intimate.
It’s important, in this case, for me to provide some personal context about this album, as it means so much to me. ‘Mama’s Gun’ is without a doubt in my top ten albums of all time. This neo-soul album masterfully explores themes of spiritual evolution, heartbreak, self discovery, and remembering who you are through all the hardships in your life. Going to a performance on an album tour is special, and this was far more than just special for me. She comes on at around 10 pm (she is not known for being tardy), and I’m overwhelmed by the fact that I am in the same room as THE Erykah Badu. I feel as though you enter a brief state of shock, a huge musical ensemble playing the intro to ‘Penitentiary Philosophy’, the opening track on the album, and it finally begins. There she really is, in a long trench coat and a huge hat covered in piercings. The music slowly dies down, and her voice floods the room as the crowd is frankly in awe of her.
The first few songs on the album are some of her most iconic tracks. ‘Didn’t ya know’ seemed to be the one a lot of people were waiting for, and it absolutely didn’t disappoint. The composition of the band, along with the lighting and ambience in the venue, was tantalising, and every few minutes, you would have to remind yourself that this isn’t a dream. The energy that oozes from her is hypnotising; even when she isn’t singing, you are completely mesmerised by her. I’ll compare her to a witch, in the greatest sense. A mouthful of gold jewellery and the way she can command the room almost makes you wonder if she is of another entity.
As the album progresses, the songs change tone to a more painfully romantic style. The lights are dim, and the crowd feels like a family, almost. She begins ‘Orange Moon’ and I cannot contain my emotions. Seeing the way she can channel all these emotions through just her voice was one of the most beautiful things I have ever experienced. She does these brilliant vocal runs, where the sheer strength and volume of her voice mean she has to lean so far back from the microphone, but her voice still engulfs the room no matter how close she is to the mic.
This gig was undoubtedly the best live performance I have ever had the privilege of watching. I left the venue with a sense of overwhelming gratitude for simply being alive to witness this. And that is the true beauty of it all.
