She proved throughout her performance that she is the total package. You don't just see or hear Erykah Badu -you experience her. It was clear that her fans were not disappointed.

Photos: Todd Owyoung 

w/ The Roots

Fox Theater, St. Louis

Supreme funkstress Erykah Badu brought her Vortex Tour to the Fabulous Fox last Thursday night in support of her latest album, New Amerykah Part One (4^th World War), the second installation of which is due out next month. Opening for Badu were her long-time friends, musical soul mates and collaborators, The Roots.

The Roots hit the stage promptly at eight p.m. to a half full house. They proceeded to put on an incredible set for the next 45 minutes, which for them is just way too short. This is no "opening band" - they deserve the full spotlight. I could have done with a double bill where they split the stage time with Erykah Badu because once you start getting into The Roots, you never want them to stop. Original MC Black Thought and drummer ?uestlove were joined by guitar virtuoso "Captain Kirk" Douglas (channeling Jimi Hendrix at times), keyboardist Kamal Gray, percussionist F. Knuckles, bassist Owen Biddle and the incredible Damon "Tuba Gooding Jr." Bryson on the sousaphone.

It's rare to hear a hip-hop group with the level of instrumentation and skill of The Roots. In fact, they really cannot be classified as "hip-hop" when they bring so many elements of rock, blues and jazz to the table. If you see one live band this year, I'd suggest this one. You won't be disappointed. (Check out the review of their recent Webster University show here: www.playbackstl.com/content/view/7582/158/)

After a long intermission, Badu finally emerged onstage, amid a mist of smoke and mirrors, wearing a short, black tiered dress with tights and a hat with feathers, backed by four female singers in sexy, low-cut dresses. They slithered and sashayed onstage as Badu launched into songs from the New Amerykah album including "Amerykahn Promise," "The Healer," "Me," and "My People."  The quirky Badu, in between songs, typed "commands" into a Mac laptop on a stand and sipped from a small flask and cup placed on a table in the middle of the stage. The table was also set with various percussion instruments like maracas and finger cymbals, which she intermittently played.

One thing is for sure, Badu can sing - her soulful, sultry voice soared up to the balconies of the acoustically perfect Fox Theater. Her style has been compared by many to jazz great Billie Holiday and she truly lives up to the hype. Badu is as visually stunning as her voice, with long legs, penetrating eyes and luminous mocha skin. She proved throughout her performance that she is the total package. You don't just see or hear Erykah Badu -you experience her. It was clear that her fans were not disappointed.

My favorite performance of the night was the straight funky "Danger," from Badu's chart-topping 2003 album Worldwide Underground. The audience was brought to its feet as no one could resist the urge to shake some booty to this ultimate of grooves.  "On and On" from her debut album, Baduism was a crowd-pleaser as well.

Badu showed her political side, preaching to her disciples about topics of war, occupation and resistance, as well as explaining the meaning of a vortex, the name of her tour. Her fans connected and responded with shouts of "Amen" and "Teach it Erykah!"

I have always been a fan of Badu's unique style, but after experiencing her live show, I am a true believer. This is no ordinary hip-hop, soul or R&B artist. Badu has a sound and a presence that transcends beyond most of her contemporaries, and I can't wait to hear what she does next. | Amy Burger

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