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Summary The reclusive R&B singer, D'Angelo, makes his first live U.S. appearance in 12 years.
The reclusive R&B singer, DAngelo, made his first live U.S. appearance in 12 years at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival early Sunday morning, surprising a few thousand fans during Ahmir Questlove Thompsons Superjam session.Ive been waiting 12 years to say this ladies and gentlemen, DAngelo, Thompson said as the crowd roared.It was his first U.S. show since 2000 and a prelude to an appearance at Julys Essence Music Festival and a European tour with many of the same players who backed him Sunday morning. DAngelo played live in Europe earlier this year.DAngelo and his all-star band powered through a 90-minute jam session Sunday morning that included Jimi Hendrixs Have You Ever Been to Electric Ladyland, Parliament Funkadelics Funky Dollar Bill, Led Zeppelins What Is andWhat Should Never Be and The Beatles She Came in Through the Bathroom Window, but no new music.DAngelo worked from lyric sheets and the band put together a six-hour practice session Saturday before The Roots, Thompsons regular band, played a gig on Bonnaroos biggest stage.When the crowd chanted One more song One more song after the set, Thompson told fans they hadnt learned any others to play.Asked if he would be interested in an interview after the show, DAngelo said not yet. His only recent public comments were made in a GQ article last month.Dressed in a black tank top and jeans with a black and white bandanna wrapped around his dreadlocks, DAngelo was visibly reserved at the start of the set. But he warmed up, kicking into high gear during the Zeppelin portion of the show.Switching between keyboards and his guitar, DAngelos only verbal interaction with the crowd came near the end of the night when he shouted: Do yall want us to go home yet?Thompson, sipping a cup of orange juice, was still fired up after the show.Man, I want to go to Disneyland, right? he said. Ive been dreaming about this.Thompson said he had an ulterior motive for luring his friend to Manchester. He wanted to prove DAngelo was still in fighting shape.I wanted him to see that, he said. Thats a green light. Me doing it wasnt, like, running out of jam partners. Me doing it was basically showing him, Look, you are so missed you dont even realize how much you are missed, hoping that this will be the adrenaline boost that will finally get him to turn his record into the label. Its done, its brilliant. I played on it. I know its brilliant. Now its just time to let his kids go and show it to the world. Thats what Im here for.
