When the show was announced on Friday, June 13, all tickets were free and made available online, with a limit of two per order. If you missed out on the rush, the show will be live-streamed on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch starting at 9 p.m. here.
The show comes just a few months after Badu opted not to host her annual birthday show at The Bomb Factory, but a free all-night party sounds like the perfect alternative.
Which songs does Erykah Badu typically play?
For the past few years, whether at The Bomb Factory, a festival, or an arena tour, Badu has played a pretty similar setlist. During her 2023 Unfollow Me Tour with Yasiin Bey, the setlist consisted of the following, with a few additions and covers in certain cities.Unfollow Me Tour setlist:
"The Healer"
"20 Feet Tall"
"On & On"
"... & On"
"To Each His Own"
"Appletree"
"No Love"
"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)"
"Me"
"Time’s a Wastin"
"Umm Hmm"
"Otherside of the Game"
"Kiss Me on My Neck (Hesi)"
"A.D. 2000"
"Orange Moon"
"Window Seat"
"Next Lifetime"
"Bag Lady"
"Tyrone"
“Didn’t Cha Know”
What did Erykah Badu perform at her last Birthday Bash?
Badu's last birthday bash was on Feb. 24, 2024. Based on that setlist, we have some predictions we feel good about: You can bet that the band is going to play a 10-plus minute jam before she struts out on stage. You know that “On & On” will be her second song, followed by the pseudo-sequel on Mama’s Gun, “... & On.” During “Otherside of the Game,” a laser wall is going to come down in front of Badu, where she’ll act like it’s electrocuting her before stepping all the way through, complete with sci-fi sound effects. Don’t get us wrong, we love it. In Dallas, Badu will always be the best ticket in town.
We dug through our old notes and put together a loose setlist from that evening, which included surprise guests Teezo Touchdown, Rapsody and Thundercat.
Badu's 2024 Birthday Bash at The Bomb Factory setlist:
"On & On"
"... & On"
"Out My Mind, Just in Time"
"Woo"
"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)"
"Appletree"
"Hello"
"Time’s a Wastin"
"Otherside of the Game"
"Window Seat"
"Me"
"3:AM"
“Didn’t Cha Know”
Which surprise songs should she play at Badu Presents: Echos 19?
For Thursday’s show, mind if we make some requests? Think of it like a wishlist, or really just an excuse for us to fire off some Badu deep cuts. For this exercise, we’re going to pick out one song from each of her studio albums, cross our fingers, and show up on Thursday to see if it comes true.“Certainly” - Baduizm
In case you ever forget, “Certainly” is a reminder that Badu’s roots lie firmly in jazz. The song’s plucky upright bassline and sharp piano sound like the product of a smoke-filled, low-ceiling, no-frills cocktail bar, and we mean that in the best way. Of all the Badu shows we’ve been to, we’ve never heard her bring this one out live, even at The Black Academy of Arts and Letters’ Riverfront Jazz Festival. Nevertheless, we hope the time is right on Thursday night.
“Penitentiary Philosophy” - Mama’s Gun
The opening track to Mama’s Gun is as rock as Badu ever gets. It’s no surprise when looking at the liner notes, which give co-writing and producing credit to Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and James Poyser of The Roots, along with legendary bassist Pino Palladino. The result is an awesome fusion of contrasting types of musical genius, bringing out a raucous, howling vocal performance out of Badu that’s unlike anything she’s ever sung.
“Woo” - Worldwide Underground
We heard it once and we want to hear it again. Badu gets to flex her hip-hop muscles on this Worldwide Underground track, which was produced by Dallas legend R.C. Williams. Presented with a sort of half-song, half-rap vocal delivery, it's an underrated gem.
“Amerykahn Promise” - New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)
2007’s New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) is probably the least celebrated of the studio Badu releases, but only by comparison to its iconic peers. The album’s opening track is a Prince-esque pop-rock dance-along that deserves to be played in front of an audience. Perhaps a capacity crowd at the Bomb Factory, all of whom are having Badu withdrawals from no birthday show this year.
“Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long” - New Amerykah Part Two: Return Of The Ankh
It doesn’t get more chill than “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long,” the fifth song on Badu’s last full-length release, New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh). With layers of analog keyboards, a distorted drum groove, and a sappy love story at its center, it’s a song that makes you want to lie back and appreciate the good parts of life. Namely, Erykah Badu.
