119 said:

The snobbery of these comments towards the Essence crowd is laughable, given that this is a prince message board. You all do know that there are many who would turn their noses up at those with that music taste, right? I guess everyone can be a snob about something...It appears that here, the snobbery is aimed at those who do not share the exact same perspective on concertgoing. Bizarre.

It is amazing that some folks are so concerned with what type of concert/musical experience others want to have when they spend their own darn money. Are you so concerned D'Angelo is getting his feelings hurt?

I don't get it. At all.

[Edited 7/7/12 13:32pm]

Bottom line everyone has different taste. Right now i'm indifferent towards his comeback.

He had two solid solo albums. The live performances i've been seeing has been

hit and miss with me. I understand he has a lot of fans on this site but so far i haven't

seen anything performance wise that will just make me rush out to see him perform

live but if he can put together another solid album like Brown Sugar and Voodoo(although

i don't own it) i'd buy.

[Edited 7/7/12 13:59pm]

Exactly. Who gives a f*** what that crowd of probably-morons thinks.

I've seen the footage of him recently and he is back in great form! If they aren't enjoying it, that's on them. Fools.

Bring on the south pacific tour, D!

wait, how is a STADIUM full of people, (primarily african americans) "probably morons" and fools because they're not responding favorably to D'Angelo's on and off again ass?!

Paris9748430 said:

meltwithu said:

Paris9748430 said: If u trying to make a comeback, u better play some crowd pleasing hits

A lot of times, the "crowd" are a bunch of morons who should shut up and let an artist create.

Too many people are just like, "Take your shirt off, get in your cage and dance, monkey"! "Nothing too complicated, just the exact same steps you were doing 10 years ago, and nothing different"!

Testify!

HonestMan13 said:

meltwithu said:

I think it has to do with certain people having an "audience". Since people bought into the ideas that D'Angelo was a "smooth soul artist" whose ties were more connected to Motown than say Minneapolis or Toccoa, Georgia (Prince and James Brown's hometowns - I would say Augusta for James but his career started in Toccoa). And also that tired-ass "neo soul" tag, which has not really helped in the careers of D'Angelo, Erykah Badu (who I think is R&B with a more alternative direction with funk elements and jazz), Lauryn Hill and others didn't help matters in how audiences who attended the festival perceived him. Add to that the shortage of recordings D'Angelo made that was actually popular in a 17-year stretch was probably another reason why people acted brand new and most, if not all of what happened to D, was his fault primarily because he was "not sure where to go" and he got high and ditched the scene doing music but afraid to put it out because he wasn't done with it. Fuck an R&B Jesus, he was like a millennium Sly Stone with his comings and goings. Least he doesn't leave the stage like ten minutes after he shows up like Sly.

nd33 said:

CynicKill said:

For some reason I'm just not worried about him going over with the Essence Festival crowd.

We know he's back in form.

Exactly. Who gives a f*** what that crowd of probably-morons thinks.

I've seen the footage of him recently and he is back in great form! If they aren't enjoying it, that's on them. Fools.

Bring on the south pacific tour, D!

Wow I like D'Angelo but people are paying money to see him perform. He should perform all of the songs from his two CDs. People are not morons they are fans and he is trying to get his carreer out of the dumper.

From ROLLING STONE

http://www.rollingstone.c...t-20120707

Timmy84 said:

I'm guessing the Essence audience didn't buy his albums...

They only care about him taking his shirt off....

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

I'm guessing the Essence audience didn't buy his albums...

They only care about him taking his shirt off....

Yup.

Timmy84 said:

Paris9748430 said:

It wasn't just that he was doing songs that folks were unfamilliar with. I was on Facebook and a bunch of women were complaining that he kept his clothes on.

I'm thinking "Do you know anything about this cat at all other than a music video that came out 12 years ago"?

That's all they know him by. That's how it's always been. He will always be known as "the guy that took his shirt off in that video". That's why his tour to promote "Voodoo" had mostly women because they wanna see him rip that shirt off. When your career is basically left with that trademark, that's all anyone of that caliber will expect from you.

Spill that true tea boy

[Edited 7/7/12 17:33pm]

Timmy84 said:

babybugz said:

They only care about him taking his shirt off....

Yup.

That's all anyone cares about. Some People can barely name his songs but everyone knows that video.

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

Yup.

That's all anyone cares about. Some People can barely name his songs but everyone knows that video.

Which further explains why I think they picked the wrong venue if people are gonna look confused at what he's actually doing.

Paris9748430 said:

meltwithu said:

Paris9748430 said: If u trying to make a comeback, u better play some crowd pleasing hits

A lot of times, the "crowd" are a bunch of morons who should shut up and let an artist create.

Too many people are just like, "Take your shirt off, get in your cage and dance, monkey"! "Nothing too complicated, just the exact same steps you were doing 10 years ago, and nothing different"!

YUP... Im sure there were some people that sincerely enjoyed his performance just like at BET... cant please everybody especially when awful taste to begin with. Its not like if D angelo had played all his songs from two of his albums the crowd would know them..

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

Yup.

That's all anyone cares about. Some People can barely name his songs but everyone knows that video.

They went crazy when he started playing the intro to 'Untitled'.

Never trust a man who is trying to bring the Ascot back.

meltwithu said:

missfee said:

Since when does Roland Martin's opinion about ANY musical act matter?

By no means is he a music critic, but I follow him on Facebook and he does talk about a LOT about old school/70's music. Most of the folks who posted on that stays agreed with him, so it's not like he was picking on Dangelo. If Janet Jackson showed up and did the entire damita jo album folks would be pissed off too 🐻

datdude said:

Exactly. Who gives a f*** what that crowd of probably-morons thinks.

I've seen the footage of him recently and he is back in great form! If they aren't enjoying it, that's on them. Fools.

Bring on the south pacific tour, D!

wait, how is a STADIUM full of people, (primarily african americans) "probably morons" and fools because they're not responding favorably to D'Angelo's on and off again ass?!

Please don't bring race into the conversation.

----------------------------------------------------

I was a little over the top with wording perhaps

But this is the impression I get of the people that were complaining:

"I was on Facebook and a bunch of women were complaining that he kept his clothes on."

You can't blame a singer if he wants to just perform without taking a shirt off. Pretty lame really.

laurarichardson said:

nd33 said:

Exactly. Who gives a f*** what that crowd of probably-morons thinks.

I've seen the footage of him recently and he is back in great form! If they aren't enjoying it, that's on them. Fools.

Bring on the south pacific tour, D!

Wow I like D'Angelo but people are paying money to see him perform. He should perform all of the songs from his two CDs. People are not morons they are fans and he is trying to get his carreer out of the dumper.

He can create the setlist that he pleases. And he obviously does

If anyone goes to a concert to see one, single, particular song, then they need to open their ears and their minds, because they're probably gonna be disappointed in life a lot.

deebee said:

I could easily imagine this being not so much a case of a performer misjudging his audience, but rather an artist challenging the crowd, and perhaps even revelling in being unconventional and avant-garde in a situation where people are expecting him to take the safe and easy route. A few orgers have mentioned examples of this in music history, which D himself seems to be schooled in. It might well be that he's acting out the fantasy of playing the 'true artist' who refuses to bow to pressure and dutifully churn it out for the masses, and instead follows his muse and creates something special for the few who really 'get it'. (I should say, I have no evidence to support this theory, but I do like the idea. )

Good call.

He seems like a calculated thinker and someone who would do something like that.

If it is the case, I definitely applaud him and I hope he sticks to his guns

The world needs people that challenge conventions, even if it means a few people feel hard done by about the $5 of their festival ticket cost that went to D'Angelo and his band, about them not performing "Untitled" and/or taking off his shirt.

nd33 said:

meltwithu said:

nd33 said:

Please don't bring race into the conversation.

----------------------------------------------------

I was a little over the top with wording perhaps

But this is the impression I get of the people that were complaining:

"I was on Facebook and a bunch of women were complaining that he kept his clothes on."

You can't blame a singer if he wants to just perform without taking a shirt off. Pretty lame really.

Actually, NOT ONE of those people said anything about him ever taking his shirt off -- they were wondering why he didn't play His second biggest song brown sugar, and why he gave a half assed trunctuated version of untitled. I'm pretty sure those folks know he was looking more Aaron Neville these days, as they said they just watched the BET awards already. So let's not make it seem like a bunch of horny Sistas were going expecting to see "magic mike" strip show. He chose to do his concert that way and they didn't feel it-- neither side is wrong, but based off the negative word of mouth, hes gonna playing small venues for the foreseeable future ( which might be his plan all along anyways)

"I was on Facebook and a bunch of women were complaining that he kept his clothes on." was a direct quote from Paris9748430 earlier in this thread.

I'm not sure how you can confirm or deny what someone else is hearing/seeing

You're right that neither side is right/wrong. But I'm not surprised at the way a more sophisticated artist such as D'Angelo is going about his setlists/performances. Obviously others are.

nd33 said:

meltwithu said:

nd33 said:

"I was on Facebook and a bunch of women were complaining that he kept his clothes on." was a direct quote from Paris9748430 earlier in this thread.

I'm not sure how you can confirm or deny what someone else is hearing/seeing

You're right that neither side is right/wrong. But I'm not surprised at the way a more sophisticated artist such as D'Angelo is going about his setlists/performances. Obviously others are.

How can u confirm or deny it when u aren't there either? Sheesh The original link is right on page one-- feel free to check it out and see if u find one of those complaints on there from the people who were ACTUALLy THERE-- stop relying on what another orger read somewhere -- because u didn't verify that before u went all H.A.M on a whole stadium because they didn't like the concert. Get real👎

Because I'm making some chunky assumptions based on 2nd hand information.

PS. the facebook link you posted on first page doesn't do anything relevant. It just takes me to the facebook news feed.

he sucked on the bet awards, prince fans really overrate this dude. i dont remember him ever being that big to where you all are hyping his 'comeback'. as for him not playing the songs people know and people calling the audience idiots, why bother doing shows? if he want people to pay money to see him he need to play the songs they wanna hear.

It's the same old story as when he left:

Sex symbol R&B star wants to present something more artistic to his audience.

Audience rejects it.

Except this time he's more grown up and he's not going to let it destroy him.

Plus it was a long time ago. The hits he's had you can count on one hand. And the Voodoo album was under-appreciated when it first came out.

A comeback on any massive scale (outside of hipster cicrcles) will be difficult until he puts out new material.

You will never connect with an audience if you have been gone for what over 12 years with no new material and you fail to do two of your biggest singles at radio and do a half-assed version of your other hit single.

He did not do "Brown Sugar" or "Cruisin'".

[Edited 7/8/12 10:14am]

[Edited 7/8/12 12:41pm]

I love the duality of this site.

D'Angelo better play his hits for a paying audience.

Prince should stop playing his hits for a paying audience.

I never knew a ticket price entitled us to so much input!

Here all along I thought it just got me a seat at the venue.

HonestMan13 said:

I love the duality of this site.

D'Angelo better play his hits for a paying audience.

Prince should stop playing his hits for a paying audience.

I never knew a ticket price entitled us to so much input!

Here all along I thought it just got me a seat at the venue.

It is strange... difference being Prince is a man who has had 30 years of hits so he could do whatever. D'Angelo just doesn't. He didn't even have that many hits either. Two albums in a 17-year career. Uh yeah. But it is hypocritical I agree.

nd33 said:

laurarichardson said:

Wow I like D'Angelo but people are paying money to see him perform. He should perform all of the songs from his two CDs. People are not morons they are fans and he is trying to get his carreer out of the dumper.

He can create the setlist that he pleases. And he obviously does

If anyone goes to a concert to see one, single, particular song, then they need to open their ears and their minds, because they're probably gonna be disappointed in life a lot.

Not one song. Play all the songs from the two cds You are right an artist can do the setlist he pleases but do not expect people to keep paying money to see you if you do not play anything they know.

You will find yourself playing for free in some park.