The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival had quite a surprise for R&B fans. They managed to convince Michael Eugene Archer, or better yet D’Angelo, to perform. It was D’Angelo’s first U.S. show in 12 years.
D’Angelo is a name quite popular in the R&B and soul stage. The singer and songwriter has been reclusive over the past 12 years and resurfaced briefly earlier this year. It was Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson that convinced D’Angelo to get back on stage and perform a historical jam.
Questlove managed to keep D’Angelo’s performance pretty much under the key. However, the rumors that the man would get on stage at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival were already circulating Manchester. The Superjam session Questlove was preparing didn’t reveal much detail from the line up, reading “Questlove with very special guests”.
It wasn’t long before Questlove introduced the night’s surprise. “I’ve been waiting 12 years to say this ladies and gentlemen, D’Angelo!” said Questlove Thompson as the 38-year-old reclusive singer entered the scene. D’Angelo was at first a bit reserved, but soon after the band began its 90 minutes jam, the R&B singer took the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival by storm.
Wearing jeans with a black top and a white bandanna holding its dreadlocks in place, by the end of the show, D’Angelo seemed to feel quite in his element. During his first U.S. show in 12 years, D’Angelo sang Led Zeppelin’s “What is and What Should Never Be”, went through Jimi Hendrix’s pieces and even The Beatles’ “She Came in Through The Bathroom Window”. Unfortunately for the fans asking for one more song at the end of the epic jam, D’Angelo and the band didn’t have new music.
At the end of the show, D’Angelo looked pretty thrilled with the performance. “Man, I want to go to Disneyland, right? I’ve been dreaming about this” he said. Meanwhile, Questlove Thompson confessed he wanted D’Angelo to go on stage and feel he’s still up for such a gig.
“’Look, you are so missed you don’t 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” said Questlove.
