Go Behind The Scenes Of Erykah Badu's Brooklyn Show At Kings Theatre [Video + Exclusive Photos]

Photos by Seher Sikandar for Okayplayer

Last night Erykah Badu toasted to a mighty resurgence, treating fans to a blazing live set at the historic Kings Theatre in Brooklyn. The performance served as a welcome return to the stage following the Black Friday release of her But You Cain't Use My Phone mixtape, ushering in a new era for ol' green eyes. And while tickets to the show stood a towering $140-plus on the aftermarket, Badoula went out of her way to provide those with shallower pockets to see and hear the set from the comforts of their own home, live-streaming the event via Periscope.

But what you'll see in the video isn't quite the full script. Yeah, you'll hear a few new album cuts, but that barely touches upon the majesty of the evening. Luckily, extended OKP fam Terrence Lathan was in attendance to feel the funk live and direct. Peep the video below, but before you do, read a personal account of what it was like under the lights and flip through the gallery above for some intimate onstage and behind-the-scenes stills from the performance.

The room was buzzing with excitement last night at Erykah Badu's sold out show at Kings Theater in Brooklyn. The line to get in was (according to one of the venue's staff members) the largest the 3000 seat theater had seen since it's reopening earlier this year. After some time delays, the crowd instantly forgave the wait upon hearing the inimitable voice of Badu singing warmly, 'Hello" from her recently released mix tape, But You Caint Use My Phone.

After announcing it was the first time she would be performing her new mixtape material live, Badu performed new songs "Mr. Telephone Man" and "You Don't Have To Call" to a warm reception, with some people already singing along verbatim. The mixtape is a glimpse into the mind and current creative zone of one of the most important artists of her generation.

Badu appears like a mad scientist on stage. The audience is in her lab as she and her band mix and concoct the groove. An audience so amazingly diverse, mind you, that it speaks to the especially mixed bag of ideas and sounds she puts forth. Multiple genres of music and infinite schools of thought in Badu's hands become cleverly digestible to her fans. Energetically there was a shift in the already vibrating room, causing many to leave their seats to dance along, when Badu started to perform hits like "On & On," "Love Of My Life" and the hypnotic "I Want You". Remixing songs at leisure, using her witty humor and working tunes "Next Lifetime" and "Tyrone" into a gospel fervor, Badu ended the first half of the show on a climactic note.

For the encore, she returned just as strong with some more of her most beloved songs including "Back in the Day," "Window Seat" and "Soldier". From this, it was clear Erykah Badu has no intention to stop evolving and it's evident from the number and diversity of the crowd last night that her audience is only expanding and growing along with her.