When's the last time you went to a concert without your phone?
Erykah Badu & The Alchemist have a new collaborative album coming out on August 29, and only people who've seen them live have had a chance to hear it.
The pair brought their new Abi & Alan project to Toronto's History last Friday (August 15) and brought a one-off experience with them: a concert with no phones.
In the age of fans trading memes and livestreaming on TikTok, that's become increasingly rare and hard to pull off. But if anyone can do it, it's Erykah Badu.
Fans entering the concert had to lock their phones in a Yondr pouch, which meant they couldn't access them until after the show was over. Even the images were analogue, with photographers (or in my case, reviewers) handed disposable cameras to shoot the show — no flash. Now that my shots are developed, I've had a chance to sit with and reflect on the experience for a week.
The concert was almost all new material, which meant the audience were experiencing it the way Badu and Alchemist intended it: live and in the moment. "No uploads, no downloads," said the Queen of Neo Soul. Instead, fans got to hear it in the spirit in which it was made.
Badu and The Alchemist were both set up in different "rooms" onstage, which were setup to look like a rec room complete with lava lamps and vinyl shelves. It felt like a true listening party, like we were invited into their houses to hear the new music they were working on.
The Alchemist at History in Toronto on Friday, August 15, 2025.Richard Trapunski
Between them was a murderer's row of producers called The Cannabinoids on a combo of electronic and organic instruments (drums, bass, samplers).
The Alchemist's dusty, vibey production is a perfect fit for Badu's soulful, effortless cool. Their only released single, "Next To You," which they played at the end of the show, gives a good idea of what the project will sound like. The song repurposes Alchemist's beat from the 1999 Mobb Deep song "The Realest," and Badu's vocals give it a whole new dimension.
You could tell Badu has a major appreciation for Alchemist's beats, but also hip-hop production in general. On the new song "No I.D.," she shouts out a who's-who of beatmakers, from J Dilla to Kanye West. Alchemist's looping grooves give her a canvas to sing playful lines about being a modern day witch doctor or wanting to be next to a lover.
Another new song, “Black Box” referred to living life through TikTok and cell phones, which fit the unmediated theme of the night.
Erykah Badu at History in Toronto on Friday, August 15, 2025.Richard Trapunski
Midway through, both artists took turns for short solo sets. The Alchemist dropped snippets of his most recognizable beats — and even rapped a little — before passing things to Badu, who slid seamlessly into her classic ‘On & On.’” That awoke the capacity crowd to sing and dance along. It was the only instance of the two playing the hits, and it made it hit even harder.
Playing mostly new music, especially as a legendary artist who has been in the business as long as Badu has, can be a gamble. But fans seemed very willing to go on the ride. When Abi & Alan drops next week, it will hit even harder for the people who first experienced it live at History.
