“I’ve always wanted to do a one-man show. I want to challenge myself,” says Raphael Saadiq about the expansion of his highly acclaimed show No Bandwidth: One Man, One Night, Three Decades of Hits with 22 new fall tour dates including a Sept. 10 show at The Ford.
“My one-person show has three acts; I will be talking about my career, bringing a couple of instruments to express myself, singing my original music as well as covers of songs I wish I had written, and more,” Saadiq said. “I want it to feel magical and like a Broadway show.”
And what a career it has been. Over the course of nearly 40 years, the multi-talented artist, producer instrumentalist, composer and songwriter had huge hits in the 1990s such as “If I Had No Loot” and “Anniversary,” as a key member of family band Tony! Toni! Toné!
Additionally, he has amassed five groundbreaking solo albums, three Grammy Awards (and 20 additional nominations) as a sought-after collaborator with credits from D’Angelo‘s iconic “Voodoo” to Solange‘s “A Seat at the Table,” as well as recognition from both the Oscars and Golden Globes.
This year alone has been eventful for the contemporary music icon. In February, he received the highly coveted Album of the Year Grammy award for his contribution to Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” and performed at the NBA All-Star Game in San Francisco, welcoming fans prior to tip-off, playing during the introduction of the 2025 players, as well as performing a masterful tribute to his hometown Bay Area and its rich musical history alongside a 14-piece band.
He also co-wrote the pivotal track “I Lied To You” for Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” which has earned widespread critical acclaim and global box office success as the highest-grossing film of 2025. Deriving authenticity from Delta blues influences, the song underscores a key turning point in the film and highlights Saadiq’s roots in gospel vocal traditions.
Tickets for No Bandwidth: One Man, One Night, Three Decades of Hits go on sale July 11 at theford.com for the L.A. show and at ticketmaster.com for stops including Las Vegas, Dallas, Atlanta, Columbia, South Carolina; National Harbor, Maryland; Newark, Chicago, and Detroit.
TASTY QUIP: “The overall level of professionalism I witnessed fell far short of the standards I’d expect from such a highly regarded festival. I believe a comprehensive review of organizational structure and operational management is necessary to ensure that future Essence Festivals run smoothly and meet the high standards associated with the brand. I sincerely hope that my feedback will be taken seriously and utilized to address these significant concerns, ensuring a vastly improved experience for both the artists and attendees in the years to come.” — STEPHANIE MILLS in a letter to the Essence Festival organizers after her performance.
HAPPS: American-born, Nigerian-raised Davido (considered “The King of Afrobeats”) hits The Forum on July 11 with his 5IVE Alive Tour …
Reed’s Creeds with pianist Eric Scott Reed is presented at The World Stage on July 12 …
Katy Perry brings her tour to the Honda Center July 13 and 15 …
Poncho Sanchez is at Spaghettini’s on July 14 …
Reggae star Barrington Levy is coming to The Coach House on July 16 as Tonight at The Improv welcomes sets by Arsenio Hall, Jay Leno, Darrell Hammond, Margaret Cho and more …
The Skirball Cultural Center begins the 28th season of its free outdoor live music series Sunset Concerts on July 17 with Brazilian musician, composer and singer-songwriter Rodrigo Amarante, Helado Negro featuring Roberto Carlos Lange, and special DJ sets by KCRW’s DJ Jason Bentley.
TASTY QUIP: “Leave me out of it. That’s a Scarlett [Johansson] question.” – MAHERSHALA ALI to Vogue when asked why his role as Blade in Marvel’s reboot has stalled after first being announced in 2019.
TC ON TV: July 11 – “Operation: Aunties” (AllBlk): Tisha Campbell (“Martin”) and Melissa De Sousa (“The Best Man”) star as two lifelong friends — a cautious cryptocurrency expert and a free-spirited retired detective — who become vigilantes to take down a cyber-crime syndicate threatening their city and family in this movie directed by Wendy Raquel Robinson. “Opus” (Max): In this thriller, a journalist (Ayo Edebiri of “The Bear”) visits the remote compound of a reclusive pop legend (John Malkovich) and gets caught in the middle of his twisted plan. “Madea’s Destination Wedding” (Netflix): She’s back and wreaking havoc on the road with regulars Cassi Davis Patton, David Mann and Tamela Mann. “Get Off My Lawn” (Tubi): Tahj Mowry (“Smart Guy“) is half of a sweet suburban couple terrorized by a deranged teenager and his friends after they purchase his grandfather’s sacred home. “Today” (NBC): Ciara in concert. “Friday Night Vibes” (TBS): It is Denzel Washington Night with a double feature of “The Equalizer” and “The Equalizer 2” “Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3” (Netflix): If their last two fights are an indication, this should be a brawl for the ages. “The Great American Recipe” (PBS): Alejandra Ramos hosts and Tiffany Derry (“MasterChef USA,” “Bobby’s Triple Threat“) returns as a judge for the fourth season of this competition following eight talented home cooks from different regions of the country as they compete weekly with their most memorable recipes.
July 12 – “Reality With The King” (OWN): Carlos King, TV’s ultimate reality royalty, goes behind the scenes of OWN’s hottest shows, spilling tea and diving into all the drama with guests Kimmi Scott and LaTisha Scott of (“Love and Marriage: Huntsville”).
July 13 – “Dexter: Resurrection” (SHO): A new series picking up from Michael C. Hall’s enduring serial killer character taking a bullet in the chest from his own son. The action moves to New York with David Zayas back as detective Angel Batista, James Remar in flashbacks as dad Harrison Morgan, and new cast members Uma Thurman, Peter Dinklage and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (“The Chi”). “Kings Court” (Bravo): This Will Packer-produced spin-off of Peacock’s “Queens Court” has Hollywood power couple Holly Robinson Peete and Rodney Peete as hosts overseeing three celebrity kings — supermodel Tyson Beckford, NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer and WWE legend Thaddeus “Titus O’Neil” Bullard – as they search for their queen among 21 smart, accomplished and beautiful single ladies. “Live Aid: When Rock ‘N’ Roll Took On The World” (CNN): Celebrating the 40th anniversary of one of the largest global music events in history, this four-part series features interviews with founder Bob Geldof, Lionel Richie, Bono, Sting, Patti LaBelle, Phil Collins and others.
July 14 – “POV” (PBS): “Made In Ethiopia” goes inside their largest Chinese-run industrial park, as three women stand at the crossroads of rapid development.
July 16 – “The 2025 ESPYs” (ABC): Comic Shane Gillis hosts this ceremony airing live from The Dolby Theatre which will present NBA Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. “Sistas” (BET): Tyler Perry’s series about African-American girlfriends is back for a ninth season premiere.
July 17 – “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” (Paramount+): This wildly inventive take on the adventures of the U.S.S. Enterprise in the years before Captain Kirk took over is back with younger versions of Spock (Ethan Peck) and Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding). “Celebrity Family Feud” (ABC): Lil Jon vs. Matt Rife and Kat Graham vs. Francia Raisa “Family Recipe Showdown” (Food): Academy Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer returns to her Southern roots in the new home cooking competition set in New Orleans with Edgar “Dook” Chase as the resident expert. Family duos come to prepare their most cherished recipes for a $10,000 prize in front of celebrity judges and friends Danielle Brooks, Tina Knowles, Kandi Burruss, Al Roker and more.
END QUOTE: “’Tis the sun that loves you ’round. When the system tries to bring you down. Ever had to shine at night. You don’t need darkness to do what you think is right.” – SYLVESTER “SLY STONE” STEWART
As featured in the Los Angeles Wave and Independent, Tasty Clips is one of the leading entertainment columns in the nation, serving nearly one million weekly readers. Bill Vaughan may be reached at tastyclips@yahoo.com, via Twitter @tastyclips, or Instagram @tasty_clips.
