Frankie Beverly got his flowers, Janet Jackson assumed 'Control' to close 2024 Essence Fest

The 2024 Essence Festival of Culture gave the retiring Frankie Beverly his flowers in its final, wee hours, just after Janet Jackson demonstrated she’s still a long way from retirement.

For its 30th anniversary celebration, Essence sought to strike a balance between old, new and in-between, from opening night’s Cash Money Records celebration to the closing night’s tribute to a festival icon.

Sunday was the most lightly attended of the three nights, likely due to many visitors heading home early to go to work on Monday. Others may not have felt compelled to see Jackson again, as she was just at Essence in 2022.

Sunday’s attendance at the Dome was approximately 26,000, as compared to the 45,000 or so — just shy of the Essence Fest’s capacity — who turned up for Usher on Saturday. Friday’s number fell somewhere in between.

Sunday opened with New Orleans’ own Tank & the Bangas augmented by other locals. Next up, veteran vocal trio SWV, aka Sisters With Voices, showed up and showed out in sparkling silver attire. They reached back to their 1992 debut, “It’s About Time,” for the sway- and singalong “You’re Always On My Mind.” That same album’s No. 1 single “Weak” was just as warmly received.

Victoria Monét, a more contemporary R&B singer, had a tougher time connecting. The profanity-laced message that flashed on the stage screens ahead of her performance may not have sent the right message at an event all about female empowerment.

She and her dancers wore brown-toned tops and chaps-like pants as they danced in unison. A snippet of the Supremes’ “Stop! In the Name of Love” gave way to Monét’s “Stop (Askin’ Me 4Shyt).” New Orleans-born singer Lucky Daye joined her for their 2023 single “Smoke.”

Janet Jackson still strong

Essence purposely slotted Monét just before Jackson, one of her heroes and primary influences.

Jackson rearranged her travel schedule — and canceled a previously booked July 23 show on her "Together Again" world tour at the Smoothie King Center — to return to Essence for the fourth time.

Her hair in long braids, the 58-year-old star materialized onstage in an oversize light gray coat, baggy drawstring pants and a brown zippered shirt. Her four male dancers started off in similar jackets and pants, but ended up shirtless.

“Essence! Happy 30th!” she enthused at the get-go.

For the next hour, she presided over a crisply paced greatest hits set that showcased her bubbly personality and her still formidable dance steps.

She and the band breezed through “That’s the Way Love Goes” and “Love Will Never Do (Without You),” before shifting into the more percussive “What Have You Done For Me Lately” and “Nasty.” “When I Think of You” and “Escapade” retained all of their charms as pure pop songs. “Control” paired with “All For You” made for a strong segment. Bass and drum drove “Miss You Much.”

She dueted with her late brother Michael’s recorded voice on “Scream” as the song’s striking black-and-white video played on stage screens. She wrapped up with a final visit to “Rhythm Nation,” a place she still rules.

Beverly says goodbye

The Maze catalog of soul/funk standards is deeply ingrained in the Essence audience. For that reason, Beverly and Maze closed the final night of the first 15 Essence Festivals, instigating a mass Electric Slide.

At 77, Beverly is stepping away from the stage. His last full New Orleans concert was May 25 at a sold-out Smoothie King Center. What was apparently his last performance ever was July 6 in Philadelphia.

The following day, he flew to New Orleans to be celebrated by Essence Fest on Sunday night.

The tribute to both Beverly and other early Essence Fest icons got off to a shaky start, not least because a sizable segment of the audience headed for the exits after Jackson.

Bryan-Michael Cox, the Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter who organized the tribute, served as deejay and emcee as a procession of guests sang to prerecorded tracks. Bilal fared especially poorly trying to sing Earth Wind & Fire’s “September.” Lil Mo, rocking an orange costume, fared better with Aretha Franklin’s “Respect.” The vocal quartet Jagged Edge owned Luther Vandross’ “So Amazing.”

Doug E. Fresh, one of the greatest beatboxers in hip-hop history, didn’t do any beatboxing. Instead, he took over as emcee.

Finally, the members of Maze arrived on the bandstand. After a false start, they locked into the groove of “We Are One.” New Orleans native Luke James nailed the vocal; he even sported a Beverly-like beard. Anthony Hamilton fronted Maze for “Can’t Get Over You.”

Following Beverly’s retirement, the band formerly known as “Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly” plans to carry on as “Maze Honoring Frankie Beverly.” The new lead singer is Tony Lindsay, formerly of Santana.

At the Dome, Lindsay, who doesn’t yet seem fully comfortable in the role, fronted Maze for “Running Away,” “Before I Let Go” and a final “I Wanna Thank You.”

Cameras occasionally cut to Beverly reclining in a chair offstage, nodding his head and grooving to the music he created, which is now in the hands of others.

Just before 1 a.m., former Mayor Marc Morial led a delegation onstage that included current Mayor LaToya Cantrell, state Sen. Royce Duplessis and Essence magazine co-founder Ed Lewis, who recruited Beverly for the first Essence Fest in 1995. With Fresh occasionally piping in, they all saluted Beverly while presenting him with framed tokens of appreciation.

Beverly, who has clearly slowed down, seemed appreciative.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you my people,” he said. “Thank you for this nod. Thank you for caring. And I’m going to make you proud of me very soon.”

That incongruous promise prompted Fresh to interject, “You already did that. I don’t know what else you could do.”

Beverly continued, “I promise to make you proud of me in a short time. Thank you and I love you from the bottom of my heart.”

With that, Essence, the festival that Beverly helped build, closed the books on its first 30 years. It must now seek the proper path forward for the next 30.