This past Saturday, I took my wife to the see Chicago and Earth, Wind and Fire on the same stage. The show was nothing short of astounding. An easy three and a half hours of hit after hit after hit.
The show started with both bands onstage alternating respective songs from each group before Chicago left the stage to EWF.
Not a lost step, missed beat, nothing left out. I shouldn?t have been amazed by what I was hearing and seeing, but it was so damn good I was laughing to myself. Hats off to Mr. Verdine White: he is the King of Party Band Bassists, Master of Bottom Line of Funk. He just rocks. White didn?t stand still; I don?t know if he could. At one point Philip Bailey hit a note with his voice that I swore was the sax, he was killing all the ladies and if anything his control is better than it was in the day.
Chicago was one of those bands Mom and Dad listened to. I do have a greatest hits disc laying around, so I had a good idea as to what to expect. Even so, I?ve always enjoyed live performances better and I wasn?t disappointed. It?s easy to forget these guys are fantastic jazz musicians, so it was a surprise whenever they broke away into ?improvised? passages. Fabulous.
Considering both bands have undergone decades of continuous personnel changes, you?d never know it by the way they deliver the goods on stage, it?s simply impressive.
After each band completed a full set, they regrouped for 5-6 more as an encore. It was terrific to see how both bands complemented each other and played off the material. They?re old and seasoned, but still tight and funky. You can imagine how infectious it is having 20 (yes 20!) musicians of their caliber sharing the stage could be. It?s the biggest party I?ve been to that didn?t have cops dragging anyone away at the end. I?m happy to say that the venue was sold out.
I grew up listening to the rock heavies of 70?s, but I wouldn?t have missed this for anything. If you get a chance, go. You won?t be disappointed.
Mike
