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After the Chicago concert last week I figured I’d probably catch more for the Earth, Wind & Fire concert tonight. Plus there is the Tower of Power/Average White Band show on Wednesday still to go. So, disdain it will just have to be, I guess.

Anyway, it was a great show! How could it not be? First the company was lovely… APJ & Joy. And I’ve said it before… EWF is a masterclass in the joy of performance… and they do it with such ease. This is the sixth time I’ve had the pleasure of their concerts… the first was in 1980 at the Cow Palace. But enough about me. Once again… I’ll let the pictures speak for the experience. (BTW… there may be video later.)

After the concert we ran into Sarah and the girls thought that they’d share some goodies with her. (Though the Zonthar pose is both befuddling and creepy.)

And that was my evening. OK…. apart from gobbling a deep fried White Castle that is. Chances are I may not wake up in the morning… but at least you’ll know why.

EDIT:

I looked at the footage I have from tonight and the sound quality is… well crappy. I may still edit something together and attempt to clean up the sound… but for now here is footage from a concert they did last year.

EDIT:

Just in case you were wondering what I really thought of the show. I wrote a review in the comment section on the Beehive. Here it is.

No, this wasn’t my award winning (comment) ticket from the Beehive nor a fortuitous last minute VIP gift (like Chicago last week.) I paid for Earth, Wind & Fire.

I grew up on their music in Malaysia so needless to say seeing them for the first time at the Cow Palace in 1980 was a thrill and a half. I have since had the pleasure and privilege 6 times… last night being the most recent.

Even in their current stripped down configuration (big laser show in 1980, yo) these guys are just a joy to watch. An ethereal rumble fills the air – made more so with the water-like sounds of the kalimba as they take the stage.

And as in the past, their set comprises a healthy dose of the hits along with an infusion of the lesser known (usually newer stuff) as well as the odd sweet surprise. For instance, at one point last night Philip Bailey broke out serenading the audience with the refrain from The Stylistics hit “Betcha By Golly Wow”.

There were songs that we “got down” to as well as a set of slower numbers that memory jogged the name of the person we slow danced with in our youth. But above all there was the music – with the transcendent mix of influences from African, Brazilian and Latin fused with and forming a higher urban funk. Unabashedly optimistic, sophisticated and theatrical. Even without the laser show of the past the design of the set list was broken up into 3 definite acts with full blackouts between them. Add to that the mastery of joyful performance executed with the ease of the ultimate party host and you have the EWF experience last night.

As per usual there are pics from last night on my blog.