Houston, Texas Local News
Chicago & Earth, Wind and Fire Get Horny in the Woodlands
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The Heart & Soul Tour 2024
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
August 24, 2024
Chicago was not the first major rock band to play with a prominent horn section—that would be Blood, Sweat and Tears. And Earth, Wind and Fire was hardly the first R&B/funk/rock band to toot away—Sly & the Family Stone and any number of James Brown’s tight-knit units were there first.
But arguably, no two groups of the ‘70s and ‘80s (with Chicago’s toes dipped in the very late ‘60s) made better use of trumpets, saxophones, trombones, flutes and even flugelhorns than the two bands (and frequent tour mates) on the bill tonight.
Each with their own full 75-minute set followed by another half hour of collaboration, the night proffered full hit after hit but with enough deep cuts to at least somewhat satisfy the superfans.
The boys from the Windy City were first on the stage, an 11-member ensemble anchored by original/classic members Robert Lamm (keyboards/vocals), James Pankow (trombone), and Lee Loughnane (trumpet).
They introduced themselves—fittingly—with “Introduction,” the first track off their 1969 debut album Chicago Transit Authority (when they briefly went by that name before threatened legal action from the city’s actual transportation operator).
Chicago’s horn section: James Pankow, Ray Herrmann and Lee Loughnane
Photo by Halle Yap/Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Highlights included a punchy “Call on Me,” driving “Make Me Smile,” churning, expansive “I’m a Man” (which segued into a muscular Latin-infused drum/percussion solos from Walfredo Reyes, Jr. and Ramon “Ray” Islas that dove into Santana territory), and powerful set closer “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day.”
Longtime fans probably noticed that Lamm ceded most of the evening’s actual keyboard duties to Loren Gold and an unidentified (at least on their website) 11th man. Adding to that was when Lamm was behind the instrument, his vocal mike was set at a low level, making it difficult to hear him sometimes. Though it was louder for fan favorite “Saturday in the Park” toward main set’s end.
Admirers of Chicago II and deeper cuts got the full “Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon” Suite, it’s most dominant portion “Make Me Smile.” But it was in the nooks and crannies of the instrumental sections where the band got to really show their chops.
Saxophonist/flautist Ray Herrmann was the musical VIP of the evening. Pankow remains a fireplug of energy and movement, and Loughnane’s solos and fills from the records remained faithful.
He sang lead on romantic favorite “Colour My World,” originally a showcase for the hugely underrated guitarist/vocalist Terry Kath. Kath tragically died in 1978 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, after joking around for a friend and thinking that the chamber was empty.
And though he hasn’t been in the band since 1985, Chicago has always had a Peter Cetera-sized hole to fill since the singer/bassist sang lead on most of the band’s ballads and many other hits. For years, Jason Scheff and then the uber-talented Jeff Coffey filled that role.
Now, those duties have been split between Eric Baines (bass) and Neil Donnell (vocals). Unfortunately, to these ears, much of the material Donnell was in charge of spearheading like “If You Leave Me Now,” “Hard to Say I’m Sorry,” and “Old Days” was with a voice that was mostly thin, straining, unexpressive, and short of breadth. Only on “You’re the Inspiration” (for which he did receive a standing ovation) did Donnell truly acquit himself well.
The dozen members of Earth, Wind and Fire were up next, most of them outfitted in sparkly Egyptian/African-inspired stage clothes. Anchoring here were original member Verdine White (bass) and classic members Philip Bailey (vocals/percussion) and Ralph Johnson (percussion/vocals).
The Houston Press recently spoke with Bailey about EWF’s music, legacy, this tour, and how he keeps his shockingly still-pristine falsetto powered (see “Reasons” and “Devotion” this night).
Earth, Wind and Fire’s B. David Wentworth, Philip Bailey and Philip Bailey, Jr.
Photo by Halle Yap/Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
By nature of their danceable tunes, synchronized movements and stage strutting, and the twin dual dynamo dervishes of Philip Bailey, Jr. and B. David Wentworth (both vocals/percussion), EWF’s set by nature was higher energy and had the crowd on its feet more often
Bursting out with “Shining Star,” some of this set’s highlights included many familiar hits like the slinky “Serpentine Fire,” spiritually-infused “That’s the Way of the World,” and the disco double play of “Boogie Wonderland” and “Let’s Groove.”
But some of the evening’s other best tunes were deeper cuts in the catalog: “Let Your Feelings Show,” “Jupiter,” and a cover of Ramsey Lewis’ “Sun Goddess.” Coming full circle, Maurice White played drums in Lewis’ band before forming Earth, Wind and Fire.
Verdine White, as usual, is a monster bass player while also being quite the showman with his facial pulls and Frankenstein-walk (especially during his solo spot). The EWF horns (Gary Bias on sax, Bobby Burns, Jr. on trumpet, and Reggie Young on trombone), were locked in tight. And the dual guitarists Morris O’Connor and Serg Dimitrijevic traded licks aplenty.
Dimitrijevic—the sole Caucasian in the group with closely-cropped white hair—unwittingly brought to mind Heaven’s Gate cult leader (and former University of St. Thomas instructor and sometime Houston Grand Opera performer!) Marshall Applewhite in his EWF tunic.
By the time EWF ended with the ba-dee-yas of “September” the audience could rightly think it was time to go home after two full shows. But the interesting part was still to come.
Earth, Wind and Fire and Chicago during their combined set
Photo by Halle Yap/Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
In a nearly 30-minute encore, both bands (all 23 bodies!) came together on the stage at once for a six-song set that traded off each other’s material. All the instrumentalists went full bore, and the lead singers shared duties with their counterparts.
Thus, we got Robert Lamm offering his cosmic vocal musings on “In the Stone,” while Ralph Johnson asked the audience “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?”
The standouts here were a frenetic, simply massive coming together of the groups on Chicago’s “Free” and EWF’s take on the Beatles “Got to Get You Into My Life.” From the much-maligned 1978 Peter Frampton/Bee Gees film vehicle Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, it’s arguably one of the handful of covers of the Fab Four that’s better than the original.
All in all, it was a fun, exciting, and invigorating evening spent with two card-carrying Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-enshrined groups. And while they may have had some separate fan bases going in, by the last note of show closer “25 or 6 to 4,” a vary satiated audience could claim allegiance to both camps.
Chicago and Earth, Wind and Fire during their combined set
Photo by Halle Yap/Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Random Notebook Dump
Both groups had pretty cool visual designs and animation that ran on both the screens behind them and the front of multiple stage-front facing risers. But while Earth, Wind and Fire put together archival concert footage and photos (tipping the Pharoah’s hat to late founder Maurice White) and graphics based on their album covers, Chicago had a lot of…clip art B-roll footage.
So, you had bland young people talking on their cell phones for “Call on Me,” kissing couples on “Make Me Smile,” park scenes for “Saturday in the Park,” and a weird animated bald eagle for “To Be Free.” And despite a smattering of old photos of the original members still in the group, it seemed like a wasted opportunity to celebrate that group’s storied past.
Win-Win!
In the end, I got to hear my favorite Chicago song (“Beginnings”) and my son Vincent—aka “The Classic Rock Kid”—got his favorite Earth, Wind and Fire tune (“Fantasy”).
It’s a Date!
Both bands played tunes celebrating the day of the show: Chicago’s “Saturday in the Park” and Earth, Wind and Fire’s “Saturday Nite.”
Ramblin’ On My Mind
The median age of the three founding members of Chicago is 77.5 years. For EWF’s classic trio, it’s 73. All six would leave the stage at some points during their sets, presumably for a rest or a hit of oxygen offstage.
As the Houston summer concert season comes to a close, I’m thinking about the March of Time and how many groups may indeed be on that “last tour” (planned or not). Or which Classic Rockers I saw this year or last will either retire or have died by next summer and beyond. Maudlin? Perhaps. But it goes to a core belief I am now a dedicated proselytizer about: See Your Musical Heroes NOW.
SET LIST
Chicago
Introduction
Dialogue (Part I & II)
Call On Me
If You Leave Me Now
The Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon Suite
Make Me Smile >
So Much to Say, So Much to Give >
Anxiety’s Moment >
West Virginia Fantasies >
Colour My World >
To Be Free>
Now More Than Ever
Old Days
Hard Habit to Break
You’re the Inspiration
Beginnings
I’m a Man
Just You ‘n’ Me
Hard to Say I’m Sorry/Get Away
Saturday in the Park
Feelin’ Stronger Every Day
Earth, Wind and Fire
Shining Star
Let Your Feelings Show
System of Survival
Serpentine Fire
Jupiter
Saturday Nite
Kalimba Story
Sun Goddess
Devotion
Reasons
After the Love Has Gone
That’s the Way of the World
Fantasy
Boogie Wonderland
Let’s Groove
September
Encore (Chicago and Earth, Wind and Fire)
In the Stone
Free
Sing a Song
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
Got to Get You Into My Life
25 or 6 to 4
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Bob Ruggiero
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