Nimble rhythms reveal disco legends are still mightiest of elements
lthough overshadowed by Bowie and Prince, the death in February of Earth, Wind & Fire founder Maurice White marked the passing of a musical visionary. His band melded soul, funk and disco in a high-octane musical package that was matched by the group’s outlandish onstage gear and winning lyrical themes of love, empowerment and spirituality.
With 90 million album sales and songs such as September and Fantasy, the band are rightly hailed as legends.
Although White had not toured with Earth, Wind & Fire for some time due to illness, this short UK tour – which included a headline slot at last month’s Glastonbury Festival – provided the perfect opportunity to mark his and the band’s achievements with an almighty celebratory boogie. Did it succeed? In part. Musically, they were flawless. Now in their fifth decade, Earth, Wind & Fire have always been as much a travelling disco collective as a band. Three original members – Philip Bailey, Ralph Johnson and Maurice’s younger brother Verdine – were joined on stage by nine musicians, including a punchy horn section. Bailey’s son, Philip Bailey Jr, was also part of the touring group.
Bailey and Johnson moved between vocals and percussion, while Verdine – a man in his sixties – was a longhaired bundle of explosive energy on bass, his fingers as nimble and his lines as deeply funky as they were in the 1970s. Bailey also played the kalimba, an African thumb piano. As a band, they were as dexterous as ever. Side-stepping in unison, they played
and Shining Star early. “Is there a party here in London?” they asked. And this was part of the problem. London, it seemed, had left its party shoes at home for the first half of the set. They weren’t helped, it has to be said, by the large number of lesserknown songs. But at times, the ageing and seated audience felt more like Earth, Wind & Retire. The atmosphere was further dampened by the presence of the black felt “curtain of doom” that closes off the entire upper tier of the O2 when a show fails to sell out. The band’s stage set was lacking, too. It was a touch too basic for a modern arena show. A solitary screen hung above the musicians and some of the drum risers also carried LED displays. Earth, wind and fire are the mightiest of the elements and not to be messed with. But a humble disco ball and a couple of lasers would have pepped things up no end. Ballad That’s the Way of the World was accompanied by archive footage of Maurice White – in the studio, on stage, with gold discs – while After the Love has Gone prompted mass arm-waving. The party came alive with the closing volley of Fantasy, September and Let’s Groove. Bailey’s fouroctave vocal range was still in evidence. During these songs it was a treat to see the disco veterans in action. But for too long in between, the fire didn’t quite burn hot enough. Until July 4. Tickets: ticketline.co.uk