Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire treated a sold-out Kia Center in downtown Orlando, Florida to a magical Friday night filled with dozens of all-time classic songs on May 31, 2024. The “Sing A Song All Night Long” tour is sure to put a spring in your step and a smile on your face.
Fans arrived early at the home of the NBA’s Orlando Magic. The crowd skewed toward the older side of the age spectrum, which was no surprise, given the fact that these artists have been entertaining us for more than five decades. There were plenty of merchandise options available, most referring to a 1970s style and vibe. The Kia Center offered specially-themed drinks, such as All Night Long, We Are The World, and Let’s Groove.
Earth, Wind & Fire was less of an opening act, and more like a co-headliner. The R&B soul legends played 16 songs, most of which were chart-toppers during their long Hall of Fame career. The band touches on so many styles of music, and many in the crowd who had not seen them play before were pleasantly surprised to find out that they knew almost every song. Verdine White, Philip Bailey Sr., and Ralph Johnson have been with the band since their earliest days and took center stage throughout most of the show. That core was complemented beautifully by a platoon of percussionists, vocalists, guitarists, and horn players. Most of the set had the sold-out crowd up on their feet and shaking their bodies to the beat. If you have ever been to a wedding, you have probably danced to an Earth, Wind & Fire song or two. This concert felt like a celebration and filled the room with joy.
Band Members:
Verdine White – bass, backing vocals
Philip Bailey Sr. – lead vocals, conga, percussion, kalimba
Ralph Johnson – percussion, backing vocals
B. David Whitworth – percussion, vocals
Myron McKinley – keyboards, musical director
John Paris – drums, vocals
Philip Bailey Jr. – vocals, percussion
Morris O’Connor – lead guitar, vocals
Serg Dimitrijevic – rhythm guitar, vocals
Setlist:
1. Shining Star
2. Let Your Feelings Show
3. Celebrate / System Of Survival
4. Serpentine Fire
5. Sing A Song
6. Got To Get You Into My Life
7. Departure
8. Devotion
9. After The Love Is Gone
10. Reasons
11. That’s The Way Of The World
12. Fantasy
13. Boogie Wonderland
14. Let’s Groove
15. September
16. In The Stone
After an extended intermission (allowing for the older crowd to empty their bladders and refill their cups), the lights dimmed, the massive video board displayed photos of Lionel Richie, and the stage filled with white smoke. Suddenly, Richie appeared from out of nowhere at the front end of the long catwalk, ready to say “Hello” to an entire arena filled with passionate fans. The crowd was deafening, and Richie encouraged them to sing along, which they continued to do throughout the evening.
A Lionel Richie concert is so much more than you expect. In addition to his extensive catalog, he plays many songs from his original band – The Commodores. He also spends quite a bit of time having a conversation with the audience, sometimes breaking into a stand-up comedy routine. His friend Judge Mathis was in the crowd and he joked about asking him to subpoena Diana Ross to join him in singing “Endless Love”, since has been unable to convince her to join him on stage. Another huge surprise was the performance of “We Are The World”, which Richie wrote with Michael Jackson in 1985 as part of the USA For Africa charity movement. He prompted the crowd to help him deliver the lines.
The overarching theme of Lionel’s entire career has been love and joy. All of these songs help bring people to a happy place, where they can be seen smiling, dancing, and kissing their partners. Richie had a simple message to the couples which he could observe being intimate – that he had primed everyone, now they just need to go home and find a room. The encore was the joyful “All Night Long”. Despite a full hour from Earth, Wind & Fire and an hour and a half from Mr. Lionel Richie, nobody seemed ready for the night to end. This is one performance that demands repeating, and you simply cannot go wrong experiencing either of these legends in action.
Band Members:
Lionel Richie – lead vocals, piano
Setlist:
1. Hello
2. Running With The Night
3. Easy (The Commodores)
4. My Love
5. Penny Lover
6. Stuck On You
7. Sail On (The Commodores)
8. You Are
9. Dancing On The Ceiling
10. Three Times A Lady (The Commodores)
11. Fancy Dancer (The Commodores)
12. Sweet Love (The Commodores)
13. Lady (You Bring Me Up) (The Commodores)
14. Just To Be Close To You (The Commodores)
15. Endless Love
16. Brick House (The Commodores)
17. Skin Tight
18. Fire (Ohio Players)
19. Still (The Commodores)
20. Say You, Say Me
21. We Are The World (USA For Africa)
22. All Night Long (All Night)
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Johnnie Crow is a lifelong music lover. He has photographed artists from every genre at concerts, festivals and cruises all across North America.
