Camaraderie was a throughline at the Heart and Soul Tour. Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire teamed up to co-headline the tour, and audience members could feel the friendship between the two bands.
“We’re musical brothers,” said Phillip Bailey, lead vocalist of Earth, Wind & Fire, referring to the brotherly love between the two bands.
Playing a whopping 20-song set, Chicago was the first band to perform. They began with “Introduction,” a massively impressive jazz interlude. Moving quickly through their set, “You’re The Inspiration” elicited a nostalgic, but equally epic reaction from the audience.
Sprawling solos and rocking charm dominated the performance, transitioning between songs like a sunset into night. The crowd moved freely, swaying like seaweed in the current. The pit crowd may as well have been a part of the band.
Chicago reached the last leg of their set and brought the house down with a rousing cover of The Spencer Davis Group’s hit “I’m A Man.” The audience’s excitement was palpable as the baseline and drums rolled in. Chicago’s famous wall of sound complimented the cover nicely.
The couples in the audience particularly enjoyed “Just You ‘n’ Me.” While the song is simple, it evokes a sense of wistfulness. The band wrapped up their set with “Saturday in the Park” and “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day.” “Saturday in the Park” was a crowd favorite, with the voices of the audience members competing with lead tenor Neil Donell’s croon.
After a short intermission, Earth, Wind & Fire came onto the triple-level stage around 9:15 p.m. They began with a rousing edition of “Shining Star,” which features in countless movies and television shows like “The Lizzie McGuire Movie.”
Though not quite “September,” the band brought the crowd together in a fiery storm of song and dance.
The jazz section, composed of performers Gary Bias (Saxophone), Bobby Burns Jr. (Trumpet) and Reggie Young (Trombone), breathed life through every note. Each solo was confident, colorful and worthy of its uproar.
Just as intensely as they capture the audience’s energy, they can reel it back in with songs such as “After The Love Has Gone,” and “Reasons.”
Philip Bailey caught the attention of thousands with his intoxicating voice, hitting notes higher than a primadonna. The audience members felt those notes deep in their souls, and the sound of his voice was sure to linger in their ears after the concert.
Earth Wind & Fire unfortunately lost their founder, Maurice White in 2016, permanently altering the dynamics of the group. Yet, the legendary musicians proved their resilience by honoring and upholding White’s legacy.
The real magic occurred when the two bands joined forces for their encore set. The visuals behind the band reflected the majesty of the performance with soaring eagles and American flags.
Between Earth, Wind & Fire, and Chicago, the stage held a whopping 22 musicians, each working their hardest to display their talents and respect the legacy of their musical partners. The bands shifted between organization and chaos as they danced their way back and forth across the stage during “In The Stone” and “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?”
The theme of the concert was friendship. The musicians hugged each other often, and brought a performance worth every moment.
The tour is a reminder of a talent that withstands generations, persevering through the adversity of time. Listening to the two groups play instilled a sense of pride in the art that other humans create, and brought an impressive sound to Phoenix.