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There’s been a lot of discussion lately about who exactly deserves to be a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,
mostly fueled by polar opposite (but both recent) inductees Gene Simmons and Ice Cube
- but the discussion ignores some of the quieter diversity that already exists within the institution’s ranks.
Chicago, voted in this year, and Earth, Wind & Fire, who joined in 2000, wrapped up their joint Heart
and Soul tour with a show at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Monday night -- both groups who parlayed genre irreverence
(as a guest at Monday’s show put it, “wholesome funk”) into massive hits, the sort of popular success that sometimes makes bands less than critically beloved.
Chicago frontman Robert Lamm, at least, appeared disbelieving when accepting congratulations from EWF’s Philip Bailey on their Rock Hall induction,
telling the MSG crowd jokingly, “I have a feeling it's thanks to the Chicago-style voting: five people voting 37 million times”
(the group is widely recognized as one of the most popular American bands in music history, having sold more than 100 million albums).
10 Unforgettable Moments From Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2016 Induction Ceremony
Regardless of how many voters they actually persuaded, both groups had the audience two-stepping
with a vengeance from the moment they stepped through the center of the retro set. Their joint introduction, which featured Chicago classics like “Beginnings”
and “Dialogue” (during which a brief Civil Rights-centric montage played in the background -- Martin Luther King, Jr. to Obama),
was a worthy showcase of the fan’s enthusiasm -- and the groups’ high aspirations. “We just need more peace, love, and granola,”
said Lamm as he spoke in veiled terms about the nation’s current turmoil (Bill O’Reilly, who was in the audience, omitted that portion from his enthusiastic on-air recap).
Then it was time for the Elements to take the stage solo, running through nothing but the hits and sounding as simultaneously polished
and funky (a difficult feat) as they did in their heyday.
Three original members remain, and stood out thanks to their all-white, sequined ensembles (the rest of the band wore black).
Members new and old, though, embraced the groove-centric mentality with a glut of percussion: every member, if they weren’t playing their main instrument,
held a shaker or tambourine (and it appeared that the majority were mic’d). Verdine White showed maybe 30 of his 64 years during an athletic bass solo,
concluding by holding his arms up like a conductor who’s just wrapped a Mahler symphony,
and Philip Bailey demonstrated his operatic range on “After The Love Has Gone,” hitting high notes that could make Mariah blush.
Maurice White Reflects on Earth, Wind & Fire's History and His Vision: 'Music Was Playing In My Head'
The most moving portion, though, was the tribute to the group’s recently deceased founder Maurice White –
- it was White who brought the kalimba to the group, so with bowed heads,
they played the “In the Marketplace (Interlude)” as a picture of White was projected on the background.
Nothing was said, clearly as a conscious choice to let the music speak for itself.