From the man who brought us ‘Le Freak’, ‘Good Times’ and ‘I Want Your Love’ and an overwhelming list of fantastic records over the last four decades, disco legend, Nile Rodgers, performs together with Chic to a sold out adoring Glaswegian crowd.
Walking on to the stage to a thunderous applause, Rodgers, dressed in a white suit and matching iconic cap, greets the crowd and then some photographs are taken.
He stands in the spotlight central stage at the microphone for several minutes before being able to address the crowd properly and then calls out “How are you guys doing? Are you ready to party?”
He then proceeds to mention he will be playing his new single, ‘I’ll Be There’, later in the set before walking off stage and leaving the crowd a little confused as the video for the single starts the show.
After this unique promotion, it is time to dance as the band, fuelled with backing singers, keyboard players and not to mention the beautiful soul singer, Kim Davis, and bassist Jerry Barnes, ‘Everybody Dance’ swings in to motion as the Academy sways from side to side.
Keeping the crowding moving, ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’ erupts immediately after the opening song, to the crowd’s amazement.
All dressed in white and with images of rotating disco balls in the backdrop, Davis pours her heart on to the microphone as the crowd begins to move faster as Rodgers ups the tempo a little, displaying his ability to control the band and the crowd.
Jumping happily in to a medley of Diana Ross cult classics ‘I’m Coming Out’ and ‘Upside Down’ and fusing them together with Sister Sledge strongholds ‘Greatest Dancer’ and ‘We Are Family’, the crowd seemed to lose themselves in the music.
It fells like the show has been going on for hours, yet very little time has elapsed during the two hour set.
Playing more tracks that Rodgers had helped produce and write, the crowd seem a little stunned as Madonna’s ‘Like A Virgin’ is enrolled with a funky edge and disco twist, before another Sister Sledge number one single, ‘Lost In Music’, is played to perfection.
The medley almost seems too much to handle at times as it is simply hit after hit and with much of the show still left to play, it is anyone’s guess as to what would be performed next.
Tour title song ‘I’ll Be There’ is up next and after promoting the track so well, the crowd seem to take to it as Rodgers attempts a personal comeback with this song, which was released in time with the solar eclipse on Friday, March 20.
Rodgers, who is constantly smiling and waving at people in the crowd, seems to really take to the Glasgow audience as ‘Get Lucky’ rolls in, one of his most recent success tracks with French house heroes, Daft Punk.
There is now a total party atmosphere, a carnival of lights sprawled around the Academy in perfect timing to the song that seems to illuminate the delighted faces in the crowd as they jig and swoop to every strum and beat.
Rodgers asks the crowd “Are you ready to take this to another level?” To which the crowd unsurprisingly scream “Yes!”, and out of nowhere David Bowie’s legendary ‘Let’s Dance’ echoes around the venue, with every beat and note performed to precision as the carnival atmosphere continues.
Closing the show with ‘Le Freak’ and ‘Good Times’ it is clear to see the crowd has most certainly left their cares behind, as members of the bar staff take to the stage to join Rodgers and Chic and parade around the stage to celebrate an end to a night of music, love and overall, good times.
Words: Chris Flockhart
Rave Child 