July 2025
A warm Lake Tahoe night colored the skies as Earth Wind & Fire took the stage at the Outdoor Arena. Opening with their song “Shining Star”, the crowd leapt to their feet immediately and would stay dancing throughout the rest of the group’s set.
Decked out in colorful and shiny outfits, Earth Wind & Fire launched into a set that would ultimately consist of nearly two dozen songs spanning their decades as a group. Philip Bailey, the group’s longtime vocalist, was clearly enjoying himself onstage, alternating between percussion and standing front and center with only the microphone. At one point he introduced Ralph Johnson, mentioning that they were the last two of the original members (bass player Verdine White missed the show due to medical reasons), Bailey’s son, Philip Bailey Jr. also took on vocal duties throughout the show.
The absolute tightness of the group’s performers, especially their horn section, came through clearly during the night. The 10+ members gracing the stage sounded absolutely flawless, particularly during a stretch near the middle of their set when they seemed to hit their stride, performing “After the Love Has Gone,” and “That’s the Way of the World” back to back.
The crowd – only a smaller percentage of whom seemed to have dressed up accordingly on this night – met the group’s energy, staying on their feet into the night. By the time the band hit the home stretch of of “Boogie Wonderland,” “Let’s Groove,” and “September”, the energy in the outdoor amphitheater came to a crescendo, with the band firing on all cylinders.
It seems as if time has only refined Earth Wind & Fire’s sound, as the group goes into their 55th year as a group, and couldn’t sound tighter as a musical unit, and the music wafted in the warm night air sounding as fresh as ever.
