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Concert review by Glenn O'Brien in Interview Magazine, June 1982,
p.60 |
EXCERPT FROM GLENN O'BRIEN'S BEAT COLUMN IN
INTERVIEW MAGAZINE: LIVE AND WELL-UH WELL-UH WELL
- ..././...Speaking of chic, the band with that handle
recently wound up a hasty trip around the states with a visit to the Palladium
where they wowed their hometown crowd. Although the band has spent almost
every day of the last year or two in the the studio, rarely playing live.
they showed that they are still one of the greatest show hands in the world,
playing their oldies and their newies with all of the perfection of their
studio playing but with the extra heat and inventiveness that makes show
business like no business. The usual CHIC line up was joined by their ace
studio keyboard players RAYMOND JONES and ANDY SCHWARTZ, and their frequent
associate vocalists MICHELLE COBBS and FONZI THORNTON-both future stars.
Chic left the violins at home on this tour, but had horns to burn in the
persons of the dynamic duo of ROBERT ARRON on tenor sax and flute and RAY
MALDONADO on trumpet; two guys who can sound like six.
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- TONY THOMPSON was half-hidden by his array of drums,
but he became much more visible when he got the whole audience on their
feet and using them. But a lot of the crowd was also up to get a better
look at the prettiest band members, LUCI MARTIN and ALFA ANDERSON, who,
in their white gowns and trading a white fur stole, looked as lovely as
they sounded-gorgeous to both big senses. BERNARD EDWARDS, America's most
influential bass player, strolled around the big big stage in a handsome
white suit that TOM WOLFE would envy, popping off his perfect bass lines
with lots of extra touches and so much force that one expected those big
strings to snap. Meanwhile, his partner NILE RODGERS, dreadfully
natty in wing collar and red leather urbane cowboy pants, bounded around
like GENE KELLY doing CHUCK BERRY, scratching off his inimitable (but they
try, they try) rhythm runs, and without losing a step poured out his smart
solos. These old studio hands should get on a stage more often because
they put on a more exciting and much more musically pleasing show than
those bands that are known for selling out the Garden and the Meadowlands
in a few hours-CHIC could be the greatest rock and roll band in the world
and they aren't even a rock and roll band-except now and than..././...
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