When Chic Goes On Tour: The Inside Scoop
Chic is a funk/disco band that has been performing for over forty years and has been entertaining audiences across the globe. After beginning in New York City in the mid-1970s, Chic continues to perform live shows and share their energizing dance music and smooth funk with audiences worldwide. However, the band has been less active in terms of touring in the current and previous years which has led to a common question; when is Chic going to tour again?
Formed by Nile Rodgers on guitar and Bernard Edwards on bass in 1977, Chic started with two massive disco cuts in ‘Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)’ and ‘Everybody Dance. ’ Built on Rodgers’ staccato riffing on guitar and Edwards’ pulsing bass, plus the soulful voice of a succession of female vocalists, Chic was unstoppable in the late-1970 Disco classics like Chic, C’est Chic, and Risqué provided disco with an incredible string of hit singles such as “Le Freak,” “I Want Your Love,” and “Good Times. ”
Chic continued to tour during the height of the band’s popularity as they wowed fans with their well-synchronized performances and great stage presence. They were capable of headlining famous music halls such as New York’s Madison Square Garden and the top nightclubs of that period. Chic also played as an opener to rock artists, as they sought to reach more people by touring with bands such as The Rolling Stones.
Chic continued touring and recording through the early eighties, even as disco began to wane in popularity. However, the band was unable to evolve their music to fit the new genres that were emerging in the market. Unfortunately, Bernard Edwards succumbed to a heart attack in 1996 at the young age of 43, making Nile Rodgers the only original member of the group. Despite occasional rumors of new Chic albums or tours, the band remained off the road for much of the time as Rodgers began to concentrate on developing other talents.
Despite not performing live for nearly two decades, Chic started making some moves towards the return to the stage in the mid-2010s. They began by performing for a single night or a few weeks in some clubs and then establishing a more formal tour in 2018. Entitled “It’s About Time”, this tour witnessed Nile Rodgers with a new group of Chic musicians who performed songs from the disco band’s heydays in the late seventies. Fortunately, Chic was every bit as tight and soulful as fans familiar with their earlier work could have hoped.
Originally, the “It’s About Time” tour was planned to end in 2018, but due to the warm response from the audience, Chic decided to continue their tour. That string of dates was the most tour-intensive the band had been since the glory days of the disco craze. Each performance consisted of hit songs and non-stop dancing, giving fans a taste of an authentic Chic concert experience. Fan response suggested that the funky disco veterans retained their ability to attract people even after such a lengthy absence.
Having released their first album in six years, Chic appeared ready and willing to keep touring indefinitely. However, for the second time, the plans had to be amended because of the circumstances that the year 2020 brought in terms of COVID-19 affecting live music. As the pandemic stretched into a year, Nile Rodgers managed to stay busy – writing a memoir, recording an album with Chic, and, yes, fighting off cancer. However, being off the road for so long left everyone wondering: what will it take for Chic to be in a position to conduct another world tour?
It’s now the year 2022, and with the ending of the pandemic restrictions, whispers of a Chic mega tour are on the air. Considering the scheduled performances at various festivals and the new songs released, there are strong indications that the legendary band is planning to tour soon. Experts in the industry believe that Chic and the promoter, Live Nation, are only waiting for the right time to announce the upcoming official tour dates.
The experience regarding the design of this tour implies that this one will continue with a format similar to that of the previous year's performances with Nile Rodgers conducting the show with a variety of performers in different concerts. Fan blogs indicate an additional seven members of the band including a bassist, drummer, guitarist, keyboardist, and percussionist as well as a three-part vocal harmony behind Rodgers’ rhythmic guitar alongside noticeable leads. Of course, as always, several leading singers – predominantly women – will be involved.
Based on the fact that their artist profile continues to ascend the ranks of Spotify playlists and Apple Music, the desire to watch Chic live on tour in 2022 seems high. Their unique style of funky disco hits the younger generation with enthusiasm and energy. All the dates of the tour can be confidently assumed to be likely to be sold out as soon as they are released.
People who are still holding on to the belief that Chic is still popular believe that the tour is going to cover only the big cities and they predict that there will be many dates in the USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia, and Japan. Depending on the specifics, the schedule could include sports facility concerts, nightclub performances, and festival gigs. Therefore, whether you like small intimate halls or large auditoriums, there is always a chance to see live performances of Chic’s popular hits.
Regarding what type of tunes you can look forward to on the next Chic tour, worry no more, all the hits will be performed. Make sure that standards, such as “Le Freak”, “I Want Your Love”, “Good Times” and “Dance, Dance, Dance” must feature in every set. There are even rumors that Nile Rodgers will play several songs from CHIC’s upcoming album in several concerts. However, most shows will play these songs using Chic’s disco and funk discography that everyone is familiar with.
So even though there have been a few stutters in recent years, this legendary band is all set to tour very soon if rumors in the industry are to be believed. As for Chic, COVID-19 interrupted touring plans after that triumphant comeback tour, but they did their best to stay active and prepare during that time. Now that vacuum constraints have been removed, it appears that everything is for Nile Rodgers and the company to launch the long-awaited world invasion. Lovers of funk all over the world can only pray that rumors prove to be true and that it’s time for Chic to ignite the disco again!
