The Elements of Earth, Wind, & Fire Along With Chicago Bring the “Heart & Soul Tour 2024” to the Amp

Mid FL Amphitheater, Tampa, FL 16AUG2024

Touring frequently is something usually left to younger bands. For many the grind is too much, and they burn out. However, since the late 1960s, the elements of Earth, Wind, & Fire and the band simply known as Chicago have been bringing the music to the people.

Given the crossover of their fanbases, the Amp was jam-packed from the start, with a huge backup at the parking lot and entrance gates.

Opening the evening was Earth, Wind & Fire. Their high energy and funky soul music had people on their feet as they opened with “Shining Star.”

While one of their most widely known hits, it’s a song with a natural rhythm to play the band on stage. Original members Ralph Johnson (percussion and backing vocals), Philip Baily Sr. (vocals, conga, kalimba), and Verdine White (bass and backing vocals) took to the stage with a pep in their step.

Given the number of years they have spent on the road, nobody would blame them for playing a short or spaced-out set. Instead, they plow right through it like a well-oiled machine.

Covering 17 tracks, fan favorites “Saturday Night,” “After The Love Has Gone,” and my personal favorite “Fantasy” were spread out and done beautifully. With ample fan interaction, the group sounded and looked amazing. Certainly a crowd pleaser, they were a very tough act to follow.

For many the music from Chicago was the soundtrack to their lives from the late 1960’s and beyond. Slowly making their way onto the stage, the band’s introduction was largely instrumental, almost as if something had gone amiss since sound check.

Unfortunately for the fans in Tampa, it stayed much the same. While original vocalist and keyboardist Robert Lamm and lead singer Neil Donell sounded magnificent, the mix was missing a lot of their vocals compared to the instruments.

The other original members Lee Loughnane (trumpet, flugelhorn) and James Paknow (trombone) also sounded great, with their sounds echoing loudly across the amp. Playing a selection of 20 songs hits like “If You Leave Me Now,” “You’re the Inspiration,” and “Saturday in the Park” were showcased, and it was during these songs where the fans most came to life to sing along.

Unfortunately, much of the rest of the set many were on their seats. Too burned out from the opening funk, or merely just appreciating the genius that is Chicago, the energy dropped in between hits.

The end of the show featured a special encore announced during Earth, Wind, & Fire; a six-song encore from both bands. Going through some great gems together, “In the Stone” welcomed the band back out to the roar of the crowd.

Jamming through “Free,” “Sing a Song,” “Got to Get You Into My Life” and a few others ended off the night. A rare way to end the night on this tour, both bands gave the fans something special to talk about on their rides home.

With dates mostly across the southern US through September, the bands then head their separate ways. Earth, Wind, & Fire to a residency in Vegas; Chicago traveling to some one-off Pacific gigs, then along the east coast.