Lionel Richie’s recent health scare doesn’t slow him down at Atlanta concert
What happens when one of the greatest songwriters of all time and one of the greatest bands of all time perform on the same stage?
Unfiltered dancing and unyielding joy at the soundscapes that have defined genres and generations.
That was the magic of Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire’s Sunday night concert at State Farm Arena. The legendary acts stopped in the city for their “Sing a Song All Night Long” tour, which began in 2023 (and also included a State Farm Arena show that year). Their return to Atlanta became an epic celebration of the timeless music that could fuel any party.
While joint tours aren’t new, they’ve become a major trend in the industry since the COVID-19 pandemic. This year alone features co-headlining shows from Usher and Chris Brown; TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue; and Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan. Typically, the artists take turns playing short sets throughout the concert.
Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire didn’t choose that approach. Instead, Earth, Wind & Fire played a complete set, followed by Richie.
Considering both have vastly different styles (one is known for his chart-topping love songs and the other is known for its soul and funk musicality that’ll keep you on your feet), the show’s setup seemed fitting. But the chemistry between the acts was lacking — something a more integrated show would’ve resolved.
More often than not, Sunday’s show felt like watching two distinct concerts. But for the multiracial Atlanta crowd that danced and sang along for both, that was more than sufficient.
Earth, Wind & Fire kicked off the celebration exactly at the concert’s billed showtime of 7:30 p.m. Donning glittery gold outfits, the 11-piece band (including original members Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson) dazzled the audience for an hour with feel-good hits like “September,” “Boogie Wonderland” and “Let’s Groove.” It was Bailey’s piercing, four-octave vocal range that stole the show, though. For songs “Reasons” and “Fantasy,” the 75-year-old’s celestial falsetto prompted constant applause from the crowd.
Earth, Wind & Fire’s set included a brief tribute to founding member Maurice White (a subject of the recent Questlove-produced HBO documentary), who died in 2016. The band dedicated the 1975 groove “That’s the Way of the World” to him during the show, explaining it was his national anthem.
After a roughly 30-minute break, Richie was next to take the stage. But not before a video montage of his extensive career, from fronting the Commodores to becoming one of the biggest pop stars in the 1980s with a seemingly ubiquitous litany of hits — yielding Grammy awards and an Oscar.
“Hello,” his 1984 No. 1 hit with lyrics that defined depths of yearning, proved to be a triumphant opener. Wearing a yellow leather jacket over a black shirt, Richie sauntered from the back of the stage and serenaded the audience with the amorous ballad.
He later shifted to the more up-tempo “Running With the Night,” which had the crowd on their feet. Shortly after, the 77-year-old took time to address his recent health scare. Last month, he abruptly ended his set after feeling dizzy during the opening night of the tour. He was later hospitalized, subsequently postponing two nights of the tour. On June 30, he returned to the stage for a show in Pittsburgh.
“I got this under control,” Richie jokingly told the crowd, informing them he’d suffered from dehydration.
His humor about his “little situation” was unrelenting throughout the night, even referring to the “electrolytes tour.” Across 16 songs in nearly two hours, Richie talked as much as he performed, waving to fans after every song and acknowledging guests in the room (including former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young).
Richie’s pop prowess was evident for the 1986 maximalist hits “Se La” and “Dancing on the Ceiling.”
Later in the show, Richie’s tenderness seemed everlasting while performing “Lady,” as a virtual duet with the late Georgia resident Kenny Rogers (Richie wrote the 1980 hit that Rogers later performed).
By the time Richie got to his Commodores fan favorites like “Brickhouse,” he looked a bit depleted. But that wasn’t enough to kill his humor.
“I don’t know why y’all so shocked,” he said while taking a sip of water. “I taught Michael Jackson and Usher everything they know.”
Richie ended the night with the humanity-driven behemoth “We Are the World” and his top hit “All Night Long.” The “American Idol” judge wielded his fusion of pop, soul, R&B, country, rock and dance that make him a formidable musical force that’s always worth seeing, health issues be damned.