Nile Rodgers with Chic, review, at the BBC's New Year's Eve celebrations: A sensational way to ring in 2018
Rodgers pays tribute to a gigantic body of work by performing his biggest and best hits
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Opening with “Everybody Dance”, Nile Rodgers appears in a sky blue suit and signature white beret to the accompaniment of the tightest band since James Brown’s Live at the Apollo record.
Next up another Chic song – “Dance Dance Dance” – turns the energy up a notch; the impressive 10-piece band lead into the familiar chimes of “I Want Your Love”, with lead vocals ably handled by Kimberly Davis, as fans are reminded how fitting it is that Rodgers and the band are celebrating their 40th year, along with the 40th anniversary of New York’s Studio 54.
“I have the best day job,” says Rodgers. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Diana Ross, Daft Punk, Sister Sledge, David Bowie, Sam Smith, Duran Duran...” It’s not a boast – he pays tribute to this gigantic body of work by playing a medley of songs by his collaborators, including Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” and Pharrell’s “Get Lucky” which he produced with Daft Punk.
The horns are blowing up a storm, sensational, meanwhile Rodgers has slipped into a new outfit: in silver shiny jeans and hand-made white loafers he gets down into the deep funk groove of “Let’s Dance”. His unique style of “chucking guitar” on the instrument he affectionately named “The Hitmaker” sends the 1,000-strong crowd wild.
Big Ben bongs out midnight, as fireworks on the Thames feature on giant screens. The band return to celebrate 2018, with Rodgers encouraging the crowd to remember “Seventies old-school disco” by finishing with Chic’s “Le Freak”, Sister Sledge’s “Lost in Music” and monster track “Good Times”. What a way to ring in the new year.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments