Opening with “Everybody Dance” ….clap your hands, Nile Rodgers appears in a sky blue patent 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 treating fans to a medley of the above, 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 bigger-than-ever fireworks on the Thames feature on giant screens. The band return to celebrate 2018, with Rodgers encouraging the crowd to remember ”70’s Old School Disco” by finishing with Chic's “Le Freak”, “Lost in Music” and monster track “Good Times”. What a way to ring in the New Year.
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