Shalamar, En Vogue & Nile Rodgers Featuring Chic

Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, England, June 22nd, 2025

By Jeff Vasishta

The rolling, regal grounds of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire might have made for an odd setting for some of the most addictive R&B dance music to emerge in the USA over the last 50 years, but that, in part, is what made this annual spectacle so enjoyable.

Shalamar, En Vogue, and Chic promised a mouth-watering set list of songs from our lives, culminating in the final week of a concert series that had spanned all music genres in a setting fit for royalty — literally.

Shalamar — Howard Hewett, Jeffrey Daniel, and Carolyn Griffey took to the stage in daylight, under overcast skies, clad in summery white outfits, to the familiar strains of “Make That Move,” They sped through the hits at a blistering pace backed by a tight five-piece piece band and two background singers. Considering Hewett and Daniel have been performing many of these hits for over 45 years, they both looked remarkably well-preserved.

During the first few numbers, I was worried that Hewett’s trademark falsetto was no more, as Daniel, someone never known for his vocal ability, handed the high notes with surprising aplomb. Clearly, Hewett was waiting for his voice to warm up because by the time the group hit the songs the audience had come for — all the hits from the “Friends”  album, including— the title track, “There It Is,” and “I Can Make You Feel Good,” the Hewett falsetto was climbing up to the clouds above.

Although Carolyn Griffey, daughter of Solar Records founder Dick, has been a mainstay of the group for years now, it’s impossible not to associate Jody Watley with the group. Griffey, though, handled her role with relaxed competence, befitting her years in the outfit. Essentially, though, the co-lead vocalist role is no more. As Daniel said when introducing Hewett as Shalamar’s “lead singer,” he is now the band’s main draw.

Daniel, as ever long and lean as a giraffe, was surprisingly limber for someone pushing 70. His dance moves may not have evolved in 40 years, but that was fine with the crowd who craved to see him pop, lock, and moonwalk as he had done, electrifying British teens on Top of The Pop in 1982. He didn’t disappoint, pulling out his trademark gyrations for the encore,  “A Night To Remember,” which, expectedly, sent the mostly middle-aged crowd into paroxysms of joy.

I interviewed En Vogue a few times in the 90s — when Dawn Robinson was still with the group — and saw them in concert at the Hammersmith Odeon during their chart-topping heyday. I remember that as being a riveting performance full of powerful vocals, impeccably tight choreography, sass, sexiness, and polished professionalism that left most people in awe of just how astonishingly good the group was. I also remember being impressed by Terri Ellis’s dynamic vocal ability. However, over three decades on, I had no idea of what to expect. Surprisingly, they were just as good if not better than they were during the 90s, and Ellis is still a phenomenal vocalist and the group’s nucleus.

En Vogue — a quartet again with Maxine Jones back in the fold and Rhona Bennett, long-term replacement for Robinson — didn’t have the kind of repertoire of hits that the other two acts on the bill had — most of their best-known songs came from two successful early 90s albums. So when they steamed through some of their best-known songs, such as “My Lovin’ (Never Gonna Get It)” and “Lies,” and “This Is Your Life,” they still had a considerable amount of show time to fill. They accomplished this by performing a medley of covers.

I’ve always been a little wary when groups pull out other people’s hits and expect the audience to be as enthusiastic as they are about their own material, especially when the covers are chestnuts such as Anita’s Wards’s “Ring My Bell,” “Heard It Through The Grape Vine,” “Rock Steady,” and “Respect”  — songs you can hear on any R&B cruise ship/oldies but goodies show. But En Vogue added their own style and vocal power to each song they covered, which meant the show didn’t lose momentum. I enjoyed The Mary Jane Girls’ “In My House”, Donna Summer’s “Bad Girls,” The Emotions’ “Best Of My Love,” and LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade” most of this segment but was keen for the group to get back to their material.

Particularly impressive was the full sound that En Vogue’s three-piece band managed to conjure, with the keyboard player replicating the rock riffs on “Free Your Mind,” a definite crowd pleaser.

“Givin’ Him Something He Can Feel” (originally sung by Aretha Franklin from the “Sparkle” soundtrack — their third Aretha song of the night), was followed by “Don’t Let Go” and of course, the encore, “Hold On,” which showcased just how pristine and powerful the group’s vocals are. Those McElroy and Foster (and Andrea Martin) songs have stood the test of time unlike many R&B songs of the era.

Don’t overlook En Vogue on their new tour as a reformed four-piece. It’s a good job. There was no roof at Blenheim Palace, as it would have needed replacing by the time they left the stage.

It was nightfall by the time Nile Rodgers and Chic took to the stage. In true British weather, the day had gone from sunny to overcast to blustery, with light rain in the space of three shows. However, layers were shed almost as soon as they were added, and the seven-piece band, including two horn players, tore through the classics. They opened with “Le Freak,” which gives you some indication of the depth of hits that Rodgers and the crew had to get through. Early Chic smashes were laid on thick and fast. “Everybody Dance,” “Dance, Dance, Dance,” before the Diana Ross hits, “I’m Coming Out” and “Upside Down” kept the party going.

Chic are perennial favorites in the UK, and their concerts have evolved into fully fledged productions with high-production video, graphics, and lighting. The segment in the middle of the show allows the band to storm through the hits Rodgers has written for others, with the photomontages in the background showcasing the stunning breadth of work his career encompasses.

The Chic Organization is a rock-solid R&B band at heart with a couple of powerhouse female vocalists upfront that were able to transform pop hits for Madonna (“Like A Virgin,” “Material Girl,” Duran Duran’s “Notorious”) and Sheila B. Devotion (“Spacer”)  into soulful renditions that kept the groove flowing. More recent hits by Daft Punk (“Get Lucky,” “Lose Yourself To Dance”) and Beyoncé (“Cuff It”) show just how enduring Rodgers and his unique style of rhythm guitar playing and songwriting are.

The audience comprised knowledgeable R&B enthusiasts who craved the soulful classics Rodgers had helped craft, and Sister Sledge’s “Lost In Music” and “Thinking Of You” had everyone singing at the top of their lungs. The interplay between Rodgers and bassist Jerry Barnes is always a highlight of a modern-day Chic show. They didn’t disappoint — with some serious funk throw-downs that interspaced the inevitable final song, “Good Times.”

An awesome show comprising three bands I could watch time and time again.