Unseasonably warm temperatures have late October feeling like summer, but that’s not the only reason it seems like June right now. You’d straight up think it was Black Music Month with all the icons coming through NPR Music lately to perform for their Tiny Desk Concert series. Days after Smokey Robinson performed a career-spanning set, fellow living legend Nile Rodgers and his longtime group CHIC pulled up to party.
And party they did with a 30-minute live session that was filled with jams from start to finish. With his trusty guitar strapped to him, Nile was flanked by vocalists Kimberly Davis and Audrey Martells who set it off with the CHIC classic “Freak Out” to begin. They quickly turned Tiny Desk into Studio 54 – all that was missing was a dance floor and disco ball.
Rodgers and his group didn’t just perform CHIC songs, they dipped into his songwriting and production bag for some gems. What followed was their renditions of Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out,” Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” (with a show-stopping solo from Davis) and Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky.” Before they got into the massive Daft Punk hit, keyboardist/vocalist Richard Hilton broke out into a hilarious, over-the-top version of the Soul Glo theme song from Coming To America, the 1988 comedy that Rodgers scored, that made the maestro himself double over with laughter.
Nile Rodgers and CHIC couldn’t leave Tiny Desk without performing their most iconic song, so “Good Times” was next on the menu and they turned that bad boy out. It got so good to Rodgers that he spit a few bars of The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” that blew everyone’s mind. After up-jumping the boogie and leading all those in attendance to wave their hands in the air like they just didn’t care, the group ended their performance with David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.” Featuring drummer Ralph Rolle on vocals, they raised the energy to peak levels and took Tiny Desk to “maximum funkocity.”
This might be one of the most energetic and fun Tiny Desk Concerts we’ve ever witnessed. Nile Rodgers and CHIC raised the bar high not just for other veteran performers but contemporary acts, too. Watch Nile’s and company get the party started and keep it going below.
