I saw EWF and Verdine White Play Last Night!

kirkm24 · #1 06-22-2009, 01:48 PM

Ok, I've been a huge EWF fan for the past several years and had seen them perform on TV but never live. For a surprise father's day present, my wife got me tickets to see EWF with Chicago!

I've always liked Verdine White. He's a solid pocket player with a great sense of groove. Maybe not overly flashy (in his playing at least) but he holds it down and supports the song very well. Getting to see him play last night was half the fun of the show. He might be the most energetic and seemingly happy bass player in popular music. Does anyone disagree? For the whole 2+ plus hours he was playing he had a huge smile on his face and was just full of energy and excitement.

I hope I can get to a place where I love what I do with the same passion and energy that he has.

EWF was great by the way. Chicago was good too but overall, I thought EWF put on a better live show.

RicPlaya · #2 06-22-2009, 01:55 PM

How cool!

EWF is a band I would love to see

jumbosilverette · #3 06-22-2009, 01:57 PM

EWF have always been a great band. Good for you.

Boostedrex · #4 06-22-2009, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RicPlaya

How cool!

EWF is a band I would love to see

I couldn't agree more! Awesome Father's Day present you got!

RCCollins · #5 06-22-2009, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirkm24

I've always liked Verdine White. He's a solid pocket player with a great sense of groove. Maybe not overly flashy (in his playing at least) but he holds it down and supports the song very well. Getting to see him play last night was half the fun of the show. He might be the most energetic and seemingly happy bass player in popular music. Does anyone disagree? For the whole 2+ plus hours he was playing he had a huge smile on his face and was just full of energy and excitement.

dude are you kidding? he's one of the fingerstyle funk masters!

mrufino1 · #6 06-22-2009, 03:11 PM

Not to ruin your fun, but was he actually playing? I have seen him at times not playing what was coming out of his bass. I LOVE EWF, but they were lip syncing and "instrument syncing" when I saw them in 1997, and I have observed the same of Verdine on videos and such. As I said, I Love EWF, so not trying to bring you down, I hope the show was great.

kirkm24 · #7 06-22-2009, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrufino1

Not to ruin your fun, but was he actually playing? I have seen him at times not playing what was coming out of his bass. I LOVE EWF, but they were lip syncing and "instrument syncing" when I saw them in 1997, and I have observed the same of Verdine on videos and such. As I said, I Love EWF, so not trying to bring you down, I hope the show was great.

I think they were playing live, at least last night because their were noticeable imperfections in the playing and vocals. I could be wrong or its possible some of the songs were canned and some were truely live. It was a great and entertaining show regardless and well worth the $26 that the tickets cost.

Not that this means they weren't but here's an excerpt I found about the tour:

Margie Szaroleta
Associated Press Writer
Published: June 5, 2009

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Trombone player Jimmy Pankow of Chicago says he’s never felt his hair stand up on the back of his neck on stage like when they perform with Earth, Wind and Fire. The two bands will tour together starting tomorrow in Orange Beach, Alabama. Pankow calls it “the ultimate concert” that features “two veteran acts doing it the old-fashioned way, with chops, with ability, rather than pyrotechnics and lip-synching.“ The bands will be collecting can goods for the charity World Hunger Year, and fans who donate will receive a download card for three songs. One is Chicago doing the Earth, Wind and Fire song “Can’t Let Go.“ Another is Earth, Wind and Fire doing the Chicago song “Wishing You Were Here.“ The third is an original both bands perform together called “You.“

kirkm24 · #8 06-22-2009, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCCollins

dude are you kidding? he's one of the fingerstyle funk masters!

No, I'm not kidding. I didn't say he stunk. He is a great player for sure but he doesn't do all the razzle dazzle like a "bass hero." He is a great player though and I prefer the groove oriented players like him as opposed to the "virtuosos" even though I respect the musicianship.

BassXgirl · #9 06-23-2009, 12:22 AM

What an awesome surprise!

I would love to see him with EWF. I love Verdine White. I'm a fan of his playing, his attitude, his flash, and his HAIR! Got to LOVE his hair. He's not just a bassist. He's an all around performer.

kirkm24 · #10 06-23-2009, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassXgirl

What an awesome surprise!

I would love to see him with EWF. I love Verdine White. I'm a fan of his playing, his attitude, his flash, and his HAIR! Got to LOVE his hair. He's not just a bassist. He's an all around performer.

Definitely!

mrufino1 · #11 06-23-2009, 10:34 PM

Well, believe me, I hope he is playing because I love EWF. In any event you enjoyed the show and that is what mattered, so I don't want to ruin that. In a strange twist, at the show I saw, one song that was definitely played live was Fantasy, and Philip Bailey SHOULD have lip synced that one or they should have dropped the key, he was having difficulty hitting the high notes (hey, I'm not allowed to sing into a mic onstage, so I'm just sayin'

)

Craig_S · #12 06-23-2009, 10:50 PM

I'd be going to see them tonight if I didn't have a gig... I got a Father's day present, as well. I had to sell the tickets.

I was going for Chicago more than EWF, though. I do like EWF, I just like Chicago more.

MisterV619 · #13 06-24-2009, 12:00 AM

I got to see EWF earlier in their careers (as well as their twilight) and only got to see Chicago post Peter Cetera. It would have been great to watch them together back in their prime with all the original members. Verdine is solid and one of the inspirations that made me want to play bass, but I've got to agree on his assessment. Solid groove player, but soloing and being out in front is not his forte if you are just judging him by his playing.

rodl2005 · #14 06-24-2009, 12:08 AM

Down, Boogie Down, Boogie On Down!!!! Great Stuff. Wish they were playin in MY neck o' the woods!! Congrats Mate- Glad U enjoyed the show.

JimmyM · #15 06-24-2009, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirkm24

No, I'm not kidding. I didn't say he stunk. He is a great player for sure but he doesn't do all the razzle dazzle like a "bass hero." He is a great player though and I prefer the groove oriented players like him as opposed to the "virtuosos" even though I respect the musicianship.

Wow, I always thought he was one of the more flashy bass players out there. Yeah, he wasn't Stanley or Jaco, and I guess you can't accuse him of overplaying, but he always had some of the busier bass lines out there. I guess it's different perceptions of what's busy and what's not.

MikeBass · #16 06-24-2009, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrufino1

Not to ruin your fun, but was he actually playing? I have seen him at times not playing what was coming out of his bass. I LOVE EWF, but they were lip syncing and "instrument syncing" when I saw them in 1997, and I have observed the same of Verdine on videos and such. As I said, I Love EWF, so not trying to bring you down, I hope the show was great.

Love EWF, but there are videos out there of him not even playing......strange.

That being said, he's still at the top of the heap when it comes to tight, funky, flashy without being flashy bass lines.

Cyber Soda · #17 06-24-2009, 09:13 AM

I'm friends with a very close friend of Verdine's. She's getting me tickets to their show here (Chicago) and hopefully backstage passes. Yes, I most certainly WILL be bringing something to get signed. A pad, a control plate, hell, a bass. Something.

Lonnybass · #18 06-24-2009, 09:23 AM

The last few years I've seen CHI and EWF, Verdine was Mr. Showman, running all over the stage and dancing his little heart out - definitely a guy who mixes playing with "performing..." ane the crowd loved every minute of it.

Based on watching his fingers compared to listening to what was coming out of the PA, I'd venture that most of the bass parts are sequenced and Verdine plays along live to the song, withe the sound crew provided a mix that combines the two channels. On the CHI song "Beginnings," for example, Verdine and Jason Scheff alternated playing the bass break towards the end of the song, which was definitely live - but there were other times when every part of Verdine's body was moving EXCEPT his fingers. However they do it, it's high tech and it works.

Lonnybass

Dr. Cheese · #19 06-24-2009, 09:33 AM

Remember guys, Verdine is 60 years old!

How many of us have that much energy while being much younger?

BTW, the man is a flashy player in the old sense of someone like Jamerson, Jemmott, or Rainey, who came up with busy baselines with lots of movement. He just is not a noted soloist except for that one killer solo on Gratitude.

DWBass · #20 06-24-2009, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Remember guys, Verdine is 60 years old!

How many of us have that much energy while being much younger?

I agree on the energy point but Verdine's been bass 'synching' for almost 20 years now judging from all the vids I've seen! It's a shame that video of him at NAMM 2008 shows a very different player in relation to his 70's works!