Earth, Wind & Fire and Chicago play classic hits in Hershey on April 6 and Allentown on April 10
From a press release:
Two of the most successful and critically-acclaimed bands of all time – Earth, Wind & Fire and Chicago – have announced the “Heart and Soul Tour 2.0,” which includes 15 additional U.S. dates following their hit summer “Heart and Soul Tour,” due to popular demand. Promoted by Live Nation, fans across the country will be able to see the Grammy Award-winning and multi-platinum selling groups live beginning Wednesday, March 23, 2016 in Jacksonville, Florida. The tour will continue through the Giant Center in Hershey on Wednesday, April 6 and the PPL Center in Allentown on Sunday, April 10 before concluding on Monday, April 18 at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden.
General admission tickets, which range from $39.50-$99.50, plus fees, will be available beginning Friday, Nov. 20 at 10 a.m. via all Ticketmaster outlets. American Express and Citi cardmembers will have access to pre-sale tickets in select cities beginning Monday, Nov. 16 at noon.
“There’s a saying that goes, ‘If it’s not broken, there is no need to change it,” says Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire. “The powerful magic of Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire works for both bands and fans alike. Here we go again!”
“I’m excited to be starting another leg of the Heart and Soul tour,” says Lee Loughnane of Chicago. “Both bands are playing great, and when we play together, the show rises to another level. Come see the concert. You won’t be disappointed.”
The tour’s initial run kicked off on July 15 in Concord, California and concluded on Sept. 6 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Fans in more than 25 cities, such as Los Angeles, New York City, Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Boston, came out to wildly energetic, enthralling, and critically-acclaimed shows.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution hailed the show as “a combination of brilliantly constructed songs that infest your soul and dazzling showmanship that gets the job done,” while the St. Louis Post-Dispatch raved about the show’s finale, featuring both bands on stage, as a “winning combination and a fitting capper to an evening of music that was at once warmly nostalgic and stirringly vital.” Likewise, the Arizona Republic described the “joy they invested in bringing the show to a climax with all 21 musicians joining forces while treating the fans to such crowd-pleasing triumphs… was as contagious as the songs themselves.”
With more than 200 million albums sold and 20 Grammy nominations between them, the tour will continue to provide unparalleled entertainment from two of America’s most legendary musical groups. Billboard hails that Chicago is one of “the most successful American rock band[s] of all time, in terms of both albums and singles” and has “been able to fill arenas with satisfied fans” with music that has endured throughout time, while Rolling Stone has described Earth, Wind & Fire as “a funk-fusion powerhouse that changed the sound and history of popular music.” In October 2015, Chicago received their first nomination to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since becoming eligible in 1994; Earth, Wind & Fire was inducted into the Hall in 2000.
Earth, Wind & Fire is one of the most innovative and influential contemporary music forces of the 20th century. With a signature sound beyond category and a groove as deep as the soul of the planet, the band has impacted the history of music and pop culture for over four decades. EWF has sold over 90 million recordings, earning them a solid spot as one of the all-time bestselling music artists. Rolling Stone and VH1 ranked Earth, Wind & Fire on their lists of the Greatest Artists of Rock & Roll.
Originating from Chicago in 1969, EWF’s career achievements include an induction into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1995, eight Grammy Awards, and four American Music Awards. Earth, Wind & Fire’s music has influenced, been covered, or sampled by top artists, including Prince, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Usher, Bruno Mars, P. Diddy, will.i.am, and more. Founded by music genius Maurice White, EWF’s co-founders Philip Bailey, Verdine White, and Ralph Johnson continue to tour and perform to sold-out audiences around the world.
Hailed as one of the “most important bands in music since the dawn of the rock and roll era” by former President Bill Clinton, the legendary rock ‘n’ roll band with horns, Chicago, came in at No. 13 as the highest charting American band in Billboard Magazine’s list of Top 100 artists of all time. And Chicago is the first American rock band to chart Top 40 albums in six decades.
Chicago’s 1969 album “Chicago Transit Authority” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014. Lifetime achievements include a Grammy Award, multiple American Music Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Chicago street dedicated in their honor, and keys to and proclamations from an impressive list of U.S. cities. Record sales top the 100 million mark and include 21 Top 10 singles, five consecutive No. 1 albums, 11 No. 1 singles, and five gold singles. An incredible 25 of their 36 albums have been certified platinum, and the band has a total of 47 gold and platinum awards.
Chicago has toured every year since the beginning – they’ve never missed a year. The band is now in their 48th consecutive year of touring and continue to be true ambassadors for their beloved hometown, carrying the city’s name with pride and dignity around the world.
