Stalwart stars from the ’80s came together to take the audience down memory lane with a selection of hits at Al Wasl Avenue on Sunday (February 27) in the latest session of Expo 2020 Dubai’s Street Music series, Eighties Night.
Crowds gathered to see Bonnie Tyler, Boney M featuring Maizie Williams and the Earth, Wind and Fire Experience featuring Sheldon Reynolds perform some of their greatest songs.
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American band that has spanned the musical genres of R&B, soul, funk, jazz, disco, pop, dance, Latin, and Afro pop. The band was founded in Chicago by Maurice White in 1969. They have been described as one of the most innovative and most commercially successful acts in history. With sales of over 90 million records, they are among the world's best-selling bands of all time.
Earth, Wind and Fire kicked off the concert with a medley of hits, and got the crowd singing and dancing to ‘Boogie Wonderland’ and ‘September’. Lead guitarist Sheldon Reynolds started playing at eight years old, and by 12 was considered a musical prodigy. Prior to joining the band, he accompanied many popular artists, and was previously a member of Lionel Ritchie’s The Commodores.
Next up was Euro-Caribbean group Boney M, who were originally based in West Germany, the four original members of the group's official line-up were Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett from Jamaica, Maizie Williams from Montserrat and Bobby Farrell from Aruba. The group was formed in 1976 and achieved popularity during the disco era of the late 1970s.
The band has sold around 80 million records worldwide and is known for international hits including "Daddy Cool", "Ma Baker", "Belfast", "Sunny", "Rasputin", "Mary's Boy Child – Oh My Lord" and "Rivers of Babylon". Founding member Maizie Williams, opened the set with ‘Sunny’, keeping the previous act’s disco momentum going.
The final performance was by Bonnie Tyler’ who’s career began with the release of her first album, The World Starts Tonight, in 1977, she has recorded new music consistently, with her latest album, The Best is Yet to Come, released in 2021. The multi-award winner is known for her hit singles, ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’, among many others. However, the crowd went wild as she opened with ‘Flat on the Floor’, and finished the night strong with her smash hit, ‘Holding Out for a Hero’.
Judging by the crowd reaction and audience engagement, the performance of all the acts was certainly a night to remember.
Delroy Constantine-Simms
