Earth, Wind, Fire & Chicago Preview

Who: Earth, Wind & Fire and Chicago

When: Sat, July 18, 2009 ● 7:30p

Where: Rose Quarter – Theater of the Clouds
Portland, Oregon

Tickets are priced at $94.00, $54.00, and $28.50. Tickets go on sale Monday, March 23rd at 10a and can be purchased at the Rose Quarter Box Office (M-F 10a-5p), all participating Safeway/ Tickets West outlets, by calling 877.789.ROSE (7673), or at ComcastTIX.com. For more information please visit RoseQuarter.com. Prices do not include service charges. To receive event notices, pre-sale opportunities, discounts and prizes join our free Rose Quarter CyberClub at RoseQuarter.com.

Music legends Earth, Wind & Fire and Chicago have announced that they will reunite for a 30-city national co-headlining summer concert tour, including a date at Theater of the Clouds Saturday, July 18th. In 2004 and 2005, the two bands teamed up for what is still talked about as one of the great musical spectaculars in recent touring history. A DVD filmed in 2005 of their Los Angeles shows was certified double platinum almost immediately upon release – a tribute to the extraordinary and unique quality of this collaboration.

Earth, Wind & Fire’s founding member and singer Philip Bailey says, “The Chicago-Earth, Wind & Fire shows are magic and bring out the best in all of us – from the musicians onstage to the fans dancing in the aisles. We can’t wait to get out there with our friends again.” Chicago keyboardist and founding member Robert Lamm is equally enthusiastic, “Earth, Wind & Fire are phenomenal. When we first decided to tour together, we knew it would be good, but I don’t think we could have guessed that the Earth, Wind & Fire-Chicago shows would be some of our all-time favorites to play.”

The 2009 Summer Tour will be presented by AEG Live. Each band will perform a full set, and the two bands will come together both at the beginning of the night and for a final set that features both bands onstage together.

“What happens when you cross Chicago with Earth, Wind & Fire? You get a big, raucous, happy band, supercharging a packed house of fans.” - Daily Variety

Earth, Wind & Fire made international news recently when President Obama declared in an interview with RollingStone Magazine that the group was among his favorites in his iPod. He said, they are “rhythm and blues and pop staples for me.” The group was invited by President Obama to perform in the East Room on February 22 at the White House for the first social event of the new administration. The Earth, Wind & Fire 11-piece band is among the most influential, commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands of the last three decades. Formed in 1969 in Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire's 39-year history resulted in millions of albums sold worldwide and distinguished awards and accolades. Founding members: Maurice White (leader, vocalist, songwriter); Philip Bailey (lead vocalist, percussionist); Verdine White (bassist); Ralph Johnson (drummer and percussionist) have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and are credited with eight Grammy Awards, 20 Grammy nominations, Four American Music Awards, honors from the NAACP, the BET Awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The principal members of Earth, Wind & Fire have received honorary Doctorate Degrees from the Arts and Media College at Columbia College Chicago. To this day, Earth, Wind & Fire remain one of the top globally popular touring attractions. Influencing top artists including Prince, Mary J Blige, Outkast and many more, Earth, Wind & Fire's signature sound and distinctive musical styles fuse pop, soul, jazz, rock n' roll, psychedelic, African roots music and disco with a base in funk.

Chicago has written, recorded and performed some of the most popular and musically innovative songs in rock history. Billboard Magazine positioned the band at #13 on their Hot 100 chart’s All-Time Top 100 – a byproduct of having sold more than 100,000,000 records and having earned 20 Top hits, 5 Number One albums, 5 Number One singles and 5 Gold singles. Chicago has also won a Grammy Award, American Music Awards, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, had a downtown Chicago street renamed in their honor, and been celebrated with an exhibit at the Chicago History Museum. An incredible 25 of their 30 albums have been certified platinum, and Chicago is the first American band to chart Top 40 albums in five decades. Through it all, Chicago remains a working band, touring continually since forming in 1967. On the philanthropic front, Chicago actively supports two charities through their concert ticket sales. Since 1995, the band has donated a portion of each ticket sold to the Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation, which seeks a cure to the fatal children’s disease, Neimann-Pick Type C. For the last four years, the band has donated an additional portion of ticket sales to help raise money for Hannah & Friends, which works to improve the quality of life for children and adults with special needs. Hannah & Friends is the personal mission of Maura Weis and her husband, current Notre Dame Football Coach Charlie Weis.