Lionel Richie is one of the incredible greats. Classy, talented, romantic, engaging and professional. Lionel (he pronounces it Lio-NEL) talked and joked with the “Omaha” fans Sunday night 6/9/24 (CHI Health Center Arena) as he sang “Hello” to everyone, after another quick hello, he explained how there was a lot of music and he’d better get busy.
Lionel joked about the clean air quality in Nebraska versus Los Angeles after a brief laugh from the audience he sat down on his piano and took a deep breath for emphasis, getting another round of laughter and then settled everyone down as he started a Commodores favorite Easy. A personal favorite of mine as well, remembering back on the pain of my first marriage. As I sat there listening to him sing I realized Lionel has put lyrics to just about every heartache, break up and make up I have been through and even to my very first young love. Endless Love still touches my heart the second I hear the first notes of the piano begin. Don't get me started on those "feel so good I gotta dance about it" songs! "Dancin' On the Ceiling, All Night Long"
The audience felt the same way, I know this because every person in that room was singing back to him with the same emotion. It was incredible.
The stage had a white grand piano with beautiful changing digital backdrops, tropical, citiscape and sunsets. You felt as if you were on vacation.
Lionel Richie was dressed in black and a white coat with tails. Later he would change to a leather jacket, giving him an edgier style but always classy. Yeah I said classy and I mean it.
The night was fun as he went from love songs, pop songs, funk songs and then to heartbreak. All his best hits were covered and nothing was missed. I am honored to have gotten this opportunity to see him and review and photograph this show!
I say this a lot, so most of you have become accustomed to it, but I grew up listening to Lionel Richie. I saw the Commodores on Soul Train when I was around 5 singing Fancy Dancer at a neighbors house, then when I was 11 I remember singing You Are on the radio,(along with the rest of the world) and then when I was 12 I started Jr High and I bought with my own money the album Can’t Slow Down because I was obsessed with the song “Stuck On You”. That is, just to name a tiny few, my Lionel vinyl collection is extensive because the man is absolutely one of the best things about music!
Although he did not write or actually sing the recording of Brick House he always sings it at his concerts because he knows how much joy it brings to his fans to hear it. A song that nearly got him kicked out of the Sunday family dinner because his grandmother said it was obscene. (and back then, it was!)
Professional, talented, engaging, romantic and classy. There were so many other words to describe him. My heart in lyrics could definitely be one!
What a wonderful night! Did I say that already? I’m saying it again. What a wonderful night of music!
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