Tom Jones and Nike Rodgers & Chic

Venue:

Chester Race Course

Date: 14/08/2026

Nile Rodgers and Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire are responsible for more of my joyful listening pleasure than any other acts. I’ve been dancing to them for five decades plus. Another chance to witness Chic live could not be missed, this time in the open air at Chester Race Course. The fact they were the support act dangled the enticing possibility of being safely tucked up in bed by 10pm.

They hit the stage prompt at 6:30pm straight into an imperious Le Freak. Immediately, the musicians were on point, the vocalists superb, the audience dancing, stiff pelvises gyrating, and frozen shoulders straining to lift arms high. The real beauty of Le Freak is the extended, uplifting groove in the bridge, normally stretched further when played live. It was quickly apparent to a Chic veteran this was the truncated set of a support act. By the time we were into the songs performed by artists other than Chic, the medleys consisted of fragments, particularly for Diana Ross and Madonna. Thankfully, Sister Sledge got a pretty full work out and there was enough time for Naomi Rodgers to show off her incredible pipes on I Want Your Love’s tortured, unrequited love. Her impersonation of Beyoncé for Cuff It was equally jaw-dropping. Russell Graham stood in for David Bowie on Modern Love and China Girl, when Nile demonstrated he can play lead Blues Rock guitar like Stevie Ray Vaughan. The fun really took off for Let’s Dance with audience participation conducted by drummer, Ralph Rolle (nominative determinism in action?), who gleamed with happiness through the whole gig. This wasn’t a disco audience. Most were here to see Tom Jones. Nevertheless, there was constant movement and the happiness from the stage was contagious. All concluded with Good Times/Rapper’s Delight, Nile delivering the slightly adjusted rap perfectly, leaving us breathless and giddy. Just an hour and a quarter and no encore.

The sun was setting and chilly breeze was picking up as Tom gingerly entered the stage with the gait of a man who’s had bilateral hip replacement. The familiar strains of Paddy Milner’s piano sustained him as he confronted the ravages of time head on for I’m Growing Old. Matt White and Scott McKeon, guitars, and Dave Bronze, bass, joined in for an authoritative Tower Of Song; “I was born with the gift of a golden voice” delivered as a matter of fact. By the end of a portentous Blues Rock take of Dylan’s Not Dark Yet, just three songs in, it was clear we were in the presence of greatness. Tom has always been known as “the voice”. Amazingly, his range is barely unchanged and any fraying at the edges have enhanced his power. He retains tremendous technique and wonderful phrasing. He knows how to inhabit a song and deliver it directly and effectively to your heart. Otis Redding, no less, regarded him as the greatest Soul singer and it’s the soulfulness of the opening songs that snag the emotions. Some believe his voice is so strong, it overpowers a song, but not last night. Last night, he was subtle, sensitive, vulnerable, defiant, and backed by a superlative band.

Of course, there were plenty hits. It’s Not Unusual had a bossa nova twist, What’s New Pussycat was performed with a wink, You Can Leave Your Hat On captured more of Randy Newman’s complexity, Sex Bomb and Kiss rocked, and Delilah had Flamenco guitar and a Latin beat. However, the core songs of the concert came from his last album, 2021’s Surrounded By Time, an album worthy of comparison with Johnny Cash’s American Recordings, Solomon Burke’s Don’t Give Up On Me or Bettye Lavette’s I’ve Got My Own Hell To Raise. Lazarus Man by Terry Callier, Tom Scott’s This Is The Sea and Bernice Johnson Reagan’s I Won’t Crumble If You Fall were dramatic, atmospheric and felt deep in the pit of the stomach. As a Tom sceptic, I did not expect anything as moving and majestic as this. The encore featured an admirably restrained Green, Green Grass Of Home and a heartfelt One Hell Of A Life written by Katell Keinig, who was a friend of Jeff Buckley.

I was glad I decided against an early night.

The audience:

I felt young and spritely. I guess over 50% were over seventy years old and doubt there were double figures under fifty.

The severe alert from the government about the UK tinderbox came through in the interval between bands. During Tom’s opening numbers, a man, a couple of steps away, smoked a cigarette and threw the stub on the parched, brown grass. He did put it out with his foot, but still…

It made me think..

The two acts were entirely different but equally brilliant and neither are done yet. Nile’s guitar will have to have his guitar prised from his cold, dead hands. No doubt, he will still have a dazzling smile when his heart stops. Tom fully intends to continue to sing into his nineties. He described how he sang at Willie Nelson’s ninetieth birthday and realised he has a lot more years of singing to look forward to. The song he sang was Ry Cooder’s Across The Borderline. There are plenty more songs for Tom to record. Nile is 73, Tom 86.

6