Good Times

October 28, 2023 11:39 AM

If you haven't already seen the Nile Rodgers & CHIC: Tiny Desk Concert, it's well worth half an hour of your time! [SLYT]
posted by misteraitch (33 comments total)

You know what's better than that? Nothing is better than that.
posted by pracowity at 12:25 PM on October 28, 2023 [4 favorites]

The concept has merit.
posted by y2karl at 1:00 PM on October 28, 2023 [1 favorite]

This is DELIGHTFUL. Thank you for sharing!

Also: let's add horn sections to more music, pls and thank you.
posted by smirkette at 1:23 PM on October 28, 2023 [2 favorites]

This literally brought tears of joy to my eyes. Fuck all the evil shit out there, this is so life affirming.
posted by latkes at 1:39 PM on October 28, 2023 [5 favorites]

If we can’t have a Sly and the Family Stone TDC ( and we can’t), this is the next best thing.
posted by tspae at 2:13 PM on October 28, 2023 [3 favorites]

That was so fun! There's nothing quite like the Nile Rodgers sound: the understated guitar that's somehow the quietest part yet drives the song through. Happy happy happy.
posted by scruss at 2:15 PM on October 28, 2023 [5 favorites]

Nile Rodgers is a treasure. I know he has had his dark moments (and still probably has some because we all do) but his joy for life is infectious.

I know it's Tiny Desk Concert and that's the point but this room is too small for him! (And I mean, GWAR was also in this room and I didn't feel the same way.) Rodgers' music should only be the soundtrack for the best dance party you've ever been at.
posted by edencosmic at 2:48 PM on October 28, 2023 [1 favorite]

I respectfully disagree with you edencosmic. The small venue -- the intimacy and odd context -- helped me fall in love with each and every one of those people. This half hour is an absolute treasure. Like latkes says above, "tears of joy".
posted by Modest House at 3:04 PM on October 28, 2023 [2 favorites]

Very nice !
posted by eustatic at 3:26 PM on October 28, 2023

I just meant that Rodger's charisma extends so far that it needs to reach as many people as possible! He definitely was playing to a big room despite being in a small one!
posted by edencosmic at 3:43 PM on October 28, 2023 [1 favorite]

Truly awesome and a real pleasure! Thank you!
posted by mdrosen at 4:02 PM on October 28, 2023

Damn. So good.
posted by whatevernot at 4:59 PM on October 28, 2023

I saw him a few weeks ago opening for Duran Duran, an arena show. He could not have been more engaged or enthused, and dammit if he didn‘t hit on ALLLLL his hits. He was simply fantastic! Stole the show, and on his birthday!
posted by Capt. Renault at 7:06 PM on October 28, 2023 [6 favorites]

This is not my style of music at all (except maybe the Daft Punk and Bowie tracks) but I clicked on it because I see Rich Hilton (keyboard player on the left) on a music production podcast sometimes, and I wanted to see him in action.

WOW, though, I watched the whole thing and couldn't help holding my hands in the air when they told me to. SUCH a good performance!
posted by mmoncur at 9:10 PM on October 28, 2023

Maximum Funkosity achieved. This was really fun and there were many reasons I would never choose to watch this so I'm grateful to MeFi for encouraging me to watch.
posted by stevil at 10:41 PM on October 28, 2023 [1 favorite]

Nile and Bernie invented modern music. From Duran Duran to Daft Punk to Dua Lipa and that's just the Ds. Good stuff!

(Yes, this is hyperbole, but is it really?)
posted by joseph_elmhurst at 10:47 PM on October 28, 2023 [5 favorites]

I like how he explains the evolution of Let's Dance. Wizard.
posted by credulous at 11:34 PM on October 28, 2023 [5 favorites]

Lovely stuff. Thanks misteraitch, I'd have missed it without your post.

With nine members, is that the biggest band so far to cram in there for a Tiny Desk concert?
posted by Paul Slade at 2:05 AM on October 29, 2023

Good times indeed! This is a delight.

With nine members, is that the biggest band so far to cram in there for a Tiny Desk concert?

The Wu-Tang Clan Tiny Desk concert had 11 people on the "stage".
posted by Jansku at 2:51 AM on October 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

There was also a recent, not-so-Tiny appearance by Smokey Robinson, who performed as part of a 13-piece ensemble.
posted by misteraitch at 3:00 AM on October 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

Have you heard about the new dance craze?
Listen to us, I'm sure you'll be amazed
Big fun to be had by everyone
It's up to you, it surely can be done
Young and old are doing it, I'm told
Just one try, and you too will be sold
It's called Le Freak, they're doing it night and day
Allow us, we'll show you the way...

posted by fairmettle at 3:15 AM on October 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

If you're like me, and I know you are, I scrounged around this morning and they are Sennheiser MKH 418-Ss.
posted by ob1quixote at 7:40 AM on October 29, 2023

Oh yeah.

Jerry Barnes kills it on his bass.
posted by mule98J at 7:49 AM on October 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

I grew up in Chicago and was probably nine when "Le Freak" was on the radio. I was surrounded by a bunch of "DISCO SUX" culture/older kids, but I freaking loved that song!

I still love a lot of the earlier funk/disco. Like every single musical style ever... there was a good percentage of it that "sucked," and the media was oversaturated with disco-everything back then. Ah well. Disco didn't suck.
posted by SoberHighland at 8:39 AM on October 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

I had never watched a Tiny Desk video until now - THANK YOU misteraitch, for posting this. What an icon - there is nothing Rodgers can't do.

And if you're wondering about the set list:
The band's performance of "I'm Coming Out" builds to a rip-roaring sax solo. A rollicking performance of "We Are Family" breaks down in the middle before erupting to a triumphant finish. And atop the rippling bassline of "Good Times," Rodgers breaks into an impromptu version of "Rapper's Delight," which samples the song. It all leads to the maximum funkocity of Bowie's "Let's Dance," a tribute to the genre's reach and power.

The Good Times/Rapper's Delight is pure magic.
posted by davidmsc at 9:07 AM on October 29, 2023

I accompanied my spouse in early September to see Duran Duran at my 3rd arena show ever. Duran Duran were good, but the highlight of the show for me was seeing Nile Rodgers and CHIC. Tiny desk or 20,000 person arena, they bring the goods.
posted by mollweide at 10:34 AM on October 29, 2023 [2 favorites]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. If like me anyone else desperately needs more of this:

Live at the Isle Of Wight Festival 2018
Live at Kendal Calling 2019
Live at Pinkpop 2022

Lots more out there, but these were better quality.
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 2:28 PM on October 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

I just wanted to come back and say, I needed a smile put on my face this afternoon and this concert delivered. Highly recommended.
posted by ob1quixote at 3:07 PM on October 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

THANKYOU
posted by winesong at 3:45 PM on October 29, 2023

I also want to say thanks. I've known about TDC for a long time, and have watched a few, but for some reason I've never dove into them. It's the perfect thing for this rainy fall afternoon and evening in New Jersey.
posted by mollweide at 4:03 PM on October 29, 2023

And atop the rippling bassline of "Good Times," Rodgers breaks into an impromptu version of "Rapper's Delight," which samples the song.

I don't think it was impromptu. I saw them open for Duran Duran this summer and I'm pretty sure that he did that then, too. In fact, I think that everything performed for NPR was also in their set when I saw them play in early June. I also recall them playing a Madonna song that Rodgers wrote or produced in the 80s - I think it was "Like a Virgin" but could be wrong.
posted by ElKevbo at 8:05 PM on October 29, 2023

About 15 years ago I worked at a restaurant that was trying to be a supper club, so it had a stage and a regular house band which I was never very impressed with.

One day a private party had rented the space. I was prepping in the kitchen that morning and heard some fresh music coming from the dining room. Went out and saw that the event had hired their own band, who was sound checking.

I hung there for a few minutes and they started playing Le Freak. I think to myself, "damn, for a band-for-hire, they're really nailing this song."

Someone who seems like he might be part of their crew is standing next to me and also clearly digging it, so I say it to him, "they're really nailing this song," and he says "I should hope so, they wrote it."
posted by STFUDonnie at 5:57 AM on October 30, 2023 [5 favorites]

Thank you for sharing! Made my Monday morning!
posted by BeBoth at 8:53 AM on October 30, 2023