The Fourth of July is all about backyard BBQs, bombastic fireworks, and bold declarations of independence. But this year, in Los Angeles, it also meant Earth, Wind & Fire at the Hollywood Bowl. For three electric nights, the iconic funk-soul juggernauts from Chicago joined forces with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conductor Thomas Wilkins for a red-white-and-boogie throwdown that had fans of all ages grooving and dancing in the aisles.
A longstanding Bowl tradition, these Independence Day firework shows feature artists in multi-night runs with full orchestral backing and explosive finales. Earth, Wind & Fire more than lived up to that legacy, lighting up the stage with their platinum-plated catalog and radiant stage presence. It’s a sacred holiday-meets-funk ritual now, and this year’s edition was funkier and more fiery than ever.
From the moment the LA Phil launched into a stirring “Star-Spangled Banner”, you could feel the patriotic buzz coursing through the open-air amphitheater nestled in the Hollywood Hills. Decked out in red, white, blue, and sequins, the crowd whooped along to orchestral takes on “Strike Up the Band”, “America the Beautiful”, and even “Sing! Sing! Sing!” by Benny Goodman, as families munched kettle corn and waved glow sticks like sparklers. One of the evening’s most moving moments came during the “Armed Forces Salute”, when veterans from each branch of the U.S. military stood in recognition as their anthems rang out, earning thunderous applause from the appreciative crowd…