WAR IN CONCERT:
Chicano funk icons War rolled their way to fame in the early '70s with classic hits like "Low Rider" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?", and they've kept fans dancing ever since with their groovy, socially conscious jams. The group's roster has changed over the years, but founding member Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan has remained a constant, and his familiar voice and jazzy keyboard licks continue to drive the band's fun-loving sets. The multi-ethnic lineup he's assembled stays true to the band's message of harmony and brotherhood, and their 2014 studio debut together – the first new War album in 20 years – proved they've got the musical chemistry to carry on the band's hallowed legacy. In concert they strike up the same funky, feel-good vibe that fueled War's rise to success in the '70s, and their party-starting blend of rubbery basslines, Latin percussion, and scorching saxophone always gets ticket buyers moving their feet.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
War formed in 1969 when famed producer Jerry Goldstein brought together former Animals singer Eric Burdon and a group of Long Beach, CA funk players he discovered at a North Hollywood club. The group started performing throughout Southern California as Eric Burdon and War, and in 1970 they released their debut album Eric Burdon Declares "War." Their first single "Spill the Wine" was a Top 3 hit on Billboard's Hot 100, making them stars overnight and leading to extensive touring. War was quickly hailed as one of the best live bands in the business, but Burdon left the group to pursue other projects a year later. Despite the sudden departure of their frontman, the best was yet to come for War – they dominated the R&B charts in the '70s with a string of No. 1 albums including The World is a Ghetto (1972), Deliver the Word (1973), and Why Can't We Be Friends (1975). The band remained a funk force to be reckoned with throughout the '80s and '90s, and in 2008 Burdon reunited with the group for the first time in 37 years for a one-off show at London's Royal Albert Hall. Since then founding member Lonnie Jordan has kept the music alive with a talented new lineup that made their studio debut on 2014's Evolutionary and continues to burn it up on tour.
