Nile Rodgers and CHIC – Live Review – Scarborough Open Air Theatre
By Steve Crabtree, August 2026
People who know and read me will know that whenever Nile Rodgers and CHIC announce a Yorkshire date, my inner disco addiction kicks straight in. There’s no resistance, I just have to make sure that I get along to see them.
It’s a good addiction. One that I’m not seeking any help for, and neither am I trying to fight it. If anything, I encourage others to get hooked too.
So, when their 2026 show at Scarborough Open Air Theatre was confirmed, my wife Alex and I made sure we were there. Having seen Nile and the band five times before, including a couple of unforgettable nights right here by the coast, we already knew what to expect. A CHIC show guarantees endless soul, relentless dancing, and huge smiles everywhere…
“Euphoric chorus”
This Saturday night had an extra celebration going on too. It marked the grand finale of the venue’s live summer season, but even better, it was the 200th live headline music show ever staged at this fantastic amphitheatre. Having walked through these gates 27 times over the last nine years, it was nice to be part of that milestone.
We took our spots inside the OAT just in time for the start of the Brand New Heavies support set. Their slick acid-jazz grooves were the perfect warm-up for the evening. Nostalgic 90s anthems like ‘Midnight at the Oasis’, ‘Dream On Dreamer’, and ‘Sometimes’ showed just why these guys are still brilliant.
I could quite easily come to a Brand New Heavies headline show, because they’re so easy to enjoy. And, by the time that euphoric chorus of set closer ‘You Are the Universe’ came around, thousands of us were joining in and were more than just warmed up.
“Pretty untouchable”
As the stagehands finished setting up for the main man and his crew, darkness had rolled in and this seaside town was primed for a proper party. Rodgers and the CHIC organisation emerged to an almighty welcome and dived straight into ‘Le Freak’. Then, without pausing for breath, they launched into a flawless run of hits like ‘Everybody Dance’, ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’, and ‘I Want Your Love’. It was a masterclass in pure pop history, reminding us that Nile Rodgers remains one of the most influential hitmakers to ever pick up a guitar.
His catalogue of hits is simply untouchable, and hearing them performed live never gets old.
With a light show running throughout the evening, Alex was shining bright in her sparkly skirt, while the coastal chill meant my disco shirt had to stay mainly hidden under a jacket. Sad times, but that didn’t matter. The music kept landing too, and we got Diana Ross anthems ‘Upside Down’ and ‘I’m Coming Out’, alongside Sister Sledge floor-fillers ‘We Are Family’ and ‘Lost in Music’.
Nile treated us to a few surprises along the way, too. Hearing Madonna’s ‘Dress You Up’ was a rare live treat that went down an absolute storm. Beyoncé’s ‘CUFF IT’ also made an appearance. It was the first time I’d been their for either of those tunes, and the latter showing just how relevant his sound remains across the decades.
“Swagger and a smile”
As usual, the venue was one massive, open-air dance floor. The crowd was a wonderful mix of disco die-hards and multi-generational groups, dancing shoulder-to-shoulder with massive grins. You could look around see everybody singing at each other, everyone caught up in this Nile Rodgers groove.
The entire band looked like they were really enjoying this one too, feeding off the loud Yorkshire crowd coming back at them. Nile still shared his famous backstories between tracks, which is always a treat to hear. But this time around, he kept the anecdotes noticeably shorter. I dont mind hearing his stories time and again, but it was a tweak that let the night carry an unbroken musical flow.
We danced our way through ‘Like a Virgin’ (Madonna), ‘Notorious’ (Duran Duran), and ‘Get Lucky’ (Pharell Williams), and the incredible vocal power of Audrey Martells and Naomi Rodgers was pretty mind-blowing.
Meanwhile, Jerry Barnes held down those legendary basslines with a swagger and a smile, and the rest of the band were as tight and funky as they always are.
“Maximum funkosity”
Drummer Ralph Rolle almost managed to steal the entire night towards the end. Whilst banging away at the back, he whipped the crowd up with a “maximum funkosity” monologue, before delivering a storming lead vocal on David Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’. The place went utterly wild, jumping and shouting along with every word.
The hour and a half had moved far too quickly though, and we soon got to the very summit of the season. The night reached its peak with an extended, glorious rendition of ‘Good Times’. Every single pair of feet were moving, every hand was in the air, and the entire venue was singing along. It was the ultimate soundtrack to close out another brilliant summer by the sea.
Sadly, these shows always come to an end far too soon. But as we joined the happy crowds heading out, Alex and I agreed this was probably the best we’d ever seen them. Scarborough clearly adores Nile Rodgers and CHIC, and whenever they decide to return, you can bet we’ll be right back there with them.
Images: Cuffe & Taylor
Give Steve music, give him food, give him theatre, tech or travel… and he’s a happy man. He’s been writing professionally since 2003, turning to journalism in 2017 when it offered him the chance to enjoy a lot of his existing passions, and learn some new ones at the same time. Steve can be found spending many of his summer nights watching bands at The Piece Hall in his hometown of Halifax, or enjoying a bite to eat and a drink with his wife anywhere in Yorkshire at any time of year. Random fact: He does the best impression of Zippy and George from Rainbow that anyone has ever heard.
