For the Love of Music


The For the Love of Music Tour was the sixth concert tour by American group En Vogue. Set up ahead of the group's anticipated seventh studio album Electric Café (20179, it was launched on April 6, 2017 in Dublin, Ireland and concluded in Bremen, Germany on April 25.

Background

In 2009, the original members of En Vogue reunited for the 20th Anniversary Tour, performing select dates across North America. Although the group intended to record new music together, original member Dawn Robinson ultimately declined to participate in the album due to unresolved business disagreements following the tour. In May 2012, Maxine Jones also departed the group over contractual disagreements related to a proposed deal with their new label, Rufftown Entertainment. A month later, Rhona Bennett, who had previously replaced Robinson and Jones from 2004 until the band's anniversary, rejoined En Vogue and continued touring with Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron.
In 2014, Bennett, Ellis, and Herron began work on Electric Café, their first original album in more than a decade. In 2016, Herron and Ellis established En Vogue Records and signed a deal with eOne Music to distribute the album. As part of the album's early promotion, the group announced on February 8, 2017, that they would embark on a European tour, called For the Love of Music. In addition to renditions of the group's well-known recorded material as well as new songs from Electric Café, En Vogue decided to perform a tribute to celebrated female singers of times past during an "Old School Medley" section of their show. Notable songs performed were "Respect" by Aretha Franklin and "Proud Mary" by Tina Turner.

Reception

Reviews of For the Love of Music cited the impressive vocals of the group's members as well as the intricate instrumentation of the songs, and praised the group's set list. Louise Bruton, writing for The Irish Times, described the show on April 6, 2017 in Dublin as "like a volcano meeting a lightning bolt." She felt that "at the core of En Vogue's performance is an entertainment model that the likes of The Four Seasons and The Supremes used. They are here to entertain to you by all means necessary Dressed all in black, they lure us in with perfectly choreographed arm flicks and body twists that connect them like a beautiful, mechanical K'Nex display as their earth-shattering vocals hit every note and throw in a few extra, just to be sure." Renowned for Sound editor Brendon Veevers praised the April 7, 2017 show in London, writing: "Over the course of the night En Vogue proved that they can still give the latest pop starlets on the charts a good run for their money as they turned out a nostalgic string of hits to a sold out crowd, bringing the house down with impeccable vocals – individually and with tight-knit harmonies – and a confident strut and swagger that reminded London that they were back in town and they meant business. Dianne Bourne from Manchester Evening News described the April 8, 2017 show in Machester as "a blistering one hour set. The crowd scream and yell but to no avail for an encore. These ladies know just how to leave an audience begging for more.

Set list

This set list is representative of the April 17, 2017 show in Cologne.
  1. "Instrumental Intro"
  2. "No No No "
  3. "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)"
  4. "You Don't Have to Worry"
  5. "Lies"
  6. "Whatta Man"
  7. "Ooh Boy"
  8. "Free Your Mind"
  9. "Give It Up, Turn It Loose"
  10. "Emotions"
  11. "Deja Vu"
  12. "Don't Let Go (Love)"
  13. "Old School Medley"
  14. "Giving Him Something He Can Feel"
  15. "Piece of My Love"
  16. "Hold On"