The
Cincinnati Music Festival
returned to Paycor Stadium on July 25, bringing the Queen City another night full of unforgettable performances.
Funk, soul and R&B legends, including Earth, Wind & Fire, Anthony Hamilton, Jazmine Sullivan and more, had the crowd on their feet as they took over the Bengals' field Friday night.
Dayton's very own Zapp Band kicked off the show by proving to audiences that "ain't no party like a Zapp Band party." Then, Maroon 5 keyboardist PJ Morton hit the stage doing what he does best: tickling the ivories while crooning to some soulful tunes.
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The Cincinnati Music Festival then transformed into Ladies Night when powerhouse R&B vocalist Jazmine Sullivan graced the stage. Sullivan's signature raspy voice riled up all the scorned women in the stadium as she sang about love, heartbreak and revenge.
Earth, Wind & Fire, dubbed the "greatest band in the world" by Sullivan, brought the house down with their eclectic fusion of soul and funk sounds supported by their approximately
nine-person ensemble
as fireworks from Great American Ball Park lit up the skies.
For the grand finale, singer, songwriter and actor Anthony Hamilton turned the dial down a few notches with a seemingly endless medley of southern R&B fitting for the festival's sophisticated, older crowd.
The festivities continue at Paycor Stadium on July 26, with headliner LL Cool J and special guest Toni Braxton. But before then, here are the highlights from night two of the
2025 Cincinnati Music Festival
.
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Cincinnati Music Festival 2025: 5 biggest moments from Paycor Stadium's July 25 show
Ain't no party like a Zapp Band party
The Zapp Band had the stadium pumped up for night two of the Cincinnati Music Festival, energizing the crowd with its unique voice-box technofunk sound and matching light-up suits.
The Dayton band, which became famous in the 1970s, filled its set with a variety of theatrics and gimmicks that thoroughly entertained me. Their performance included multiple costume changes, a harmonica solo, surprise backup dancers dressed as referees, a quick sermon and moment of silence, and an homage to "California Love" by Tupac Shakur, which samples the band's 1982 hit "Dance Floor" and founding member Roger Troutman's 1981 song "So Ruff, So Tuff," according to
Genius
.
And they did it all while grooving to the band's futuristic synth hits such as "Computer Love," "More Bounce to the Ounce," and "I Want to Be Your Man." The only thing missing was a surprise performance from Cincinnati's own master of funk,
Bootsy Collins
.
Near the end of their set, the pioneering funk band thanked the Queen City for showing them some love, saying, "Cincinnati knows how to party."
They also told the crowd to make so much noise that they'll "hear you all the way up in Toledo."
PJ Morton takes audiences to church during night two of the Cincinnati Music Festival
Morton is more than just the keyboardist for pop band Maroon 5. He is also a
five-time Grammy-winning
singer, songwriter and record producer, which he more than proved to audiences on July 25, while playing a variety of original R&B songs and a few Gospel covers.
Morton talked about winning his fifth Grammy award in 2024 for his song "Good Morning" featuring Susan Carol, which he proceeded to perform live. He also reminisced about collaborating with his hero Stevie Wonder in 2013 on a song called "Only One," which he encapsulated with a performance of the modern classic.
He then closed out his set by singing a powerful duet and engaging in a little vocal sparring with background singer Jazmin Crumley.
Jazmine Sullivan sings to all the scorned ladies at Paycor Stadium
Jazmine Sullivan might have been the only female headliner for the festival on July 25, but the "Insecure" singer made sure that the women in the audience felt represented through her performance.
Sullivan, known for her deep, raspy voice, wide vocal range and emotionally raw lyrics, explored themes of love, revenge, self-worth, male validation and breaking the cycle of acceptance, while performing a compilation of her biggest hits, including "10 Seconds," "Bust Your Windows," "Need U Bad," "Pick Up Your Feelings," "In Love with Another Man," "Lions, Tigers & Bears," "Girl Like Me" featuring H.E.R. and more.
Sullivan's unique blend of contemporary R&B, soul, gospel and reggae influences gave
quiet storm
, late-night radio vibes, especially as a vibrant orange and red sunset transformed the upbeat evening into a moody night illuminated by smartphone flashlights.
Ice Cube makes a surprise appearance at the Cincinnati Music Festival to introduce Earth, Wind & Fire
Before Earth, Wind & Fire continued the "party in the Nati," legendary rapper and actor
Ice Cube
surprised fans by appearing on stage to introduce the
six-time Grammy-winning band
. His unexpected appearance also served as a promotion for his
Big3 basketball league
, which is scheduled to play games at Heritage Bank Center on July 26, the last night of the
Cincinnati Music Festival
.
I want to thank everybody for supporting, first of all, supporting me for 40 years in the business," the rapper said. "We love you, Cincinnati. Thank you for hosting the Big3. Thank you for supporting the homeboy Ice Cube. Thank you, P&G. We love y'all.
After Ice Cube welcomed the legendary Chicago band on stage, the nine-member ensemble launched into a non-stop medley of soul and funk jams, including "September," "Fantasy," "Shining Star," "Let's Groove," "That's the Way of the World," "Boogie Wonderland," and more.
During their set, Earth, Wind & Fire electrified the crowd once again and had people boogying for what seemed like ages. Even I had to take a break from my diligent note-taking to butcher a couple of verses from my favorite song, "Reasons."
After more than five decades in the music industry, Earth, Wind & Fire is still one of the best-selling R&B bands of all time, according to the
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
, and it's not hard to imagine why.
Although Earth, Wind & Fire was the penultimate act of the night, in my opinion, their performance was the highlight of the festival. The group danced and sang on stage like it was the '70s again (even though many of the band's senior members are in their mid-70s).
Their masterful performance, full of energy and theatrics, had fans of all ages on their feet, proving that no matter how old you are, you can still get your groove on.
As I sat high in the nosebleed seats with the summer breeze and soulful melodies wafting over me, I found myself agreeing with a statement my mother, Gina Ogwude, often repeated throughout my childhood when playing Earth, Wind & Fire (her favorite band of all time).
"This is when music was good."
Anthony Hamilton almost put me to sleep, but in a good way
Praising himself as the "narrator of love," Anthony Hamilton's performance at Paycor Stadium was the embodiment of a late-night radio show. His sultry, deep voice, endless vocal loops and comments to the crowd about "slowing things down" almost put me to sleep, but in a good way, I suppose.
I must admit I was not an Anthony Hamilton fan before his performance at CMF. I only knew his 2003 hit "Charlene" before he took over the stage. Honestly, I can't say that I'll be running to turn on the neo-soul singer's music in the future.
But for one night, I was taken away by his hypnotic R&B tunes and calming stage presence. After a long night on my feet, I welcomed the brief reprieve as Hamilton gently lulled me into a blissful daze with his gravelly, southern sound.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer:
"We love you, Cincinnati." Ice Cube crashes 2025 Music Fest, introduces Earth, Wind & Fire
