These are 12 of the best live music acts of the 70s.

The 1970s was a fantastic time for music, with many iconic artists releasing some of their best work. Many of the acts were so successful that they still have fruitful touring careers to this very day. Here we take a look back at some of the best live artists of the 1970s.

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Boney M

In many ways the quintessential disco act of the 70s, Boney M delivered countless crossover hits, including ‘Daddy Cool’, ‘Rasputin’ and ‘Rivers of Babylon’. And Christmas playlists every year nearly always include their classic calypso take on the carol ‘Mary’s Boy Child / Oh My Lord’. The group now features three dynamic singers alongside original vocalist Maizie Williams, all of whom bring the joy of the group’s 70s heyday to modern audiences.

Kool and the Gang

Kool and the Gang started life as a mostly instrumental funk/jazz group before letting loose and creating some of the most iconic pop/r&b singles of all time. From early 1970s classics like ‘Jungle Boogie’ to later gems ‘Get Down On It’, ‘Celebration’ and ‘Ladies Night’. Kool and the Gang continue to delight audiences worldwide with their jazz chops and pop sensibility, with their euphoric Glastonbury performances being particular standouts.

Chaka Khan

Throughout the 1970s, Chaka Khan was the frontwoman of funk/r&b outfit Rufus. The group produced some of the most sophisticated music in their field. In the late 70s Chaka Khan went solo, releasing a string of hit singles including ‘I’m Every Woman’, ‘I Feel For You’ and ‘Ain’t Nobody’. Read our Chaka Khan career retrospective here for more information on this incomparable talent.

Village People

One of the most iconic groups of the entire decade, their hit single ‘YMCA’ has become such a huge part of the cultural fabric that it seems like people are born knowing the lyrics, not to mention the dance moves. With five long-term members still in the group, Village People continue to delight audiences with their classic material, and with their hit original show Trash Disco.

George Clinton

James Brown invented funk but George Clinton made it freaky. The producer-singer-songwriter masterminded the entire P-Funk movement, featuring the connected groups Parliament, Funkadelic, Brides of Funkenstein and Bootsy’s Rubber Band. Clinton has never stopped touring with Funkadelic, taking the band’s legendarily raucous live shows worldwide and pushing curfews to the limit with extended improvised setlists.

Sister Sledge

With ‘We Are Family’, Sister Sledge secured their place in musical history. Over the years the real-life sisters stayed true to their word, with three original members still touring together today. The group worked with the likes of Chic’s Nile Rodgers, as well as producing and writing their own material.

Gloria Gaynor

One of dance music’s most well-known singers, Gloria Gaynor was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame in 2005. Her song ‘I Will Survive’ has become a definitive disco classic, acting as an anthem both of female empowerment and for the gay rights movement. With several other hits to her name, Gaynor’s recent live shows prove she has done far more than merely survive.

Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate established themselves as one of the best British soul bands of the 70s. Between 1970 and 1984 the band had at least one major hit every year. Their biggest song, ‘You Sexy Thing’, has proven its staying power by reaching the Top 10 in three separate decades. Hot Chocolate continue to perform, bringing their many hits to a new generation of fans.

Shalamar

US disco outfit Shalamar was one of the biggest disco bands on the planet throughout the 70s and 80s. Formed by the creators of the iconic TV show Soul Train, their hits include ‘A Night to Remember’, ‘I Owe You One’ and ‘Take That to the Bank’. The group is still going strong today, with a recent appearance on no less than Strictly Come Dancing, one of the country’s most popular shows.

Chris Norman

Chris Norman is well known as a member of the band Smokie, whose seminal ‘Living Next Door to Alice’ reached the top five on release, and then again twenty years later. Norman went on to have a successful solo career, collaborating with the likes of ABBA and Suzi Quatro, and recording acclaimed solo albums, the latest of which was released in 2017.

Suzi Quatro

Suzi Quatro went down in history as the first female bass player to become a hitmaking solo artist. Over her career, Quatro has played hard rock, glam rock, psychedelic and country as a solo artist and with bands, and she’s sold over 50 million albums. Recently, she has hosted Quatrophonic, a classic rock radio show on BBC Radio 2. She continues to tour around the world.

Fatback Band

Also known simply as Fatback, the Fatback Band have put out over 35 albums over their career, having a hand in the development of funk, disco, and even hip-hop. With hits like ‘Yum Yum’ and ‘I Like Girls’, the band has won plaudits for their recent concerts’ raw funk sound after appearances at Glastonbury, Ibiza, and the prestigious Jazz Cafe.