Review and Photos by Fred Kuhlman
Promoter: Danny Zelisko Presents (https://dzplive.com/ )
Venue: Celebrity Theatre (https://celebritytheatre.com/ )
Date: November 9th, 2025
I grew up in the 60s and 70s when it was fashionable to have bands with more than just guitars and drums. We had amazing bands that included fantastic horn sections. Three of the better were Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago & Earth Wind and Fire. Even today I really enjoy when a band expands its sound by adding a horn section like Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers with The Jons (Local Phoenix/Tucson bands).
Out of Mother Russia comes Leonid & Friends that do covers of this amazing music. They initially started out doing covers of Chicago songs, but have expanded their repertoire to include many other bands.
Like Chicago and Earth Wind & Fire, Leonid & Friends have a large number of members. Leonid Vorobyev is the founding member of the band and he plays bass guitar. The 3-piece horn section consists of Andrey Zyl, Oleg Kudryavtsev and Maxim Likhachev. They also have 4 vocalists; Mikhail Puntov, Danil Buranov, Vasily Akimov and Ksenia Buzina. The musicians include guitarist Konstantin Kovachev, drummer Igor Javad-Zade and keyboardist Sergey Kurmaev. As you can see, they filled the stage at the Celebrity Theatre.
The show consisted of 2 sets each over 1 hour in length. I am not going to do a song-by-song review, you can see the setlist below. I was impressed by their cover of Steely Dan’s “My Old School”. And when they performed Chicago’s “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day”, I closed my eyes and it felt like I was at an actual Chicago concert. They are that good. They had numerous standing ovations throughout the show. The fans loved them.
They have expanded their music covers to include songs by Tower of Power, Burt Bacharach, The Spencer Davis Group and Stevie Wonder. These added covers show the true dynamic range of the performers. Their cover of Ashford & Simpson’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” brought the house down. People in the audience were singing along with the band. It was just one of those moments of extreme joys throughout the venue. They ended the second set by 2 of my favorite songs, “I’m a Man” and “25 or 6 to 4”. Everyone was on their feet dancing and singing along. It was a fantastic way to close out the night.
So, if you like Chicago, Blood Sweat & Tears or Earth, Wind & Fire music, then I can very highly recommend seeing Leonid & Friends. You will enjoy every minute of the show.
Below are links to their website and social media sites. Please check out to see if they will be coming to a city never you. You will love the show and become a fan just like me. I will definitely see you at their next Phoenix area show.
Leonid and Friends Social Media sites:
Website: https://leonidandf.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Leonidandfriends/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leonidandfriends
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LeonidVorobyevandfriends
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leonidandbandfriends
Photos © Fred Kuhlman 2025, All Rights Reserved
Leonid and Friends Setlist: (cover)
Set 1:
Make Me Smile (Chicago)
One Fine Morning (Lighthouse)
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? (Chicago)
So Very Hard to Go (Tower of Power)
Vehicle (The Ides of March)
Overjoyed (Stevie Wonder)
Groupie (Superstar) (Delaney & Bonnie)
I Say a Little Prayer (Burt Bacharach)
Feelin’ Stronger Every Day (Chicago)
Reasons (Earth, Wind & Fire)
Questions 67 & 68 (Chicago)
Set 2:
Fantasy (Earth, Wind & Fire)
Colour My World (Chicago)
Beginnings (Chicago)
(I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long (Chicago)
My Old School (Steely Dan)
This Is Rus
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (Ashford & Simpson)
Hard to Say I’m Sorry / Get Away (Chicago)
I’m a Man (The Spencer Davis Group)
25 or 6 to 4 (Chicago)
Make Me Smile (Reprise) (Chicago)
Encore:
September (Earth, Wind & Fire)
