Before he became a very successful schlockmeister with several vacuously effusive hits and maudlin ballads in the ’80s (“All Night Long [All Night]),” “Running with the Night,” “Endless Love,” “Truly,” etc.), Lionel Richie was a vital cog in Commodores. With that Motown group, Richie helped to promulgate a flashy and gritty species of funk that became sample fodder for many hip-hop tracks, while also dwelling in the charts; “Brick House,” anyone? Check out scorching, mid-’70s Commodores albums such as Machine Gun, Caught in the Act, and Movin’ On for proof that Richie had some street toughness in his songwriting and vocal delivery. If he dips into Commodores’ catalog beyond “Easy” and “Three Times a Lady,” this outdoor performance could be interesting. by Dave Segal