Lincoln Center hosts tribute to Labelle’s historic 1974 Met concert, spotlighting “Nightbirds: The Music of Labelle”

Lincoln Center will stage a tribute recognizing Labelle’s pioneering work, including a spotlight on the group’s historic 1974 concert at the Metropolitan Opera House, according to Billboard. The event centers on Nightbirds: The Music of Labelle, a project described as a salute to the trio’s earlier breakthrough moment on one of New York’s best-known classical stages.

Billboard’s coverage ties the tribute to the 1974 Met appearance, framing it as a turning point for the group and for the broader crossover of R&B into elite arts spaces. The article characterizes the “Nightbirds” concept as a way to revisit that period while preserving the energy and identity associated with Labelle’s performances.

The Billboard report also references a widely circulated line associated with the group’s legacy, quoting: “We Were All That … And a Bag of Chips!” The quote is presented in connection with the tribute’s message, indicating that the event will lean into the cultural shorthand Labelle used to define their public persona and artistic confidence.

Lincoln Center’s choice to mark the 1974 performance reflects a continuing institutional interest in how popular music history intersects with major performing-arts venues. A Met stage performance by a mainstream R&B act is notable for the way it bridged audience expectations and helped broaden what counts as “serious” musical programming in large, formal halls.

Nightbirds: The Music of Labelle is positioned in the Billboard account as the framework for the tribute, suggesting programming designed to be both commemorative and music-forward. That includes using Labelle’s catalog and performance history as the organizing spine, rather than treating the event as a purely biographical retrospective.

Billboard’s story does not provide additional verified detail in the packet here on the specific date of the Lincoln Center program, participating performers, or the full schedule. As a result, readers will need to look to Lincoln Center’s event listings or announcements for confirmation of the tribute’s timing and lineup.

If the tribute follows the format implied by Nightbirds’ framing, it is expected to place Labelle’s 1974 Met concert at the center of the audience experience, using the group’s songs and recorded legacy to contextualize why the performance remains culturally cited more than five decades later. The next practical step for attendees will be checking Lincoln Center’s published event page for tickets, start time, and any related programming.