Courtesy
Chicago
Classically known in the music canon as a softer side to rock in its unhinged, full throttle glory days, Chicago’s emphasized on the music itself, a focused and calculated fusion of jazz, rock and pop, rather than larger than life attitudes. There were enough moments to keep fans and newcomers on their toes, like dueling drum solos, stripped-down performances, surprise material and, of course, Chicago’s signature sound as the cherry on top of a well-rounded performance. Personally, Chicago was one of the loudest show I’ve been to, and that’s saying something.
With a total of nine men on stage at once, including the band's four founding members (Robert Lamm, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow and Walter Parazaider), all contributed a generous helping to the music they were creating, making a sound that can only be described as classic and timeless. The countless hits were all there and then some. After breaking out an alternative version of “Another Rainy Day in New York City” for the first time in concert and a solo piano performance of “If You Leave Me Now,” Chicago knows just how to treat their devoted fans to rare gems.
A staple on the now defunct soft rock 101.9 radio station and the soundtrack to ‘70s love affairs, Chicago’s draw reaches far and wide. The crowd itself consisted of mostly older fans, thirsty for both nostalgia and just some good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll, but there was still a sprinkle of new fans.
As one of the best-selling, blockbuster bands of the 20th century, with over 16 studio albums and counting, Chicago shows no signs of becoming a pop-culture artifact, instead settling on being as alive and thriving as the music they craft.
