Still selling out after 41 years

Story by John Argyrakis
Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Funk-infused rock n' rollers Chicago filled the picturesque Charter One Pavilion on the Northerly Island lakefront with its loyal fans to parade a series of mega-hits now spanning 41 years and an astounding 100,000,000 albums sold. Although no one can deny their musicianship, verve and entertaining abilities, some of these smashes have stood the test of time better than others, while a somewhat similar set list to past tours appears a little too familiar, perhaps to the point of seeming stale. But then again, once the sold out crowd stood on its feet to the early oldies but goodies "Dialogue (Part I & II)" and "Colour My World," those experiencing Chicago for the first time (or even the twentieth considering most attendees are truly fervent) were swept into instantaneous horn-heavy euphoria.

Throughout the next ninety minutes, it was a constant sing-a-long of its impressive history, which despite not going towards the deep cuts die-hards hoped for, still came across with genuine sincerity and cohesion that stems from the clock work of touring every single summer. Focusing more on its late 1960s and 1970s outpouring over the similar sounding ballads of the 80s, crests included "Just You 'n' Me" and "Saturday In the Park" with hints of instrumental improvisation. The mid-tempo melodies of the later era's "You're Not Alone" also earned a fresh coat of paint, though the group surprisingly didn't touch the present tense, such as anything from 2006's comeback collection XXX.

However, the guys did verbally plug the brand new Stone of Sisyphus release, one of rock's most storied unreleased albums (think a distant cousin of the Beach Boys turned Brian Wilson solo CD *Smile*). As legend has it, the project was shelved by Warner Brothers in 1994 due to its experimental tendencies and lack of commercial appeal, leading members to leave the label because they refused to compromise. But after numerous bootlegs, internet clips and a handful of songs showing up on Chicago compilations, faithful are rejoicing its finally seen the light of day via Rhino Records (which is ironically part of the extended Warner Brothers family). In any case, a cut or two off the jazz and funk focused disc would've been intriguing additions to the fairly standard song selections.

But the hometown headliners did shake up the tried and true scenario during a joint encore performance with openers the Doobie Brothers that would've blown the roof off the outdoor amphitheatre if it had one. The stage was completely covered in musicians from both bands, adding extra amplification to Doobies' staples like "Rockin' Down The Highway" and "Listen To the Music," along with Chicago's cornerstones "Free" and "25 or 6 to 4." As the combined troupe took a final bow, the vibe was truly electric, suggesting the pair could thrive on the concert circuit well into the future, assuming both acts are willing to interject some additional variety from the vaults of those consistently celebrated catalogues.