Concert Review: Chicago at PPAC
Sunday, October 18, 2015
It was a tale of two bands Friday night when Chicago played to a near capacity crowd at the Providence Performing Arts Center. The band brought classic hits from the two major stages of their career, the 1970’s jazz/rock era and 80’s/90’s soft rock period.
It was a solid show, starring one of the top selling American bands of all time depending on which chart you consult. Here’s a band that has sold over 100 million albums, recorded 21 Top 10 singles, and in the early 70’s, saw 5 consecutive #1 albums. We’re talking Taylor Swift territory here.
But it was also clear that the earlier material has held up better than the latter. Sure, a few of their more recent tunes provided some strong moments, but the highlights Friday came on early Chicago hits, mainly recorded from 1969-1978, the year the band tragically lost lead guitarist Terry Kath.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTFirst Set
The show began on a high note, with the instrumental “Introduction” followed by the FM radio staple “Questions 67 & 68,” a song that energized the crowd with its mid-song change in tempo. “Dialogues Part I&II” followed. The tune is a horn driven classic with lyrics reflecting the era when it was penned:
“We can make it happen, we can change the world now. We can save the children, we can make it better.”
Chicago was one of the first bands to put a horn section front and center, and that element is still the concert highlight. The horn players (original members Lee Loughhnane on trumpet and James Pankow on trombone with touring member Ray Herrmann on sax and woodwinds), still make up the core of the band. They shine on pretty much every tune.
“If You Leave Me Now” was next, the first of several soft rock ballads that became #1 hits. The songs, driven by synthesizers, are popular with their fans, but don’t seem to have the same staying power as the earlier classics.
Other early hits followed including the upbeat “Call on Me,” and the brooding “I’ve Been Searching So Long,” which gradually exploded to fill PPAC with, shall we say, a roomful of horns. Later in the first set, the mood turned acoustic with “Another Rainy Day in New York City,” featuring original member Robert Lamm on vocals. “I’m still working on this song,” first released in 1976, he noted wryly.
The set closed with a rousing version of “Make Me Smile,” with a couple of other songs looped in, including the 70’s high school prom classic “Colour My World.”
Second Set
The second set opened with another #1 hit “Old Days,” a song which serves as a bridge between the band’s 70’s sound and the snyth driven sound of the 80’s. “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” followed - a fine version with a lot of crowd participation.
Soft rock chart toppers “Hard Habit to Break” and “You’re My Inspiration” were next, with the band nailing what has to be the biggest wedding song (Inspiration) of the last 30 years. “Beginnings” came mid-set, and featured two 12 string guitars strumming at the same time, not a common site on any stage. It’s a great song, and was a real crowd pleaser.
Perhaps the highlight of the night saw the band return to its hometown roots with a Latin-tinged version of “I’m a Man” featuring extended percussion solos from drummers Tris Imboden and Walfredo Reyes. The set closed with more classics - “Just You and Me,” with a jazzy soprano sax solo from Herrmann and then everyone on their feet for the happiest sing-a-long of all time “Saturday in the Park.”
The two song encore finished strong with “Free” followed by a triumphant “25 or 6 to 4,” a song that purportedly gives an answer to the question “Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is.” The 2½ hour show was a great example of the band's appeal.
Rock Hall in 2016?
It’s no secret that Chicago, perhaps the top selling American group of all time, has not been inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They’re on the fan ballot this year and although some are critical of their mid-career slide toward the middle, their early material should be more than enough to include them in the Hall. (Not to mention their innovative use of the horn section in Rock and Roll.) There’s also been speculation that the band a rocky relationship with Rolling Stone magazine publisher and influential Hall founder Jann Wenner.
Whatever the reason, it seems their induction is long overdue. If Abba and Kiss can be there, not to mention solo Ringo Starr, it’s time to forgive Chicago for their soft rock mishaps. Stay tuned.
Ken Abrams review Roots, Rock and Blues for GoLocalProv. E-Mail him here.
Note: The original version of this story mistakenly identified (original member) Walter Parazaider as the band's sax player. Ray Herrmann, who frequently tours with Chicago, was on sax and woodwinds Friday night at PPAC.
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