Chicago
Seneca Niagara Events Center
Niagara Falls, NY
Saturday May 5, 2012
Review/Photos By: Joseph Suto
No one at the Seneca Niagara Events Center seemed to care that the band have only released two studio albums since the turn of 2000. The entity known as Chicago played many of their greatest hits to a sold out crowd, Saturday evening. One of the longest tenured and notable bands in music history, Chicago made it seem like a walk in the park as they delivered a showing that clocked in just a smidgen under two hours.
The band started off things with the heart of Chicago ll- the full thirteen minutes of “Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon”. The two songs that lurk within “Make Me Smile” and “Colour My World” were the focal point. By the time the band asked “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?”, the crowd was easily enthralled. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening was the lack of “Baby What A Big Surprise”, a top 5 hit from 1977.
The hits laden set kept rolling along with old favorites “Old Days”, “You’re The Inspiration” and “Beginnings”. “If You Leave Me Now” featured a special guest vocalist who won the opportunity to sing alongside bassist Jason Scheff. It wasn’t until Robert Lamm appeared center-stage with his key-tar and hit those familiar notes of “Saturday In The Park” which brought the majority of the audience to their feet for the first time of the night. With an American flag in the background, the double encore of “Free” and “25 or 6 To 4” closed out the set in fine fashion.
Chicago still boasts four of six original members which really shows how the core of this group has stuck beside each other throughout the years. The band can easily fill up a two hour slot and still not play all of their hits. Between the highs and lows they have persevered. The musicianship is spot on and these seasoned veterans have shown they have only gotten better with age.
Chicago is:
Robert Lamm- Keyboards/Vocals
Walter Parazaider- Sax/Woodwinds/Backing Vocals
Lee Loughnane- Trumpet/Percussion/Vocals
James Pankow- Trombone/vocals
Jason Scheff- Bass/Vocals
Keith Howland- Guitars/Vocals
Tris Imboden- Drums/Percussion
Daniel Reyes- Percussion
Lou Pardini- Keyboards
Set List
Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon
(Make Me Smile
So Much to Say, So Much to Give
Anxiety’s Moment
West Virginia Fantasies
Colour My World
To Be Free
Now More Than Ever)
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
Dialogue (Part I & II)
Alive Again
Call On Me
Old Days
If You Leave Me Now
(I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long
Mongonucleosis
Hard Habit to Break
You’re the Inspiration
Beginnings
I’m A Man
Street Player
Just You ‘n’ Me
Saturday In The Park
Hard to Say I’m Sorry/Get Away/Feelin’ Stronger Every Day
Encore
Free
25 or 6 to 4
Special Thanks to Tony Astran who set us up for reviewing the show
