Chicago
Mayo Performing Arts Center – Morristown, NJ – October 26, 2024
Review & Photos – Rebecca Wolf
https://www.instagram.com/rebeccawolfconcertphotos/
For any band it’s an incredible feat to have original musicians still touring after more than a half century. It’s a testament to the members’ devotion to the band, the music, their love of performing and their ongoing musical abilities. However, equally impressive is having a dedicated and adoring fanbase that continues to sell out performances after more than five decades. One of these rare bands, still touring after more than fifty-five years and packing venues across the US is Chicago. While Chicago’s hits were born in the 1970s and 1980s, they remain timeless. They are pieces of musical art, due in part to the incorporation of horns, as well as the infusion of jazz, R&B and pop, together creating a unique rock and roll sound.
It’s not surprising that over a more than fifty year span Chicago has had many talented musicians and vocalists enter and exit the band. However, of the seven founding members, three have remained consistent throughout the band’s tenure, including Robert Lamm, on keyboards and lead vocals, Lee Loughnane on trumpet and backing vocals, and James Pankow on trombone and backing vocals. Attending a Chicago concert and seeing these three incredible musicians continue to perform with such vitality and instrumental/vocal skill is awe-inspiring. Inspirational on another level is watching and hearing the band’s newer musicians who’ve been readily absorbed into the folds of the band, which has been integral in keeping Chicago on the road and their music alive.
On October 26th, the tour stopped at Mayo PAC in Morristown, NJ to perform for a sold out crowd. The theater was abuzz with excitement from the moment fans entered, eagerly awaiting the band’s arrival. A rush of cheers rang out through the audience with the band’s entrance, as brilliantly colored lights suddenly illuminated the stage and spotlighted the musicians. Opening with Dialogue (Part I & II), provided the perfect opportunity to showcase Chicago’s horns, along with the sax, guitar and bass, all positioned across the front of the stage. Noticeably absent from the stage front was James Pankow on trombone (who’s seemingly been absent for several shows.) In his place was Nick Lane, who’s been Pankow’s sub over the past 25 years. Having come to expect the three “founding fathers” to still be onstage, fans instantly notice and worry when there’s a change. However, with Pankow, 77, Loughnane, 78, and Lamm recently turning 80, there will be times when absences arise or the band is altered in order to support to the elder statesmen.
A recent addition to the band’s roster, in support of Robert Lamm, has been keyboardist and vocalist, Carlos Murguia. In the dim lights of the stage’s upper level, Murguia could be seen at Mayo PAC performing on Lamm’s keyboards, as Lamm sang lead vocals at the front of the stage (no longer playing the keytar while singing.) While Lamm might no longer be traversing the stage with a musical instrument while singing, his vocals on “Make Me Smile,” “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is,” and “Beginnings,” have maintained the warm, rich and full sound that his fans have loved for the past five decades. Murguia remained on keys during moments when Lamm was briefly off stage, and impressed the crowd with his beautifully powerful lead vocals on “Just You ’n’ Me.”
In 2022, I attended bass player Eric Baines’ first performance with Chicago. From that first night he seemed to instantly connect with the band and the music. Now two years later, as Baines sang lead on “I’m a Man,” it was amazing to witness how new members flourish in the band when surrounded by the iconic music and members of Chicago. There’s no greater example of this than the band’s lead singer since 2018, Neil Donell. For the past six years, Donell has performed lead vocals on many of the numbers performed by original member Peter Cetera, including “Call on Me,” “(I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long,” “If You Leave Me Now,” “Old Days,” “Hard Habit to Break,” “You’re the Inspiration,” and “ Hard to Say I’m Sorry.” Donell’s voice is smooth and pure, with soulfulness that perfectly translates the depth from which these song were written. It’s one thing to sing someone else’s songs, it’s on another level when there’s feeling behind the music and Donell has captured that feeling.
Additional Chicago musicians who’ve recently joined as touring members are Loren Gold on keyboards and backing vocals, in 2022 and Tony Obrohta on guitar and backing vocals, in 2021. While these artists are “new” to the band, this musical group performs with the unspoken language of those who’ve spent decades building connections.
While no one can replace Pankow’s dynamic energy and endearing charm, Lane performed on the trombone with passion and skill, moving about the stage and joining forces with Loughnane on trumpet and Herrmann on sax for incredible horn/woodwind trios. Throughout the evening, Herrmann’s spirted performance on the sax was riveting, as he moved about the stage, raising the instrument high in the air and dipping forward to the ground, all the while continuing to play beautiful melodic notes. Not only did Hermann draw in the crowd with his saxophone skills but on the flute, as well. While many of the fan-favorites (most of the songs) had audience members enthusiastically singing along, you could hear a pin drop as Loughnane sang the band’s incredibly heart-grabbing, Pankow-penned number “Color My World,” with Herrmann performing the breathtaking flute solo. As the song came to an end you could almost feel a collective sigh float through the theater.
If the phenomenal music, paired with the musicians’ energy wasn’t already enough, the ever-changing, brightly colored, illuminated backdrop added an additional layer of electricity to the performance. A beautiful park was the scenic location for “Saturday in the Park,” while psychedelic shapes, colors and patterns were the backdrop for additional numbers, including “Alive Again” and “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day,” and towering red, yellow and orange flames raced across the backdrop during a fiery extended drum/percussion solo performed by drummer Walfredo (Wally) Reyes Jr and percussionist Ramon (Ray) Yslas. Of course, no Chicago concert would be complete without a phenomenal, high-octane performance of the band’s hit song, “25 or 6 to 4,” as the energy onstage was met by the joyful passion emanating from the crowd, all of their feet and singing along.
As Chicago remains on the road after more than half a century, a testament to their devotion to the band and to their music, it’s clear adoring fans will continue to pack theaters across the US, eager to still hear these timeless pieces of musical art that make us feel “Alive Again” and “Feelin’ Stronger Everyday.”
