CHICAGO:
Feeling Stronger Every Day

When the opportunity arose to see the band "Chicago" at the Fillmore in Denver, I froze for a moment. I had to think about that one. For one thing, I suppose I wasn't paying attention while Chicago became one of only two bands to record hits in five different decades. I thought this was just another band "revival". I was wrong. Chicago has been there all along and "feeling stronger every day".

When I was young, I tended to listen mostly to the music my friends and peers listened to, and the vinyl, (Yes, vinyl), we chose came from "The Who", "The Stones", and "Led Zeppelin". My peer group was drawn toward the hard-driving, rough sounds of the British bands that tore up stages and hotel rooms all through the 70's. We didn't really listen to Chicago, as if we could avoid it.

Back then, Chicago was all over the radio just about anytime you turned the dial, but their music seemed a bit "fluffy" for our rowdy attitudes. Thus, even as I aged, I still thought I preferred the raw, tough bands to the powerful horns and ballads of the "sweet" bands like Chicago. Times do change.

Eventually, there came a time when my musical tastes expanded and my peers all started families. Since I saw less and less of my married friends, I developed more of my own interests. Musically, I found my real tastes were everywhere. I learned I enjoyed a lot of classical music, as well as jazz, big band, and just about anything played with feeling, melody and emotion, but done well. Chicago does that.

The truth is Chicago has been doing that all along. As other bands came, went or reformed, Chicago just kept on going. They encountered a few bumps along the way, but, year after year, they stayed together and kept making good music. I suppose I thought they disappeared because I became so used to having them around and took their talent for granted. When I had a chance at these tickets, I then discovered it was I who disappeared and barely noticed while Chicago played background music for my life. Nearly every one of their songs brought back some good memory. In an unplanned way, their music was now a part of my own personal history, and part of my own personal soundtrack. I also discovered I was not alone. It is just that many others were paying closer attention.

Looking over the long list of hit songs, I realized I knew every one of them. This band has been around since 1967, when they were know as "The Big Thing" and, with their latest album appropriately entitled "Chicago XXX", they have produced 30 albums! On that list are 19 gold albums, 13 platinum albums, 12 Top 10's, and 5 hits that reached number one. That is a sweet resume for a sweet, "fluffy" horn band from the windy city, and they never even tore up a stage or ruined a hotel room. That cannot happen without many people noticing. What else could I do? I took the tickets and went to see the show. I was not disappointed.

Without a doubt, forty years of practice has paid off. The band was just as tight, together and crisp as if they mixed the show in the studio, but this was live. Oh, sure, there were a couple of times when things did not go perfectly, but that happens in a live show, and I appreciated that they were human and not trying to sell us a "lip-sync". The band featured songs from as many albums and decades as possible, and gave every band member the opportunity to display his own talents. It was an excellent, classy show; the product of all those years of experience. The crowd showed their years of experience too. This was one of the "easiest" concerts I have ever enjoyed.

It was easy getting in, and easy getting out. The Fillmore handled the large crowd, and the large crowd handled themselves. Everyone was patient, polite, courteous and mature. The entire evening was entirely pleasant and enjoyable. Everyone just watched and enjoyed as Chicago played song after song from our mutual "life soundtrack". It occurred to me that this band was really just as much a part of my own history as I thought the British bands were. I was happy I had the opportunity to discover that.

Bravo! Chicago. Your longevity is almost as amazing as your great talent. Thank you for the superb show, and be sure to come back soon so those who missed you can have another chance. As for 40 years of music, may the next 40 be just as rewarding for everyone. Keep making everyone's soundtrack just a little bit better and a little bit stronger..

By Stan Dyer