Thanks to my wife’s fanaticism for the rock band Chicago, I have seen them as often, and in as many different venues, as just about any act I have seen other than Neil Young and maybe the Allman Brothers Band. On this night we drove to New Jersey, while trying to figure out which of my credit card accounts had been hit with $6,000 in unauthorized Italian import charges, to the Bergen Performing Arts Center where I had never been before. The Bergen Performing Arts Center is an old theater in the business district near the commuter railroad. The theater attracts some pretty good acts but the venue itself could use an overhaul and update. Perhaps I have become spoiled by the renovated Beacon Theatre but the Bergen venue was run down and offered some odd sight lines.

Chicago is not known for changing up the setlist too much, usually moving around the parts of the standard show and mixing in a few acoustic versions of hits, but in what was a big change for them, they started the show playing the Chicago II album in its entirety. It was great to hear the band play songs they had not played live in decades. It was a show for true fans of the band and the appreciative audience responded in kind. Chicago does not disappoint and gives you your money’s worth, usually playing close to three hours with an intermission. It is truly amazing that the original members are able to continue to perform the band’s grueling touring schedule after fifty years; their work ethic is truly admirable. This was a special evening for the true devotees of the band Chicago in what was a unique venue for us to see them.

Fancy Colours

Rock on!

GQ