Chicago & Earth, Wind and Fire Get Horny in the Woodlands
Chicago was not the first major rock band to play with a prominent horn section—that would be Blood, Sweat and Tears. And Earth, Wind and Fire was hardly the first R&B/funk/rock band to toot away—Sly & the Family Stone and any number of James Brown’s tight-knit units were there first.
But arguably, no two groups of the ‘70s and ‘80s (with Chicago’s toes dipped in the very late ‘60s) made better use of trumpets, saxophones, trombones, flutes and even flugelhorns than the two bands (and frequent tour mates) on the bill tonight.
Each with their own full 75-minute set followed by another half hour of collaboration, the night proffered full hit after hit but with enough deep cuts to at least somewhat satisfy the superfans.
The boys from the Windy City were first on the stage, an 11-member ensemble anchored by original/classic members Robert Lamm (keyboards/vocals), James Pankow (trombone), and Lee Loughnane (trumpet).
They introduced themselves—fittingly—with “Introduction,” the first track off their 1969 debut album Chicago Transit Authority (when they briefly went by that name before threatened legal action from the city’s actual transportation operator).
Highlights included a punchy “Call on Me,” driving “Make Me Smile,” churning, expansive “I’m a Man” (which segued into a muscular Latin-infused drum/percussion solos from Walfredo Reyes, Jr. and Ramon “Ray” Islas that dove into Santana territory), and powerful set closer “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day.”
Longtime fans probably noticed that Lamm ceded most of the evening’s actual keyboard duties to Loren Gold and an unidentified (at least on their website) 11th man. Adding to that was when Lamm was behind the instrument, his vocal mike was set at a low level, making it difficult to hear him sometimes. Though it was louder for fan favorite “Saturday in the Park” toward main set’s end.
Leave a Reply