Chicago Rocks Kalamazoo With Unforgettable Live Performance

The band once called Chicago Transit Authority, now more commonly known as Chicago, has been touring consecutively for 58 years and remains one of the most celebrated bands in American history. On Tuesday, June 24, in Miller Auditorium on the campus of Western Michigan University, the band hit the stage and delivered a powerful performance that shows exactly why they are considered one of the greatest of all time.

They began the night as they normally do, playing the first track on their debut album called Introduction. Although much of the crowd were longtime Chicago fans who grew up listening to the music, there were also young kids in the crowd, possibly experiencing the band for the first time.

Get our free mobile app

The song Introduction was written from the mind of Chicago’s original guitarist, Terry Kath, who sadly died at the age of 31 in 1978 from an accidental gunshot wound.

However, the memory of Terry Kath and the original lineup was on full display all night through Chicago’s video screen, which accompanies each song. It displayed old footage and photos during songs like Old Days, taking the audience back to the early days of the band.

Out of the original band, there are only three members who remain as active touring members; however, on this night, their main songwriter, Robert Lamm was not performing with them.

At 80 years old, and having to deal with health challenges, it’s understandable why he isn’t performing at every show; however, the horn section featuring Jimmy Pankow and Lee Loughnane delivered a stellar performance as always.

They ended their first set with A Ballet for a Girl in Buchanan, featured on the Chicago II album. During the second set, they paid tribute to their roots as a top 40 band before they had released any albums, performing Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher and Higher, as well as their cover of I’m a Man by the Spencer Davis Group.

Naturally, they played all their hits like Saturday in the Park, Hard to Say I’m Sorry, You’re the Inspiration, Hard Habit to Break, and so many other classics. They ended the night with an encore featuring the opening track of Chicago III, titled Free into what is arguably one of their best songs, which was originally a masterpiece of guitar work by Terry Kath, 25 or 6 to 4.

The band doesn’t show signs of slowing down, and the Kalamazoo crowd brought their energy and appreciation for this music, which is sure to bring them back to Kalamazoo in the future.