TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 ROGERS K-ROCK CENTRE – KINGSTON
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 BELL CENTRE – MONTREAL
Hailed as one of the “most important bands in music since the dawn of the rock and roll era” by former President Bill Clinton, the legendary rock and roll band with horns, Chicago, came in at #9, the highest charting American band in Billboard Magazine’s Hot 200 All-Time Top Artists. And Chicago is the first American rock band to chart Top 40 albums in six consecutive decades.
Chicago was inducted into the 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! This was their first nomination. They’ve been eligible since 1994. A long time coming!
Chicago’s first album, Chicago Transit Authority, was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2014, and the band performed on the Grammy stage for the first time that year.
Robert Lamm and James Pankow have become the latest inductees of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017. These legendary songwriters wrote mega-hits such as, “25 or 6 to 4,” “Saturday In The Park,” “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day,” “Make Me Smile,” and many others.
More than 40 years after its debut, Chicago II still sounds like nothing else. Released in 1970, Chicago’s second album brims with confidence and inspiration as it draws on everything from orchestral music to heavy rock. It spawned a trio of Top Ten hits, and the timeless classic has been remastered to reveal unprecedented clarity and definition. For the first time a new stereo remix, created by British musician and producer Steven Wilson from the 16-track multi-track tapes, made it possible to bring out elements that were muffled or submerged in the mix. The result is a new stereo version of CHICAGO II that boasts clearness, punch and definition that it didn’t have before. It has recently been released by Rhino Records on CD and vinyl.
This year CHICAGO is planning a show unlike any other that they’ve done before. Chicago will perform their historic album, Chicago II in its entirety as the first set of the concert. While some artists have performed an entire record as their complete show, for Chicago, this will only be the first set before intermission. Chicago II, like the band’s first release, is a double album, and contains the hits “25 Or 6 To 4,” “Make Me Smile,” “Wake Up Sunshine” and “Colour My World,” the #1 song for weddings and proms for more than 40 years. Chicago II is being considered for the Grammy Hall Of Fame. The second set will be the “world’s longest encore,” as the band jokingly refers to it, filled with their greatest hits. This concert will be the band’s longest show ever.
Chicago’s lifetime achievements include two Grammy Awards, multiple American Music Awards, Founding Artists of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Chicago street dedicated in their honor, and keys to and proclamations from an impressive list of US cities. Record sales top the 100,000,000 mark, and include 21 Top 10 singles, 5 consecutive Number One albums, 11 Number One singles and 5 Gold singles. An incredible 25 of their 36 albums have been certified platinum, and the band has a total of 47 gold and platinum awards.
Chicago have toured every year since the beginning – they’ve never missed a year. The original four band members are Robert Lamm on keyboards and vocals, Lee Loughnane on trumpet and vocals, James Pankow on trombone and Walt Parazaider on woodwinds. The band line-up also includes Wally Reyes, Jr. on drums, Keith Howland on guitar and vocals, Lou Pardini on keyboards and vocals, Ray Herrmann on sax and flute, Neil Donell on vocals, Brett Simons on bass and Danny Reyes on percussion.
For five years, Chicago raised over a quarter of a million dollars to fight breast cancer for the American Cancer Society by having a winning bidder come on stage and sing “If You Leave Me Now” in concert. Chicago generously support other charitable causes, donating a portion of ticket sales to Kelly Cares, established by Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and his wife Paqui, to support local, national and global organizations that strive to improve their communities in the areas of health and education. Portions of ticket sales also benefit the Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation, which seeks a cure for a fatal children’s disease, Niemann-Pick Type C. Chicago manager Peter Schivarelli, who played football for Coach Parseghian, is on Notre Dame’s Board Of Directors for their Athletic Commission. Chicago has also associated with Hannah & Friends, an organization that serves children and adults with special needs. Hannah & Friends is the personal mission of Maura Weis and her husband, Charlie Weis, the former coach at the University of Kansas.
From the signature sound of the Chicago horns, their iconic Vocalists, and a few dozen of ever-Classic Songs, this band’s concerts are celebrations. 2018 marks the band’s 51st consecutive year of touring, without missing a single concert date!
Chicago continue to be true ambassadors for their beloved hometown, carrying the city’s name with pride and dignity around the world.
Some of Chicago’s hits:
Make Me Smile, Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?, 25 or 6 to 4, Saturday In The Park, Beginnings, Questions 67 and 68, Happy Man, (I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long, Old Days, Free, Just You ‘N’ Me, Feelin’ Stronger Every Day, If You Leave Me Now, Hard To Say I’m Sorry, Look Away, Wake Up Sunshine, Hard Habit To Break, Baby, What A Big Surprise, Colour My World, Another Rainy Day In New York City, Call On Me, Dialogue (Part I and II), I’m A Man, You’re The Inspiration and many more…
Tickets on sale Friday May 11 at 10am
For more info, please visit: www.chicagotheband.com
