20 - 11

20. JIMMY BUFFETT
OK. I admit it. I'm a Parrott-Head. I have seen Jimmy Buffett at least ten times. I was first turned on to the "Margaritaville" state of mind in 1993, when I attended a concert at Pine Knob. I have since seen him perform in Cincinnati, Atlanta, Orlando, and Chicago.

I've grouped them all together as one because they were all virtually identical concerts.

Some of the most memorable moments took place in the parking lots before the concerts. In 1996, we took some clueless friends to their first parrot-head gig in Detroit. As we were pulling into the venue, two guys standing beside our car stripped naked, threw their clothes on our hood, and disappeared into the menagerie of beach chairs and beer kegs. Our guests were traumatized. I laughed so hard that I cried.


Or the dude in Cincinnati, who motorized a full-sized surfboard (complete with powered blender attachment), and surfed between the RVs offering free margaritas.

Throughout the 2000s, Buffett concerts evolved more into family affairs, with just a whiff of the risqué (i.e. Why Don't We Get Drunk And Screw). For our kids, going to a Jimmy Buffett concert was like going to a celebration.

The performances were completely predictable. The songs were the same every year. The cheap stage sets were virtually the same every year. The same sophomoric behavior every year. And the audience was the same every year. But I think that was just the point.

Jimmy Buffett Concert Road Trip 
Tweeter Center, Chicago (2004)

The last Buffett concert I attended was Amway Arena on February 4, 2012. It was great but the most memorable ones were the those vintage performances in 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996, at the peak of his vaudeville irreverence.


Domino College Tour
Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati (1995)

Concert review and setlist from Cincinnati concert ...

 


Postscript: We happened to travel to Key West days after Jimmy's death in September 2023. His loss was palpable. Shrimp Boat Sound recording studio became a makeshift memorial, where fans left Landshark beer, Junior Mints, and Juicy Fruit gum. His passing left a big hole in this world.







19. ERIC CLAPTON / ROBERT RANDOLPH

May 30, 2008
Verizon Wireless Music Center
Noblesville, Indiana


Tremendous show, both by Eric ... and Mother Nature.

 Here is the concert review I wrote for Where's Eric!, Eric Clapton's concert website:

More than twenty-five thousand people made the trek to the Verizon Wireless Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana to see a legend. A fan screamed "Clapton Is God!" as Eric understatedly came out in a maroon golf shirt, Levis and his pewter Fender Strat. First electric concert start of the tour. Severe weather had been rolling in during the opening set with Robert Randolph. A huge bolt of lightning lit up the sky just before Eric took the stage. From our perspective, up close, we could see the look of concern on Eric's face as he launched into his opening number "Tell The Truth".


 All during his set, the weather was a factor. The band sounded great but seemed rushed, with Eric giving a short "thank you" at the end of each number. Miraculously, he was able to run through nearly all of his set, which included an extensive selection of acoustic blues pieces, before turning up the amps for the last third of his set as the storm rolled in. Eric managed a quick comment late in the gig "pleasant evening isn't it?" between songs. Suddenly, off stage, a roadie gave Eric a hand signal and Eric turned to his band and shouted "Wonderful Tonight" (seemingly cutting the concert short). 

 By now, lightning was constantly flickering in the sky all around us. At the conclusion of that number, Eric turned back to his drummer and shouted again, raising one finger and then whipped around to begin "Layla". Before he could hit that opening riff, a giant bolt of lightning pounded the parking lot, blistering the sky with blue light. The entire crowd roared in anticipation as the band blasted into the song. The wind was now a near gale, making the smoke machine clouds dissipate almost instantly as they blew from stage left to right. Wham ... the song was over and Eric was rushed off stage ... only to return for a quick "Mojo" encore while lightning was striking all around us and the skies opened up. Incredibly, the band played while the storm raged on.

 We ran out to the car in a monsoon and were among the first to pull out of the lot. Eric and his band pulled out in front of us in three Suburbans with a police escort. The storm was so bad that all of us (including Eric) could manage no more than 35 miles an hour down Interstate 69 into Indianapolis. Later, we learned that Indianapolis had been devastated by tornadoes that spun all over its northern suburbs. The next morning, much of central Indiana was destroyed by the worst storms of the year. Eric can feel fortunate that he was able to squeeze that gig in, considering the circumstances.

 ROBERT RANDOLPH SETLIST:
 Opening Jam
Diane
Just As Soon As My Feet Strike Zion
Bo Diddley
Deliver Me
Rock With You
Don't Let The Devil Ride
I Need More Love
Ain't Nothin' Wrong With That
Whole Lotta Love
Good Times, Bad Times
I'm Not Listening

 ERIC CLAPTON SETLIST:
 Tell The Truth
Key To The Highway
Hoochie Coochie Man
Little Wing
Outside Woman Blues
Double Trouble
Don't Knock My Love
Let's Talk It Over
Rockin' Chair
Motherless Child
Little Queen Of Spades
Wonderful Tonight
Layla
I've Got My Mojo Working




18. PAUL McCARTNEY 
"Friends Of The Earth Tour"
December 4, 1989
Rosemont Horizon
Chicago, Illinois



By 1989, Paul McCartney had not been on the road for ten years. However, with the release of his new album Flowers In The Dirt, he announced a world tour. including a limited number of dates in Los Angeles (5), Chicago (3), and New York City (4). I pulled out all the stops and got tickets for his second sold-out night at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago. Tickets cost a fortune.

This was a major event. News media were swarming the venue, including a crew from CBS 48 Hours, who were producing a major television segment on the tour. Celebrities were swarming the arena as well, hoping to rub elbows with a Beatle.

Paul McCartney, Rosemont Horizon, CBS "48 Hours" (December 1989)

Indeed, the word was out that McCartney was including several Beatles hits in his setlist. Pre-internet rumors about his concerts in L.A. were incredible. The stage was set. We were given a free concert program and escorted to our (nosebleed) seats. The house lights dimmed ... and a film started.

The short opening film created by director Richard Lester began with the famous Hard Days Night chord, and was saturated in Beatlemania, just as the crowd had hoped. It closed with a low continuous bass note that became louder and louder. Then out stepped Paul McCartney in a tailored black stiff-collared suit, holding his hand overhead in a victory sign. The crowd went wild.

For the next two and half hours, he and his band (Hamish Stuart, Robbie McIntosh, Wix Wickens, Chris Whitten, and wife Linda) performed thirty-one songs, more than half of which were Beatles hits. 


The thing I remember most about this gig was that McCartney was still fairly pretentious at this time. There was a sense of self-importance to the show, perhaps deserved, that he relinquished in later years. But there was no denying the power of his presence. We all knew this was a concert for the ages.

For me, this was about being star-struck. Witnessing a Beatle in the flesh. My emotions ran so high that it was difficult to recall many details about the show (I was so fixated on the man himself). I would see McCartney three more times, and I would say the last two were certainly more fun, but none were more important than this.

SETLIST:
Figure Of Eight
Jet
Rough Ride
Got To Get To Into My Life
Band On The Run
Ebony And Ivory
We Got Married
Maybe I'm Amazed
The Long And Winding Road
Fool On The Hill
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Good Day Sunshine
Can't Buy Me Love
Put It There
Things We Said Today
Eleanor Rigby
This One
My Brave Face
Back In The U.S.S.R.
I Saw Her Standing There
Twenty Flight Rock
Coming Up
Let It Be
Ain't That A Shame
Live And Let Die
Hey Jude
Yesterday
Get Back
Golden Slumbers
Carry That Weight
The End





17. AEROSMITH / CHEAP TRICK

"Global Warming Tour"
December 13, 2012
Bridgestone Arena
Nashville, Tennessee



Aerosmith is one of those bands that had never earned my respect. I liked their music, and they had tons of hits, but there was always something about them that lacked gravitas. However, I was a fan of Cheap Trick, and having them as the opening act was what eventually motivated me to see this show. Well, I will admit to you here and now ... Cheap Trick sucked!! The evening was becoming a huge disappointment. That is ... until the curtains opened on Steven and the boys. The next two hours was rock of the highest order. Huge hits, with massive guitar licks, and even some obscure blues sprinkled in for good measure. By the time my ears cleared, Aerosmith had my attention ... and my respect.
Aerosmith at Bridgestone Arena



CHEAP TRICK SETLIST:
 Hello There
Big Eyes
California Man
On Top Of The World
Need Your Love
The Ballad Of TV Violence
I Know What I What
Southern Girls
Sick Man Of Europe
Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End
I Want You To Want Me
Dream Police
Surrender

 AEROSMITH SETLIST:
 Toys In The Attic
Love In The Elevator
Jaded
Oh Yeah
Cryin'
Livin' On The Edge
Movin' Out
Walking The Dog
Last Child
Drum Solo
Rag Doll
Boogie Man
Combination
Rats In The Cellar
Lover A lot
What It Takes
Come Together
Dude, Looks Like A Lady
Walk This Way
Train 'Kept A Rollin'
Dream On
Sweet Emotion




16. JEFF LYNNE'S ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA / DHANI HARRISON
"Jeff Lynne's ELO Tour"
July 7, 2019
Amalie Arena
Tampa, Florida


It had been a long and winding road for Jeff Lynne, one of the most under-rated musicians in the business. In a career spanning more than fifty years, performing with both the Electric Light Orchestra and the Traveling Wilburys, and producing/composing records for Joe Cocker, Aerosmith, Tom Petty, and the Beatles (both as a group and individually), he had never been given the respect he is due. Astoundingly, he has won only one grammy award.

Probably that is because Jeff Lynne is a classical musician in a rock and roll world. He is a shy and quirky musical savant who writes brilliant, fascinating, and complex melodies. He, like Brian Wilson, would prefer to spend endless hours in the studio making musical perfection than to risk the imperfection of performing live. That is why it has taken so long for him to return to the road. 

It had been forty years since he last performed in Tampa.


Recently, however, Lynne has enjoyed a renaissance. He is getting some of the over-due recognition he deserves, including a long-awaited induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. By the time he was finally coaxed from his self-imposed exile and bravely ventured onto the road, his fans were ready for him.

Lynne’s opening act was Dhani Harrison, the son of his good friend George Harrison. Dhani has followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a solid musician and assembled a skilled backing band. He played for forty minutes, performing nine songs. It was all original material that sounded like a cross between The Inner Light and Nickelback, heavily synthesized and hard driving stuff. The older audience didn’t mind, because they thought they were seeing and hearing the ghost of George Harrison.

At 9:10 pm, the main act took the stage. Twelve musicians silently took their positions on the darkened stage and commenced with an orchestrated prelude while five huge vertical high-definition video screens lit up behind them. The crowd was primed with anticipation before the first song began. Then the band launched into Standing In The Rain with a colossal ‘whoosh’ while intense light beams surged in all directions. It was the equivalent of a rock music steamroller - with dense instrumentation and voluminous harmonies filling the arena. The audience was literally stupefied by its jaw-dropping power.

Yet the sound was perfect and meticulous. Even the pizzicato violin was crystal clear. Exactly what you would expect from a Jeff Lynne production.

Nobody expected Lynne to be glib, however, and he wasn’t. He hesitantly blurted, “Hello Tampa. Wow, it’s been a while!” before quickly turning around and counting in Evil Woman. The dude is seventy-one years old, yet he looks and sounds exactly as he did in 1976. Same hair. Same beard. Same glasses. Same clothes. Same Les Paul guitar. He has become an icon of sorts.

Jeff Lynne at Amalie Arena

Out poured the parade of hits: All Over The World, Showdown, Living Thing, Rockaria! … by the time he pounded the first three power chords of Do Ya, the packed house was in full eruption. He was shredding with the best of them.

His heartfelt rendition of When I Was A Boy served as counterpoint to the onslaught of anthem rock.
Then Lynne asked, “Did you know I was in another band?” and brought Dhani Harrison on stage to reprise his father’s contribution to the Traveling Wilbury’s classic Handle With Care. As they performed together, images of Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, and George Harrison alternately flashed on the huge video screens.


The middle third of the concert featured lesser-known album cuts, such as Last Train To London, 10538 Overture, Xanadu, and Wild West Hero. As the band played Shine A Little Love, an emerald-colored laser light show began, augmenting the pencil beam spots and video screens. They were used exquisitely during Telephone Line and throughout the rest of the performance.

Musical director Mike Stevens introduced the band. When he pointed to Lynne, forty years of postponed adulation washed up on stage. It was more than the maestro could take. He turned away and drooped his head, which only increased its volume. It was a truly touching moment.

Lynne saved the best for last with a crescendo of greatest hits. Sweet Talkin’ Woman, Don’t Bring Me Down, Turn To Stone, and Mr. Blue Sky. The sold-out audience of 12,600 baby boomers were jumping and singing every word.


To close the show, Lynne and band jammed for a mind-blowing seven minutes on the classic Roll Over Beethoven.

If you thought Jeff Lynne’s music had become irrelevant and dated you’d be dead wrong. This concert was a powerful statement that quality music is always relevant and can even become better appreciated with time.



DHANI HARRISON SETLIST:
Never Know
Summertime Police
My Eye
Timezone
The Sharp Knife
Make It Home
Yomp
All About Waiting
Murders

JEFF LYNNE’S ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA SETLIST:
Standing In The Rain
Evil Woman
All Over The World
Showdown
Do Ya
When I Was A Boy
Livin’ Thing
Handle With Care (with Dhani Harrison)
Rockaria!
Last Train To London
Xanadu
10538 Overture
Shine A Little Love
Wild West Hero
Sweet Talkin’ Woman
Telephone Line
Don’t Bring Me Down
Turn To Stone
Mr. Blue Sky
Roll Over Beethoven




15. BRIAN WILSON
"Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary"
September 16, 2016 (Added Show)
Ryman Auditorium
Nashville, Tennessee

We entered Brian Wilson’s stream of consciousness at 8:02 pm, when he and his nine member band took the stage. Dressed in black shirt and pants and seated behind a black studio grand piano that faced the audience, he responded to the standing ovation by stoically raising his hands, making “ok” hand signs and then began directing the cheers as if he were conducting in 4/4 time. The adoring crowd ate it up. Then Brian enthusiastically yelled into the microphone, “I know we’re in a church, but tonight we’re really gonna ROCK!!” 
Brian Wilson at Ryman Auditorium

 This was followed by a slightly awkward pregnant pause … until the opening bars of California Girls rang out. The congregation exploded in appreciative cheers and the Beach Boys sing-a-long began and, with only a few exceptions, continued all night long.

 Standing beside Brian at center stage was another Beach Boys legend, Al Jardine, who helped with song introductions and half of the vocal leads (much as he did on many of the Beach Boys classics). The band hammered through a plethora of them right from the start … including I Get Around, Shutdown, Little Deuce Coupe, In My Room, and Surfer Girl. Matt Jardine (Al Jardine’s son) carried virtually all of the high harmony parts once sung by Brian, and his solo performance of Don’t Worry Baby was superlative. In fact, it was one of the highlights of the show.

 For the last three numbers before the intermission, Brian introduced Blondie Chaplin, a vagabond guitarist who had recorded with an assortment of bands over the years, including the Beach Boys, during the late 1960s. Blondie was actually the lead vocal on the hit Sail On Sailor. He joined the band and launched into three slightly 'over-the-top’ renditions of later selections, Sail Away (a duet from Brians’s latest album), Wild Honey, and Sail On Sailor. His microphone was too hot, as was his overdriven guitar. He ran around the stage during his solos and at one point, knocked over one of Al’s stage monitors. In my opinion, his addition was a subtraction.

 After a brief intermission, the boys returned to the stage and Brian led the mostly septuagenarian audience in an a-capella rendition of Row Row Row Your Boat for several minutes, which admittedly was great fun. Then he suddenly stopped and blurted, “Time to get serious. Here is Pet Sounds in its entirety. It is arty music, so sit back and relax, and then later we’re gonna ROCK!!”. Another awkward pregnant pause. 


 Then the legendary pseudo-calliope opening of Wouldn’t It Be Nice sprung out of the silence, and for the next half-hour, we were treated to a mesmerizing performance of what many in the music industry believe is the greatest album ever made. Ryman Auditorium was awash in lush (often purposefully discordant) harmonies and avant-garde key changes, punctuated by glockenspiels, ukuleles, harpsichords, bicycle bells, sliding whistles, and barking dogs. The band’s performance of You Still Believe In Me, God Only Knows, and the two instrumental tracks, Let’s Go Away For A While and Pet Sounds were standouts. The stage then turned dark, with the exception of one small spotlight on Brian Wilson. “Where did your long hair go … where is the girl I used to know” he haltingly sang. With Al providing a vocal double-track and Matt offering a soaring falsetto, the melancholy ballad slowly floated to a close as Brian stiffly waved and waddled off stage … and as the stage lights dimmed, followed the original recorded version of a passing train as a crescendo to the masterpiece.

 The audience monolithically rose in a giant cheer as the band left the stage, and chanted for their return. They did, and blasted through Good Vibrations, Help Me Rhonda, Barbara Ann, Surfing USA, and Fun, Fun, Fun. The arthritic audience romped in the aisles, some of them doing dance moves not seen at the Ryman since the early 1960s. 

 As a final encore, Brian’s plaintive closer, Love And Mercy, seemed particularly poignant … “love and mercy is what we need tonight."

Brian Wilson 
50th Anniversary Of Pet Sounds
Ryman Auditorium Setlist ...






14. ELTON JOHN / BILLY JOEL
"Face To Face Tour"
August 4, 1994 (Postponed - Elton respiratory infection)
August 18, 1994
Pontiac Silverdome
Pontiac, Michigan

Two legends. Four hours of music. Playing separately and together. Can you get any better than that? The concept of this production from beginning to end was brilliant. Half of the huge stage was decorated with stars and bars and the other half with the Union Jack graphics. The front of the stage had a round 'keyboard' platform that dropped down several feet, enabling the artists to better access the crowd.

The show opened with Billy Joel marching out to Yankee Doodle and Elton walking out to Rule Britannia. They met in the center, exchanged greetings and retreated to opposing pianos.

After playing a few opening numbers together, starting with Your Song, Elton took the stage with his band for the next two hours, playing his own hits. Then Billy performed with his band for ninety minutes. The final half hour was a two-band jam session, alternating between Elton and Billy's biggest hits, and finishing with Piano Man.

Front-row seats. Dead center. In the middle of the concert, the person seated next to us suddenly appeared on stage and attempted to shake hands with Elton (who immediately backed off) while Billy came over, shook his hand and whacked him on the back before the roadies got to him. Unbelievably, he was back in his seat before the encores.

 During the concert, there was a lot of joking between the two musicians; Billy poked fun at Elton's dressing room ... the plush custom drapes, antique furnishings with doily coverings, candles and lavish food service. Elton retorted with his own comments about Billy's room ... the folding chair and salami sandwich. Then Elton described what it was like to look into Billy's wardrobe case, "Hmmm, what will I wear today? Black, black, black, black, black or black?" Billy responded, "Well, pink doesn't go well with scotch and mustard."
This was absolutely one of the most memorable and fun concerts I ever attended. Two legendary musicians, both sharing mutual respect and appreciation for each other. Great show!!

 SETLIST:
 Your Song (Both)
Honesty (Both)
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me (Both)
Philadelphia Freedom
Take Me To The Pilot
Levon
Rocket Man
Simple Life
The One
New York State Of Mind (performed by Elton)
Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding
I Guess That's Why The Call It The Blues (Both)
Can You Feel The Love Tonight
Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting
Pinball Wizard
 INTERMISSION
 I Go To Extremes
Pressure
The Ballad Of Billy The Kid
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (performed by Billy)
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
My Life (Both)
Allentown
Lullabye
River Of Dreams
We Didn't Start The Fire
It's Still Rock And Roll To Me
Only The Good Die Young
Big Shot
The Bitch Is Back (Both)
You May Be Right (Both)
Bennie And The Jets (Both)
A Hard Day's Night (Both)
Candle In The Wind (Both)
Piano Man (Both)




13. PAUL McCARTNEY
"The US Tour"
October 15, 2005
The Palace of Auburn Hills
Auburn Hills, Michigan


Twelfth row. Dead center. This was our fourth McCartney gig, so we knew what to expect (flash bombs, encores, Hey Jude in the round, etc). But just when you think you've got it all figured out, he throws in a little beauty like I'll Get You or Please Please Me, and suddenly you remember why you came.

As with all of his concerts, Macca began with a pre-show film ...



Paul was very loose and joked with the audience extensively. He mentioned how he helped a guy propose at the previous night's concert. The band also added bonus licks, like a Foxy Lady jam at the end of Let Me Roll It. Paul got everybody rolling in the aisles when he kept repeating a false ending to I'll Follow The Sun until it got ridiculous.


I noticed a few more gray hairs and his appearance seemed slightly softer compared to the last time I saw him in 2002. His voice had weakened slightly too, especially when he strained to hit the high notes. These 'human' moments brought him closer to us, and its what made the 2005 version of McCartney so much better than the 1989 version. 


SETLIST:
Magical Mystery Tour
Flaming Pie
Jet
I'll Get You
Drive My Car
Till There Was You
Let Me Roll It
Got To Get You Into My Life
Fine Line
Maybe I'm Amazed
The Long And Winding Road
In Spite Of All The Danger
I Will
Jenny Wren
For No One
Fixing A Hole
English Tea
I'll Follow The Sun
Follow Me
Blackbird
Eleanor Rigby
Too Many People
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
Good Day Sunshine
Band On The Run
Penny Lane
I've Got A Feeling
Back In The U.S.S.R.
Hey Jude
Live And Let Die
Yesterday
Get back
Helter Skelter
Please Please Me
Let It Be
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
The End




12. SIMON & GARFUNKEL
"Summer Evening Tour"
July 19, 1983
Akron Rubber Bowl
Akron, Ohio






This was the opening night of the Simon & Garfunkel "Summer Evening Tour" (their first U.S. tour in a dozen years) and they could not have picked a better night for it. Cloudless and cool with a full moon overhead. The stadium had been converted into a drive-in theater, with a huge movie screen above the stage (first of its kind). It took the road crew four days to assemble the stage and lighting.


With ten minutes before the performance, the screen began to show typical drive-in footage of a guy making pizzas ... as well as the ubiquitous cartoon dancing popcorn box. Then the screen began a countdown ... 10 - 9 - 8. At zero, the stage lights came up and the band struck up Cecilia. The concert was a musical tour-de-force with both artists performing their own material as well as their duo hits.




For this concert at least, the two of them seemed very happy to be together. Both were in high spirits and good voice. They made truly beautiful music that night. We knew we were in the presence of greatness.

Here are Simon & Garfunkel with David Letterman
talking about their upcoming Akron concert ...


SETLIST:
Cecilia
Mrs. Robinson
America
My Little Town
Me & Julio Down By The School Yard
Scarborough Fair
Song About The Moon
Allergies
I Only Have Eyes For You
Homeward Bound
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
Late In The Evening
The Late Great Johnny Ace
El Condor Pasa
Think Too Much
Still Crazy After All These Years
Kodachrome
Maybellene
Bridge Over Troubled Waters
The Boxer
American Tune
59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
Old Friends / Bookends
Wake Up Little Susie
One Summer Night
Late In The Evening
Sounds Of Silence




11. CHICAGO
September 28, 2014
Ryman Auditorium
 Nashville, Tennesee



There are many reasons why concerts are memorable.  Often it is because the artist is so significant. On occasion, it is because the venue is so special. Many times, it is the people you are with. And sometimes, it just comes down to something as simple as great seats. The 2014 Chicago concert at the Ryman Auditorium was one that we will never forget ... for all of those reasons!!

 Admittedly, we are fans of Chicago not only for their massive repertoire of top-selling hits, but also for their unique brass jazz-infused sound. Our daughter, Laura, is an accomplished trombonist, and for years we had listened to old Chicago tracks and heard Jim Pankow ripping his trombone beside Terry Kath on 25 or 6 to 4, Make Me Smile, and Wake Up Sunshine at least a hundred times. I promised her that if the opportunity arose, we would see them in person.


Over the decades, we had learned a few tricks in the concert game. One way to get difficult-to-obtain seats is to join the artist's fan club for a nominal fee, which gains you access to their private allocation of tickets. We joined the Chicago Fan Club Worldwide (probably should have done it a long time ago) and worked with Renee and Kelley to get the best seats possible. When the tickets arrived, we knew they were good ... we just didn't know how good. They were front-row dead center. When we arrived at our seats, I could literally read the setlist taped to the floor. This was gonna be incredibly good!!

Tam at the Ryman stage

 The entire Ryman stage was filled with risers and instrumentation for the nine member band. A huge backdrop with the familiar Chicago logo hung on the back wall.

 At 8:05 pm, the band walked out and after a brief jazz introduction, Lee Loughnane announced that because of the historic importance of Nashville, and particularly the venue (Ryman Auditorium), they were going to play a full three hour concert, including intermission. He said that no one would be disappointed. Then came the onslaught of hits ... Questions 67 and 68, Dialogue, If You Leave Me Now, Old Days, Call On Me ... 

Jason Scheff and Robert Lamm took center stage for a three-song acoustic interlude that included Will You Still Love Me, Wake Up Sunshine, and Look Away.

At one point, they paused the show to introduce their first manager, James William Guercio, who was sitting in the first row of the balcony.

 With our elbows on the stage, the musicians were literally within inches of us during the entire performance. From this vantage point, we could easily see how much fun these guys were having. After forty years, they were still really enjoying performing ... and they were also still good!! James Pankow was his old theatric self, leading the brass section through the band's iconic catalog of smashes ... Make Me Smile, Colour My World, Alive Again, Hard Habit To Break, You're The Inspiration, Beginnings, Hard To Say I'm Sorry, Saturday In The Park ...   

We were permitted to take non-flash photography during the concert and I obliged, using my cell-phone to take more than 100 pictures. They were incredible!! During the final number ... 25 or 6 to 4 ... guitarist Keith Howland walked directly up to me during his solo and posed for several close-up shots.

At the conclusion of the concert, the entire band high-fived each of us and Tris Imboden gave Laura one of his used drumsticks. The setlist came home with us too ...
    2014 Chicago at Ryman Auditorium setlist from a stage monitor ...