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It's impossible to overstate just how successful Chicago has been. Formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois, they took a nod from Blood Sweat and Tears and added horns to a rock band. Their debut album titled Chicago Transit Authority was an unusual mix of jazz and rock, which also included protesters' chants recorded at the 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention. Right away, listeners understood they were hearing something special.
Soon after shortening their name to Chicago under pressure from the city's actual transit authority, they had a string of hits—songs that still hold up today. "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" "Colour My World." "Saturday in the Park." "Feeling Stronger Every Day." "Wishing Your Were Here." I could go on.
They've sold more than 100 million records, enjoyed 21 Top 10 singles, five consecutive No. 1 albums, 11 No. 1 singles, and five gold singles, and 25 of their 38 albums have been certified platinum, and they've never missed a year touring since they began. Not one.
Three original band members—Robert Lamm on keyboards and vocals, Lee Loughnane on trumpet and vocals, and James Pankow on trombone—are still with the band. The current lineup also includes Wally Reyes Jr. on drums, Tony Obrohta on guitar, Loren Gold on keyboards and vocals, Ray Herrmann on sax and flute, Neil Donell on vocals, Eric Baines on bass, and Ramon "Ray" Yslas on percussion.
Legends! See Chicago on Friday, Aug. 25 (8 p.m.; $49.50 to $99.50 at vinaroblesamphitheatre.com).
Numbskull and Good Medicine
Squeeze the last drop out of the summer at Rock the Bones with The Brothers Comatose, Próxima Parada, Steve Poltz, and the T-Sisters on Saturday, Aug. 26, at Treebones Resort in Big Sur (doors at noon; all ages; $55 at goodmedicinepresents.com). What a great lineup!
The T-Sisters deliver masterful harmonies, and Erika, Rachel, and Chloe Tietjen are actual sisters who've been singing together their whole lives. Amazing and hooky folk melodies.
Steve Poltz is a very witty Canadian American singer-songwriter and founding member of the indie-rock band The Rugburns. He was ridiculously entertaining at this year's Live Oak Music Festival.
Próxima Parada is a real local success story, a folk, R&B, and blue-eyed soul group that formed at Cal Poly and now tours all over the U.S.
Headliner The Brothers Comatose is a San Francisco bluegrass quintet that turns the genre on its head, featuring brothers Ben and Alex Morrison, who play guitar and banjo, respectively, with Steve Height on the bass, Philip Brezina on violin, and Greg Fleischut on mandolin. Super fun, high energy stuff.
Numbskull and Good Medicine are also bringing Souls of Mischief with opener Word Sauce to Morro Bay's The Siren on Wednesday, Aug. 30 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $23 at goodmedicinepresents.com). Souls hail from Oakland and is also part of the hip-hop collective Hieroglyphics.
Also at the The Siren
Want some free music? Then The Siren has you covered this week with three free shows for those 21 or older, starting with The Sextones on Thursday, Aug. 24 (7:45 p.m.). The Nevada band recently released their debut album, Moonlight Vision, filled with groovy retro soul.
See some familiar local faces in a new band, The Heavy Cats, on Friday, Aug. 25 (7:30 p.m.), playing crisp and clean renditions of your favorite cover tunes.
Back Pages Band plays on Saturday, Aug. 26 (2 p.m.), bringing their classic rock, blues, and country from the '60s to the present.
Later that night, enjoy a Grateful Dead celebration with the China Cats (8 p.m.; 21-and-older; $18 at tixr.com). This one's going to be special because due to scheduling conflicts, China Cats band members Matt Hartle and Roger Sideman are unable to make this date, so the remaining band members will be joined by special guests Larry Ryan (Cubensis) and Fred Rodriguez (Rosebud). It's like a Grateful Dead tribute super group!
Stone Soup
The Clark Center hosts the Stone Soup Music Festival this weekend, at Ramona Garden Park and surrounding streets. It's totally free to attend. Enjoy 13 bands on two stages, a kids zone, food venders, crafts, wares, and the annual Mardi Paws Dog Parade on Sunday. You can find the lineup at clarkcenter.org/stone-soup-lineup, but here are the highlights:
On Saturday, Aug. 26, see a Youth Dance Showcase featuring dancers from Studio of the Performing Arts and FLEX Performing Arts; Soul Vibe 805 brings their jazz, funk, disco, and R&B sounds; soak up some island sounds from two Hawaiian bands—Na Hoa Aloha and Na Mele o ke Kei; dance band Jane's Gang will heat things up with covers of artists such as Fleetwood Mac, The Pretenders, and Pat Benatar; Afro-Latin and Afro-Caribbean octet party band Zongo All-Stars will get you dancing; award-winning singer-songwriter Dulcie Taylor is up next; feel the blues when ripping guitarist and soulful singer Coco Montoya performs; alt-folk, pop, and rockers Carbon City Lights brings their originals; and finally close out Saturday with headliner Strangelove: The Depeche Mode Experience as they re-create the sights and sounds of the great '80s band through various periods of their 40-plus year career.
On Sunday, Aug. 27, things kick off with the Mardi Paws Dog Parade. Doggos in costumes! Ruff! See BigRock Balalaikas next, delivering Russian and Eastern European cabaret and Gypsy music on traditional instruments. Beergrass Americana jam band The Mother Corn Shuckers will be a blast. Join in with Wild at Heart, a band that thrives on audience participation. Grupo Aries plays two sets of música ritmo y romance. In between, see reggae artist Ras Danny & The Reggae All-Stars.
Concerts in the Plaza
Moonshiner Collective headlines this week's Concert in the Plaza on Friday, Aug. 25, with a 6 to 8 p.m. set, but first bluegrass singer-songwriter Miss Leo will play a 5 p.m. set. She's a "soul-grass songstress" with a fresh take on Americana music. She's got a classic and deeply emotive voice, and she really knows how to pen a memorable song.
Moonshiner Collective is the musical project of multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Dan Curcio, eight-string guitarist Gary Wooten, and drummer/percussionist Ryan House, playing original rock, blues, funk, and Americana songs.
Chuckleheads
It's not music, but Fremont Theater and Good Vibez is bringing you two funnymen this week starting with Comedian Rob Schneider on his I Have Issues Tour on Friday, Aug. 25 (8 p.m.; all ages; $34.50 to $100 at eventbrite.com). Some of his memorable films include Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, The Animal, and The Hot Chick. He's also a stand-up comic and veteran of the award-winning NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live.
Stand-up comic Ryan Hamilton is up next on Saturday, Aug. 26 (8 p.m.; all ages; $29.50 at eventbrite.com). His one-hour Netflix stand-up special, Happy Face, has been reviewed as "the special you can't watch enough times." Δ
Contact Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey at [email protected].
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