Chicago, The Band In Atlantic City, NJ: Touring For Past 56 Years

Chicago, The Band has been my favorite musical group since the summer of 1970, when they released  their first Top 10 hit “25 or 6 to 4.”

The song went certified platinum on the RIAA and was written by Chicago Founding Member Robert Lamm.

It was on Chicago’s breakthrough album, “Chicago II.” It reached # 4 on the record charts during the summer of 1970.

My twin brother Don and I discovered Chicago in Atlantic City, on the jukebox at The Parkview Bar and Restaurant, when our Father would take us for dinner after our Chelsea Little League Baseball games.

This was also our introduction to eating hard shell crabs, which we love to this day.

Margie and I (as full paying customers) went to see Chicago last night, Saturday, April 15, 2023 at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Chairman Jim Allen has kept the name, The Mark G. Etess Arena alive, which is in keeping with Allen’s decent and honorable reputation.

The sound was perfect and Chicago Founding members, Robert Lamm, Jimmy Pankow and Lee Loughney appear to be reinvigorated and are performing with such high energy that it looks as though they have traveled back in time by two decades.

Chicago performed at Mohegan Sun this past Friday, April 14, 2023 and just hours later in Atlantic City.

Because of our close friendship with Tom Cantone, Corporate President of Sports and Entertainment for Mohegan Gaming Entertainment … We learned that Friday’s show was different than the show we went to a day later.

The song set lists were similar, but, different. Also, Chicago took a 20-minute intermission at Mohegan Sun.

In Atlantic City, Chicago played straight thorough with no intermission.

Last night, The Etess Arena was filled to capacity. The crowd was enthusiastic and incredibly well mannered.

Cantone told me in advance how enjoyable the experience was going to be and that “you will be sent back in time … just live in the special moment and take it all in,” said Cantone.

Cantone was right. This is exactly how we felt.

The quality of the music and vocals was outstanding. Chicago loves what they do and you can actually feel it in the effort that they gave to their audience.

My brother Don has an expression, “If you have the opportunity to go to a live performance … Go.”

I have seen my fair share of amazing live performances over the past half century.

Yet, I have passed on going to many shows that I should not have.

I have decided to make a change here. That’s why we went to Micky Dolenz and The Monkees celebration last week and yesterday morning, Margie suggested that we should go to Chicago last night and we bought our tickets at the last minute.

And, next week we are going to what I know is going to be amazing showing of the Eddie and The Cruisers movie, followed by a live musical performance by some of the John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band members, including Michael “Tunes” Antunes and drummer Kenny Hopkins.

In 2016, Rolling Stone ranked the fictional “Eddie and the Cruisers” at No. 18 in their list of 25 Greatest Movie Bands.

Life is way too short.

Start saying YES!