When a band has been touring continuously for 58 years, fans know what to expect. Chicago opened a three-night run at the famed Hollywood Bowl in southern California on Friday September 12, 2025 and met all expectations. About 17,000 devoted fans cheered, danced and seemingly knew the words to every hit the band performed. The self-described rock & roll band with horns delivered an excellent night of music that brought back good memories and reinforced their reputation for producing exceptional live performances.
Christopher Cross opened the show with a set of his songs before Chicago came on. The five-time Grammy winner has not lost any of his striking vocal abilities. His terrific band, with Andy Suzuki on a variety of horns and backup singers Lisbet Guldbeck, Chrissi Poland, and Nicky Richards, helped Cross reproduce some of his famous tunes. The audience enjoyed the trip down memory lane as Cross belted out “Never Be The Same,” “Sailing,” “Think of Laura,” “Arthur’s Theme” and “Ride Like The Wind.”
Some fans may bemoan the lack of original band members in the current version of Chicago (only Lee Loughnane played with the band at Hollywood Bowl as two other original members, Robert Lamm and James Pankow, were missing due to illness or physical issues). However, the replacement musicians are exceptional performers who accurately recreated the band’s distinctive sound. Lead singer Neil Donell put on an amazing display of vocal dexterity. He hit astounding high notes and sang with a powerful clarity that reminded the audience of original band vocalist Peter Cetera. Bassist Eric Baines and keyboard player Carlos Murguia are also talented singers and occasionally took over on lead vocals. Trumpeter Loughnane also sang and all four vocalists provided outstanding harmonies throughout the show.
The fans came for the classics and Chicago performed many of them. While they also included some deep tracks in the setlist, the band played tight versions of their early favorites “If You Leave Me Now,” “Smile,” “Colour My World,” “Beginnings,” “I’m A Man” and “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” They also played a few tracks from the 80s including “Look Away,” You’re Not Alone” and “You’re The Inspiration.” During a song break, Loughnane quipped about touring for over 50 years, “It feels like I have been on one long tour and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He also talked about the early days, before they had a record deal and had to play covers at local clubs. They were inspired by Motown and one of their standard covers was Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher” which they played to the delight of the crowd.
The end of the show was filled with fireworks, both symbolic and real. Eric Baines and Neil Donell alternated on lead vocals during “Saturday in the Park” which transitioned into a raucous “Feeling Stronger Every Day.” The audience was on their feet dancing, singing and clapping along with the band. There was no real encore as the lights simply went down for a brief break before coming back up as the band launched into “Free,” another early hit. They segued into one of their most famous songs “25 or 6 to 4,” which closed the show. As the band played the explosive track, the sky above the Hollywood Bowl stage was filled with fireworks which is the traditional ending for the season of shows at the historic venue.
Legacy acts are a big part of today’s live music scene and Chicago definitely fits into that category. They may not be producing new music, but their historic catalog and ability to reproduce it with charm and expertise keeps the fans coming. Their opening night show at Hollywood Bowl thrilled a large, enthusiastic audience. The band will continue on the road across the United States through November and many more fans will get to relive the songs that made Chicago one of the most successful bands from the 60s.
Photographs taken by Timothy Norris at the Hollywood Bowl, provided courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
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