The illusion of time travel is possible. In a sold-out concert Friday night at the Charter One Pavilion on Northerly Island, the bands Chicago and the Doobie Brothers created a vibe that transported middle-aged attendees back to their carefree youth.
When baby boomer fans are blissfully lost in the music, they tend to overlook the performers' aging voices, weathered faces and graying hair. Drugs and alcohol can assist this process. In such a context, fans never tire of hearing the oldies.
Following the Doobies' opening set -- which featured smoking renditions of the 1973 hits "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove" -- one male fan near the portable toilets yelled in mock horror, "The '70s are alive!"
Perhaps he was reacting to the sweet smell of burning cannabis behind section 306 in the concert venue. Perhaps he was deliriously exhausted because he had joined the hundreds who attended Chicago's free morning concert, parts of which were telecast nationally on "The Early Show." Or maybe this fan was simply enjoying a bout of music-induced nostalgic intoxication.
Chicago's rendition of "Make Me Smile" was particularly potent, thanks to the octet's horn section, consisting of original members Lee Loughnane (trumpet), James Pankow (trombone) and Walt Parazaider (saxophone). Guitarist Keith Howland showed off his impressive vocal skills on the 1973 smash "Feelin' Stronger Every Day."
The concert concluded with a collaborative set that counterbalanced some of the cheese that preceded it. The Doobies' opening set was marred by meandering jams, and Chicago was saddled with recreating some of their unforgivably fluffy hits from the '80s (like "You're the Inspiration"). These moments were forgiven when all 16 musicians from both bands gathered onstage for a half-hour finale. The decision to perform songs from each act's catalog led to intriguing highlights.
Chicago vocalists Bill Champlin and Robert Lamm sang parts of a horn-injected version of the Doobies' hit "Takin' it to the Streets." In return, the Doobies contributed high harmony vocal parts and a trio of expert guitarists to the Chicago hit "25 or 6 to 4."
Massive onstage collaborations (like the ones performed at the annual Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony) can devolve into a musical mess, but Chicago and the Doobie Brothers made intelligent choices regarding the musical arrangements for their inspired partnership.
For those who aren't avid fans, the set list of an oldies concert can be a series of pleasant diversions interspersed with the handful of hit songs they know. This concert's collaborative finale was a formula that could satisfy anyone -- from the casual fan to the hard-core devotee to the jaded rock critic.
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When baby boomer fans are blissfully lost in the music, they tend to overlook the performers' aging voices, weathered faces and graying hair. Drugs and alcohol can assist this process. In such a context, fans never tire of hearing the oldies.
Following the Doobies' opening set -- which featured smoking renditions of the 1973 hits "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove" -- one male fan near the portable toilets yelled in mock horror, "The '70s are alive!"
Perhaps he was reacting to the sweet smell of burning cannabis behind section 306 in the concert venue. Perhaps he was deliriously exhausted because he had joined the hundreds who attended Chicago's free morning concert, parts of which were telecast nationally on "The Early Show." Or maybe this fan was simply enjoying a bout of music-induced nostalgic intoxication.
Chicago's rendition of "Make Me Smile" was particularly potent, thanks to the octet's horn section, consisting of original members Lee Loughnane (trumpet), James Pankow (trombone) and Walt Parazaider (saxophone). Guitarist Keith Howland showed off his impressive vocal skills on the 1973 smash "Feelin' Stronger Every Day."
The concert concluded with a collaborative set that counterbalanced some of the cheese that preceded it. The Doobies' opening set was marred by meandering jams, and Chicago was saddled with recreating some of their unforgivably fluffy hits from the '80s (like "You're the Inspiration"). These moments were forgiven when all 16 musicians from both bands gathered onstage for a half-hour finale. The decision to perform songs from each act's catalog led to intriguing highlights.
Chicago vocalists Bill Champlin and Robert Lamm sang parts of a horn-injected version of the Doobies' hit "Takin' it to the Streets." In return, the Doobies contributed high harmony vocal parts and a trio of expert guitarists to the Chicago hit "25 or 6 to 4."
Massive onstage collaborations (like the ones performed at the annual Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony) can devolve into a musical mess, but Chicago and the Doobie Brothers made intelligent choices regarding the musical arrangements for their inspired partnership.
For those who aren't avid fans, the set list of an oldies concert can be a series of pleasant diversions interspersed with the handful of hit songs they know. This concert's collaborative finale was a formula that could satisfy anyone -- from the casual fan to the hard-core devotee to the jaded rock critic.
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