Chicago Performs in Thousand Oaks

By Robert Bernstein

The band Chicago has been performing for over fifty years. We were fortunate to have them in our area recently.

Here are a few photos and a short set of videos from their performance at the Thousand Oaks Civic Center.

When I got the tickets I did not realize they would also be performing at the Arlington Theater in Santa Barbara. But, I have to say, the Thousand Oaks Civic Center was an ideal venue. It felt more like the Lobero than the Arlington, giving most of the audience a seat close to the band.

The first half of the performance the band played their entire Chicago II album from beginning to end. That album was made at the height of the turmoil of the US War in Vietnam as well as the struggle for civil rights. Scenes of those times played on the screen as the band performed.

After a short intermission, the band came back for a second full hour of “Greatest Hits”.

Here I combined three short video clips of three of those songs:
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
Just You ‘N’ Me
Saturday In the Park
 

Here you can see several key band members in that second set:

At front left is founding member Jimmy Pankow on Trombone
To his right is founding member Walt Parazaider on Saxophone
Far right in front is founding member Lee Loughnane on Trumpet
Behind him is founding member Robert Lamm on Keyboard and Vocals

Here are a few more photos from that second set:

We also were given a very special treat at the end. A group photo with the band!

Chicago has been performing over 100 times a year since 1967. They have never missed a single performance! They clearly enjoy doing what they do and they have mastered the logistics perfectly.