Review by Jo Jo Anthony
Photos by Joe Schaeffer
As part of their Windy City Tour, veteran and Chicago-based bands Chicago and Styx returned to Southern California and were welcomed by an enthusiastic sold-out crowd in Palm Desert. I had never been to this venue, and I was immediately impressed with the layout. The sound for both bands was fantastic.
Styx opened with the fan favorite “Fooling Yourself” from their triple Platinum album, 1977’s The Grand Illusion. I was immediately taken back to my first Styx concert in 1977 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Los Angeles. One of the first things that caught my attention was just how good the bands’ vocals were. Tommy Shaw still has the same amazing voice he had 50 years ago. Much to my delight, they followed with “Lorelei” from 1975 Equinox Once again, another song that displayed the vocals talents from this band.
The next song was a newer track “Build and Destroy” from 2025’s Circling From Above. I purchased a copy of the CD at the venue and after one listen, I really like the recording. Not many Vintage Rock bands will stray away from their hits to feature new material on stage. My respect for Styx increased even more by introducing this song.
The band’s first Top 10 single, 1973’s “Lady” was next and keyboardist Lawrence Gowan’s lead vocals were just captivating. He literally captured the essence of the original recording. Styx followed with more classic songs like “Too Much Time On My Hands,” from 1981’s Paradise Theater and “The Grand Illusion.’’
Another pleasant surprise was “Light Up,” another one from Equinox, the very first Styx album I ever purchased. This was followed by a powerful performance of “Crystal Ball” from the album of the same name, released in 1976. Shaw played a 12-string acoustic guitar on the opening half of the song and was followed by the rest of the players with immense power and dynamic backing vocals.
Styx closed their set with “Come Sail Away” and once again Lawrence Gowan’s vocals were superb. They encored with “Mr. Roboto” and “Renegade.”
Chicago followed and hit the stage with an eclectic set of hit songs from their long and historic catalog. Opening “Dialogue” from 1972’s Chicago V. Like Styx, Chicago also concentrated on their numerous hits over the course of their 60-year career.
Veteran trumpet player Lee Loughnane, the only original member of Chicago is performing with the talented 10-piece band and literally four different members handling the lead vocals on various songs. Covering the works of Peter Cetera, Robert Lamm, and the late Terry Kath is not an easy task, but the band pulls it off. Two other original members, Robert Lamm and trombonist James Pankow, recently retired from touring. Both men were paid tribute to on the large screen behind the band during the performance.
The set featured such classics like “If You Leave Me Now,” “Beginnings” and “Hard Habit to Break.” Loughnane reminisced with the audience on the days early in the bands’ career when Chicago was a covers bar band covering classic songs and the band then performed the classic “Higher and Higher” by the legendary Jackie Wilson. The song transitioned into “I’m a Man,” a Spencer Davis Group song Chicago covered on their debut album.
One of the most entertaining segments of the concert was the drum solo performed by Walfredo Reyes Jr., performing alongside percussionist Ramon Yslas. The two squared off in a duel with one another trading drum chops. What made it fun was when the two literally switched instruments and continued battling one another before returning to their original instruments. Of course, the audience loved it. What rock fan who grew up in the 1970s doesn’t love a drum solo?
Chicago closed with a medley featuring two of my favorite songs from the band, “Saturday in the Park” and “Feeling Stronger Everyday,” which closed the show. They would return for an encore with “25 or 6 to 4,” featuring some amazing guitar work from guitarist Tony Obrohta.
Both Chicago and Styx may not feature all their original members, but both feature some amazing players who did one hell of job with the music. I tend to believe that most fans have little concern for who is in the band as long as they hear the songs they came to hear.
These fans love nostalgia, and they want to be reminded of a far simpler time in their lives driving around in their first car packed with friends listening to the music of their youth. Tonight, seeing both Styx and Chicago brought back those memories for me.
