Description
Chicago went home to its namesake city last year to record a live version of the band's multi-platinum second album, Chicago II. Recorded at the historic WTTW-TV studios, the performance features every song from that classic album, including several that haven't been played live since the 1970s. The concert is airing now on select PBS stations as part of the network's Soundstage series.

CHICAGO II: LIVE ON SOUNDSTAGE will be available in two formats on June 29, including a single-CD version and a CD/DVD set that includes video of the program and a 5.1 audio mix.

CHICAGO II: COLLECTOR'S EDTION will be released in August. It comes with the Soundstage performance on CD and DVD, as well as the original Chicago II album remixed by acclaimed producer Steven Wilson on both CD and double-LP.

CHICAGO II: LIVE ON SOUNDSTAGE underscores the enduring popularity of Chicago's second album with an energized performance of the entire double-album in front of a live audience. The band currently performs Chicago II in its entirety and will continue to play the album throughout the year and on their upcoming tour with REO Speedwagon, followed by a set of their greatest hits.

Originally released in January 1970 as Chicago (and later dubbed Chicago II ), the album was a major breakthrough for the band and features some of the group's biggest hits, including the Top 10 singles: "25 Or 6 To 4," "Make Me Smile" and "Colour My World."

Nominated for three Grammy awards and certified double-platinum, the album is also known for several extended song cycles: "Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon" by trombonist/composer James Pankow; "Memories Of Love" by guitarist Terry Kath and composer Peter Matz; and "It Better End Soon" by keyboardist/vocalist/composer Robert Lamm. Robert Lamm and James Pankow have also become the latest inductees of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017.

Tracklist
1. Movin' In
2. The Road
3. Poem For The People
4. In The Country
5. Wake Up Sunshine
6. Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon
- Make Me Smile
- So Much To Say, So Much To Give
- Anxiety's Moment
- West Virginia Fantasies
- Colour My World
- To Be Free
- Now More Than Ever
7. Fancy Colours
8. Memories Of Love
9. It Better End Soon
- 1st Movement
- 2nd Movement
- 4th Movement
10. Where Do We Go From Here
11. 25 Or 6 To 4

CD Standalone
Jun 29, 2018
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CXFD81N/?tag=imwan-20

CD/DVD Set
Jun 29, 2018
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CXC36PP/?tag=imwan-20

2CD/2LP/1DVD Collector's Edition Box Set
Aug 31, 2018
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CXZ9FL5/?tag=imwan-20

These will be the home video and audio versions of Chicago's recent televised concert which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Chicago II album. Amazon is currently showing an incorrect release date, but all editions are pre-orderable.

i was hoping it was the original 7 doing chicago II live. that would be something.

Sure I'll get it as a collection completer. In for a penny; in for a pound (or at least the $25, not the $100). Here's the info from the band's website:

Chicago went home to its namesake city last year to record a live version of the band’s multi-platinum second album, Chicago II. Recorded at the historic WTTW-TV studios, the performance features every song from that classic album, including several that haven’t been played live since the 1970s. The concert is airing now on select PBS stations as part of the network’s Soundstage series.

CHICAGO II: LIVE ON SOUNDSTAGE will be available in two formats on June 29, including a single-CD version ($14.98) and a CD/DVD set ($24.98) that includes video of the program and a 5.1 audio mix. The music will also be available digitally and via streaming services.

CHICAGO II: COLLECTOR’S EDTION will be released in August for $99.98. It comes with the Soundstage performance on CD and DVD, as well as the original Chicago II album remixed by acclaimed producer Steven Wilson on both CD and double-LP.

CHICAGO II: LIVE ON SOUNDSTAGE underscores the enduring popularity of Chicago’s second album with an energized performance of the entire double-album in front of a live audience. The band currently performs Chicago II in its entirety and will continue to play the album throughout the year and on their upcoming tour with REO Speedwagon, followed by a set of their greatest hits. Tour dates are available HERE.

Originally released in January 1970 as Chicago (and later dubbed Chicago II), the album was a major breakthrough for the band and features some of the group’s biggest hits, including the Top 10 singles: “25 Or 6 To 4,” “Make Me Smile” and “Colour My World.”

Nominated for three Grammy awards and certified double-platinum, the album is also known for several extended song cycles: “Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon” by trombonist/composer James Pankow; “Memories Of Love” by guitarist Terry Kath and composer Peter Matz; and “It Better End Soon” by keyboardist/vocalist/composer Robert Lamm. Robert Lamm and James Pankow have also become the latest inductees of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017.

In this day and age, no blu ray?

Did Parazaider perform in this concert? I know he doesn't really go on tour with the band anymore, but I'd like to think he made an exception for this.

I don't know how interested I am if less than half the performers had anything to do with the original album. But we'll see.

Does not appear that he did:

http://chicagoconcertreviews.com/2018/0 ... oundstage/

I was thinking the same thing.

It's like we're finishing each other's sentences!

For those wondering, the 2017 lineup:

Robert Lamm (keys/voc)
Keith Howland (gtr/voc)
Jeff Coffey (bass/voc)
Lou Pardini (keys/voc)
Tris Imboden (drums)
Ray Herrmann (sax/flute)
James Pankow (trombone)
Lee Loughnane (trumpet)
Walfredo Reyes Jr (percussion)

Since then, Coffey and Imboden are gone.

We're Jimbo Lunch veterans. It's what we do.

it's the robert lamm band!

You & me both. I will be passing on this.

I picked this up today at Barnes and Noble. I played the DVD first, and was chagrined to see that the disc was full of glitches....pauses and then fast forwards over and over again in several spots.

Looking at the reviews on Amazon, I see that this has been a common problem for this set. Gonna try and exchange it, although I wonder if any other copy I exchange it for will just have the same issues. And this was the only copy in the store, so not sure when I can expect a new one anyway.

I got my first defective blu-ray recently (USA Interview With A Vampire). It was obviously the mastering as the film played fine, & there were a ton of digital glitches on the parts of the documentary extra; but only when they showed clips from the film!

My reactions to what I was able to watch, glitches and all...

It was...fine. Some parts were really cool, some parts felt relatively lifeless. Lou Pardini covered Terry Kath's vocals on one of my favorite Chicago songs, "In the Country" very well. The bass player who covered Peter Cetera's vocals did a really good job...I largely preferred his vocals on "25 or 6 to 4" to his predecessor, Jason Scheff.

But it was hard to get past the feeling of just watching a Chicago cover band that happened to have some of the original members in it. I think only two of the songs in the whole concert were sung by the same vocalist as the original album. And that vocalist, Robert Lamm, whose creativity I have loved beyond measure for decades....his voice just sounds so weak now.

I did like hearing Lee Loughnane sing "Colour My World" for the first time (for my ears, anyway), although I was sort of puzzled at how fast the band chose to play it.

I long thought that as long as Lamm and the original horns were still there, that the band still had the right to call itself Chicago, even without Kath, Cetera, and Seraphine (who, the horn identity of the band aside, I genuinely feel were the most gifted members musically). Especially while they still had Bill Champlin (who I know is kind of divisive for fans) and Scheff. But as much as it pains me to say this, I kind of wish the band had just called it a day once Walt Parazaider's health wouldn't let him play anymore. His replacement is quite talented, that's not the issue.

It's not as bad as the version of the Beach Boys where Mike Love was the lone original member, but it feels close.

Replacement set had the same glitches on the DVD. Sigh...

If anyone is still reading this thread, let me ask a question of morality...

I had already copied the CD to my iTunes folder before I ever even watched the DVD in the first place. Now that I know that my replacement copy has the same DVD glitches, and that any other copy will likely be the same, I kind of just want to return it and get my money back. I don't want to have paid all that money when one of the two discs doesn't work.

Does that mean that, in good conscience, I need to delete it from my iTunes account as well? Since I would in effect, though not in intent, be stealing the album if I didn't after returning the set. I suppose I do.

Morals are a very personal thing, imo.

Tyler,

The technical legality of it is that you're supposed to delete your copies of media if you sell, return or otherwise get rid of the original. Nobody here is going to judge you, though. (Unless you try to attack Geff with the glitchy DVD.)

I thought Audio Fidelity went out of business.