Chicago And Styx Return Home As ‘The Windy Cities’ Tour Hits Chicago

Chicago performs connected shape during 'The Windy Cities' tour. Saturday, August 1, 2026 astatine Allstate Arena successful Rosemont, IL

Photo by Ethan Chivari

“This set started connected the southbound broadside of Chicago!” exclaimed Styx keyboard subordinate Lawrence Gowan earlier this period connected shape during a homecoming capacity astatine Allstate Arena. “You are the group that person kept this euphony live for decades now and we emotion that. So, fto them perceive you retired connected Lake Michigan correct now!”

Amidst a co-headlining tour group to resume Saturday, August 22 successful Oklahoma, 1 scheduled to tally into early September, the Rosemont, Illinois circuit extremity acted arsenic a homecoming of sorts for hitmakers Styx and Chicago arsenic they group disconnected connected the existent “The Windy Cities” jaunt.

With some famously forming successful the Chicagoland area, Styx songs are responsible for a staggering 54 cardinal albums sold worldwide complete the people of much than 5 decades. Chicago, connected the different hand, has sold successful excess of 100 million, pinch some groups opinionated coming arsenic 2 of the biggest stone acts of the 1970s and early 80s.

“When we started present successful [the metropolis of] Chicago, we started retired successful the clubs for illustration everyone else,” explained co-founding Chicago trumpeter Lee Loughnane connected stage, mounting up the group’s return connected the timeless Jackie Wilson opus “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher” (a trim recorded mostly successful the metropolis of Chicago). “In each pavilion that location is, guidelines up and singing it!"

While Loughnane stands arsenic Chicago’s sole remaining original personnel joining the group connected the roadworthy today, Styx touts a halfway trio which includes bassist Chuck Panozzo, guitarist J.Y. Young and longtime guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw.

“One much portion of Styx history,” said Gowan connected shape successful Rosemont. “It started successful the basement of the family Panozzo,” he continued. “How’s that for a hometown welcome, Chuck?” said Gowan of the raucous crowd consequence while mounting up “Come Sail Away” precocious successful the Styx set.

Out of keys tickled from atop a rotating riser by Gowan, Shaw offered up the acoustic intro to “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man),” pinch 4 guitarists soon marching together to the ft of the shape arsenic showman Gowan drove the way to completion via soaring synths.

“That was from our newest release,” remarked Gowan soon aft arsenic Styx wrapped up “Build and Destroy” from past year’s workplace medium Circling From Above, the group’s 18th. “That’s the benignant of sound we expect outta you!”

The crowd consequence would only turn louder arsenic Styx followed pinch the Dennis DeYoung-penned “Lady,” a capacity which featured 5 of the group’s 7 voices connected harmony throughout.

With the crowd supplying the basal claps, Shaw led Styx done a ripping return connected “Too Much Time connected my Hands,” bringing the crowd backmost to its feet. Drummer Todd Sucherman soon pounded retired the earliest moments of “The Grand Illusion.” A spotlight recovered itself connected Shaw, who soloed distant during the title way to the band’s 1977 classic.

Gowan’s relative Terry Gowan handled bass connected “Rockin’ the Paradise” while Shaw added banjo to “Our Wonderful Lives.”

Following “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights),” Lawrence Gowan kicked disconnected “Come Sail Away” arsenic Styx headed to encore, cruising toward completion pinch a murderer’s statement of hits. “Too overmuch technology!” came the acquainted lyric arsenic Styx tore done “Mr. Roboto” en way to the poppy stone stomp that is “Renegade” to adjacent the 90 infinitesimal set.

“Thank you truthful much,” said Shaw successful the set’s closing moments conscionable extracurricular Chicago. “I mean it.”

For astir 2 hours, Chicago songs reminded fans conscionable really galore hits the set has created complete the people of astir six decades.

“Thank you, Robert Lamm for different 1 of your awesome songs!” publication the surface flanking Chicago arsenic the group completed “Dialogue (Part I & II)” connected shape astatine Allstate Arena.

Lamm wrapped up a 58 twelvemonth tally connected shape pinch Chicago past year. But the existent 10-piece ensemble masterfully recreates the group’s canon of hits each nighttime unrecorded connected stage.

While newcomer Rudy Cardenas does the dense lifting successful position of lead vocals, six members of the group stock successful Chicago’s rich | vocal harmonies each night.

“We brought immoderate impermanent artists arsenic you whitethorn person noticed. The Cover Girls!” said saxophone subordinate Ray Herrmann, introducing the five-piece female drawstring ensemble who helped soma retired cuts for illustration “If You Leave Me Now.” “So, bask the nighttime and person a bully time!”

Hermann moved to flute arsenic Loughnane nailed a precocious solo, fueling a jazzy interlude during “Make Me Smile.” Slide trombone shined later during “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?”

Loughnane paused for a infinitesimal to admit woodwind subordinate Walter Parazaider who passed away this past June. “He stood adjacent to maine for 45 years,” said the trumpet player. “But, because of you, our audience, this set has had hits successful truthful galore different decades. So, let’s prime one!”

Moving toward the 80s, Chicago rolled retired the David Foster-produced “Hard Habit to Break,” pinch bassist Eric Baines joining Cardenas connected the vocal. Continuing pinch the Foster hits, guitarist Tony Obrohta, near limb up connected the monitor, unfurled a scorching precocious solo arsenic Chicago continued the look backmost pinch erstwhile bassist Peter Cetera’s poppier broadside successful “You’re The Inspiration.”

Vintage photos of the Chicago Theatre ran connected surface arsenic “Old Days” rang retired successful Rosemont conscionable astir a mile northbound of O’Hare Airport. But the biggest popular deed arsenic photos of Demon Dogs appeared, a legendary Chicago basking canine guidelines owned by erstwhile Chicago head Pete Schivarelli that was located connected Fullerton Avenue adjacent DePaul University (where Loughnane and respective set members first crossed paths successful 1967).

“Here’s different 1 we utilized to do successful the clubs,” mused Loughnane late. “This 1 didn’t moreover make the first album!” he continued, referencing the group’s infamous 1969 workplace debut arsenic Chicago Transit Authority while mounting up the group’s return connected Spencer Davis Group’s “I’m A Man.” Percussion that would make Carlos Santana grin was beforehand and halfway connected the screen arsenic Obrohta added tambourine to dueling cowbell, pinch percussionists Wally Reyes Jr. and Ray Yslas many times swapping seats while maintaining the hit passim an connected shape session successful stone percussion.

“Thank you Jimmy Pankow for that awesome song!” publication the surface arsenic Chicago continued the deed parade pinch “Just You ‘n’ Me,” remembering the co-founding trombone subordinate who remains successful the fold contempt precocious wrapping up touring duties.

As the crowd waved a operation of phones and lighters successful the air, “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” gave measurement to “Get Away,” pinch Chicago tearing done a rollicking retelling of 1 of Cetera’s much resonant ballads.

With nary shortage of hits, Chicago continued the look backmost pinch “Saturday successful the Park,” yet returning from encore pinch “Free” (with the crowd clapping on during the former).

But redeeming the champion for last, Obrohta offered up a spot connected rendition of 1 of the astir stolen, and criminally underrated, guitar riffs successful stone history, channeling the precocious Terry Kath arsenic Chicago wrapped up connected shape successful the Windy City pinch the gritty, jarring, beautifully rocking intro to “25 aliases 6 to 4.”

“Chicago! What a nighttime for unrecorded music. We are truthful happy to beryllium backmost location pinch the legendary Styx!” exclaimed Hermann early. “We started here, we’re playing here,” added Loughnane later. “Thanks for coming tonight.”