Search - Chicago :: Chicago

A word of advice.

Matt | 12/24/2000

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is terrible. It's not the Chicago of the sixties. Arrangements of songs are awful with the sound quality of a 1932 victrola. Don't buy it."

Live in Toronto, 1969

Matt | Buffalo, NY | 03/01/2001

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of a million records/tapes/8-tracks/CD's that were released of Chicago's performance at the 1969 Toronto Rock N Roll Revival Festival. Nearly every version I've seen has the first song labelled incorrectly - its "Introduction", not "Beginnings". Not only is this an unofficial release, but Chicago has also been fighting its release since the first of many versions came out back in 1978, shortly after original guitarist Terry Kath's death.So if you're looking for a piece of history, or that one missing piece in your Chicago collection, its worth the $7 to buy this CD. If you're looking for a decent live Chicago CD, check out the following, in order of quality (best to worst):1. Chicago Live in Japan 2. Chicago XXVI Live 3. Chicago at Carnegie Hall 4. Chicago (any CD having the same track listing as this one)There are also a few excellent live videos available, like "Live at the Greek Theatre", and "And the Band Played On..."."

Much better than you might expect

Matt | 08/19/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"It's true that the sound quality is below par, but anyone with experience of bootlegs (not to mention archival jazz releases) will have heard much worse than this.
And it's also true that the performance has its rough-and-unready moments.
BUT! Despite the band's own repudiation of it, this live recording is one that no fan of Chicago's 1969-72 golden era should be without. "Introductions", "25 or 6 to 4" and "Questions 67 and 68" all feature superior performances from Terry Kath to those on the original studio albums. In fact, I would argue that these versions of "Questions" and "25 or 6 to 4" are the best-ever. Kath's introduction to the former brings tears to my eyes (well, almost), and the latter simply rocks harder than any other version.
James Pankow gets his moment in the spotlight on "Beginnings" (which, despite appearances to the contrary, does not appear on many editions of this album), Seraphine manages to impress on "I'm A Man" (although, as usual, Cetera is unable to provide the high harmony on the chorus), "Does Anybody..." is ably despatched, and there's more guitar to savour on "South California Purples" (aka "Purple Song").
As with the Chicago Transit Authority album, I feel unable to comment on "Liberation" - to my mind it just goes on and on for far too long. A guitar player, or a true Chicago fanatic, may be able to pinpoint the differences between the two versions, but I say stick with the Carnegie Hall album if you want to hear Kath stretching out. But that's a minor blemish on a recording that deserves to be critically-rehabilitated.
(Please note: I used the "Kids" review form to write this because of a technical error on the proper review form. I am in fact ghengisadonis, aged twenty-something)."