This year represents Boston's 40th Anniversary Tour, but the band sounded much younger, fresher, with tighter musicianship, and ultimately, the most impressive performance of the five times I've seen them live more impressive than ever.
Memorial Day approaching, the concert fittingly began with Tom Scholz, the band's founder and creative genius, playing The Star Spangled Banner in front of a huge American Flag.
The concert featured Boston's greatest hits, including Rock and Roll Band, More than a Feeling, Don't Look Back, Amanda, Cool The Engines, and others the audience seemed to know by heart. New to the show was the sing 'Higher Power' taken from the Boston Greatest Hits album.
The Touring Band, the same personnel as last year's Chicago concert, had significantly inproved, preforming as a tight unit, with effortless and more confidence.
- 1. Tom Scholz, on guitar, keyboards, inventions, patents; genius and almost everything musical
- 2. Gary Pihl, guitar, grew up in Chicago, for decades has done just about everything else as Tom's musical and business partner;
- 3. Tommy Decarlo on vocals, showed new talent interacting with the enthusiastic audience;
- 4. Tracie Ferrie on bass the last three tours, really enjoyed himself, spinning in circles on one song, flat on his back during another;
- 5. Beth Cohen, on her second Boston tour, is a fiery addition on keyboards, lead guitar and vocals, nailed her parts every time.
- 6. Curly Smith, a veteran Boston tour drummer, played this show, and alternated with Jeff Neal
The short recap and forecast: Boston sounded better than ever in this 2016 Chicago 40th anniversary tour, and I project the band is going to be thrilling audiences for many more years to come.
Copyright © 2016, Chicago Tribune
