Chicago Theatre and Concert Reviews

Chicago Theatre Review

All in the Family

Colin Douglas September 5, 2015 Reviews Comments Off

The Lyons – Aston Rep

As Ben lies in his hospital bed facing death, his wife Rita relaxes in a chair, facing away from him, casually browsing

Come For the Pinter, Stay for the Palimpsest

lazloc1961 September 3, 2015 Reviews Comments Off

Ashes to Ashes – Citizens Relief and Palimpsest Exhibition at Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art

By Lazlo Collins

Sometimes the search for a great two-for-one may be a struggle. Well search no more! Currently at The Intuit: The

No Spare Change

lazloc1961 September 3, 2015 Reviews Comments Off

After Miss Julie – Strawdog Theatre Company

By Lazlo Collins

Change affects us all in different ways. Sometimes our response to change can be unpredictable. We look for

Moving On…So What?

Colin Douglas September 3, 2015 Reviews Comments Off

Glory Days – Refuge Theatre Project

Four best friends from high school reunite on an empty football field a year after they’ve gone on to the colleges of

Memories Explode in Manhattan

Colin Douglas August 31, 2015 Reviews Comments Off

The Price – Timeline Theatre

Sometimes a theatergoer attends a play, produced by a topnotch company, confident that he’ll be impressed by what

Santana- Still as Good as Advertised…and Smooth

Gayle August 31, 2015 concert reviews Comments Off

Santana- Ravinia

I went to see Carlos Santana on a very drizzly Saturday night. The umbrellas of the lawn crowd shimmering like waves on the sea… Excuse me for a moment; I have to cross Santana off of my bucket list. Ok, so where was I? Waves on the sea, blah, blah, blah. Let’s talk Santana. He still rocks. Like he’s been doing for the past 49 years. Half a century. As good as ever. Maybe even better now. Aging like a fine wine comes to mind.

Carlos Santana officially started his career in 1966. While forever sealed in memory as one of the legendary icons of Woodstock fame, he has also put out 23 albums using at least 56 different musicians in his band. His 1999 release Supernatural, was the Album of the Year. He has also managed to put 10 Grammys on his trophy shelf.

Photo by
Ravinia Festival / Russell Jenkins

The Santana Experience is a high energy performnace. At 68, his talk is still soft spoken and of a spiritual, peaceful nature. Conversely, his guitar is as strong a presence on the stage as it has always been.

His band is a perfect compliment to his finger and flat picking, which seems to mostly be done on the G, B, and E (last three) strings with few chords to interrupt his expert weaving on the musical loom. Pepe Jimenez and Karl Perazzo were amazing on drums. Bring in Paoli Mejias on congas to complete an explosive percussion section. It’s hard to believe that a two man brass section (Bill Ortiz-trumpet and Jeff Cressman-trombone) can deliver so much beauty and power. Keyboardist and the other guitarists were great too. Also, awesome vocals by Tony Lindsay and Andy Vargas. Salvador Santana joined his father on stage to sing a couple songs from his new album, nicely backed up by singer Alex Nester.

Photo by
Ravinia Festival / Russell Jenkins

You know how you see something in a brochure or online and the real object or experience doesn’t live up to the pictures? Well, Carlos Santana is as good as advertised- as good as the brochure.

Although Santana has only sporadically been considered a mainstream artist, he gave the crowd beautiful and true renditions of Smooth, Evil Ways, Jingo and Europa. His playing is as fresh as it was half a century ago. Seeing him play was as good as I imagined it would be. And I’ve had 40 years to think about it. I highly recommend him to be placed on your bucket list.

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Reviewed by Scott Kirshenbaum

Into the Darkness

Colin Douglas August 29, 2015 Reviews Comments Off

The Jacksonian – Profiles Theatre

Nothing can really prepare audiences for the bizarrely fascinating, twisted, darkly humorous story that’s unfolding at

These Rocket Boys Soar

Colin Douglas August 29, 2015 Reviews Comments Off

October Sky

Following the success of their 2012 musical, “Hero,” which also had its world premiere at the Marriott Lincolnshire

AN OLD SOUL AT HEART

Gayle August 23, 2015 concert reviews Comments Off

SETH MACFARLANE- Ravinia

As I sat in my Ravinia Pavilion seat on an unusually comfortable August evening awaiting the entrance of Mr. Seth MacFarlane, I, along with most of the audience, anticipated hearing the diatribes of rude, crude and lewd Peter, the stoic, dry wit of Brian and the angry, precocious musings of Stewie- the core of the Griffin family of Quahog, Rhode Island.

The Classic Story On Stage

Colin Douglas August 21, 2015 Reviews Comments Off

Dirty Dancing – Broadway in Chicago

Back for another visit to Chicago, this time starring Hubbard Street’s own Christopher Tierney as hunky dancer

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