We have a soft spot for bands named after places.
There’s classic rockers America, Boston and Kansas, country stalwarts Alabama and indie veterans Phoenix.
You can’t forget the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Chicago though.
The band that brought the world love ballads like “If You Leave Me Now,” “You’re The Inspiration” and “Hard To Say I’m Sorry” as well as FM radio staples “25 or 6 to 4,” “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is” and “Saturday In The Park” will bring their classics to venues all over North America this year.
That includes quite a few stops in the Big Apple and Garden State.
On April 15, Chicago will play Atlantic City’s Etess Arena at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Following that big night, the group will perform at Staten Island’s St. George Theatre on April 16, Morristown, NJ’s Mayo Performing Arts Center on April 18 and April 19 and Verona, NY’s Turning Stone Resort and Casino Event Center on April 22.
Then, two months later they return to the Northeast for gigs at Rochester, NY’s Kodak Center on June 21, Westbury, NY’s NYCB Theatre on June 23, Farmingville, NY’s Amphitheater at Bald Hill on June 24 and New Brunswick’s State Theatre on June 25.
And we’re just getting started. The band has over 60 concerts scheduled this year.
Not bad for a band that’s been touring since 1967.
Best of all, some tickets are going for as low as $29 before fees on Vivid Seats.
Want to see Chicago live?
Here’s everything you need to know about how you can make that happen this year.
All prices were found at the time of publication and are subject to fluctuation.
Chicago 2023 tour schedule
The self-described “rock and roll band with horns” will first fulfill the final dates of their Las Vegas residency at the Venetian Theater from Feb. 24 through March 11.
Soon after that, they’ll hit the road for huge concerts in Baltimore on April 21, Milwaukee on May 9, Kansas City on May 26, Cincinnati on July 6 and Phoenix on Aug. 18.
As of now, the final show booked for Chicago in 2023 will take place at Boise’s Idaho Botanical Garden on Sept. 3.
A complete calendar including all tour dates, venues, show start times and links to buy tickets can be found here.
Chicago new music
56 years deep into their storied career, Chicago is still creating.
In July 2022, the band featuring original members Robert Lamm (keyboard, vocals), Lee Loughnane (trumpet, flugelhorn, backing vocals), James Pankow (trombone, backing vocals), Walter Parazaider (saxophones, flute, clarinet, backing vocals) and new lead vocalist Neil Donell released their 26th studio album “Born For This Moment.”
Comprised of 14 songs, the record is a jazzy throwback to the band’s signature, lively sound.
And for our money, “Our New York Time” is a standout track that wouldn’t be out of place on one of the group’s classic ’60s and ’70s albums.
If you want to hear the horn-heavy record for yourself, you can find it here.
Chicago set list
Chicago closed their 2022 tour in November and appears to have had a fairly standard set list at each show.
Still, they don’t phone it in — the band regularly plays 25+ songs when they perform.
While we can’t predict what you’ll hear when you see the band live in 2023, here’s what they played live last year courtesy of Set List FM.
01.) “Introduction”
02.) “Dialogue (Part I & II)”
03.) “Questions 67 & 68”
04.) “Call on Me”
05.) “Wake Up Sunshine”
06.) “(I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long”
07.) “Mongonucleosis”
08.) “If This Is Goodbye”
09.) “If You Leave Me Now”
10.) “Make Me Smile”
11.) “So Much to Say, So Much to Give”
12.) “Anxiety’s Moment”
13.) “West Virginia Fantasies”
14.) “Colour My World”
15.) “To Be Free”
16.) “Now More Than Ever”
17.) “Alive Again”
18.) “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?”
19.) “Old Days”
20.) “Hard Habit to Break”
21.) “You’re the Inspiration”
22.) “Beginnings”
23.) “I’m a Man” (The Spencer Davis Group cover) (With percussion duet)
24.) “Just You ‘n’ Me”
25.) “Hard to Say I’m Sorry / Get Away”
26.) “Saturday in the Park”
27.) “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day”
Encore:
28.) “Free”
29.) “25 or 6 to 4”
For those who would like to see what Chicago played way back when they were The Chicago Transit Authority in the late 60s before they shortened their name to Chicago, you can find all set lists from their history dating back to 1967 here.
Classic rockers on tour in 2023
Fans of pre-music video era rock and roll, we come bearing good news.
Many of the most iconic acts from before MTV was a thing are bringing their hits to venues all over North America this year.
Here are just five of our favorite classic rockers you won’t want to miss live these next few months when they come to a city near you.
• Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
• Ringo Starr
• Billy Joel with Stevie Nicks
• Dead and Company featuring John Mayer
• Lynyrd Skynyrd with ZZ Top
Need to see who else is out and about? Check out our list of the 22 biggest classic rock acts on tour in 2023 here.