Robert Lamm Quotes (6 Quotes)

Advanced ticket sales have been terrific but we've also found that on the day of the show twice as many people are just walking up (to buy tickets). Last year, when the tour first started, we didn't see too many African-Americans in the audience. This year the audience is a rainbow coalition in that sense as well as in terms of ages. The audience ages are all over the map. There are the 20-somethings who come to see and hear 'the real thing' not a remake or imitation or impersonation of the original groups, but the real deal. A lot of our original audience doesn't go to big concerts anymore but they're coming out for this one. It's one last party.

When you've been playing for 35 years, there aren't too many 'firsts' left. But this is definitely the first time we've ever played a record company's lobby.

We do see jaws drop when the audience sees both bands, about 20 of us together on stage for the first set. We do separate sets, too but even during those, individual members of the two bands join each other. It's a cross pollination if you will. Between us we have about 50 hits and we do nearly all of them. It's just a dynamic and fun show. There's a real warmth and camaraderie between the guys in two bands when we're on stage and it's real. I'm enjoying that.

We have as many audiences as we have phases of our career. And all of us are older now. We've grown in different directions, so that the result is a band that's sometimes a little scattered -- just like it was with the original version of the band, really. ... All Chicago albums are stylistically all over the map, and that's a good thing. We can play to anyone.

It's a bit unusual that we've lasted this long, sure. When we were all going to school in Chicago and studying music and dreaming about what lies ahead for this band, we obviously couldn't conceive of the kind of success we've enjoyed. ... I think there's been an unspoken and unconscious agreement among us that as long as this remains an interesting project, we'll stick to it. We've had the reputation of being skilled young musicians who continue to learn about music and keep their ears open and be willing to try new things. That's what's kept it together.

Over the years we've co-headlined with a lot of amazing musicians. Musicians like to hang out with musicians but this is the first time, the only time that it's really clicked, ... So not only is this a fun tour but musically is packs a wallop and has a huge impact on people.