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Written by Marc Farr Saturday, 16 August 2014 00:26

It seemed more like a really good Chicago tribute band than the real thing.

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, St. Louis

Friday night saw the return of two of St. Louis' all-time favorite classic rock bands. REO Speedwagon, with special guest Chicago, stormed the stage of Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. With more than 35+ years in the business, Chicago has never changed with the times. Always true to their horn-based style, they have never worried about being "hip" or "in,” and they are all the better for it. The band was warmly welcomed by the growing crowd, though many of their hits were not played. With the way Chicago's roster changes, it seemed more like a really good Chicago tribute band than the real thing.  Yet, songs like "You're the Inspiration" and "Love of my Life" washed over the slightly rain-soaked audience like a welcome storm. Classic tunes like "25 or 6 to 4" went by the wayside, making room for more obscure, mega-fan tunes. The band redeemed themselves with a powerful rendition of "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" and the uber-classic "Saturday in the Park". The band was tight and well-mixed, with killer sound. As they left the stage, they told the eager audience to make sure to stick around after the headliner’s set, as the two bands would have a surprise for us.

REO Speedwagon has been rocking St. Louis since the beginning of their career. This city loves their REO. The packed crowd at Verizon Wireless more than proved that. Opening with the classic "Don't Let Him Go," the band rocked from the first note. Lead singer Kevin Cronin sounds just as good as he did 20 years ago when the band had their heyday in the 80s. With so many hits under their belt and a loyal fan base, REO can play hit songs all night long, and they basically did. With mega hits like "Take it on the Run," "Keep Pushin On," and "Golden Country," the band was tight and having a great time on stage.

There are certain tunes that the band basically had to play if they expected to get out of the theater alive—"Can't Fight this Feeling" and "Time for Me to Fly" among them. They happily played both tunes. Even lead singer Cronin commented to the audience, "You came to hear the hits, and that's what we are gonna play." "That Ain't Love," "Tough Guys," and "Back on the Road Again" rounded out the set. Then...our surprise!

Chicago joined forces with REO and came out for the encore, playing fantastic versions of "Ridin' the Storm Out," "Keep On Lovin' You," and "Roll with the Changes." This was a great moment for the fans. Overall, this was a killer show, and both bands re-established themselves as masters of the classic rock genre. | Marc Farr