Crowded House made a triumphant return to Chicago with their Dreamers Are Waiting Tour as they make a stop at The Chicago Theatre.
The show which felt like it was never going to happen after being postponed first due to the pandemic and second due to their drummer suffering a back injury, finally took place at the iconic Chicago Theatre. Crowded House more than made up for the delay for those who held onto their tickets by performing for over two hours. They performed something old and something new, something for fans both old and new.
Founding members Neil Finn (guitar/vocals) and kilt-donning Nick Seymour (bass) were joined by Mitchell Froom on keyboard, and Neil’s sons Liam (guitar) and Elroy (drums). They may be made up of different members but it’s still very much a family affair. While their lineup has changed over the years, with only two founding members remaining, they still very much have the core essence of Crowded House’s sound. Finn’s voice sounds exactly like it did back in the day, and it is clear to see why he was asked to join the Fleetwood Mac lineup on the departure of Lindsey Buckingham.
Throughout the show, the band looked like they were just a bunch of friends having a fun night together. It was filled with banter between the band themselves and also the audience. At one point, someone in the front row put a fake mouse on the stage, much to the dislike of Seymour who has a phobia of mice. Another audience member went on to request “Goodnight Everyone” by writing it on a paper airplane and throwing it onto the stage. This resulted in a discussion about the integrity of the plane and how far it could fly, before seeing Liam take lead vocals as they performed the requested song.
Despite having not performed as a band in Chicago since 2010, they’ve obviously still got a strong fanbase here. The previous time they were in the area, they performed at the House of Blues and the time before that was at the Vic Theatre. This time, they impressively almost filled The Chicago Theatre. Not bad after an absence of 13 years.
Since this is the Dreamers Are Waiting Tour in support of their album which was released last year, needless to say, they performed a number of songs from it – “Goodnight Everyone,” “Show Me The Way,” “To The Island,” and “Whatever You Want.” However, being a band that has been around for so long, the majority of their set was made up of songs from their extensive back catalog. During “Fall At Your Feet,” Finn stepped away from the microphone to let the audience take over the vocal line, and they more than stepped up to the challenge. Taking in the enthusiasm of the crowd singing and splitting into harmonies, Finn mentioned that he almost wanted to start the song all over again just so that it could be enjoyed for a second time. “Message To My Girl” saw a solo performance from Finn at the piano. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Crowded House show without “Don’t Dream It’s Over” from their self-titled debut album from 1986.
It was a fun night of nostalgia, but while also proving there’s still plenty of life in the old dog yet. Here’s hoping it’s not another 13 years before they’re back.
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