Chicago and REO Speedwagon join forces at The Washington State Fair

By Christine Mitchell on September 22, 2014@Housetornado37

Chicago and REO Speedwagon at The Washington State Fair (Photo by Bill Bungard)

SMI photographer Bill Bungard was as excited as anyone else packing into the Grandstand area at The Washington State Fair to see Chicago and REO Speedwagon perform. Both bands have back catalogues spanning several decades, and for many attendees the performance was a fantastic trip down memory lane. Some may have worried when long time lead singer Kevin Cronin took the stage with the aid of crutches and then took to a stool, but any fears were soon allayed by the sheer strength of REO Speedwagon’s set. Bill described the band as being “at the top of their game.” Chicago also put on a great show, and the crowd responded to both sets by dancing in the aisles and avidly supporting both bands.

Bill was also on hand for an amazing encore after the two main sets: REO Speedwagon and Chicago shared the stage and performed hits from both bands, including Speedwagon’s “Riding the Storm Out.” Check out the action Bill captured in not one, but two sets of photos:

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Christine Mitchell has been poring over album liner notes pretty much since she acquired the skill of reading, and figured out the basic structure of rock songs at an early age. Whether it’s the needle popping into the first groove of the record, the beeps that signal the beginning (or end) of a cassette tape, or digital numbers ticking off the seconds from zero, music brings Christine happiness, ponderous thought, opportunities for almost scientific study, and sometimes a few tears. When she started attending live shows two decades ago, a whole new piece of the puzzle clicked in and she has been hooked ever since.