I don’t even know where to start on this one; first off I’d like to thank Above & Beyond’s management for letting us have the awesome opportunity to review their show!
It was the 2nd night run of Above & Beyond in Chicago, their first of many stops on the North American leg of their current Acoustic tour. They chose the gorgeous Chicago Theater as their venue, which was perfectly suited for their acoustic needs. The theater itself is located in the heart of the city, surrounded by some of the busiest spots in town as well as endless commotion. The theatre is quite easy to find, as the entrance has a giant, overhanging marquee sign that lights up the entire street. There are also plenty of ways to get to the theatre such as the nearby State/Lake CTA station, as well as the numerous bus stops and taxi cabs that constantly circle the area. Around the corner you will also find a multi-level parking garage with fairly cheap rates, making it easy to drive yourself if you choose to do so.
The inside of the venue is almost as stunning as the outside of it. Upon entering the theatre, you are greeted by attendants that check you in and direct you towards the general area of your seats. Before you find your seats, you pass through the elegant lobby, which is lined with marble tiles and enormous pillars. The staircase will take you to every level, each level revealing rows and rows of red seats for the general admission seating. There were also individual boxes where groups of people could sit who did not want to get seats in the traditional auditorium style viewing. Inside the theatre, paintings and murals fill the ceiling and the walls, creating a tasteful and classical atmosphere. There were also bars located outside of the main seating area on multiple sides where people could go and get drinks and snacks. One thing I was exceptionally surprised, but glad, about was how friendly and helpful staff was. The moment you entered the seating area, an attendant was there to help you find your seat. This is a really great feature because the venue is dark and for those unfamiliar to the theater, getting around could have been a nightmare. Luckily, the attendant helped me find my seat in less than a minute or two – which is a pretty great feat based on the theater being able to hold nearly 4000 people.
From an audio and visual standpoint, the theater held up very well. For this being an acoustic show, there is a sense of intimacy that must be retained so I was not expecting the sound to blare into my ears like most shows do. It was at a calm and comfortable level where everyone in the theater could hear it and not complain about it being too quiet. The visuals coincided with the music that was playing which was truly a nice touch. For example, when Above & Beyond payed tribute to the recently deceased and legendary Prince, they incorporated purple graphics on the screen behind them and had special lights on the stage that lit up purple was well. This was the theme for many of the songs that they played.
Onto the main course of this entire show, which was the performance itself. I can admit that I went to this show with an open mindset and was absolutely blown away. I have seen Above & Beyond before, actually at a sold out Valentine’s Day show which was an extraordinary performance as well, but I will say that this acoustic concert blew that one out of the water. If I counted correctly, there were roughly 18 individuals onstage, including Paavo, Jono, and Tony. All the way from the violinists to the guitarists and the extremely talented vocalists that Above and Beyond brought, the composition was able to flow together seamlessly.
The show was filled with some of their newer songs, but they were not afraid to throw in some throwbacks from when they first started the group. With an army of talented singers, they were all mightily capable of singing these massively famous tunes and bringing new life into them. Some of the vocalists who really stood out for me were none other than Zoë Johnston who has taken part in a numerous amount of Above & Beyond’s tracks. The other vocalist who particularly impressed me was Minnesota-born Cobi. He was the lead singer of one of their encore songs, “Sun & Moon,” and that itself really touched me. He had the power and elegance in his voice to really play the role in that song and you could tell the entire crowd was moved by it.
The crowd, along with myself, was fully immersed in everything Above & Beyond had to offer. Many of those sitting nearby mentioned that they couldn’t just see them once the night before, but had to cave and watch them again for a second round. The atmosphere of the entire night was phenomenal, creating a passionate and intense feeling between the crowd as well as every member of the group. This was not surprising, as much of Above & Beyond’s music seems to spark feelings of empathy and affection, which was only emphasized by the acoustics. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect and moment of the show, and I would full heartedly recommend everyone to catch it if given the opportunity.
