Chicago in Richmond

About Chicago

Chicago spent the 1970s and 80s proving that a rock band could also be genuinely great at writing pop songs. They showed up with horns—lots of them—and used them to create this weird alchemy where massive orchestration felt natural instead of pretentious. "25 or 6 to 4" became the template for how to write a three-minute rock song that somehow feels both urgent and thoughtful. The band shifted between harder rock material and smoother ballads with a facility that shouldn't have worked but did. By the time "If You Leave Me Now" and "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" hit, they'd mastered the art of making people care about mid-tempo songs about relationships. They weren't reinventing anything, but they did what mattered more: they made a lot of people feel something specific in a very well-crafted way.

Professional and polished, sometimes to a fault. The horn section is tighter than it has any right to be. Crowds sing along to the ballads more than the rockers. It's the kind of show where people actually sit down in the middle sections.

Known for 25 or 6 to 4, Saturday in the Park, Make Me Smile, If You Leave Me Now, Hard to Say I'm Sorry

Chicago + Richmond

Chicago brought their horn-driven rock spectacle to Richmond in March 2019, taking over the EKU Center for the Arts with the kind of setlist that justified every year they've kept this thing going. They leaned into the hits—"25 or 6 to 4" hit with that unmistakable guitar riff, "Saturday in the Park" got the crowd moving—but the real magic was in how those horns still cut through everything, making the venue feel less like a concert hall and more like a moment. It was the kind of show where you remember why Chicago mattered in the first place.

Chicago in Richmond News

• Classic rock legends Chicago to perform in Richmond this summer WTVR.com · Feb 24, 2026
• Records show Thornton Fractional District 215 previously investigated teachers charged in sexual assault Chicago Tribune · Feb 23, 2026
• Richmond-trained actor, Collegiate grad performs in Broadway tour of 'Chicago The Musical' WTVR.com · Feb 20, 2026
• Northwestern to host second ‘Lacrosse Day in Chicago’ Northwestern Athletics · Jan 14, 2026
• River City Roundup: May 5, 2025 richmondmagazine.com · May 5, 2025

Live Music in Richmond

Richmond's music scene has always had room for the big touring acts, but the city's real identity lives in its indie and soul communities. That said, a band like Chicago—built on that fusion of rock instrumentation and horn arrangements—finds natural sympathy here. Richmond's venues attract serious musicians and serious listeners, people who appreciate craftsmanship and staying power. It's a city that respects legacy acts without treating them like relics.

Richmond road trip to see Chicago?

Stay in the Fan District, Richmond's most elegant neighborhood, where tree-lined streets and historic brownstones offer genuine character. Book a table at Mama J's or Edo's Squid, both understated and excellent. Spend your non-show hours at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture or wandering Maymont Park's formal gardens and James River views. The James River itself is worth a walk along Belle Isle. Post-show, grab drinks at The Bogart, a solid cocktail bar in a historic building near The National venue.