Photos by Andy Argyrakis

As one of a mere 30-something acts who can boast about being on the field where it happened, Canned Heat is downright legendary by default for its noteworthy performance at Woodstock. And well over 50 years since its Los Angeles inception, the blues/boogie rockers remain a reliable band, even if the line-up has shuffled in several instances and many members have gone down for the count.

“On The Road Again” was a natural place to start, instantly transporting the appreciative audience to the mega-festival turned movie and reminding its varying ages why the group will be forever synonymous with the 1960s.

Nonetheless, at a full and festive City Winery, veteran players and newer recruits alike gelled effortlessly, obviously knowing the material inside and out, but giving it enough space to jam in whatever direction the music took them. And without having released any new material in a while outside of compilations, concert or Christmas collections, that meant nothing but a retro roll through the dial for right around 90 minutes.

“On The Road Again” was a natural place to start, instantly transporting the appreciative audience to the mega-festival turned movie and reminding its varying ages why the group will be forever synonymous with the 1960s. In addition to “Time Was,” “I’m Her Man” and several other hearty grooves, Canned Heat dusted off another key moment in its lineage with “Going Up The Country,” which has since earned extra pop culture stripes in a series of GEICO commercials.

But that isn’t to say the guys ever sold out to the man (even though it was probably a chunky paycheck), instead fervently promoting love and unity over the divisiveness currently sweeping America and marching to their own creative drum. “So Sad (The World’s In A Tangle)” and “Let’s Stick Together” aptly summarized all aspects of that spectrum, while the extended “Refried Boogie” found each musician displaying their burning chops in what can only be described as a smorgasbord of unmistakable Canned Heat that’s kept everyone coming back since those storied “3 Days Of Peace & Music” when it all mattered more than anything else on earth.

For additional information on Canned Heat, visit CannedHeatMusic.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at City Winery include Dwele (Nov. 29); Jane Lynch (Nov. 30); Andrew Ripp (Dec. 1); Jennifer Knapp & Margaret Becker (Dec. 2); Suzy Bogguss (Dec. 2); Dave Hollister (Dec. 3); Kris Allen with Sawyer (Dec. 4); Joe Pug with Carson McHone (Dec. 5); The Empty Pockets (Dec. 6); Syleena Johnson (Dec. 7); Chicago Philharmonic Chamber Players present: “A Christmas Carol” (Dec. ); Los Lobos (Dec. 9-12);  Art Garfunkel (Dec. 14-15); Vienna Teng with Katie Rose (Dec. 16); Tab Benoit (Dec. 17-18); Kurt Elling (Dec. 19-20); Michael McDermott (Dec 21-23); Christmas For The Jews (Dec. 25); Shemekia Copeland (Dec. 26-27); Macy Gray (Dec. 28-29) and Avery*Sunshine (Dec. 30-Jan. 1). For additional details, visit CityWinery.com/Chicago.

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