The Rolling Stones, The Who, Elton’s farewell amongst the 10 must-see classic shows of 2019

Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Now that 2019 is officially underway, the year’s Chicagoland concert forecast is sharpening its focus. And while there’s surely something for followers of any musical stripe, one prevailing theme is the return or farewell of several classic acts that are as legendary as they come. So whether it’s The Rolling Stones, The Who or a former Beatle with The Beach Boys loading up the tour buses for as long as they’d like or Elton John and KISS officially waving goodbye, don’t miss a single moment of these 10 must-see shows, because once they’re gone, they’ll never be replaced.

1. The Rolling Stones at Soldier Field (SoldierField.net)/ June 21 and June 25
Rumors were flying as far back as the 1980s that The Rolling Stones were winding down its touring life, but well over half a century since getting started, there’s still no end in sight. In the six years since Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood last visited Chicago, they’ve released the covers project “Blue & Lonesome,” alongside numerous concert collections stockpiled with many of the hits destined for this pair of stadium shows.

2. The Who at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre (LiveNation.com)/ May 21
After a 13-year hiatus from the studio, The Who finally promised an entirely new album at some point this year. In the interim, fellow British invaders Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and an entire orchestra are embarking on the “Moving On!” outing, promising to play all the essentials from then until now.

3. Elton John at Allstate Arena (AllstateArena.com)/ February 15 and February 16
Piano man Elton John bids farewell to his long and winding yellow brick road with two remaining area shows after getting an initial crack at Chicago last year. Set lists have remained basically the same with a guarantee of his greatest hits, plus a couple of unexpected oldies from one of the most fertile singer/songwriter songbooks in history.

4. Cher at United Center (UnitedCenter.com)/ Friday, February 8
She’s waved goodbye so often it’s turned into a punchline, which makes Cher’s “Here We Go Again” title for her latest tour even more cheeky. Yet it actually refers to a line from the disco smash “Mamma Mia” by ABBA, who is the subject of her current tribute record that will be peppered throughout the performance, plus several instances of turning back her own time.

5. Van Morrison at Chicago Theatre (TheChicagoTheatre.com)/ April 23, April 24 and April 25
With five fresh releases since 2016, Van Morrison is as active as he’s ever been and vocally defying his 73-years of age. The fact he’s also the man behind “Brown Eyed Girl,” “Moondance,” “Into The Mystic,” “Wild Night,” “Have I Told You Lately” and “Crazy Love” makes it truly a privilege to be in the presence of practical royalty.

6. Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band and The Beach Boys at Ravinia (Ravinia.org)/ August 3 and August 4
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ringo Starr will be forever immortalized as the beat keeper for The Beatles, though he’s always happy to get by with a little help from his friends, who include Toto’s Steve Lukather, Santana’s Gregg Rolie, Men At Work’s Colin Hay and Average White Band’s Hamish Stuart in this edition of the rotating All-Starr Band. Equally as important to the bill are The Beach Boys (America’s answer to the Fab Four) who are currently led by original singer Mike Love and longtimer Bruce Johnston.

7. Jeff Lynne’s ELO at United Center (UnitedCenter.com)/ July 27
When Jeff Lynne’s ELO sold out the Allstate Arena in 2018, it marked the first instance when the group’s creative mastermind and super producer stepped foot on local soil since 1981. Expect this second sweep to feature several symphonic rock favorites and a possible sampling from the relatively recent offering “Alone In The Universe.”

8. Fleetwood Mac at United Center (UnitedCenter.com)/ March 1
The ever-evolving supergroup currently consists of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, Neil Finn (Crowded House) and Mike Campbell (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers). Together, they’ll be celebrating Fleetwood Mac’s 50th anniversary, going all the way back to its bluesy beginnings.

9. Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets at Chicago Theatre (TheChicagoTheatre.com)/ April 4
The name Nick Mason hasn’t circulated in America very much since Pink Floyd supported “The Division Bell” in 1994, but the original drummer is finally returning to the road. Along with the aptly named Saucerful Of Secrets band, he promises to perform psychedelically-minded material that pre-dated any mainstream fame.

10. KISS at United Center (UnitedCenter.com)/ March 2
The rock n’ roll circus that can only be described as KISS insists this is the final swansong, which gives these superheroes of sorts extra ammunition to stage a spectacle like none other. In addition to all the hair-raising production, get ready to sing-a-long to more than four decades’ worth of stadium-shaking anthems.

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The Rolling Stones, The Who, Elton’s farewell amongst the 10 must-see classic shows of 2019

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