Photos by Andy Argyrakis

The threat of a blizzard may have delayed Straight No Chaser from coming to town right before Christmas, but the a cappella troupe tried again at the tip of 2023, and in the process, granted the Chicago Theatre a post-holiday bonus.

Considering this is “The 25th Anniversary Celebration,” the original viral sensations who started at Indiana University and eventually signed with Atlantic Records, certainly had no shortage of material to choose from throughout a two-hour evening of general covers and slightly belated Yuletide selections.

The group that takes its name from a classic Thelonious Monk jazz album got warmed up to the R&B grooves of The Jacksons’ “Blame It On The Boogie” and the sunny reggae sounds of Bob Marley’s “One Love,” often swapping solos and uniting in harmony.

Straight No Chaser regularly weaved around genres and generations, moving up to present tense for Harry Styles’ “As It Was” and Lizzo’s slightly re-worded “It’s About That Time,” all with the ingenious arrangements longtime listeners have come to expect from the guys.

They also kicked up the chorography up several notches for a clever mash-up of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” with Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” to vibrantly close out the first half.

Following an intermission, Christmas came late, but it was well worth the wait thanks to the hilarious “Nutcracker” parody, the stirring “Mary, Did You Know?” and the classic-in-the-making, “Christmas Night With You,” amongst others.

Additional instrument-less remakes included “Try A Little Tenderness” in the style of Otis Redding and a massive disco medley, prior to going back to the very beginning for the comically reconstructed “12 Days Of Christmas,” featuring a homecoming for former member and current WGN newscaster Dan Ponce.

The reunion continued with prior singer turned business manager David Roberts joining everyone for “O Holy Night,” which found the fellas avoiding amplification and taking advantage of the Chicago Theatre’s ample acoustics to boldly wrap up not just the joyous season, but the entire 60-show tour.

Click here for more photos of Straight No Chaser at the Chicago Theatre.

For additional information on Straight No Chaser, visit SNCMusic.com.

For a list of upcoming Jam Productions shows, visit JamUSA.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at the Chicago Theatre include Louis C.K. (Jan. 13-14); Taylor Tomlinson (Jan. 21-22); P1Harmony (Jan. 29); XIAOGUO Stand-Up Comedy (Feb. 7); Sarah Silverman (Feb. 11); Dita Von Teese (Feb. 14); Ashley Flowers (Feb. 17); Vance Joy (Feb. 18); Jack Whitehall (Feb. 24) and Chris D’ Elia (Feb. 25). For additional details, visit TheChicagoTheatre.com.

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