Photos provided by Assunta Opahle and Will Ireland

Since re-forming in 2017 to mark 50 years of revolutionizing rock and roll, England’s Jethro Tull broke its longest studio silence with 2022’s “The Zealot Gene,” the first entirely original album of this century.

However, original leader Ian Anderson and the latest line-up of bassist David Goodier, keyboardist John O’Hara, drummer Scott Hammond and guitarist Joe Parrish-James are making up for lost time via another brand new offering, “RökFlöte,” which coupled with some classics, comprised “The Seven Decades” Tour that began its entire American run right here at Ravinia.

The returning regulars once again packed the place, perhaps because of the newsworthy occasion, but also likely due to the group’s unique blend of progressive, heavy, bluesy, folksy and classical sounds in general since the late 1960s, on top of mythological meets social or environmentally conscious lyrics.

Granted, Anderson’s voice wasn’t what it was back then, but at 76-years-old, he remains a formidable front man, songwriter and flute player, who earned the roar of the cross-generational crowd every time he blew into the instrument, often balancing on one foot.

Throughout two acts and nearly as many hours, the soundtrack of Jethro Tull past and present provided several opportunities to react in the same way, thanks to an unpredictable, adventurous repertoire and a giant video wall projecting thematically-matched visuals from the start of “Nothing Is Easy.”

The nucleus of Anderson and the newer virtuosos gelled quite well on the current cuts “Hammer On Hammer,” “Mine Is The Mountain” and “The Navigators,” while always honoring the legacy of what came before, though one couldn’t help but wonder what separately touring co-founding guitarist Martin Barre would’ve added to the excellence.

Still, Jethro Tull tore through standards, such as “Heavy Horses,” “Bourée” and “Aqualung,” plus the Stateside debut of the obscure “Dark Ages,” with power and precision, surely satiating both the lifers and those encountering the group at this particularly prolific juncture.

By either sheer serendipity or careful planning, “Locomotive Breath” stormed, stomped then ended just before actual Metra train pulled up to Ravinia, offering a customary free ride home on the rails to any fan who bought a ticket, who well beyond boarding were likely still basking in the glow of Anderson and company’s continued avant-garde approach.

For additional information on Jethro Tull, visit JethroTull.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at Ravinia include Kenny Loggins (Aug. 19); Buddy Guy and George Benson (Aug. 23); Classic Albums Live: Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side Of The Moon” (Aug. 25); Boyz II Men and The Isley Brothers (Aug. 26); “Encanto” In Concert (Aug. 27); “Jurassic Park” In Concert (Aug. 29); Train (Aug. 30); Brandi Carlile (Aug. 31); Carrie Underwood (Sept. 1-2) and Shakti (Sept. 3). For additional details, visit Ravinia.org.

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