Renaissance, Steve Hackett - Park West, Chicago 6/29/10

It’s a miracle this show even happened, but it came close to being cancelled. Somewhere along the way the equipment truck broke down leaving the show in limbo. Luckily, a new truck was found, and the equipment made it to the venue. After a short delay, the show was on.

Steve Hackett took the stage first. The audience was treated to variety of tracks from Hackett’s extensive catalog. Hackett had a very solid band, including Kajagoogoo’s Nick Beggs (effectively camouflaged as a woman) who switched between bass and the Chapman stick. It was a joy to watch two such incredible players complementing each other. Much has to be said about Hackett’s tone. It is still very unique, and instantly recognizable. The material presented displayed him as a very versatile player who is not afraid of any six string challenge. And his solo career well supports that. Hackett ended the show with a small dose from his former band Genesis to much enjoyment of the audience. Proving once more how timeless and enjoyable the material is. An excellent set from Steve Hackett to start what looked like a troubled evening.

Renaissance made their first appearance in Chicago since 1983. This was a long awaited return, and the audience embraced the band. This was felt even prior to the group taking the stage, as countless Renaissance t-shirts were spotted in the crowd. Annie Haslam and Michael Dunford were the only two original members left, but the band they put around them was very impressive and capable of reproducing most complex of the material. Renaissance is known for Haslam’s one of a kind vocal delivery, which created quite a few debates in the crowd as to what the singer can or cannot do nowadays. From the first note, upon taking the stage, Haslam sang with such beauty and power, she certainly silenced any critics in question. The band played great, turning out one classic after another, and the audience just adored them. The musicians incredibly focused as the material tends to be very complex and mood oriented. The band provided such incredible environment for Haslam to shine, and she delivered the goods. Tracks such as Carpet of the Sun, and Mother Russia were absolutely highlights of the performance. Renaissance introduced some new music from an album they are currently working on, which answers another question regarding the future of the band. Just when you thought it was over, Renaissance delivered an absolutely stunning version of Ashes Are Burning. This particular track included some very intense soloing from the individual band members. Renaissance is in fantastic shape as impressive as they were in any period. Elegance and beauty are two words to describe what Renaissance did on stage.

Despite the above mentioned technical difficulties both performers faced early on, they capitalized by delivering a very special show. The professionalism and the artistry prevailed over what could’ve been a technical disaster.

Mark Kadzielawa