Chicago
RAI
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Feb. 10, 1977


Audience recording


**mp3 samples are provided (as always) in the Comments section**


Quite a while back, this relatively RARE and vintage Chicago show arrived in my mailbox due to the generosity of my buddy and fellow DIME member, JackStraw42. To be honest, I had forgotten about it over the interceding months; but now that I recently stumbled upon it, I figured I'd prepare the show for uploading for the rest of you Chicago fans out there.

Keep in mind that the setlist is a good one. Another plus is that Terry Kath was still in the band at this point (he passed away less than a year later on Jan. 23, 1978).

My thanks again to JackStraw 42 for his kindness!


Setlist:
101. Anyway You Want
102. Saturday In The Park
103. Skin Tight
104. You Are On My Mind
105. Just You 'N' Me
106. Hope For Love
107. Once Or Twice
108. Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon
109. Beginnings
110. Call On Me
111. A Hit By Varese
112. Scrapbook

201. If You Leave Me Now
202. Takin' It On Uptown
203. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is
204. Dialogue
205. This Time
206. Mississippi Delta City Blues
207. Take Me Back To Chicago
208. (I've Been) Searchin' So Long
209. Monogonucleosis
210. Drum solo
211. 25 Or 6 To 4
212. Feelin' Stronger Every Day

Running time: Approx. 136 minutes


Lineage: FLACs (data CDR from JackStraw42) > you**
(sorry, I have no other lineage info)

** Editing notes:
The only change I made to the FLAC files that I received from JackStraw 42 was this: I separated "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long", "Mongonucleosis", and the drum solo into 3 separate tracks (since they were originally combined as one large track).

To do so, I converted the FLAC to WAV using FLAC Frontend. I then split the track into three portions using CD Wave, and then used FLAC Frontend to convert the three WAV files back into FLAC format.



Some background info on the RAI
(source: http://wapedia.mobi/en/RAI_Congrescentrum)

"The Amsterdam RAI Exhibition and Convention Centre (Dutch: RAI Congrescentrum), or RAI for short, is a complex of conference and exhibition halls in the Zuidas business district of Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. The complex gives its name to the nearby Amsterdam RAI railway station. In 1970 the Eurovision Song Contest was held at the RAI.

Opened in 1961, the RAI welcomed its 75 millionth visitor in February 2001. Up to 2 million people visit the RAI every year. Some 50 international conferences and 70 trade shows are held at the RAI annually. The complex consists of 22 conference rooms and 11 halls and has a total floor space of 87,000 m�. The largest hall can seat 12,900 people. The complex also includes a musical and concert theatre and underground parking space for over 3,000 cars.

The RAI is currently building an expansion, the 47 metres tall Elicium. Construction is expected to be completed in 2009.

The origins of the RAI complex can be traced back to 1893, when the trade association RI (Rijwiel-Industrie, Dutch for "Bicycle Industry") was founded by a number of bicycle manufacturers. The first bicycle trade show of the RI was held in 1895 at the Paleis voor Volksvlijt ("Palace of Industry") building in Amsterdam. In 1900 the RI changed its name to RAI because many of its members had started manufacturing automobiles in addition to bicycles.

In 1922 the RAI occupied an exhibition hall of its own on the Ferdinand Bolstraat in Amsterdam. This building, the "old RAI", was replaced by the current building complex on Europaplein square, which was opened by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands on February 2, 1961. The RAI trade association still owns 75% of the complex, with the remainder in the hands of the municipality of Amsterdam."



Caveat emptor: Keep in mind that the recording IS an audience recording from 1977, so don't get overly excited about the sound quality. Don't get me wrong...it's a pretty decent-sounding recording, but it COULD have been better. In my opinion, it sounds a bit "boomy", but that may be the result of the venue's acoustics. Anyway, I suggest you check out the mp3 samples provided before downloading so that you can judge whether or not it's a worthwhile download.


If you like the show, please consider posting a comment on the show's board. And if you can post a Thank You to JackStraw42 for supplying this show to me so that I could share it, that would be greatly appreciated.



Generously donated to the DIME community by JackStraw42
Uploaded on DIME by TheCommish
July 2009