Chicago at Carnegie Hall is the first live album by American band Chicago and was initially released in 1971 as a four LP vinyl box set on Columbia Records.

While touring in support of Chicago III, Chicago booked themselves into the Carnegie Hall for a week in April 1971 and recorded all of their shows. Deciding that most of the songs performed there (virtually, the first three double albums, together with the new "A Song For Richard And His Friends") were worthy of release, producer James William Guercio compiled a mammoth four LP collection for release as Chicago's fourth album (that distinction being responsible for the album's nickname of Chicago IV).

Columbia were very skeptical on the risk the extended set posed, and with a decrease in royalties to counter that fear (a similar situation befell their 1969 debut The Chicago Transit Authority), Chicago released Chicago at Carnegie Hall that October to a mixed reaction. While the set sold very well, reaching #3 in the US (but failing to chart at all in the UK), the critics found the album too long - and even indulgent with its moments of tune-ups. The band themselves have remained divided over the years to the merits of the album.

Despite poor sound quality, Chicago at Carnegie Hall went on to become the best-selling box set by a rock act, a record which stood until the release of the Live/1975-85 5 LP live box set by Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band in 1986. It is still the best-selling 4 LP set.

The original LP release of this set contained two giant posters of the band, a poster of Carnegie Hall's exterior, an insert about voting information, and a 20-page softcover booklet containing photos of the band members playing during the concert and a full touring schedule from their first tour through their 1971 U.S. tour on the back.

In 2005, Chicago at Carnegie Hall was remastered and re-issued on three CDs by Rhino Records with much improved sound quality, a bonus disc of eight tracks of alternate takes and songs not on the 1971 edition, plus recreations of nearly all the original posters and packaging.
Wiki

Live At Carnegie Hall Vol. 1-4 (Chicago IV) is a landmark live recording, an achievement that will never be surpassed by the band nor anyone else that makes similar music. Rhino has done it again by giving this set the remastered treatment and pulling out all the stops by bringing to light tracks that were unearthed from the archives for this special occasion.

I was a big Chicago fan back in the 70s and I still am. I did not purchase this album when it came out though, I missed it some how, this thing called rock got in the way and they were forgotten for several years. What is so sweet about this recording is that it covers the first three albums, which in my opinion set a standard and will never happen again. Chicago would never sound more progressive and tight than this. After the third album, they were in a continually state of flux. Granted they did make some marvelous music and sell a ton of records, but this is when they were taking a chance, pushing the envelope and doing what no one else was doing. This live set clearly demonstrates that and shows why they changed irrevocably after Terry Kath died. Some of the most incredible lead guitar runs are on these CDs. Not only did they loose a great vocalist, arguably, the best guitarist of the time disappeared without warning at the very height of their success. When you hear “25 Or 6 To 4” or the previously unreleased “South California Purples” you know that you are hearing history, a man in his prime showcasing everything at his disposal. The good lord only knows what great heights Kath would have taken his artistry to if he had lived. It is unfortunate that we talk about many great musicians in this context. This is not just about Kath though, it is about Chicago the band, a group of individuals banded together to make a collective sound that dazzled audiences worldwide for decades. It is hard to believe that this album came out in 1971. It sounds more relevant today than ever, 34 years on and it becomes clear that Chicago had the world’s music listeners in the palm of their hand. Nothing makes this clearer than hearing all four of these CDs in glorious stereo at a very high volume.

With the exception of the thin CD sleeves, which are thin cardboard that allows the CDs to fall right out, the packaging was little more than I would expect. The original posters are included with the set, there are three-one wall sized the other smaller, of the band, and a black and white shot of Carnegie Hall. The nice booklet has a good write up about the concert series with some great shots included of the band together and individually.

Rating: 4.75/5
Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck (ProgressiveWorld)

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