REO Speedwagon & Chicago at Rosemont's Allstate Arena

While country music fans were in the city for Country LakeShake at Northerly Island over the weekend, classic rock die-hards stayed in the suburbs for a double-header featuring REO Speedwagon and Chicago at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont.

REO Speedwagon, led by Oak Lawn native Kevin Cronin, took the stage first to showcase the radio anthems and power ballads that led them to success.

Originally formed in Champaign, IL, REO ultimately had their rise to fame right here in the Chicagland area, playing plenty of gigs around the city early in their career and later recording at Pumpkin Studios in Cronin's hometown of Oak Lawn.

REO spent a little over an hour on stage, providing a larger and louder hit before Chicago's more mellow "rock with horns" atmosphere.

Headlining the double bill, Chicago took a different approach to please the Sunday night crowd, with their hits being interpreted with more jazz harmonies and improvisation, and occasionally bigger orchestration.

Chicago and their 11-man lineup played for over two hours, with a brief intermission between sets as they went through two albums; Chicago II and their Greatest Hits.

You can catch REO Speedwagon and Chicago on tour together now through August, with a full list of tour dates and ticket information on Ticketmaster.

REO Speedwagon will be returning to the area for a show in Rockford, IL in September and a show in nearby New Buffalo, MI in November. Visit the band's website for more details.

Photos by AJ Roccaforte.