Crazy Times with Sammy Hagar and George Thorogood in Tinley Park

Although the summer concert season will be coming to an end soon, it’s not over just yet.

Sammy Hagar and the Circle, along with George Thorogood and the Destroyers, came to the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Saturday night while on the road for their “Crazy Times!” summer tour.

George Thorogood and his band took the stage first with a 9-song set of boogie blues rock, which included Thorogood’s well-known covers like ‘Who Do You Love?’ and ‘Move It On Over’, along with some of his own material such as ‘I Drink Alone’ and ‘Bad to the Bone’.

Next up on the rock menu, Sammy Hagar, who’s also known as “The Red Rocker”, was accompanied by his group The Circle to play a lengthier 17-song set, opening with their new song ‘Crazy Times’, which is what the summer trek is named after.

Hagar, who was the lead vocalist of Van Halen from 1985 to 1996 and then again from 2003 to 2005, pleased fans with an ample amount of Van Halen classics, including tracks like ‘Poundcake’, ‘Finish What Ya Started’, ‘Right Now’, and ‘When It’s Love’, along with solo hits such as ‘I Can’t Drive 55’, and ‘Heavy Metal’…just to name a few.

Sammy’s bassist and Chicago native, Michael Anthony, was also a longtime member of Van Halen after joining that band in 1974 and departing for good in 2006 to work with Sammy Hagar after he went solo.

The Circle is also made up of guitarist Vic Johnson and drummer Jason Bonham, son of legendary Led Zeppelin drummer, John Bonham.

Frontman Hagar is extremely interactive with his fans throughout the show, armed with an arsenal of Sharpies in order to sign everything from t-shirts, hats, banners, and even customized license plates that are thrown onto the stage by loyal fans in the first few rows.

Although this behavior is not typically encouraged at concerts, Sammy has been signing autographs in this manner for many years, all while taking periodic breaks to enjoy an on-stage alcoholic beverage (or two) with his fellow bandmates and fans.

Speaking of beverages, in addition to music, Sammy Hagar keeps himself busy with other ventures. Hagar founded the Cabo Wabo tequila brand and restaurant chain, in addition to Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum.

The Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre still has four shows left in September for the 2022 concert season.

Photos by AJ Roccaforte.