My wife and I caught The Spree this past week at the Vic in Chicago. The show started at 6:30 and We didn't get there until like 7:30. Unfortunately we missed the Redwalls who are some local fellas that grew up in Deerfield (a northern suburb). Even more unfortunately we made most of Rooney's set. Sometimes (this being one of them) I pretend to imagine how bands meet and decide that they are gong to tour together. The Spree a 26+ power rock pop ochestration seemed an unlikely pairing to the cheese that oozed off the stage while Rooney occupied it. They had perfect hair, trendy rockstar guy boots and a drummer who was way too into being in Rooney. The front of the stage was a group of girls, that my wife swears, the band paid to have them stand up front with their new iphones to take pictures of the lead singer... and the bass player... man he was the epitome of a bass player that wouldnt be getting any, he played his 1, 4, 5 notes with his shades on.Enough about Rooney... all was forgotten as soon as Tim Delaughter's hand appeared behind a large red ribbon with a pair of scissors began to cut a heart out of the middle of it. As the harp tinkled away and the string section revved up a colorful wall of sound engulfed us for then next hour and a half. Sure, we saw almost the exact same show that these guys played in Grant Park at Lollapalooza months earlier, but being up close within the coziness of the Vic I felt as if I was getting a behind the scenes. And The Spree was extremely tight. It always amazes me how "on" they can be. It is almost scientific! While it is pretty obvious that this was not the same spree I saw in 2003, the retention of players in a large band like this isn't easy. I can't imagine that staying/traveling/practicing in a 26 person band can be for everyone all the time (or profitable for that matter.)But the uniforms, the robes and the tightly crafted power pop pull one theme together and thats "unity"! The Spree makes everyone in the audience feel like they are part of the action and part of the performance. I highly recommend you see this spectacle if it swings your way... they don't tour often! but you can skip Rooney :P