On the night of Thursday, September 17, I saw the best concert I have ever witnessed at the Millwald Theatre since it became a full-production house four years ago. Two former members of Chicago — guitarist Keith Howland and singer and bassist Jeff Coffey — along with Peter Frampton’s pianist and musical director Rob Arthur and drummer for The Doobie Brothers Ed Toth, came together to form The Players. The Players performed a two-hour show, with a 20-minute intermission, that brought about one of the most incredible rock ’n’ roll experiences our town has ever hosted.
The sold-out crowd, made up mostly of senior citizens, was dancing in the aisles to the hits of Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Toto, Peter Frampton, The Doobie Brothers and Rick Springfield. The fact that each member of this incredible group is not a part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is an oversight that should be eradicated immediately. Nevertheless, it was their blistering horn section that brought about the slickness and smoothness of the evening. A trio from Long Island featuring Adam Seely on saxophone, Dan Hendrix on trumpet and Michael Rubinstein on trombone, these superbly talented gentlemen could be seen playing their instruments up and down the aisles and even in the balcony for the audience, collectively serving as the heartbeat of the entire evening.
As I am a much bigger fan of the Robert Lamm era of Chicago as opposed to Peter Cetera, simply because of the horns, I was thrilled that this group made the Peter Cetera songs even better than the originals by adding horn arrangements to them. Keith Howland also has special ties to Southwest Virginia, as he spent much of his teenage years in Roanoke. He graduated from James Madison University and, after forming his first band in Roanoke, says he played many gigs at Virginia Tech.
After retiring from Chicago in 2021, having been the band’s lead guitarist for 27 years — a post he held longer than any other musician in the band’s history — he formed his own band with best friend Jeff Coffey, who served as Chicago’s lead singer beginning in 2016. At 59, the Orlando, Florida, native had no trouble hitting the high notes of Peter Cetera songs, as well as the myriad of other era hits that were played during the two-hour set.
Originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, 62-year-old Howland proved himself to be one of the greatest guitarists in the annals of rock ’n’ roll, showing that he has not lost a step in his 40-plus-year career. Nashville native Arthur showed us the workings of a talk box, which is a plastic tube threaded through an instrument and placed in the mouth. When blown through, it can make it sound as though the particular instrument is actually speaking rather than simply emitting notes. He noted that Peter Frampton was one of the first people to utilize this musical tool before launching into Frampton’s most famous 1976 song, “Show Me the Way.” Howland also shared a story about being called “New Guy” by Rick Springfield when he joined his band as guitarist.
“Everybody wanted to party in my room,” he recalled. “But I just wanted to go to bed. One night, I decided I would just leave my room, and by the time I went back, the party people would be gone. When I got back, they were gone, but they had sprayed the words ‘New Guy’ all over my hotel room in shaving cream.”
Howland told this story before launching into Springfield’s most famous hit, “Jessie’s Girl.”
Drummer Ed Toth even took the mic for a minute to relay a story of admiration for the people he plays behind every night.
“Never give a drummer a mic unless you’re someone like Phil Collins,” he said, giving a nod to my favorite performer of all time. “We just learned to play this song yesterday, and I hope it works out.”
As they launched into Sting’s “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You,” that was enough proof positive that the song indeed worked.
Jeff Coffey spoke of his admiration for his best friend and fellow bandmate, Keith Howland.
“When we were playing the Hollywood Bowl in Chicago for 20,000 people, we knew that if we were ever not in Chicago, we wanted to be in a band together,” Coffey said. “That’s why we’re here tonight.”
Coming on strong with “Stay the Night” as an opener, the Chicago hits continued with the famous progressive suite “Make Me Smile” and “Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon.” Plenty of Cetera hits were featured as well, including “You’re the Inspiration,” “If You Leave Me Now” and “25 or 6 to 4.”
Of course, the horn-powered “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” was a highlight, as was Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September.” “Call on Me” was another Chicago favorite offered, as was Toto’s “Rosanna.” “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis and the News was another great horn-heavy cover provided by the supergroup. Each member of the horn section got an opportunity to step down front for his own solo, which was a highlight for the entire evening.
The Doobie Brothers’ “Listen to the Music” was offered as a crowd pleaser, bringing many audience members to the makeshift dance floor in the front row. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Shining Star” provided another funky, horn-heavy number to top off the set list before launching into REO Speedwagon’s “Roll with the Changes” as a rousing encore. It closed out a night that neither Wytheville, Virginia, nor I will ever forget.
