Live Recap: CHAI with Su Lee at Lincoln Hall
This past Friday night, Chicagoans braved the cold and snowy conditions to overflow the room at Lincoln Hall for CHAI and Su Lee. The sold out show acted as the inaugural date for CHAI’s current North American tour.
South Korea’s Su Lee kicked off the evening with a set that combined comedy with her quirky bedroom pop music. As it turns out, the Lincoln Hall show was actually Lee’s first live performance, but she easily endeared herself to the audience with her funny between-song banter and relatable song topics. Her stage set up was minimal with just a microphone, a keyboard and her laptop but her presence captivated the audience and her songs—including the vial “I'll Just Dance”— had the crowd dancing along. Lee’s set included a cover of “Cocoa Butter Kisses” by Chicago’s own Chance the Rapper and the iconic “Take On Me” by a-ha. The crowd ended up loving Su Lee so much that they chanted for an encore.
After a brief stage changeover, the time came for CHAI to hit the stage, marking their return to Chicago for the first time in over two years. Every time I’ve seen CHAI perform in the past, they always deliver an incredible element of theatrics and production, but this was the first time I’d seen them perform as headliners—which only elevated their levels of theatrics. The band members Mana, Kana, Yuuki and Yuna entered the stage decked out in matching silver capes and performed a choreographed opening dance number before launching into their single “No More Cake.” The choreography and coordination continued throughout the show as the four members of CHAI used dance movements to accentuate their music. As the group performed a mix of songs from their 2021 album Wink and earlier releases, they rotated to different instruments and places on the stage, showcasing the multiple hats that every member of CHAI wears.
Just before CHAI left the stage for an encore, they welcomed special guest Ric Wilson to sing their collaboration track “Maybe Chocolate Chips,” giving the Chicago audience a unique performance the rest of the tour won’t experience. As with any past CHAI show I’ve attended, I left the show feeling the pure jubilation that the band conjures with their bubbly spirits and effervescent tunes.
If you missed out on tickets to the show, check out the photo recap of the evening below, and see where you can catch CHAI on tour next here.
