Last Sunday I replaced my usual sports day with music. Chicago-area native Haley Reinhart headlined a triple bill at the historic Lincoln Hall.

Located on Chicago’s north side, Lincoln Hall opened in 2009, but its roots date back to 1912 when it opened as the Fullerton Theatre. Completely updated yet beautifully ornate, it maintains a traditional feel.

The night started with Haley doing a sound check for an intimate crowd of family, friends and a few lucky fans. Her father, Harry, on guitar and her mother, Patti, on vocals joined her on

one number. Both parents have a long history on the music scene, and it is easy to see where Haley got her musical chops.

The first act of the night was Todd Kessler, a Chicago-based singer-songwriter featured on The Voice. Kessler wowed the crowd with his folk rock original compositions.

Next up, WaxWorks offered an eclectic mix of groove, blues and rock. Lead singer Frank Valenzano whipped the crowd into a frenzy with his energetic vocals and was joined by Angela Reinhart (sister of Haley) on a couple tunes.

The crowd loved both acts but really erupted when Haley took the stage. The former American Idol finalist performed some old favorites while sprinkling in cuts from her newest album What’s That Sound?, an ode to the songs of the late 1960s.

The raucous crowd quieted in appreciation as she crooned her gold record-winning cover of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and roared when she tore into “Oh Darling.”

Haley is easily my favorite young artist, but in addition to all the fantastic music, this night was special because of all of the familiar faces. Many of the fans (aka her “Haliens”) were at her show here last year. We sat next to her cousins and had an interesting chat with her father about music, guitar players, Chicago and other fun stuff. It was like a big family reunion.

— John Wroblewski, distribution specialist