"We grew up together, didn't we?"
The band has been dealt a few bad hands and has reshuffled the deck over the years. Dennis DeYoung left due to physical problems, John Panozzo died in 1996 of complications from alcoholism, Chuck Panozzo has been fighting both AIDS and prostate cancer and James Young’s wife recently had a life-threatening medical emergency. The current incarnation has James (JY) Young, Tommy Shaw, Lawrence Gowan on keyboards (since 1999), Todd Sucherman on drums (since John Panozzo’s death) and Ricky Phillips on bass as of 2003.
The show started with a medley of "Borrowed Time" from Cornerstone, "Superstars" from The Grand Illusion, "Mr. Roboto" from Kilroy Was Here, "Rockin’ the Paradise" from Paradise Theatre and "Pieces of Eight" from the album of the same name. Then it was straight into “The Grand Illusion” and “Blue Collar Man”.
Okay so maybe they weren’t running back and forth as much as they used to, the tempos were a bit slower than the studio versions, some of the facial hair was showing a bit of gray and perhaps a few of their hair hats were slipping a bit, but still. Styx can wipe the stage with most bands half their age.
And maybe the audience was also showing a bit more gray and/or scalp skin, the lighters being flicked on were on BlackBerrys because smoking had been given up years ago, and some might have had back pain from standing for the one and half hours the concert lasted, but still. As Tommy Shaw said, “We kinda grew up together, didn’t we?”
"We're doing a rock show tonight!"
Photo by Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
Some of us in the crowd groaned a bit when Gowan hit the beginning notes of "Lady" but we were in the minority. It was obviously a crowd favorite with most singing every word, swaying back and forth, while draped over various strangers for no apparent reason. Let’s just give knee-slamming thanks they didn’t do "Babe".
But when I was about to seriously doubt Tommy Shaw’s promise of “we’re doing a rock show tonight!” he picked up the 12-string for the haunting beginning to "Suite Madame Blue". You know how the song goes and as the time approached for JY’s face-melting guitars solo, the band paused an extra four beats.
The audience screamed in anticipation.
And JY did not fail to deliver.
JY’s vocals were absolutely crystal clear on "Lorelei" without a single false note. And of course, Tommy Shaw never faltered a bit on anything from Damn Yankees' "High Enough" to "Crystal Ball" to "Fooling Yourself".
The highlight of the evening was when Shaw explained to audience how “we’ve come a long way together and got a long way to go still” and how Styx started on the South Side of Chicago in the basement of the Panozzo brothers. Then out walked, with his bass by his side, Chuck Panozzo. He looked good, he sounded fine and he held that steady bass line for several Styx classics. It was great to see him again.
And while Chuck was always known as the dependable, silent guy in the back with his brother (why sing when you have DeYoung, Young and Shaw?) even he cut loose with a few "Come Sail Away"s during the chorus.
You can't help but know the words
The encore was (what else?) "Renegade", performed with great enthusiasm by both band and audience. Styx music is kind of like that. You can’t help but know the words.
Not content to rest on their laurels, a new Styx EP has been released. Regeneration, Volume 1 has six newly re-recorded classics. And the band has announced a new tour during which they will play in their entirety the albums The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight. They tour a lot, so if you find they’re making an appearance near you, I strongly recommend you try to catch the show.
