So, saw Styx again last night..
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in Grand Prairie Texas - just outside Dallas.. Styx takes a lot of guff over being pretentious and writing about silly themes and whatnot, but the band they have assembled right now is amazing..
They are stone cold killers onstage.. Obviously, Tommy Shaw still brings it like he has from day one - the whole band revolves around him, now, imo.. Amazing singer, good guitarist, wrote the majority of songs that made them who they were.. He threw me a pick during "too much time on my hands".. somehow I caught it and he gave me a thumbs up.. pretty cool..
James young - tall, brash dude..always has that goofy look on his face, but when he digs in for a solo, he's MUCH better than you think he's gonna be,,,
Ricky Phillips (bass) this guy is a legend, playing with the Baby's, Coverdale Page, Montrose and so many other bands I can't even remember them
The new guitarist Will: long time producer and friend of the band became a full fledged performing member a year or 2 ago.. Kind of a filler guitarist/singer cuz they DO do a LOT of 4-5 part harmonies.. We were close enough to Tommy Shaw's Mic so that I could hear HIM beating out the high harmonies all night.. No background tapes of these guys live..
Chuck Panozzo.. They bring out Chuck to play bass 3-4 songs every show.. original founding member twins with John Panozzo the drummer, who died years ago.. I have read Chuck is dying, so pretty cool they bring him out for a few songs..
Todd Sucherman - drums: First time I really watched him in depth and he is absolutely fantastic.. Legend in drumming circles, plays with traditional grip - amazings me that he is as FAST as he is with a traditional grip.. Just an outstand drummer..
Ok, Lawrence Gowan on Keys/vox.. Somebody hear mentioned they couldn't handle Dennis DeYoung not being in the band anymore - and I get that - but good God is Lawrence Gowan on talented guy.. I swear if you didn't know DeYoung wasn't with the band, you'd THINK Gowan was DeYoung.. looks like him, sings EXACTLY like him, imo is a MUCH better piano/keyboardist, really energizes the show,, plays piano/keys and solos behind him while the the board is rotating.. His piano solo (by himself) was flat out amazing.. Plus he's easy to get along with and supposedly a HUGE star in Canada.. On the last tinger of the lastsong he ran in front of me and I gave him the "we're not worthy" arm thingy and he laughed through the mic.. Always a good time..
Anyways, great show by Styx, as always.. Not enough production, in my opinion, but they let the music do the talking and you KNOW every song they play..
Friendship is like peeing your pants.. Everybody can see it, but only you can feel the warmth..
They are stone cold killers onstage.. Obviously, Tommy Shaw still brings it like he has from day one - the whole band revolves around him, now, imo.. Amazing singer, good guitarist, wrote the majority of songs that made them who they were.. He threw me a pick during "too much time on my hands".. somehow I caught it and he gave me a thumbs up.. pretty cool..
James young - tall, brash dude..always has that goofy look on his face, but when he digs in for a solo, he's MUCH better than you think he's gonna be,,,
Ricky Phillips (bass) this guy is a legend, playing with the Baby's, Coverdale Page, Montrose and so many other bands I can't even remember them
The new guitarist Will: long time producer and friend of the band became a full fledged performing member a year or 2 ago.. Kind of a filler guitarist/singer cuz they DO do a LOT of 4-5 part harmonies.. We were close enough to Tommy Shaw's Mic so that I could hear HIM beating out the high harmonies all night.. No background tapes of these guys live..
Chuck Panozzo.. They bring out Chuck to play bass 3-4 songs every show.. original founding member twins with John Panozzo the drummer, who died years ago.. I have read Chuck is dying, so pretty cool they bring him out for a few songs..
Todd Sucherman - drums: First time I really watched him in depth and he is absolutely fantastic.. Legend in drumming circles, plays with traditional grip - amazings me that he is as FAST as he is with a traditional grip.. Just an outstand drummer..
Ok, Lawrence Gowan on Keys/vox.. Somebody hear mentioned they couldn't handle Dennis DeYoung not being in the band anymore - and I get that - but good God is Lawrence Gowan on talented guy.. I swear if you didn't know DeYoung wasn't with the band, you'd THINK Gowan was DeYoung.. looks like him, sings EXACTLY like him, imo is a MUCH better piano/keyboardist, really energizes the show,, plays piano/keys and solos behind him while the the board is rotating.. His piano solo (by himself) was flat out amazing.. Plus he's easy to get along with and supposedly a HUGE star in Canada.. On the last tinger of the lastsong he ran in front of me and I gave him the "we're not worthy" arm thingy and he laughed through the mic.. Always a good time..
Anyways, great show by Styx, as always.. Not enough production, in my opinion, but they let the music do the talking and you KNOW every song they play..
Friendship is like peeing your pants.. Everybody can see it, but only you can feel the warmth..
