The Brotherhood of Rock tour reunites the current versions of some frequent tour mates. Styx is touring with a new bassist, and REO Speedwagon has dismantled and become the Kevin Cronin Band. Both bands ae celebrating arguably their greatest works. Styx is playing their 1977 masterwork The Grand Illusion, while Cronin is celebrating his former band’s 1980 Diamond-certified Hi Infidelity. The night promised to be a lifetime of memories set to song, and it did not disappoint.
Please scroll below for the MisplacedStraws Kevin Cronin Band & Styx live photos and review.
The night kicked off with former Eagles guitarist Don Felder and his solo band. Due to the immense traffic in the area around the venue, I wasn’t able to photograph Don, but I did catch most of his set. While he and the band were great musically, it is weird to hear a voice other than Don Henley or Glenn Fry sing those classic Eagles songs. Don also added his own 1981 solo hit “Heavy Metal” and a track from his new record The Vault entitled “Hollywood Victim”.
Kevin Cronin Band took the stage a few minutes early with no introduction. It wasn’t needed, the audience knew what they were there to hear. Hi Infidelity kicks off with one of the best 1-2 punches in classic rock, “Don’t Let Him Go” into “Keep On Loving You”, and the crowd was instantly on its feet.
Drama between Cronin and long-time REO bassist Bruce Hall led to the end of REO Speedwagon as a touring entity, however the Kevin Cronin Band features the members of the last REO live lineup – veteran REO Speedwagon members Dave Amato on guitar and Bryan Hitt on drums, joined by shorter-term touring members Derek Hilland on keys, and bassist Matt Bissonette. The band was tight, with the rhythm section of Bissonette and Hitt setting a perfect groove for Amato’s playing.
Hi Infidelity is clearly one of the defining records of the 1980s, hearing it live 40+ years later shows why. It’s not just the big hits, but secondary tracks like “In Your Letter” and “Tough Guys” still sound strong and don’t come across as dated. After the beautiful end track “I Wish You Were There”, Cronin led the band through a string of other classics like “Time For Me To Fly”, “Riding The Storm Out”, “Can’t Fight This Feeling”, and “Roll With The Changes”.
Cronin also played a brief clip from the band at Live Aid, which just had its 40th anniversary. He pointed out that the success of that event led musicians to see the power they have when it comes to raising money to help people. The memories tied to music and powerful and can literally change the world. Who knows what the future holds for Cronin and his REO Speedwagon bandmates, but while some version of the band is still on the road and playing these songs, you need to check it out.
Styx was up next with The Grand Illusion. The current lineup features original guitarist James “JY” Young and his fifty-year bandmate Tommy Shaw, drummer Todd Sucherman, keyboardist and vocalist Lawrence Gowan, guitarist Will Evankovich, and new bassist Terry Gowan. This is a strong lineup that not only does justice to the classic work but breathes new life into them. I think Lawrence Gowan is one of the best frontmen out there and Tommy Shaw’s voice sounds just as pristine as it did when The Grand Illusion was released in 1977.
The title track, “Fooling Yourself”, and, of course, “Come Sail Away” are the monster hits from the record, but, again, it’s secondary tracks like “Man In The Wilderness” and “Castle Walls” that remind you that Styx wasn’t just a band with radio hits, they also veered into progressive rock territory and created soundscapes that enhanced the hits on each record.
Original bassist Chuck Panozzo, while not onstage the entire show, makes appearances throughout the set. We first see him on “Fooling Yourself”, he returns during “Lady” and again for the encores of “Renegade” and “Mr. Roboto”. As these classic bands begin to age, it’s great to see the original members not only support the current lineup but show up and play with them.
As the album ended, the band played a set of hits which included a new track “Build and Destroy” from its newest release Circling From Above. Styx is one of the few legacy bands to still release quality music. Guitarist and producer Will Evankovich is a big part of that as he is a perfect creative foil for Shaw, Young, and Gowan.
Styx sounded fantastic, the mix was bright and clear in a venue where it can be tough to get a good sound. Vocally, the band is better than ever with Terry Gowan and Evankovich bolstering the backing vocals. There is nothing quite like the sound of brothers harmonizing, the Gowan brothers definitely add a new wrinkle to the classic Styx sound.
Playing a record in full is always a risky proposition. Some records just fall apart after the big hits or are completely front loaded. Other records are timeless classics that can literally transport you back to the time you heard it. The music triggers the memory of people long forgotten and friends that are no longer with us. Hi Infidelity and The Grand Illusion are two of those timeless classics. It’s cheap to call them the “soundtracks of your life”, but that’s exactly what they are. For one night, we were back to those times, but it was just a grand illusion.
