Photo: Lawrence Gowan delivers some powerful vocals on the song “Lady”
The Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley was rocking Sunday night when the legendary American rock band Styx performed a time capsule of some of their greatest hits over the years. Formed in Chicago, in 1972, the band is in their 51st year and shows no signs of letting up.
Lawrence Gowan remains the marvelous showman, with his vocals and antics on stage for 24 years now. Tommy Shaw hasn’t skipped a beat since joining the band in late 1975. James “JY” Young, who joined in 1970, still has what it takes to deliver the classics. Co-founder Chuck Panozzo appears as a part time bassist, as he shares the duties with Ricky Phillips, who is in his 21st year with the band. Since 1995, Todd Sucherman has kept the beat going in timeless fashion. Will Evankovich provides another guitar and vocals in his second year with the band, officially becoming the seventh member. The vocals, whether solo, or when harmonizing, seem to remain frozen in time like the vinyl they were originally pressed on, despite the years gone by.
Styx rocked the house with some of their most classic hits. The show opened up with one of five songs off their latest album, Crash of The Crown. The new material has remnants of the bands early days, but comes across as fresh and new. Once again the sound that Styx fans have grown to love over the years.
Multiple classics performed were from the triple platinum albums Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight. The Grand Illusion title cut, “Come Sail Away”, “Fooling Yourself”, and “Miss America”, plus “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)” and “Renegade” remain some of the very best. Other classics such as “Crystal Ball”, “Lady”, and “Lorelei”, gave fans a good look back at music from nine of their 17 studio albums.
In 50 plus years, the band has also put together 16 compilation albums, nine, live albums, which has produced 39 hit singles. In recent years, the band has not seen any chart toppers, but also has not been putting albums out every year or two like they had done in the early 70s into the early 80s. Nevertheless, fans continue to flock to see and hear the band, which continues to be at the top of their game.
Legendary concert promoter Danny Zelisko continues to bring some of best musical greats to the area, and Sunday night was a perfect example. I had seen the band many times before at various venues, and expected the best. That is exactly what we all got. The best!
Photo: Tommy Shaw
Their current 2023 concert tour features new music from Crash of the Crown album that was released on June 18, 2021. The album debuted at #17 on the Billboard Rock charts, and is definitely worth a listen. More info at styxworld.com
If you missed the concert in Prescott Valley, they will be back in Phoenix on March 9 and 10, playing two shows at the Celebrity Theatre. Only a few tickets remain.
Coming up in the next few weeks at the Findlay Toyota Center, will include the Harlem Globetrotters on March 3, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons on March 9, the Jordan Family Circus on March 11-12, Tracy Lawrence and Clay Walker on March 18. The latest show to be announced is Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band, coming May 30. More information may be obtained at findlaytoyotacenter.com
