{"id":35680,"date":"2024-07-27T11:23:19","date_gmt":"2024-07-27T15:23:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/?p=35680"},"modified":"2024-07-27T11:23:20","modified_gmt":"2024-07-27T15:23:20","slug":"on-stage-spotlight-styx-still-rockin-after-all-these-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/?p=35680","title":{"rendered":"On Stage Spotlight: Styx still rockin’ after all these years"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Denny Dyroff,<\/strong> Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/div>\n
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Styx<\/p><\/div>\n

If Styx and the Energizer Bunny had an endurance challenge, the nameless pink bunny eventually would stop beating his drum while Styx would still be rocking hard.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Styx formed in Chicago in 1972 and released their debut album, \u201cStyx,\u201d in August that year.<\/div>\n
Now, 52 years and 42 albums later, Styx are still going strong \u2013 and touring like they\u2019re a bunch of 23-year-old rockers.<\/div>\n
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This summer, they are out on the massive co-headlining \u201cRenegades & Juke Box Heroes\u201d tour with newly announced Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees\u00a0Foreigner\u00a0and special guest John Waite.<\/div>\n

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The tour will touch down locally on July 28 at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (1 Harbour Boulevard, Camden, N.J., www.waterfrontamphitheater.com<\/a>).<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe tour with this line-up has been extended into September,\u201d said Styx keyboardist Lawrence Gowan, during a phone interview last week from as tour stop in Tampa, Florida.<\/div>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s been going extremely well and has exceeded expectations. We started in June playing five nights a week \u2013 two days on, one day off.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Three months straight being on the road can be taxing \u2013 even for a 23-year-old. Gowan perseveres \u2013 even though he will turn 68 on November 22.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe tour is not that difficult,\u201d said Gowan. \u201cThere is an adrenaline rush every night. Also, I sleep very well on the tour bus. You just need to get any rest when you can, eat well and exercise.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Legendary and multi-Platinum rockers\u00a0Styx\u00a0— Tommy Shaw (vocals, guitars), James\u00a0\u201cJY\u201d Young (vocals, guitars), Lawrence Gowan (vocals, keyboards), Todd Sucherman (drums) and new member Terry Gowan (bass), along with the occasional surprise appearance by original bassist Chuck Panozzo– are\u00a0rested, healthy, and back on the road.<\/div>\n
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Shaw, Panozzo and Young have been with the band since their early days in Chicago at the start of the 1970s while Gowan and Sucherman joined the group prior to the turn of the century.<\/div>\n
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Prior to the arrival of a second Gowan, Ricky Phillips was the \u201cnew\u201d member having joined 21 years ago in 2003.<\/div>\n
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\u201cTodd and Terry had played shows together before this \u2013 including with my band,\u201d said Gowan.<\/div>\n
Styx is definitely a trans-generation band. Fans who attended shows in the early 70s now can enjoy Styx live with their children and grandchildren.<\/div>\n
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If you\u2019re a classic rock fan and you have a preference for bands that rock hard and put out a 100 per cent effort every time they step onstage, then you need to check out Sunday\u2019s concert.<\/div>\n
Styx\u2019s long list of hit singles includes \u201cLady,\u201d \u201cCome Sail Away,\u201d \u201cBabe,\u201d \u201cThe Best of Times,\u201d \u201cToo Much Time on My Hands,\u201d \u201cShow Me the Way,\u201d \u201cRenegade,\u201d \u201cBoat on the River\u201d and, of course, \u201cMr. Roboto.\u201d \u201cBabe\u201d reached Number 1 in the charts while \u201cShow Me the Way,\u201d \u201cMr. Roboto\u201d and \u201cThe Best of Times\u201d topped out at Number 3.<\/div>\n
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\u201cEvery musician dreams of having a recording contract,\u201d said Young, during a prior phone interview. \u201cWe got together in Chicago at the start of the 70s. There were quite a few good bands in Chicago \u2013The Shadows of Knight, the Cryin\u2019 Shames, the Buckinghams.<\/div>\n
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\u201cBill Traut signed us to Wooden Nickel Records for a four-album deal. Then, we went to A&M. Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss (A&M owners) loved the band and really got behind us.<\/div>\n
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The band\u2019s first album for A&M was \u201cEquinox\u201d in 1975. The group went on to record seven more albums for the Los Angeles based label ending with \u201cEdge of the Century\u201d in 1990.<\/div>\n
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Styx\u00a0followed with \u201cBrave New World\u201d in 1999 on CMC International, \u201cCyclorama\u201d in 2023 on Sanctuary Records, and \u201cBig Bang Theory\u201d in 2005 on New Door Records. 2017\u2019s \u201cThe Mission\u201d and \u201cCrash of the Crown\u201d were both released via Universal Music Enterprises.<\/div>\n
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Their sophomore album \u201cStyx\u00a0II\u201d (1973) broke through with their first radio hit, the power ballad \u201cLady.\u201d<\/div>\n
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The song began to earn some radio time, first on\u00a0WLS\u00a0in Chicago in 1974\u00a0and then nationwide. In the spring of 1975, nearly two years after the album had been released, \u201cLady\u201d broke into the Top10 in the U.S., and\u00a0\u201cStyx\u00a0II\u2019\u00a0went gold soon after. “Lady” is considered by many classic rock critics as being the first power ballad.<\/div>\n
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\u201c\u2018Lady\u2019 was our first hit single,\u201d said Young. \u201cIt was poorly promoted in 1973 when we put it out. Later, it was Top 10 in every major city in the states.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThen, \u2018The Grand Illusion\u2019 album sold seven million copies in 1977. A few years later, our \u2018Paradise Theatre\u2019 album went to Number 1 in the states.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Both albums went triple-platinum \u2013 as did \u201cPieces of Eight\u201d in 1978 and \u201cCornerstone\u201d in 1979.\u201d<\/div>\n
Like the Energizer Bunny, Styx just keeps going.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe fact that we\u2019re still relevant is a surprise to me,\u201d said Young. \u201cThe pedigree of the band has always been there. We kept climbing the ladder of success.\u201d<\/div>\n
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The climb continues.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe band started in 1971 \u2013 almost half a century ago,\u201d said Gowan.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI\u2019m now in my 26th\u00a0year with the band. To be still touring the way we do \u2013 it\u2019s quite remarkable. We\u2019ve never played less than 100 shows a year.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Gowan is a Scottish-born Canadian musician who had a long and successful music career in Canada prior to hooking up with Styx\u00a0— both with his band Gowan and as a solo artist.<\/div>\n
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At the age of 19, he earned an ARCT (Associate of The Royal Conservatory) in classical piano performance from The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. He has won two Juno Awards (Canadian equivalent of the Grammy Awards) and has 10 other Juno nominations.<\/div>\n
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In 1997 during Styx\u2019s tour, Gowan performed as a supporting act for the band at Montreal\u2019s Molson Centre and Quebec City’s Colis\u00e9e.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI opened for Styx\u00a0as a solo act,\u201d said Gowan. \u201cThat\u2019s where we first crossed paths.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Gowan, who was born in Glasgow, Scotland, is a native and still resident of Toronto.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI was a little kid when we moved from Glasgow to Toronto,\u201d said Gowan. \u201cMy dad felt at home in Toronto.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Dating back to 1982, Gowan has released a number of albums on his own in Canada and has had several hit singles.<\/div>\n
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\u201cIn Canada, I play some of the same venues Styx pays,\u201d said Gowan. \u201cThe biggest hit I had was the \u2018Strange Animals\u2019 album which was triple platinum.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI had several members of Peter Gabriel\u2019s band at the time playing on it \u2013 including Tony Levin and Jerry Marotta. Most of my solo stuff is very keyboard-driven.\u201d<\/div>\n
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All along, Gowan has retained Styx as his primary focus. It would be hard not when considering how much the band tours.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThere is a reason we have such a heavy schedule,\u201d said Gowan. \u201cThere\u2019s an insatiable demand to see the band. There really aren\u2019t enough days. Classic rock is a gigantic stage and you\u2019ve got legions of people who want to see it live.<\/div>\n
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With Styx, the crowds that fill arenas at their shows are not just old cats who grew up with Styx\u2019 hits and have been loyal followers ever since.<\/div>\n
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\u201cHalf of the audience at our shows is under 40,\u201d said Gowan. \u201cThey were not even born when the band started. That speaks to the fact that classic rock is a big musical statement.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Many of STYX\u2019 band contemporaries that are still around go on stage with set lists based almost exclusively on their classic hits. Few even attempt to stay contemporary. Even fewer attempt to make new music.<\/div>\n
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Obviously,\u00a0Styx\u00a0is different. Just listen to \u201cCrash of the Crown\u201d and you\u2019ll understand.<\/div>\n
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\u201cCrash of the Crown\u201d\u00a0is the 17th studio album by\u00a0Styx. The album was released on June 18, 2021, by\u00a0Universal Music Enterprises on the band\u2019s label, Alpha Dog 2T\/UMe. The album reached the top 30 in six international charts.<\/div>\n
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\u201cOur last tour was our 50th\u00a0anniversary tour and a tour supporting the \u2018Crash of the Crown\u2019 album,\u201d said Gowan. \u201cOn this tour, we\u2019re playing the title track but mainly focusing on the hits.\u201d<\/div>\n
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At each tour stop, as they have been in the past years,\u00a0Rock to the Rescue\u2014spearheaded by Tommy Shaw\u2019s daughter, Hannah and is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded by the band, whose mission is to build strong, healthy communities through the support of grassroots organizations across the country\u2014will continue to\u00a0research local nonprofit organizations and pick one to see if they are interested in volunteering to help the band sell $10 tickets for a drawing to win a signed\u00a0Styx\u00a0guitar at the shows.\u00a0They give these organizations a percentage of the sales as their way of supporting their cause and thanking them for supporting the band\u2019s cause.<\/div>\n
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Rock to the Rescue originally started in 2001 as a result of the 9\/11 terrorist attacks and is the brainchild of\u00a0Styx\u00a0singer\/guitarist Tommy Shaw and REO Speedwagon singer\/keyboardist\/guitarist Kevin Cronin.\u00a0 The two musicians brought together bands and artists such as Bad Company, Journey, Survivor, Kansas, Lynyrd Skynyrd and many others to be part of \u201cVolunteers For America\u201d concert events in Dallas and Atlanta that ultimately raised over $775,000 for victims of 9\/11, as well as the Port Authority police department in New York City.<\/div>\n
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In 2014, Rock To The Rescue raised $10,000 for the\u00a0Philadelphia Fire Department Local #22 Widows Fund at the \u201cSoundtrack of Summer\u201d show (with Foreigner and former Eagles guitarist Don Felder) in Camden, NJ on July 3, as a thank you to the local fire department for cooling down\u00a0STYX\u2019s burning crew bus the day before.<\/div>\n
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Video link for Styx \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/UcO0sjNWWl4<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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The show at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion on July 28 will start at 6:45 p.m.<\/div>\n
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Ticket prices start at $23.<\/div>\n
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The weather is great right now for music at outdoor venues.<\/div>\n
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On July 27, there will be a Blues Festival at Brothers On The Brandywine- Beer Garden (2100 Strasburg Road, Coatesville, www.brotherskershner.com<\/a>).<\/div>\n
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This is not just a typical \u201cBeer Garden Day,\u201d it is an all-day concert from noon-9 p.m. featuring three bands performing on a concert-quality sound system by Sanco.<\/div>\n
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The following is the concert schedule: noon 2-2:30 p.m., Mark Margolies Band; 3-5:30 p.m., SlideWinder Blues Band; and 6-9 p.m., Mikey Junior Band.<\/div>\n
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Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate, Children under 1`5 are admitted free.<\/div>\n
There will be Beer, Wine, Cider, Seltzer by Brothers Kershner Brewing Co and Brothers Kershner Cellars and the Food Truck will be Shimpy\u2019s BBQ.<\/div>\n
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No Pets or outside alcohol are permitted on premises.<\/div>\n
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The Eagleview Summer Concerts on the Square\u00a0at Eagleview Town Center (Wharton Boulevard, Exton, www.ineagleview.com<\/a>) will present\u00a0Handsome Jack and Scott Tournet on July 30, Fantastic Cat on August 13, and Zach Russell on August 27.<\/div>\n
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The \u00a0Bryn Mawr Twilight Concerts (9 South Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr,<\/a>\u00a0brynmawrtwilightconcerts.com<\/a>) will present John Gorka on July 27, Steve Forbert on August 2, Lucy Kaplansky on August 10, Stephen Kellogg and Liz Longley on August 16, David Wilcox on August 17, Susan Werner on August 24 and Tophouse on August 30.<\/div>\n
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The\u00a0Rose Tree Summer Festival (Rose Tree Park, Route 252, Media, www.delcopa.gov\/departments\/parks<\/a>)\u00a0returns with a summer-long series of free outdoor shows at the scenic park just north of Media.<\/div>\n
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The schedule of upcoming shows in July features 70s Midnight Rock Show on July 27, 22 Park Avenue on July 28 and Angry Young Band on July 30.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times If Styx and the Energizer Bunny had an endurance challenge, the nameless pink bunny eventually would stop beating his drum while Styx would still be rocking hard. Styx formed in Chicago in 1972 and released their debut album, \u201cStyx,\u201d in August that year. Now, 52 years and 42 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":35679,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5166],"tags":[12624,3912,4094],"class_list":["post-35680","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-classic-rock","tag-featured","tag-styx"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35680","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=35680"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35680\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35681,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35680\/revisions\/35681"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/35679"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=35680"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=35680"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=35680"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}