Released by: Eagle Rock
Release Date: Out Now!!!
Genre: Classic Rock
Links: https://www.facebook.com/KayosProductionsInc
Line Up:
Tommy Shaw (vocals, guitars)
James “JY” Young (vocals, guitar, keyboards)
Todd Sucherman (drums),
Lawrence Gowan (vocals/keyboards)
Ricky Phillips (bass, backing vocals)
Chuck Panozzo (bass)
It seems to me that the legendary band STYX has been mostly living on the road extensively for the last 10 years. The last album with new material called “Cyclorama” was published in 2003. Since then, there have been several live recordings, a few compilations with new recordings (and a new song), as well as a few cover versions. Even if you continue to scroll back to the discography, diving for a long time you’ll find more live documents. These naturally include all classic material, but at some point but I think as a fan you want to hear either new material or some mix of setlists of their other material that normally doesn’t get play time live.
So as fan of the band on the current live album do we get something different and new to offer? Aside the classics cuts of ‘Too Much Time On My Hands’, Blue Collar Man’, ‘Renegade’ and ‘Fooling Yourself’, this time you still get the excellent ‘Superstars’ and’ Light Up ‘at least two songs that now is not represented at all on other Live discs. Is that enough for fans to add this to their collection?
I suppose that depends on user taste, Styx has been around a long time, since 1972 to be exact and they have long established their legacy with their AOR melodies and became a house hold name for generations to come. It’s a good package especially if you get the blu-ray of this Vegas gig, simply because of the quality of the video, and to be honest, STYX has a certain sound that you really do know what you are going to get no matter when or where you listen to them in my opinion.
You also get a guest appearance from Eagles Don Felder on “Blue Collar Man”, which adds a nice touch, considering his solo band was opening for Styx on this tour. You get to witness the ageless wonder that is Tommy Shaw, a guy who still sounds and plays like a true rock icon. You can’t help but notice his humility as you hear the in between interviews with each band member about life on the road. I will even throw some mad respect to keyboard/vocalist Lawrence Gowan simply because the guy is in great shape and does a bang up job on keys and vocals, which adds more to the Styx legacy.
My only complain is the 8 tracks total, yes it adds up when you add the interviews in between it seems a bit short on the content side. I believe the original recording and release had the Grand Illusion, Lady and the classic Come Sail Away. Now to be fair the last time Eagle released a Styx package it was “Grand Illusion / Pieces of Eight -” which was excellent. So I will give this short set and omissions a pass on this one. Actually in order to filter more originality and less recurrence it’s fine to skip a couple tracks that you normally hear often on their setlist.
Overall is a solid package, performance are tight and the sold out crowd in Vegas seems fitting for this recording. Usually Eagle Rock does a professional job getting these packages together and they don’t disappoint here. Also just to ping the bonus features have the full concert minus the interview footage for those overly annoyed by that bit.
Written By: Shadow Editor
Rating 8/10
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