The members of STYX strolled on stage ready take out a cold, wet evening with their own blazing heated performance. The opening song was Grand Illusion with vocalist/keyboardist extrodinaire, Lawrence Gowan, singing while spinning around on his carousel keyboard.
Too Much Time On My Hands was next and had STYX guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw getting the audience into a singalong and more so a clap-along on the line “I’ve got too much…” ‘Clap, Clap’ “time on my hands”. An early highlight was on Fooling Yourself with Tommy switching to acoustic and the stage right to hold his guitar in the air strumming away to this seventies classic.
Original STYX member James ‘JY’ Young had everyone take out their cell phones to create a light show as he sang lead vocals on Light Up. He also let everyone know this was the band’s first time ever playing, Malone, NY, so now you know this was a special night.
What made it even more special was the first of tributes to one of music’s lost heroes (literally), David Bowie. Tommy played acoustic guitar along with Gowan on keyboards for Bowie’s Space Oddity and that led into Crystal Ball.
Tommy talked about those who drove down from Montreal for the show and because of that had a special treat with the next song, Suite Madame Blue. What a treat it was since it might be the best I’ve ever heard Gowan sing one of the ultimate STYX gems.
Watching the energy of this band on stage makes one wonder what vitamins they are taking. Everyone looks in great shape and is working the stage at all points even the second tier. While Tommy and JY run around like duelling guitarists usually somewhere in the middle or sides bassist Ricky Phillips will appear and even share on some vocals. I’ve seen STYX many times and I have to say I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ricky working the stage as much as he did in Malone. Drummer Todd Sucherman hit those skins with a vibrant ferocity that only supplants why he was voted best rock drummer a few years back by Modern Drummer Magazine. Another great thing about STYX live is the onstage camaraderie between members, they are not just musicians putting on a rocking show but friends enjoying each other’s company at the same time and you can feel it.
Before Come Sail Away Gowan paid tribute to Prince with a ragtime 1999 where he did multiple vocals like in the original song. There was a brief Freddie Mercury tribute with Bohemian Rhapsody that led into Come Sail Away. Tommy Shaw sang his signature song, Renegade to end the night in a rollicking way with his bandmates. STYX are without a doubt one of the best live bands to not just see but experience.
set list
The Grand Illusion
Too Much Time On My Hands
Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
Lady
Light Up
Man In The Wilderness
Miss America
Space Oddity
Crystal Ball
Suite Madame Blue
Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)
1999
Bohemian Rhapsody
Come Sail Away
encore
Rockin’ The Paradise
Renegade
Make sure to check out my interview with Lawrence Gowan later this month….
