MR

Just curious (again) about the breakdown among posters here . . .

I've seen the new lineup a total of 5 times (all with Glen).

ek, not yet.......wish they'd come a little closer to my town, though that's
not a valid excuse for me vs amny posters here.

Let's see, I've seen the line-up without Dennis 4 times. I never paid a dime to see them. 3 times I had people pay me - LOL

Classic, you have a chance to see them at Summerfest or the Walworth County Fair this summer so far.

Nope and I do not plan to see them unless someone pays ME. They have been very close to me several times. It would have been easy for me to go.

Bugsy

I had 2 chances but had to pass because of family activities...

1 was Styx on the Waterfront at Davis Park in 2003....

2 was Styx at the Beloit Riverfest in either 1999 or 2000...and this was before I knew that Dennis was out of the band....


DeeJay....

Several times with and without DDY. More without, only because they tour more now. Great shows-ERIC

I have seen Styx twice within the last couple of years. BOTH times they had the crowd on their feet.

There was a great mix of people in the audience also. They sounded wonderful and put on a fantastic concert.

Rock on Styx!!!!!

bugsymalone wrote:Nope and I do not plan to see them unless someone pays ME. They have been very close to me several times. It would have been easy for me to go.

Bugsy

I'm surprised at the amount of internet fans that have the same attitude as you. There aren't THAT many, but still...My curiousity would get me if nothing else. That said, I can't imagine not having seen this lineup at least once! (Oh, the fun I would have missed!) I won't say "your loss" because I know you won't see it that way, but damn...your loss. LOL

(This line up: 32 times and counting)

Zan, I've seen them about 20 times and will probably add another 3 or 4 this year in the fall.

Bugsy,
How can you criticize Styx as it is now if you have never seen their show? By seeing the show it at least gives validity to your criticisms.

OK, OK! Let me explain! LOL!

I have seen them in concert on video. I have also seen two cuts from their Sturgis show on VH1Classic. I have also heard several renditions of Gowan attempting to sing Dennis. So I have seen them. Just not live. And I am completely aware that a live setting is truly different from concert footage on a DVD etc. I will admit this.

From the get-go I was a Styx fan BECAUSE of Dennis. His voice grabbed hold of me and never let go. So, as a few on here feel, this group is not what I love Styx for without Dennis.

Does this make sense?

I have no more desire to see Current Styx live than, say, Nelly, or Judas Priest, or the KC and the Sunshine Band Revival.

Without Dennis in the group, they simply hold no interest for me and that takes nothing away from their great talent (and it is great), the music they are performing now, etc. It also takes nothing away from their fans who simply love the group as it is now.

It literally hurts my ears and hurts my HAIR to hear Gowan sing. Nothing against the man. He seems to be a very nice guy and decent keyboard player, but he is a total turn-off for me.

I criticize from the standpoint of what I have heard and what I have seen. Just not the live concert.

Hope this makes it a bit clearer.

And I am on this board because we do discuss Classic Styx and the wonderful music of the past and because this is a really fun and funny bunch of folks. (Well, mostly............
)

Carry on!

Bugsy

DeeJaySTYX wrote:2 was Styx at the Beloit Riverfest in either 1999 or 2000...and this was before I knew that Dennis was out of the band....


DeeJay....

You missed a great show. This was the 3rd show of the first tour without Dennis. I have a pretty good recording of it

Let's see....I saw the sansdenny lineup

Beloit WI 1999
Mt. Pleasant MI 1999
Cadott WI 2000
Cedar Rapids IA 2001
Baraboo WI 2002
Dekalb IL 2003
Milwaukee WI 2003
Wilmot WI 2003
Mt. Pleasant MI 2003
Cadott WI 2004
Baraboo WI 2004

[quote="bugsymalone"]OK, OK! Let me explain! LOL!

I have seen them in concert on video. I have also seen two cuts from their Sturgis show on VH1Classic. I have also heard several renditions of Gowan attempting to sing Dennis. So I have seen them. Just not live. And I am completely aware that a live setting is truly different from concert footage on a DVD etc. I will admit this.

From the get-go I was a Styx fan BECAUSE of Dennis. His voice grabbed hold of me and never let go. So, as a few on here feel, this group is not what I love Styx for without Dennis.

Does this make sense?


Yes. And you're right. Videos like Arch Allies don't do their live shows justice, but fair enough.


Without Dennis in the group, they simply hold no interest for me and that takes nothing away from their great talent (and it is great), the music they are performing now, etc. It also takes nothing away from their fans who simply love the group as it is now.


Thanks for that at least.


It literally hurts my ears and hurts my HAIR to hear Gowan sing. Nothing against the man. He seems to be a very nice guy and decent keyboard player, but he is a total turn-off for me.


I can understand the adjustment from DDY to Gowan being difficult. They have totally different styles and sounds. I don't like to hear him sing "Best of Times" or "Rockin the Paradise," for example. However, the longer I go to these shows, the more Gowan becomes a favorite of mine. Call it what you will, but it's just his natural "way." I guess Lawrence is an "acquired taste" for many Styx fans.

I was VERY skeptical the first time I saw them, but they won me over. I've had no reservations since. I enjoy the music of the song Grand Illusion much more than the vocals and lyrics, so Gowan doesn't bother me when he sings that one, and while I like Lady, it's not one of my favorite, so again, I don't mind the lack of DDY. I still miss his vocals a lot on Come Sail Away, but that's only one song in a 15-20 song setlist, so I can handle it! (Those three are the only DDY songs I've heard them sing at every show).

Throw in the fact that all the JY and Tommy songs sound exactly like they did when Dennis toured with them, and it's not as major of a difference as I originally thought it would be.

Anyway, that's my whole 2 cents (or nonsense, depending on how you view it!)

Wow, I am truly humbled by many of you .........Zan , you've seen them
32 times ? Kansas, you've seen them 11 ?

at $40.00 a ticket, that's..............LOVE !!! ( AND INCREDIBLE ! )

Suite's in the same boat with Dennis.

What do you all do for a living, and how do I get a job that gives me your discretionary time and income ? I am truly Jealous.

I post here a lot, but talk is cheap, and you all seem to put your money
whete your "mouth" is. I am not worthy!

Here is the thing with Gowan. He isn't Dennis. And he really shouldn't sound like Dennis. If you wanted him to sound like Dennis then you will be disappointed.

If you thought only Dennis' songs were Styx songs. Then you already hated half of the Styx catalog, even in their hey day.

Styx is going to play songs that Dennis wrote. But they don't play that many at all.

Those that don't accept Larry in his role, wouldn't accept anyone.

Classic says:

Suite's in the same boat with Dennis.

What do you all do for a living, and how do I get a job that gives me your discretionary time and income ? I am truly Jealous.

Ebay!!! I sell my kids belongings for tickets - LOL Just kidding. Seriously, I do sell on Ebay for our concert tickets, kids stuff & vacation money. I've been going to auctions & rummages for a few years and have been finding treasures to sell. And I'm also "working" 2 days a week as a Lunch Lady - LOL I don't really call it work since I'm having so much fun at the high school.

If you thought only Dennis' songs were Styx songs. Then you already hated half of the Styx catalog, even in their hey day.

You judge me too harshly here, NH. I like a lot of Tommy songs, and probably would enjoy them in concert. I even like a few JY songs, but those that I like are rarely/never performed.

To me, on ALL the music, there was a special sound when Dennis was in the group. Much more depth to the overall harmonies, IMO. It is a fine line, I admit, but I walk it because I can hear the difference.

If I want to do a fair comparison, live DVD concert to live DVD concert, I hear an astounding difference in the overall quality of sound between Return to Paradise and whatever it was I saw on DirecTV with the Glen lineup.

I realize this is likely just me, but why should I go to a concert where I know I am going to not enjoy a goodly portion of it?

Styx is going to play songs that Dennis wrote. But they don't play that many at all.

And this is a good thing as far as I am concerned. But so many great songs are not heard because he is no longer there. I got to hear many of them last Saturday night in Chicago. The power of Dennis' vocals is undiminished in my book. There is, of course, some of the harmony quality lost without Tommy on board, but not much. To me, Best Thing sounded better there than on the original recording. Hank was way better than JY singing it and the harmonies rocked.

To me Dennis was simply the centerpiece of Styx and now that is gone.

Again, not taking away from current lineup fans or how they feel. I can certainly see if someone thought Dennis was just a tiny part of the whole and his not being there is no big deal, then the Current Styx concerts are certainly their cup of tea (or mug of beer, shot of burbon, or whatever).

Me, as I said, no interest. I see maybe three songs in the CS setlist I ever want to hear from them. EVERY song in Dennis' setlist I want to hear. There is where I will get my money's worth of music.

My .25 and counting!



Bugsy

Bugsy says:

I got to hear many of them last Saturday night in Chicago. The power of Dennis' vocals is undiminished in my book. There is, of course, some of the harmony quality lost without Tommy on board, but not much. To me, Best Thing sounded better there than on the original recording. Hank was way better than JY singing it and the harmonies rocked.

Amen sister!! "Best Thing" sounded a TON better in Chicago than on the original recording!! Hank is WAY better than JY singing it. The harmonies totally rocked on that song.

Bugsy says:

To me Dennis was simply the centerpiece of Styx and now that is gone.

Amen sister again!!! That's how I feel too!!

styxfanNH says:

Those that don't accept Larry in his role, wouldn't accept anyone.

Yep, that's how I feel. The reason, to me, is all personal and how Dennis was kicked out of a band that he wanted to stay in that he co-founded and was the main part of the band!!!

When I saw Carrot Styx, even the harmonies weren't there anymore. Dennis' voice was really missing on the Tommy songs. I do miss hearing the Tommy songs live. The only positive thing I can say about the Carrot Styx concerts are some of the fans. I had such a blast with my die-hard Styx fans, that's what made it fun.

Oh and I have to add, this is kind of funny (or ironic). When I was at the Carrot Styx concert last summer in Milwaukee, I was in the front row, Larry side (EGAD!!!) - LOL Oh, the pain!! Anyway, I was hit with 5 JY guitar picks, I thought that was really funny. No, I didn't keep any, I made sure each kid around me received one. They were very happy

They do throw a lot of picks at the concerts. It is pretty funny how people react to getting them. Makes it easy to fill in my pic collection.

Maybe Dennis can toss his piano in the audience.

And I do understand the part of missing Dennis' voice within the Styx sound.

As we have discussed once or twice before, the problem with the set list, regardless of who is playing, is the size of their catalog. It's just too damn big to hear even just the singles they have released.

I admit that when I go to a Styx show, I miss Dennis' work. But I have also been to Dennis' non orchestral show and missed the harder edge stuff that JY and Tommy bring to Styx. And the music sounds really guitar thin. (I would think that if Dennis was the one who understood the Styx sound the best that he would recognize this.)

Dennis is now pushing the lost treasures set/performances. This show includes 5, count em 5 songs that he hasn't performed in years. While I would love to hear them live, Styx would never play those songs live now or in the past because they believe that for the casual fan it interferes with the show.

You say that Hank did JY's vocal better than JY. But we all know how a song sounds in a theater is very different than how it sounds on a recording. And I feel comparing the two is unfair.

Do I wish Styx would dive into the older material. Absolutely. Do I understand why they don't. Absolutely again. They are trying to appeal to a wide audience and by digging deep into the catalog they can't do that.

While I miss what Dennis brought musically and vocally to the band. It is obvious that there were other issues involved in the break up of the classic lineup. And as people dismiss Chuck's role in Styx, where he decided to go, speaks volumes with the behind the scene politics. Everyone in the band left Dennis behind.

styxfanNH wrote:They do throw a lot of picks at the concerts. It is pretty funny how people react to getting them. Makes it easy to fill in my pic collection.

Maybe Dennis can toss his piano in the audience.

At the DY concert I went to, Tommy and Jack came out and thru buckets filled partialy with pics.

At the Main Event concert I saw, we ended up getting two pics from each band. I had a third Styx pic but gave it away to the lady sitting next to me.

I agree with the general though expressed here that neither side is quite as good without the contributions of the other side......

Vocally Dennis, Tommy and JY are the best trio since John, Paul and George ( IMO ) That just doesn't come along every day, and you cant just throw someone else in for Dennis and expect the same or equal results.

I agree with SFNH, it is surprising to me that Dennis doesnt see what a huge difference that 2nd guitar makes in reproducing the Styx sound......
However, I suspect the profit margin is already razor thin on his shows, and I don't blame him for not wanting to lose money each time he plays if that is the case.

I just got my copy of Ambrosia live at the Galaxy, recorded in 2002.
The lineup on this CD does not include David Pack who did a good portion of the lead vocals. The guy who replaced him has a GREAT VOICE........
incredible range, I enjoy the CD.

But, it's not the same for me, because that voice and tonality was such a big part of their sound. And to those who recommended it to me, I found out that what really made their version of Magical Mystery Tour so great in the 70's was the orchestration....it sounds good here, but it's not as as
awe inspiring as the studio version....I'm still keeping my eyes open for an import with that original version !
[/u][/b]

Ive seen 'Classic Styx' 8 times, Styx minus Tommy once, Styx with Tommy&Glen 8 times, and styx with Ricky once.

If I had to rank the top 10 shows it would be:
Classic Styx shows- The Main Event, Paradise Theatre & Kilroy 3- 10 in the BEST EVER Styx concerts. The first Kilroy show I saw in Shreveport was TRULY incredible. Night one in the old Met Center of The paradise Theatre show was AMAZING. Their Main Event show at the Minnesota State Fair back in 78 was also UNREAL it was sooooo damn good.
#2 would be The Edge Of the Century Show without Tommy. FANTASTIC!!
#1 1999 show at the Far West Rodeo minus Dennis. They played their ASSES off. They had something to prove minus Dennis, and they nailed it!!

** The worst Styx show I saw was Styx be themselves at Fiesta Texas in San Antonio back in 2002 or 2003. It was the ONLY time I have seen them when I felt they were going thru the motions, and it was a money grab.

** I almost forgot I saw Classic Styx minus John P. in The Grand Illusion ll show. It was good but their weakest of Classic Styx shows- so make that Classic Styx 8 times, Classic Styx( minus John P.) once.

** I have also seen Tommy twice solo Girls with Guns St. Paul Winter Carnival, Dennis solo Houston & Damn Yankees.

** I sure as hell wished I had got the chance to see Styx perform with John C.

I've seen them 3 times post DDY. Twice w/ Burtnik, once w/ Phillips.

And the shows keep getting better and better!

Last time was in 04 and they were the tightest I've heard them yet !

(including the shows I've seen & heard with DDY)

And the shows keep getting better and better! Very Happy

I thought they sounded better each time I heard them, too.

Practice Makes Perfect.........

You know, it is possible to have a civil discussion/debate in this forum...

I have only seen styx once EVER. That was during the RTP tour. I have had a couple of opportunities to see styx 5.0 (or is it 6.0 now) but have passed. I believe that streak will end when they play Speedstreet here in Charlotte in May. I am actually looking forward to it as I hope that they will play Walrus.

Maybe I will see some of ya there. I guess it's still up in the air as to whether or not I will be going to the Glen Burtnik/Kimberly Dahme show in Atlanta. Hope to attend both. The most Styx related shows since '96.

Scott

ek88 wrote:I was VERY skeptical the first time I saw them, but they won me over.

I was skeptical too. It did seem like they had something to prove. My impression of Gowan was that he was a rocking version of DDY. Everything I didn't like about STYX was gone. These guys had WAY more energy than I had ever seen from them before.

When I first saw them, Gowan sang about 6 or 7 DDY songs. I liked every one of them.