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http://www.livedaily.com/news/8232.html?t=103
Styx backs covers album with summer tour
by Jon Zahlaway
liveDaily Staff Writer
June 02, 2005 12:01 PM - Classic rockers Styx support their recently released set "Big Bang Theory"--a collection of cover tunes--with a summer road trip that includes some co-headlining dates with frequent touring partners REO Speedwagon. The run kicks off in early July, and stops are planned at a mix of outdoor festivals, amphitheaters, theaters and fairs. A half-dozen joint dates with Speedwagon pepper the itinerary, which stretches into late September. Details are included below.
Before launching the U.S. outing, Styx will spend the month of June on a European trek. More information is posted at the band's website.
Last month, Styx offered up "Big Bang Theory." The set houses 14 cuts, including the group's renditions of The Who's "I Can See for Miles," Jimi Hendrix's "Manic Depression," The Beatles' "I Am the Walrus" and The Lovin' Spoonful's "Summer in the City." Also featured is a new studio version of Styx's 1978 hit "Blue Collar Man."
"Big Bang Theory" marks Styx's debut for New Door Records, a recently launched imprint of Universal Music Enterprises; the company formed the new label specifically to cross-promote new works by artists who have an existing back-catalog with Universal.
Styx was signed to A&M Records--now part of Universal--from the mid-'70s through the early '90s, then hooked up with CMC International in 1996; the group's final releases for CMC/Sanctuary were 2003's "Cyclorama" and "21st Century Live."
Singer/vocalist Tommy Shaw, in a recent message posted at Styx's website, said that things changed for the worse when Sanctuary took over CMC, and that he is happy that the group is once again under Universal's umbrella.
"[W]hen CMC sold to the parent company Sanctuary, we began the slide down the slippery slope of working with a huge and huger growing company, in many ways unaware of our history, our music and our relationships with our fans," Shaw wrote. "... In the meantime we began to accept the changes at radio, by that I mean the boarding up of the doors, then the bricking up of the doors to the program directors' offices, and often the elimination of music directors and program directors in lieu of centralized corporate programmers who based their playlists on focus groups and consultants.
"... After seeing our relationship with Sanctuary fade to black, wondering where we stood, suddenly here we are pretty much back at A&M for all intents and purposes. They know our music, heck, some of them worked some of our records at A&M back in the day. There are Universal people at every Styx event, creating more events, promoting 'Big Bang Theory' like it's 1977. Yes, it's a humungous corporation, but somehow there's a niche with good old-time horse-sense running the show for us. And somehow, 'Big Bang Theory,' which came about almost accidentally, has slipped through a radio loophole and is getting more airplay than we've gotten in years."
Tour Itinerary
[Note: The following tour itinerary has been provided by artist and/or tour sources, who verify its accuracy as of 11-Feb-2003. Changes may occur before tickets go on sale. Check with official artist web sites, ticketing sources and venues for late updates.]
July 2005
2 - Garland, TX - Star Spangled 4th
3 - Chanute, KS - Chanute Municipal Airport (w/ REO Speedwagon)
5 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest
6 - Muskegon, MI - Summer Celebration
9 - Taylor, MI - Heritage Park
23 - Goshen, IN - Elkhart County 4-H Fair
26 - Harrington, DE - Delaware State Fair (w/ REO Speedwagon)
28 - Ottawa, Ontario - Congress Center
29 - Quebec City, Quebec - Agora Theater
August 2005
5 - Ridgefield, WA - Clark County Fair
6 - Tacoma, WA - Emerald Queen Casino
7 - Kellogg, ID - Silver Mountain Amphitheatre
10 - Ventura, CA - Ventura County Fair
11 - Highland, CA - San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino
12 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
13 - Alpine, CA - Viejas Concerts in the Park
14 - Saratoga, CA - Historic Mountain Winery
18 - Canandaigua, NY - Finger Lakes P.A.C. (w/ REO Speedwagon)
19 - Hamburg, NY - Erie County Fair (w/ REO Speedwagon)
20 - Gilford, NH - Meadowbrook Musical Arts Center
21 - Hyannis, MA - Cape Cod Melody Tent
September 2005
2 - Mitchell, SD - Corn Palace Festival
3 - Saint Paul, MN - Minnesota State Fair (w/ REO Speedwagon)
4 - Elkhorn, WI - Walworth County Fair
5 - Lincoln, NE - Nebraska State Fair
23 - Yuma, AZ - Paradise Casino (w/ REO Speedwagon)
24 - Phoenix, AZ - America West Arena
Most of us going are going to sit in the $10 seats, you'll see a lot of "us" if you go -LOL
