Sold-out crowd surrenders to beat of Styx
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 9:14 amThe Forest Hills Fine Arts Center may never be the same again.
On Thursday night, the posh venue, home to august literary and theatrical gatherings, played host to searing guitar and drum solos and massive vocals -- classic rock ala Styx.
From the first rowdy bars of "Blue Collar Man," the five-piece unit -- James "JY" Young on guitar and vocals, Lawrence Gowan on keyboards and vocals, Tommy Shaw on guitar and vocals, Todd Sucherman on drums and Ricky Phillips on bass and vocals -- blew the lid off the sold-out auditorium and kept it blown off for almost two hours. It was loud -- good loud, but certainly more voluble than many in this sedate crowd had probably ever heard. If the fainter of heart came to hear Styx Lite -- "Babe," "The Best of Times, " etc. -- they were disappointed, not to mention fishing around their purses for ear plugs.
But if you love your Styx hard and vociferous, you were blissed out.
With skinny ties and tight, black pants on most members, the dudes of Styx looked the part of a band who peaked, sales-wise, in the 1980s. Still, with their matching mint-green Fenders, leaps and gyrating, they seemed more like a bunch of kids thrashing around with a grab bag of great vintage tunes.
Showcasing their big, juicy harmonies, Styx delighted the crowd with "Lorelei," "Lady" and "Too Much Time on My Hands."
Everyone sang along with Shaw as he took lead vocals on the latter.
Sucherman pounded on his new drum kit, offering blistering percussion and a granite core for the band. Young and Shaw delivered boisterous guitars and stellar vocals. Seriously, their voices sound fantastic live. There's little sign of the wear and tear of 30 years on the road here. And Gowan is a riveting, playful front man, swiveling on his keyboard stand and playing his instrument with masterful ease.
His classical piano solo sparkled midway through the show, serving as sort of a palate cleanser for the next course of hard rock.
The band's riotous cover of the Beatles' "I Am the Walrus," featured Gowan's cheeky vocals, big guitars and JY's diabolical chuckle for drama.
Though the band had a hard time getting the crowd as a whole to behave like rock crowds do -- screaming, pumping fists, shaking their booties -- even the most placid concertgoer began to melt by the end. The encore "Renegade" had most folks up on their feet.
After all, as JY put it, "What happens in Grand Rapids stays in Grand Rapids."
What happened in Grand Rapids last night was a sold-out crowd, giving in to the deliciousness of full throttle rock 'n' roll, Styx style.
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grpr ... xml&coll=6
I didn't know they still have a "sold out" crowd.
On Thursday night, the posh venue, home to august literary and theatrical gatherings, played host to searing guitar and drum solos and massive vocals -- classic rock ala Styx.
From the first rowdy bars of "Blue Collar Man," the five-piece unit -- James "JY" Young on guitar and vocals, Lawrence Gowan on keyboards and vocals, Tommy Shaw on guitar and vocals, Todd Sucherman on drums and Ricky Phillips on bass and vocals -- blew the lid off the sold-out auditorium and kept it blown off for almost two hours. It was loud -- good loud, but certainly more voluble than many in this sedate crowd had probably ever heard. If the fainter of heart came to hear Styx Lite -- "Babe," "The Best of Times, " etc. -- they were disappointed, not to mention fishing around their purses for ear plugs.
But if you love your Styx hard and vociferous, you were blissed out.
With skinny ties and tight, black pants on most members, the dudes of Styx looked the part of a band who peaked, sales-wise, in the 1980s. Still, with their matching mint-green Fenders, leaps and gyrating, they seemed more like a bunch of kids thrashing around with a grab bag of great vintage tunes.
Showcasing their big, juicy harmonies, Styx delighted the crowd with "Lorelei," "Lady" and "Too Much Time on My Hands."
Everyone sang along with Shaw as he took lead vocals on the latter.
Sucherman pounded on his new drum kit, offering blistering percussion and a granite core for the band. Young and Shaw delivered boisterous guitars and stellar vocals. Seriously, their voices sound fantastic live. There's little sign of the wear and tear of 30 years on the road here. And Gowan is a riveting, playful front man, swiveling on his keyboard stand and playing his instrument with masterful ease.
His classical piano solo sparkled midway through the show, serving as sort of a palate cleanser for the next course of hard rock.
The band's riotous cover of the Beatles' "I Am the Walrus," featured Gowan's cheeky vocals, big guitars and JY's diabolical chuckle for drama.
Though the band had a hard time getting the crowd as a whole to behave like rock crowds do -- screaming, pumping fists, shaking their booties -- even the most placid concertgoer began to melt by the end. The encore "Renegade" had most folks up on their feet.
After all, as JY put it, "What happens in Grand Rapids stays in Grand Rapids."
What happened in Grand Rapids last night was a sold-out crowd, giving in to the deliciousness of full throttle rock 'n' roll, Styx style.
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grpr ... xml&coll=6
I didn't know they still have a "sold out" crowd.
i also have the show on dvd- once we get to texas i'll post some songs on youtube.