Niagara Falls
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:02 pmhttp://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/Articl ... ?e=1227011
Success of Styx no grand illusion
Lawrence Gowan and band bring road-tested show to Avalon Ballroom this week
Posted By TONY RICCIUTO REVIEW STAFF WRITER
Posted 1 hour ago
For Lawrence Gowan, keyboardist and vocalist for the rock group Styx, it's all about performing to the max.
"You have to keep yourself engaged in the whole process. There is still the challenge to try and do it better from what you did last night. That just never ends."
Gowan, who is often seen spinning around on his keyboard as he co-fronts Styx, along with James Young, Tommy Shaw, Ricky Phillips and Todd Sucherman, has enjoyed a tremendous career since the 1980s.
He joined Styx back in 1999 and has played live with them in nearly 500 shows.
"Things have been going great," he said of their latest tour, which kicked off in Nebraska Sept. 1, and will be hitting the Avalon Ballroom at the Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort Thursday through Saturday.
"The tour actually began nine years ago and things haven't really let up. There really hasn't been much of a break."
After playing in Niagara Falls, the group will be flying out to Hawaii and doing three shows at different locations Oct. 9 to 11.
The Canadian musician is no stranger to the Niagara area and has played a number of venues on both sides of the border.
"We're looking forward to trying this place. I expect it to be pretty exciting," said Gowan, who has played at both Casino Rama and the Seneca Casino in Niagara Falls, N. Y.
Gowan has four platinum and three gold albums in his homeland, Scotland. In 2003, he received the prestigious Canadian classic status award for the song "Moonlight Desires." The award is presented when a song gets played more than 100,000 times on Canadian radio.
That honour puts him right up there with a small group of elite Canadian singer/songwriters, such as Neil Young, Bryan Adams and Joni Mitchell.
Back in 1985, Gowan's album "Strange Animal" was his commercial breakthrough in Canada. The hit singles included "A Criminal Mind," "Strange Animal," "Guerilla Soldier" and "Cosmetics."
The song "Criminal Mind" went to No. 1 in Canada. It can also be found in a live version on the Styx album from 2001, "STYKLAND," and also on the new Styx CD-DVD two-disc set titled "STYX, 21st Century Live."
While on tour, Gowan said he makes it a point to get out and visit some of the sites, or at least walk around the area because it's a great opportunity to see the world.
"If you stay in your hotel room all the time, that experience will go right by you."
When he's not on stage performing, he spends time writing new material and trying to record it.
"I will try and do things better than I have ever done it in the past," said Gowan. "That pursuit is what keeps it fresh. When you are playing in a band like this, everyone is feeding off the others. We change things like the arrangements or the song lists so there is always something new and exciting."
As a teen, Gowan played classical piano. In 1976, he played with a band called Rhinegold and enjoyed modest local success.
"This is what I have wanted to do since I was a little kid," he said, and unless he has some kind of a life change, he will keep performing.
"My whole life has been acclimated to this manner of living. I still find it very invigorating to go out on the road. I have to remind myself every day that this is a very fortunate existence."
Gowan, who also plays the guitar as a second instrument, said the piano began to take his interest in the early 1970s after he watched a number of performers, like Rick Wakeman from the band Yes, Elton John and even Paul McCartney and John Lennon, who played the piano on a number of their songs.
"The instrument kind of chooses you and I was just basically better on it."
Some of the venues that have stood out in his mind over the years include having played at the Super Bowl on two occasions -2001 and 2003 -performing at Wembley Stadium in London, England, and when he played Maple Leaf Gardens for the first time as a solo artist.
"Just prior to me joining STYX I played with the London Symphony at the opening of Princess Diana's memorial at Althorp -that's at her home in England. It was pretty great to be a part of that event."
Gowan said another great gig is Ontario Place, where he has played 13 times. The revolving stage, he added, was spectacular.
"In 1986 there was a tornado that touched down in Barrie that night. It was a torrential rain and lighting storm and yet the people stayed, which was astounding. I was surprised they didn't drown. Sometimes, the shows that are under the worst conditions seem to the ones that people remember the longest. It's almost like they are ready to go to war for you."
Gowan said he has some great memories of playing in Niagara Falls in the past, everything from Uncle Sam's to the hockey arena, and he's looking forward to returning.
"It's great because I get to do it for three nights.
Success of Styx no grand illusion
Lawrence Gowan and band bring road-tested show to Avalon Ballroom this week
Posted By TONY RICCIUTO REVIEW STAFF WRITER
Posted 1 hour ago
For Lawrence Gowan, keyboardist and vocalist for the rock group Styx, it's all about performing to the max.
"You have to keep yourself engaged in the whole process. There is still the challenge to try and do it better from what you did last night. That just never ends."
Gowan, who is often seen spinning around on his keyboard as he co-fronts Styx, along with James Young, Tommy Shaw, Ricky Phillips and Todd Sucherman, has enjoyed a tremendous career since the 1980s.
He joined Styx back in 1999 and has played live with them in nearly 500 shows.
"Things have been going great," he said of their latest tour, which kicked off in Nebraska Sept. 1, and will be hitting the Avalon Ballroom at the Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort Thursday through Saturday.
"The tour actually began nine years ago and things haven't really let up. There really hasn't been much of a break."
After playing in Niagara Falls, the group will be flying out to Hawaii and doing three shows at different locations Oct. 9 to 11.
The Canadian musician is no stranger to the Niagara area and has played a number of venues on both sides of the border.
"We're looking forward to trying this place. I expect it to be pretty exciting," said Gowan, who has played at both Casino Rama and the Seneca Casino in Niagara Falls, N. Y.
Gowan has four platinum and three gold albums in his homeland, Scotland. In 2003, he received the prestigious Canadian classic status award for the song "Moonlight Desires." The award is presented when a song gets played more than 100,000 times on Canadian radio.
That honour puts him right up there with a small group of elite Canadian singer/songwriters, such as Neil Young, Bryan Adams and Joni Mitchell.
Back in 1985, Gowan's album "Strange Animal" was his commercial breakthrough in Canada. The hit singles included "A Criminal Mind," "Strange Animal," "Guerilla Soldier" and "Cosmetics."
The song "Criminal Mind" went to No. 1 in Canada. It can also be found in a live version on the Styx album from 2001, "STYKLAND," and also on the new Styx CD-DVD two-disc set titled "STYX, 21st Century Live."
While on tour, Gowan said he makes it a point to get out and visit some of the sites, or at least walk around the area because it's a great opportunity to see the world.
"If you stay in your hotel room all the time, that experience will go right by you."
When he's not on stage performing, he spends time writing new material and trying to record it.
"I will try and do things better than I have ever done it in the past," said Gowan. "That pursuit is what keeps it fresh. When you are playing in a band like this, everyone is feeding off the others. We change things like the arrangements or the song lists so there is always something new and exciting."
As a teen, Gowan played classical piano. In 1976, he played with a band called Rhinegold and enjoyed modest local success.
"This is what I have wanted to do since I was a little kid," he said, and unless he has some kind of a life change, he will keep performing.
"My whole life has been acclimated to this manner of living. I still find it very invigorating to go out on the road. I have to remind myself every day that this is a very fortunate existence."
Gowan, who also plays the guitar as a second instrument, said the piano began to take his interest in the early 1970s after he watched a number of performers, like Rick Wakeman from the band Yes, Elton John and even Paul McCartney and John Lennon, who played the piano on a number of their songs.
"The instrument kind of chooses you and I was just basically better on it."
Some of the venues that have stood out in his mind over the years include having played at the Super Bowl on two occasions -2001 and 2003 -performing at Wembley Stadium in London, England, and when he played Maple Leaf Gardens for the first time as a solo artist.
"Just prior to me joining STYX I played with the London Symphony at the opening of Princess Diana's memorial at Althorp -that's at her home in England. It was pretty great to be a part of that event."
Gowan said another great gig is Ontario Place, where he has played 13 times. The revolving stage, he added, was spectacular.
"In 1986 there was a tornado that touched down in Barrie that night. It was a torrential rain and lighting storm and yet the people stayed, which was astounding. I was surprised they didn't drown. Sometimes, the shows that are under the worst conditions seem to the ones that people remember the longest. It's almost like they are ready to go to war for you."
Gowan said he has some great memories of playing in Niagara Falls in the past, everything from Uncle Sam's to the hockey arena, and he's looking forward to returning.
"It's great because I get to do it for three nights.