So what are your thoughts on DDY's new live album?

[Toph]

Finally had a chance to hear it and I am glad that he was able to record an album with this group of musicians. So, here are my thoughts:

HIghlights
- The band sounds great! The harmonies in many cases are BETTER than the original Styx live albums. No offense, but the absence of JY's aged voice helps tremendously. JY's voice is a bit like the proverbial fingernails on chalkboard for me.

- The song selection - I know the diehards are tired of the "sweet 16" but this is the most comprehensive live version of the biggest Styx songs ever put together live. Every song is instantly recognizable to the music fan who grew up in the late 70s/80s. Think about it - 17 songs: 9 Top 10 singles, and 5 or 6 huge rock tracks that are still played on classic rock stations today. If you don't recognize almost every song on this album and grew up in this time period, not sure what cave you were living in.

- The pace is really good. Its hard to mix in a number of more ballad songs within a rock scenario, but DDY does it with ease. The ballads come and go without the show losing momentum. A lot of this is precipitated by new sing alongs ("Babe I love you", etc.)

- This acoustic version of Don't Let It End is awesome. Love it! Glad to have it recorded

- The between song talk is kept to a minimum. If there was a nit to the symphony orchestra show is that he got a little Kevin Cronin on us....here there isn't much of that going on.

- Of course he could have put on a Born For Adventure and the die hards would have loved that. But if it required taking something off for space/time reasons, not sure what I would have/could have pulled off. Every song on there seems critical.

- I also would have liked a "new studio" song that often accompanies live albums, but there either wasn't time or room. Again, if there was room, not sure what I would have pulled.

- Overall, a great addition to the catalog with the highlight being the song choices.

[FormerDJMike]

Great album, but I skip over Don't Let It End. I don't care for "unplugged" type music and was disappointed it wasn't the full version. Other than that, this is a solid release. Not a bad moment here at all but us diehards always want a little more. But I can live with that, this is the perfect live album. Love RTP and it's extended guitar solos.

I'll also mention here that I happened to see Manheim Steamroller last night with my wife and the drummer sure did look familiar! When I got home I opened the Dennis CD and see that Tom is drumming for both. He did an excellent job with the Steamroller too. Great Christmas show.

[yogi]

I really like it.

It still REALLY bums me out when I read that Dennis 'chickened out' and didn't put 'Born For Adventure' on this great set. At least he may finally realize what a true masterpiece that song was. IMO Another song from Equinox 'Suite Madame Blue' is the show stopper of this set. I also think the 'Best Of Times' sounded TRULY awesome.

Tommy's Mini Me was also really good on Fooling Yourself, Crystal Ball & Too Much Time On My Hands.

All in All a really good album and a great purchase.

[Toph]

I really like it.

It still REALLY bums me out when I read that Dennis 'chickened out' and didn't put 'Born For Adventure' on this great set. At least he may finally realize what a true masterpiece that song was. IMO Another song from Equinox 'Suite Madame Blue' is the show stopper of this set. I also think the 'Best Of Times' sounded TRULY awesome.

Tommy's Mini Me was also really good on Fooling Yourself, Crystal Ball & Too Much Time On My Hands.

All in All a really good album and a great purchase.

So...could it fit? But note the audience reaction at the beginning. Not exactly screams and cheers when he announces the song...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6Ne3DpkaJo

[masque]

yeh no doubt topher........ive been in those crowds where an artists announces some rare song they are playing and me and 3 other people are the only ones who react......lol

and I think to myself in these situations, "didn't anybody ever make it to side two???"

[Toph]

yeh no doubt topher........ive been in those crowds where an artists announces some rare song they are playing and me and 3 other people are the only ones who react......lol

and I think to myself in these situations, "didn't anybody ever make it to side two???"

It just really comes down to deciding to appeal the die hards (5-10% of an audience) vs. the general population of folks into pop/rock music in the 70s/80s. And you have two different strategies with DDY and current Styx.

DDY's strategy, rightly or wrongly, is to tap into the sweet 16 and play them to death. If you are a concert goer, I'm betting you recognize almost every song. Styx, on the other hand, plays what they want to play and certainly is trying to reposition the band as a mainstay of mid-late 70s classic rock and NOT a 80s pop/rock band. Think about it - with the exception of TMTOMH, they don't touch anything that was in heavy rotation in the 80s. Babe (technically late 1979, but peaked in Dec 1979 and is really classified as an 80s ballad), Best of Times, Roboto, Don't Let It End, Show Me The Way. Now with Styx, to fill up a 2 hour concert set, you are going to get 5-6 songs that only the diehards know. Songs like Man In The Wilderness, Snowblind, Lights, etc. You may also get Walrus (people know, but know as a Beatles song) and One with Everything(no one will know). Bad thing? Not necessarily. But it also fits well with their strategy of touring with 2 other bands in summer amphitheaters, each with a shortened set. Because Styx's classic rock period can meld very well into a short hour and 15 minute set and appeal to the classic rock fan who will know most of the 8-10 classic rock songs they will play. They won't have to resort to many deep tracks and stick to the songs that the general classic rock fan (who may be there to see Journey or Foreigner or REO or whoever..) will recognize. It is only when Styx goes by themselves that they resort to more deep tracks to fill up a 2 hour set list. DDY, on the other hand, can play the 2 hour set with songs that fans will know because he will play the "sweet 16" and it can fill up a 2 hour set list. A shorter 1 hour 15 min type setlist isn't as beneficial to him - as he has enough popular material that he plays that he would have to eliminate some big hits. Also, I'm not sure I see DDY doing the amphitheater thing as an opening act at this stage of his career anyway.

Neither strategy is right or wrong - just different. And that is probably why both bands can coexist in somewhat of a competitive framework. You are getting two different products.

[Boomchild]

So I had the chance to watch the Blu-ray tonight. Overall, I think the show was excellent overall. They all seemed to bring their A game to this event. It was well shot and the audio is great. This band that DDY has put together does a very good job of emulating Styx. As much as you can. Nothing beats the original. But we all know that is no longer possible. Standouts for me were DM, SMB and DLE. Speaking of DLE, I think the acoustic version brings a whole different vibe to the song. I mean that in a good way. While I still have reservations about DDY putting the TS material in the set, I do think that August does a very respectful job. I think the standout here for him was CB. I have yet to listen to the CD's so it will be interesting to see if the concert comes off as well as it does on the video.

[gr8dane]

Andrew seems to like it.
Gives it 90 out of 100.

[Boomchild]

Andrew seems to like it.
Gives it 90 out of 100.

I think overall, DDY has gotten very positive reviews.

[Baron Von Bielski]

It's very solid. My only gripe and it's only slight is that there aren't any deep tracks. But I'll take it. Great quality. Extremely well done IMO.