UK tour comments...from the Indra styx mailing list

[Monker]

Since I don't start enough topics...

This was posted to the Styx Indra list:

this is a bit from an interview with Double Cross...a support band for Styx' UK tour:

>3. How do you view the current melodic rock music scene,
>particularly in the UK? Has there been an upswing in interest
>following Firefest and bands like Styx & Kansas finally making it
>over to the UK?
>
>I think with the bands mentioned & the Firefest as an example it
>does make you very much aware that there are more people out there
>interested in all things melodic than the statutory 200 or so people
>that normally frequent a venue when a Stateside band comes to the
>UK. On the Styx tour they must have played infront of about 10,000
>people over the 6 dates here in the UK, naturally the die-hards will
>make more than one show but it shows you that the audience for this
>kinda thing is a little healthier than most people might imagine.
>The Firefest is a great example of bringing the "scene" together for
>one particular event. There are still UK bands out there pulling in
>decent numbers on there own. (Quo, Thunder etc...) In the days of
>major label ignorance though, I think the scene is about as healthy
>as it's gonna get unless somehow this kinda thing becomes
>fashionable again.
>
>4. How did the tour with Styx go? How did you get the tour support?
>
>The Styx tour was a fantastic opportunity for us, we played infront
>of some big audiences & were there to warm up the crowd for the
>headliners. All in all it was a major success for us judging by the
>crowd reactions, aftershow comments & merchandise sales, all of
>which were all pretty healthy to say the least. Styx were truly
>awesome in every sense of the word, their songs, performance, sound
>& entourage were immense to put it mildly. They were very
>accommodating towards us, both band & crew and we have the utmost
>respect for each & every one of them.
>
>The support came about through somebody having faith in us & putting
>our name forward for the gig. We were in the running favourably for
>about 5 weeks prior to the tour along with 2 other acts. With just
>over a week to go the support band was announced & it wasn't DC.
>Styx are a self sufficient band with several juggernaut lorries
>carrying gear & 2 tour buses to house the band & crew etc, they have
>all the sound, lighting & pretty much everything catered for,
>therefore they expect any support band to be as self sufficient.
>Herein lied the problem I think with the support band chosen, &
>after jumping ship, we were given the opportunity to take up the
>baton with 48 hours notice. We had to supply our own on stage desk &
>monitoring, front of house mixing desk, & 2 sound engineers to
>monitor them both. A mighty task at such short notice but with all
>the will in the world & a chance to share a stage with a legendary
>act, we set the wheels in motion & were there in full force on the
>opening night.
>
>
>8. What have been the most memorable gigs and why?
>
>For me....the most memorable gig was Rock City on the recent Styx
>tour. It was the opening night, the crowd were standing & the
>atmosphere was just electric....these guys had waited a long time
>for this. We took to the main stage & played for about an hour to an
>unfamiliar crowd & they were chanting for more come the end of our
>set! I finally felt like "we'd arrived". The Manchester show was
>also a superb night for us, a capacity crowd that were enthusiastic
>to say the least...based on the merchandise we shifted that night
>was a testament as to how well we were received. The opening night
>on the Dokken tour at the Underworld was a good night for us
>also....again met with a similar reaction by the crowd. The audience
>response feeds your performance & if they are with you....you try
>your hardest not to let them go.
>
> www.doublecross.org.uk

[SuiteMadameBlue]

See Monker, I knew you could start a topic, way to go. I think you just made my day

I just saw that this morning on the list. I read your Journey/Styx post too.

Darren or StyxMike, how is this band Double Cross?

[styxmike]

I thought DC were fantastic, I missed most of the set in Birmingham (waiting to see Styx arrive outside) but saw the full set the day after in Manchester. My friend bought the cd in the interval just on the strength of the show, he burned copies for us all to share!!!! was playing it today by the way, great band, will go to see them when they come near here
thanks to Styx for giving us the chance to hear/see this up and coming band

[DarrenUK]

Double Cross are a good band, the singer fronted an 80s band from Ireland called Mamas Boys.....and he was right about Manchester....my hometown.....the capacity crowd rocked BIGSTYLE.......If Todd missed any beats that night then I was to blame for keeping him in the pub too long. Actual audience figures for the tour was 13,000.......not like they were used to in their heyday but not bad considering it was first shows in 24 years ......next Styx stop for me Clearwater Florida.

Suite remind the Froy man to send you that Dare music......