Come Sail Away with Styx Live!
Styx / 4-5-2016 / EKU Center of the Arts – Richmond, KY
Averaging over 100 shows a year worldwide, the rock band Styx has forged an undeniable legacy in rock and roll. Styx came into the EKU Center for the Arts with a mission: give the fans their absolute best.
The lights go out as a single spotlight illuminates from atop the catwalk. One by one, the members of Styx made their appearance in the spotlight. Each receiving a deafening applause. Styx is comprised of: Ricky Phillips on bass, guitar, and vocals; Todd Sucherman on drums and percussion; Lawrence Gowan on lead vocals and keyboard; Tommy Shaw on guitar and lead vocals and James “JY” Young on guitar and lead vocals.
Throughout the show, the fans were entranced as Styx’s electrifying stage presence became infectious. Though all seats in the 2,000 capacity venue offer excellent stage views, Lawrence Gowan’s impressive dance moves kept the crowd on their feet throughout the night. Todd Sucherman never missed a beat on the drums and Tommy Shaw fell to his knees nailing each guitar riff. Ricky Phillips rounded out the lineup on bass from center stage and atop the catwalk.
As the night progressed, Tommy Shaw became candid with the audience saying, “We went from cassettes and tapes to CD’s and iPhones. I think the iPhone is one of the greatest inventions. You never have to be alone. It’s the worst thing. If I had one back then, I would have never written this song”. Shaw then strums the intro to “Man in the Wilderness”.
James Young discussed The Grand Illusion later in the set. The album, having sold over 6 million copies worldwide, was released in 1977. Young is the last original member of Styx that is still active, and Shaw adds that he is considered to be the “Father of Styx”. Young encouraged the audience to, “Take out your cell phones and light it up!”
The band performed all of their hits including, “The Grand Illusion”, “Miss America”, “Come Sail Away” and my personal favorite, “Renegade”. The two-hour evening with Styx was a five ticket thrill ride complete with strobes and an explosion of confetti. The band continues to sell out venues worldwide as concertgoers gather night after night to show their fandom for Styx and their legacy!
Photo Slideshow provided courtesy of Ryan Keith Photography:
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