Styx in Clearwater: 80s memories relived and great entertainment

TAMPA BREAKWAY FESTIVAL – April 26th-27th

TAMPA BREAKWAY FESTIVAL – April 26th-27th
Styx

By Chyrisse Tabone, Rock At Night Tampa

Venue: Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, Florida-January 30, 2020

Tommy Shaw of Styx

With the wave of 80s bands on tour, it is no wonder that Styx rolled into Clearwater, Florida, on a chilly Thursday evening.  Performing in the newly renovated Ruth Eckerd Hall, people were being entertained at a small stage in the lobby by a local band, while mulling around the merch area.  Many Generation X’ers were wearing concert t-shirts from the bands heyday, when songs like “Mr. Roboto” and “Renegade” dominated Top 40 radio.

At approximately 8 o’clock, the multi-Platinum rockers STYX, Tommy Shaw (vocals, guitar), James “JY” Young (vocals, guitar), Lawrence Gowan (vocals, keyboards), Todd Sucheran (drums), and Ricky Phillips (bass), hit the stage performing “Gone Gone Gone”, a song from their 16th studio album The Mission.  The long-awaited album was released in 2017 after a 14-year recording hiatus.

Lawrence Gowan of Styx

If you have ever seen Styx, the band gives their all, as they are the consummate entertainers.  Lawrence Gowan plays keyboards on a spinning platform and Tommy Shaw, Ricky Phillips, and James Young perform their “rock star stance”, walking around the stage, as the audience stood on their feet in approval. Many of the concert goers were holding up cell phones to capture the concert while others were dancing as Styx segued into one of my favorites “Blue Collar Man.”

James Young of Styx

The concert was in full-force by the time “The Grand Illusion” was performed, as Gowan plucked the keyboards while leaping backwards into the air, often placing one leg across the board.  The atmosphere was almost circus-like, as frenetic activity scurried on the stage, as the band proved their live performances are true entertainment.  Gazing upon Shaw, I was in wonder of his youthful appearance, as most of the audience members sported salt and pepper hair and caps covering bald spots. Nevertheless, everyone was catapulted back to their high school and college days, with music that sounded full and magical, in a venue whose acoustics are truly a gold standard.

You can see some photo highlights of the concert below:

 

PHOTO GALLERY

SET LIST

Gone Gone Gone

Blue Collar Man

The Grand Illusion

Lady

Radio Silence

Snowblind

Light Up

Fooling Yourself

Rockin’ the Paradise

Suite Madame Blue

Miss America

Come Again

Crystal Ball

Pieces of Eight

Locomotive

The Outpost

Too Much Time on My Hands

Khedive

Limelight

Come Sail Away

ENCORE

Mr. Roboto

Renegade

VIDEOS

 

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Chyrisse Tabone, Ph.D.
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