Styx Concert Review Celebrity Theater 02-23-24

Concert Review and Photos By Roc Boyum

Perennial rockers, Styx, electrified their devoted and frenzied fans with two sold out shows at the sumptuous Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, Arizona on 02-22-24 and 02-23-24.

On this night, 02-23-24, the band played two sets, culling material from their vast music catalogue that included immortal classics like “The Grand Illusion, Two Much Time On My Hands, Lady, Blue Collar Man, Fooling Yourself, Come Sail Away, Mr. Roboto and Renegade” to name a few. The band also delighted the fans with a few gems from their latest highly successful LP Crash Of The Crown with “Lost At Sea, Our Wonderful Lives, To Those and Sound The Alarm.

The Celebrity Theater is an intimate and fantastic venue with a pretty unique viewing perspective, in which no seat is further than 75 feet from the stage. To further enhance the audience viewing angles, the venue, when at full capacity, turns the stage into a 360 degree rotating carousal that keyboardist Lawerence Gowan characterized as a “Lazy Susan“.

Styx brought the very best of what they have to offer, with their incredible vocals, beautiful harmonies and stellar musicianship, that never disappoint – and they were truly superb on this night. If you’ve never had the chance to catch Styx live before, you have definitely missed out on one of the best live bands on the scene, touring today. With a career that crests half a century long, the band is still churning out new and relevant material that is as exciting to see live as well as their seemingly endless list of immortal classics.

Each band member has a true love for the stage, the band’s music and their audience. Styx gives their fans a show that is overflowing with enthusiasm, energy and appreciation for the kinetic spirit that the fans give back to the band.

Tommy Shaw’s vocals were spot on throughout the night, as he sang lead on songs like “Too Much Time On My Hands, Blue Collar Man and Sound The Alarm”, just to name a few. Interacting with fans throughout the night, he came across a group of young ladies in the front row that were waving hand fans in the air at T. Shaw. Was this a sign that they were simply huge fans, or was it that he’s smokin’ hot as a player, as a personality, or was it a combination of everything previously mentioned; only these ladies know sure.

The longest standing member and the heart and soul of Styx is guitarist James Young who is the man responsible for signing the first Styx record contract. J. Young has been on board since the band’s beginning and has played on every Styx recording released. Showing no signs of slowing down, Young was continually engaging the audience with the band’s iconic signature guitar lines as well as kicking out some really nice and inspiring solo guitar work. For a man who has primarily been in one band for a career of 50 plus years, he still exudes the excitement of playing live like a younger player but with the smooth swagger of a seasoned veteran musician.

Keyboardist Lawerence Gowan, was flamboyant in his moves from behind the keys as he played with unrestrained energy. He would often rotate his keyboards 360 degrees as he played on a stage that itself, was rotating 360 degrees, crazy! Occasionally, he would come out from behind his keys, with a mic in hand and entertain the crowd as he danced across the stage belting out his flawless vocals. Lawerence is a showman extraordinaire who was meant for the stage with his exquisite vocals, brilliant keyboard playing and engaging spirit. Gowan continues to carry the torch of the band’s legendary material with his exact and crisp vocals and musicianship in songs such as “Grand Illusion, Lady, and Come Sail Away” to name a few.

The Styx rhythm section of Ricky Phillips, Will Evankovich and Todd Sucherman, are an essential cornerstone to the band’s alluring sound. Bassist Ricky Phillips and guitarist Will Evankovich provided an abundance of intensity, power and entertainment as well as some majestic harmonies that the band is so well known for. Engaging with various band members throughout the night, Phillips and Evankovich kept the entertainment level high while locking in with drummer Todd Sucherman. Sucherman is a world class musician who helped to propel the bands music forward with his renowned mixture of powerful emotion, graceful finesse, dynamic power, and his razor sharp precision attack that catches the listener in his cross hairs.

Styx gave the Phoenix audiences a two plus hour show that was two sets and a brief intermission that is a must see for every music fan. If you’re a fan of great songwriting, incredible vocals and superb musicianship, Styx are a must see band. If you were around from the band’s early beginnings, Styx are a must see band. If you came along later in their career and love classic rock style music; Styx are a must band. The band gives their audiences a show that will ignite old memories, incite new memorable experiences and give you a live show that is second to none.

Get out and see Styx live now and get into Styx online here….you won’t regret it!

Styx photo gallery, Celebrity Theater_02-23-24