posted
Yesterday I went to see Styx with footgirls Liv, Kristin, Trish and another friend. We rented a van and drove down to Vancouver together for this.
Styx without Dennis DeYoung is (to me) rather like Chicago without Pete Cetera - or like Journey without Steve Perry .. it just isn't right, just not the same.
But Liv is a huge Tommy Shaw fan and I've liked his solo work as well; and these guys are famous for giving a great live show. Kristin's theory is that Styx is better in the studio with Dennis, better live without him and that made enough sense for me to grab my wallet, grab can of cola from the fridge, get in the van and GO.
Without Dennis DeYoung, they had to pad their set out with a lot of fluff. Without him, Styx is a group of "Blue Collar Men" playing out padded sets with "Too Much Time On Their Hands". Alright, enough of my bad (clever?) references.
Overall, I recommend Styx live albeit, a different "Styx" than what I had loved years ago. They do a great show and under the heavy influence of Tommy Shaw and James Young, they have a harder edge and they do rock. The girls LOVED them.
As much as the concert, I enjoyed the long (three-hour) drive down, the longer drive back, all the stops in between, the rest breaks and even Denny's with footgirls at 3:00 am (where they were still talking excitedly about the concert!).
This is a great life we lead.
[ August 08, 2005, 12:21 AM: Message edited by: Ben Del Amitri ]
-------------------- Respectfully,
Ben
Malory in Signature Posts: 5772 | Registered: Oct 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Ben Del Amitri: Styx without Dennis DeYoung is (to me) rather like Chicago without Pete Cetera - or like Journey without Steve Perry .. it just isn't right, just not the same.
I think you summed it up beautifully with that assessment and I can't think of two better singers to make that point with than Steve and Pete, two of my all-time favorite male vocalists and two guys who happen to have two of the most distinctive and easily recognizable voices in recorded music history. I'm a big Styx fan myself, but without Dennis there's just too much missing.
Looks like we are on the same wavelength on this. The problem with Styx sans Dennis is that they will (of course) not be doing any of his songs in the set and that takes away most of the good things about Styx .. or they will do some of Dennis' songs but they will NOT be Dennis songs then.
Going to a Styx concert without hearing "Love At First Sight", "Lady", "Babe", "Mr. Robato", etc.
This was a lot like when Nigel Tufnell stormed out on Spinal Tap just prior to their concert at Pixie Woods in Stockton. Take away the Nigel material and they were left with "Jazz Odyssey" to fill the time .. or as David put it, "A forty-minute, free form jazz exploration in front of a festival crowd".
NOTE: "Jazz Odyssey" is the only song known to have been "written" by Derek Smalls (if you can call that writing).
-------------------- Respectfully,
Ben
Malory in Signature Posts: 5772 | Registered: Oct 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Ben Del Amitri: Going to a Styx concert without hearing "Love At First Sight", "Lady", "Babe", "Mr. Robato", etc.
I take it that list also includes "Come Sail Away" which was written by Dennis as well. My goodness... Looks like when Dennis left he took the band's future with him.
quote:Originally posted by Ben Del Amitri: "Jazz Odyssey" is the only song known to have been "written" by Derek Smalls (if you can call that writing).
Yes, "Come Sail Away" and "I'mmmm Saiillling, Awaaaay" as well; but it's not just the Dennis songs that are lacking.
When you think about it, his own particular brand of keyboards and percussion really did stamp "Dennis DeYoung" into all the songs, even the ones in which he did not otherwise participate.
Now I could go to a Dennis DeYoung solo concert and not even miss "Styx" at all. Have you ever heard any of his solo work? Songs like "On Desert Moon", which I think is one of the most beautiful songs ever made.
-------------------- Respectfully,
Ben
Malory in Signature Posts: 5772 | Registered: Oct 2004
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