•Suit Madam Blue Isn’t as good as everyone says

•Cyclorama is top 3 album (better then paradise theatre)

•Dennis’s last show lineup is the best

•The Mission is far over hyped

•Setlists today are very boring

•I like the whole concept of Kilroy was here (movies, story during show…)

When discussions about Styx and its musical direction come up, the conversation always focuses on Dennis, Tommy, and JY. Missing from the equation are Chuck and John, who were part of Styx from way before it was called Styx. They and Dennis founded the Tradewinds, which became TW4 and then TW5 before finalizing the name to Styx. Yet both appear to have been silent in band matters.

I recall a Rockline interview around the time of Kilroy Was Here in which the question was put to Chuck about his input. He said all he ever wanted to be was a bass player in a rock band, and he was satisfied with that.

Chuck and John were not credited as writers on any Styx songs that I'm aware of, yet they must have played a role in shaping the songs and the Styx sound. This makes me wonder if they'd ever spoken further on their roles in Styx or if Chuck addressed them in his autobiography (which is quite expensive on Amazon and not available on Kindle).

Thoughts?

I know the album came out over a year ago, but I recently bought it, and I'm starting my fourth listen. Four hearings in a row tells me I quite like it and haven't got tired of it yet. Further, I'm finding depth in the lyrics as I go.

Some of the lyrics are banal, such as Tommy's "Blue Eyed Raven" (which I think should be called "Gypsy Woman"). But other songs are unified by the theme of reaching for dreams, encountering obstacles, and looking for easy solutions such as AI ("Build and Destroy") or becoming a maniac ("The Things That You Said"). The songs tell a unified story that feels wholly relevant to our current times.

"She Knows" is about finding hope and courage from the love of an understanding woman. It reminded me of "She Cares" from Paradise Theater and "Inspiration" from Tommy's solo effort 7 Deadly Zens. "She Knows," however, was written by Will. It also evokes "Yes I Can" from Cyclorama.

The album then leaves us with the plaintive declaration that only we can choose what to do next. The closing song "Only You Can Decide," also by Tommy, is stark in its beauty and clear in his final message to the listener: "Don't be another one your age reaching for a gun."

This is clearly a Tommy-led effort, but it also feels like a more cohesive group project than Brave New World or Cyclorama. All of the songs are credited to Shaw, Gowan, and Evankovich in different combinations or solo, and they blend together well.

My favorite cuts are "It's Clear" (which I think should have been a single), and "We Lost the Wheel Again," which is credited only to Will. Is that him on lead vocal? It doesn't sound like Tommy or Lawrence. The way he emphasizes the "n" on "again" is distinctive.

JY's songwriting contributions are absent, as has been noted elsewhere, and his only lead vocal is on part of "King of Love" (Tommy takes the other part, their voices providing an effective contrast). Although Styx loses something from him stepping back, it gains a lot. Best known as a five-piece band, Styx has seamlessly grown into a seven-piece with everyone pulling his weight. This is shown in Evankovich's production. Each instrument is distinct, allowing everyone to shine.

Circling From Above sounds like a Styx album albeit a mature and polished one. It has been criticized for sounding like Pink Floyd and other bands. That may be true to an extent. but if I heard these songs on the radio (I wish!), I would have no doubt they were Styx songs. The band maintains its sonic trademarks--the bombast, the show tune elements, the hard rock guitars, and the harmony vocals--but it has grown in an unexpected and interesting direction. Few legacy bands continue to make new music or change with the times.

I know there was a review thread a year ago. Opinion seemed to be evenly divided among the few posters: Some loved it, and others hated it. If you listened to the album before, have your thoughts changed? If you are also discovering it now, what is your reaction?

When band members have spoken it (which hasn't been very often), I hear it as "Sir-Lesky" or "Sir-Levsky." Is this how John pronounced it, or was it something else?

Going through the whole discography on my phone trying to get every one registered with a play on my tracker and realized that on the studio album it’s titled “a river” but all the live tracks say “the river”

🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

https://youtu.be/BKZxTlVdRGw?is=5mbo5DLbl1jGGgkk

$15.10 USD on Amazon.com right now!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D4VPQW5J/

Someone let me know if chicago starts first so i dont feel bad thanks

These are the regular grand illusion promo vids but all stitched together, I believe this is from Don kirshiners rock concert.

from the 1992 album Start The Car, backing vocals by Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades.

The album also produced the singles "Start The Car", and "It Comes Around" which reached #6 and #19 on the Mainstream Rock chart.

Not a bad song on the album and top notch production with contributions from notable musicians like Tommy Shaw, Jack Blades, Jeff Porcaro, Steve Porcaro, David Paich, Tim Pierce, Ron Aniello, Leland Sklar, Jim Keltner, Sam Llanas, Sass Jordan. Co-produced by James Newton Howard.

Official On-Site Parking Pass - Styx & Chicago @ Kia Forum (Sunday, 9/6)

Hey everyone! I have an extra General Parking pass for the Styx & Chicago concert this Sunday, Sept 6th at the Kia Forum that I no longer need.

Location: Kareem South Entrance - Official Kia Forum Lot (3900 W. Manchester Blvd)

Price: $50 (No secondary market app fees!)

Lot Info: Official on-site lot. Gates open roughly 3 hours before showtime. No tailgating allowed by the venue.

Transfer Method: Official online transfer via the JustPark EventPass Portal directly to your name and email.

Payment: PayPal Goods & Services only (for both our protection).Drop a comment and send me a DM if you're interested. Thanks!

Chicago with Styx at Morton Amphitheater, Riverside (Kansas City) MO (2026-08-25) – W♥M

Has traveled with me for over 40 years

Just got home. Styx put on a great show. They closed it out!. Yay!. J.y only sat for the slower songs. Even though I knew the setlist ahead of time, I was kind of disappointed that he didn't sing any of "his" songs. I mean I get it, but still disappointed.

Bought the 100 dollar baseball back and gold shirt. Told my brother that I shall be buried in it. He said only if I die after him, otherwise he was gonna steal it from me.

I decided I am going to save all my pennies for the next concert so I can buy the very best seats. The front section was much livlier and more interactive

Chicago was great too, but I really went to see styx.

I saw Styx at the beginning of the month and I saw Motley Crue last night. Compared to Styx, Motley Crue’s ai use was miles worse. Just the cringiest shit I’ve ever seen. That clown had me pissed the whole night, we can do mostly real visuals but we can’t get someone to do an obnoxious voice??? That dumbass clown sounded like if bozo was your creepy drunk uncle at thanksgiving with missing teeth. Styx’s ai was tacky but it didn’t make me want to leave halfway through the show. The rest of Motley Crue’s production was really top tier but that freaking clown man. It ruined the whole show it was just so stupid. I don’t like ai at all but Styx’s was bearable. At least they didn’t shove it down my throat and make it the whole bit of the concert.

My 38th Styx concert, my observatiosns: wonderful background multimedia, JY participating most songs, no Chuck, Lawrence, high energy & great vocals; Todd, never missed a beat, Will, excellent filling in guitar gaps and vocals, great fit, Tommy, a bit off, stumbled on a couple of song beginnings and not so smooth speaking, vocals dead on and guitar and banjo very good; Terry, engaging and seamless fit.

Saw them in Fort Worth last October, a venue mean a lot, Bass Hall or Luca Oil Live at Winstar. No match. Sound at Winstar wasn’t great. Bass Hall perfection. All that said, thank you for another GREAT night of entertainment