Styx and the Contemporary Youth Orchestra of Cleveland – One With Everything, Blu-ray (2009)
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment EVBRD 33321-9
Video: 1.78:1 for 16:9 color, 1080i HD
Audio: English DTS Master Audio 5.1, Dolby 5.1, PCM Stereo
Extras: Interviews, Bonus Footage
Feature Length: 144 minutes
Rating: ****
The group Styx first got ingrained in my psyche with the song “Lady,” which was a huge hit nationally and got airplay ad nauseum. Even the two-bit cover band playing my high school senior prom had the girls swooning when they cranked it out. Soon after, however, Styx released the album Equinox, (1975), which featured a harder-edged sound with prog-rock leanings that much more suited my sensibilities. The “Suite Madame Blue” medley from that record got tons of FM airplay, and served as a launching pad for their future successes, especially when Tommy Shaw joined the band. His crystalline voice and catchy lyrics propelled the group to superstardom with a series of hit albums from The Grand Illusion through 1983’s Kilroy Was Here, a rock opera which was a commercial success, but was met with a tepid reception from the critics. Tensions formed between the band members, with Tommy Shaw and James Young wanting to take the music in a heavier direction, and Dennis DeYoung moving towards rock-opera and a more theatrical approach. The band soon split up, with Tommy Shaw and Dennis DeYoung going the solo route, and neither achieving a significant level of success.
The band has reformed in various incarnations in the years since, with the current lineup pretty much in place for the last decade or so. Tommy Shaw returned, and following the ultimate departure of Dennis DeYoung and the death of founding member and drummer John Panozzo, the band added drummer Todd Sucherman, keyboard player and vocalist Lawrence Gowan and bassist Ricky Phillips. Founding member and bassist Chuck Panozzo (twin brother of John) has suffered from health issues, and continues to participate on a part time basis. The band continues to tour and record, although they haven’t reached any commercial or critical success to rival their heyday from previous decades. However, their music still generates a great deal of interest, especially among young people; my college-age daughter and her friends were really pumped by a recent Styx concert here in Atlanta!
This 2006 concert from Cleveland, Ohio features the unlikely partnering of Styx with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra and Chorus of Cleveland, an organization of 171 players and singers directed by Liza Grossman. While I at first was puzzled by this pairing, after hearing the reaction of numerous college-age kids around the house – I guess it’s not so surprising after all! The CYO brings a ton of energy to the performance – with members of the orchestra and chorus frequently dancing about and swaying to the music – and everyone in attendance seem to be really enjoying themselves as well, as the frequent crowd shots readily attest to. Tommy Shaw doesn’t seem to have aged a day, and his youthful exuberance really buoys the show as the band plows through many of their classic hits and some newer material as well. While most of the emphasis is on the Tommy Shaw-penned tunes like “Blue Collar Man,” “Crystal Ball,” “Too Much Time On My Hands” and “Renegade,” older classics like “Lorelei” are also given superb renderings. Chuck Panozzo joins the group onstage for “Fooling Yourself” and “Renegade,” and there’s a long medley featuring a ton of interaction with the CYO that touches on many of the songs that didn’t get full coverage. Needless to say, the Dennis DeYoung songs get rather short shrift here. And the group also offers surprisingly good covers like “I Am The Walrus” and “I Don’t Need No Doctor.” Tommy Shaw can not only sing, but also plays the guitar really well, and keyboardist Lawrence Gowan is no slouch at his instrument either – he has a degree in classical piano from the Canadian Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.
Technically, this is another standout offering from Eagle Vision. The image quality is absolutely superb, with sharp and detailed visuals with excellent color balance and contrast. And the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track is fantastic as well. While I went into this review thinking I was going to absolutely dread every moment of this disc, I have to admit, I truly enjoyed this show, and the CYO and chorus really added substantially to that enjoyment. For the first time in years, I really felt that the music of Styx was once again relevant – I don’t see how anyone wouldn’t enjoy this excellent concert performance. Highly recommended.
TrackList: Blue Collar Man; Lorelei; One With Everything; It Don’t Make Sense; A Burst Of Beethoven; I Am The Walrus; Just Be; Everything All The Time; Crystal Ball; Miss America; A Criminal Mind; Too Much Time On My Hands; Boat On The River; I Don’t Need No Doctor; The Styx CYO Medley; Fooling Yourself; Renegade; All I Want; Ring The Bells.
– Tom Gibbs
