Phoenix was invited to sail away with Styx at the first of two nights in Phoenix last week. Celebrity Theatre was packed to the rafters with fans of all ages as the band celebrated a storied career with a carefully-crafted setlist, performed to perfection on the venue’s iconic rotating stage.
After a rousing acoustic performance from opener Max Gomez, Styx was prompt in their arrival to the stage and they let the waves of cheering from the crowd wash over them before launching into “Build and Destroy” and “The Grand Illusion”. The audience was on their feet and singing loudly to “Too Much Time on My Hands” before original member Chuck Panozzo joined the ensemble to lend his bass guitar to “Lady”.
Every member of the band had a turn (or several) in the spotlight and it was pure joy for the fans to watch the group seamlessly move in time with each other- the result of five decades of camaraderie and collaboration. The band was clearly having a blast onstage as they smiled at each other, threw guitar picks into the crowd and hyped up each song more and more as the night went on. Each member got a proper introduction during “Rockin’ the Paradise” and reaffirmed that these are still “The Best of Times”.
Panozzo rejoined the group for the final numbers of the night, including the iconic “ Come Sail Away” before an encore of “Mr. Roboto” and “Renegade”. Styx’s discography is bursting with hits and the fans in the room- regardless of age- knew the words to every single song. Their energy seemed to feed the band’s enthusiasm for being onstage and it was with great reluctance that everyone finally went home at the end of an incredible first night in the round.
