First sentence says it all :-)

[mrstromboli]

Found in Saturday's Topeka Capital Journal

 

 

Shawn

 

 

 

http://www.cjonline.com/stories/050705/ent_deyoung.shtml

 

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By Bill Blankenship

Topeka Capital-Journal

May 7,2005

When it comes to Styx without Dennis DeYoung or Dennis DeYoung without Styx, I prefer the latter.

 

A legal settlement might have given Jimmy "JY" Young, Tommy Shaw and some latter-day Stygians the right to be called Styx, but DeYoung has something no current incarnation of the band could possess -- a signature voice that puts DeYoung at or near the top of any list of rock's best power balladeers.

 

DeYoung proved he still had the rock stuff Friday night at the Topeka Performing Arts Center, where the only disappointment was the paltry size of the audience with only 848 bobbing their heads to the best of the songs DeYoung wrote and sang for Styx and as a solo act.

 

The years have been much kinder to 58-year-old DeYoung's voice than, say, they have been to the vocal chords of his contemporaries. Fellow prog rocker Steve Walsh of Kansas fame comes to mind.

 

DeYoung had no problems belting out the notes -- even the high ones -- for more more than two hours, and he did it with the same degree of energy he possessed decades ago when he and many in his audience had much more hair.

 

However, DeYoung's voice alone doesn't make "The Music of Styx," as Friday night's show was billed. DeYoung brought with him to TPAC an awesome rock back, most notably guitarist Tommy Dziallo, who looked as though he borrowed his shirt and eyeglasses from the estate of Buddy Holly but whose fingers could easily have been on loan from B.B. King.

 

Dziallo wailed, delivering lick after lick, rift after rift in solid rock fashion. Although DeYoung took his turns at the keyboards, he brought along John Blaucucci to, as DeYoung said, "play all the keyboard parts I used to play, only better."

 

Drummer Kyle Woodring and bassist Hank "The Hammer" Horton delivered as a top-notch rhythm section with Horton doubling on backup vocals along with clarion-voiced Dawn Marie Feusi and, on several numbers, DeYoung's wife of 35 years, Suzanne.

 

One show-stopper that drew a mid-performance standing ovation was the singing quartet's tight a capella harmonies on "Show Me The Way," a song that became a theme song of the Gulf War but is one DeYoung wrote for his son, Matthew, who designed and staffed the lights at Friday's show.

 

DeYoung performed all of the Top 10 hits he wrote or co-wrote for Styx, including "Lady," "Babe," "The Best of Times," "Mr. Roboto," "Don't Let It End," "Rockin' the Paradise" and "Come Sail Away." The latter DeYoung used to close the concert with the audience on its feet clapping, swaying and singing along.

 

However, some of the best moments came earlier when DeYoung dug a little deeper into his treasure trove of Styx songs, dredging out the title track of 1978's "Pieces of Eight" album or "Lorelei," "Light Up" and "Suite Madame Blue" from 1975's "Equinox."

 

DeYoung's "The Music of Styx" demonstrated why his songwriting and singing contributed so heavily to the soundtrack of anyone buying LPs or listening to the radio in the late '70s and early '80s.

 

And DeYoung was more than justified when he told the audience they could call their friends during intermission to rub it in how they had missed an incredible show.

 

Bill Blankenship can be reached at (785) 295-1284 or bill.blankenship@cjonline.com.

 

 

 

 

http://www.cjonline.com/stories/050705/ent_deyoung.shtml

[teesa_66]

Ya know, I think I really like this Bill Blankenship person! 2 great write ups in a week. I really like how he spent time praising the individual band members. Most reviewers don't even mention them by name!

 

Thanks for posting the review!

 

Terri

[mrstromboli]

Ya know, I think I really like this Bill Blankenship person! 2 great write ups in a week. I really like how he spent time praising the individual band members. Most reviewers don't even mention them by name!

 

Thanks for posting the review!

 

Terri

 

 

Right after I posted the review to Dennis groups I wrote the critic which I believe several of us have done. :-)

 

Shawn

[teesa_66]

Right after I posted the review to Dennis groups I wrote the critic which I believe several of us have done.  :-)

 

Shawn

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yep! Me Too!

Terri

[bartman58]

I was at this concert and everything this review says is right on the money. My biggest complaint was the same as his, the size of the crowd. Since I am from Topeka it didn't surprise me one bit that the crowd was that small but everyone that didn't come missed out. What you can say about the crowd was that you would have thought they were much bigger. The noise they made sounded three times as big as there were. At one point they even broke out their lighters during "BABE". Dennis has not lost one bit of his range or sound quality. I have seen the current so called version of "Styx" and they can't touch the performance that Dennis put on. He didn't care one bit that there were only 800 something people there, he played like it was Arrowhead Stadium and it was 1977 again. I can only hope that he comes back close enough to see him again in the future. My wife likes Styx but wasn't what you would call a die hard fan so she didn't know some of the songs that were not singles. She wasn't even familiar with "Show Me The Way" but she fell in love with it immediately upon hearing it. After the concert was over she told me, "That was Awesome!" Dennis was so good that she enjoyed all the songs, even the ones she didn't know. Come back and see us Dennis!!!

[teesa_66]

Thanks for posting! Sounds like your wife may have become a fan that night! I hope you get the opportunity to see him again soon. Once is most definitely not enough!

 

Your wife was most impressed with "Show Me The Way", how about you? What was your favorite part of the show?

 

BTW, Welcome aboard, Bartman! We're glad you found us.

Terri

[mendelstyx]

I was at this concert and everything this review says is right on the money.  My biggest complaint was the same as his, the size of the crowd.  Since I am from Topeka it didn't surprise me one bit that the crowd was that small but everyone that didn't come missed out.  What you can say about the crowd was that you would have thought they were much bigger.  The noise they made sounded three times as big as there were.  At one point they even broke out their lighters during "BABE".  Dennis has not lost one bit of his range or sound quality.  I have seen the current so called version of "Styx" and they can't touch the performance that Dennis put on.  He didn't care one bit that there were only 800 something people there, he played like it was Arrowhead Stadium and it was 1977 again.  I can only hope that he comes back close enough to see him again in the future.  My wife likes Styx but wasn't what you would call a die hard fan so she didn't know some of the songs that were not singles.  She wasn't even familiar with "Show Me The Way" but she fell in love with it immediately upon hearing it.  After the concert was over she told me, "That was Awesome!"  Dennis was so good that she enjoyed all the songs, even the ones she didn't know.  Come back and see us Dennis!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

While I am sorry the crowd wasn't huge, I am sure he and his band gave a top notch show. And I'm sure the crowd that was there gave him a great reception.

 

I'm so glad you and your wife were able to go and enjoy the show.

 

As Terri said, welcome aboard.

 

Liz

[Ron]

Glad you found us here Bartman!

I don't know about the size of the venue, but I would think that it has something to do with it seeming like a small crowd. I have seen Dennis in both larger venues with a crowd, and venues as small as 300 capacity. He performs just as hard for the small crowds as the large ones, and IMO a much better, intimate show that really rocks. I hope he finds his way back to you soon.

You let us know what your wife liked, now how about what your favorite was?

Ron

[bartman58]

"You let us know what your wife liked, now how about what your favorite was?"

Ron

 

 

Thanks Ron and Terri for the welcome. I can tell you right away what my favorite part of the show was. When Dennis explained the origin of "Castle Walls" and the song itself. Wow!! What an amazing song to hear in person. It has such an haunting melody and he nailed it that night.

This will date me, but Grand Illusion was the first Styx album I owned. Of course I knew Styx but wasn't what I would call a big fan before that. A buddy of mine in high school let me borrow this cassette tape and his fancy NEW Walkman (they just came into being about then). What is strange is back then I used to skip over Castle Walls because I didn't get it. Now that I am shall we say, more mature, it's my favorite track on the album. I immediately went out and bought Paradise Theater too and Kilroy wasn't far behind. Another highlight from the concert for me was hearing "Desert Moon" live. I have a copy of the video I recorded off MTV back in the 80's and always like it. After hearing it live it lit my fire again and I went out and downloaded the song to my computer. Unfortunately I bought it from Walmart.com and they limit to one computer and the one I downloaded it to doesn't have a cd burner on it. Rrrrrrrrrr!!!!! Last time I buy from them. Anyway, there were many high points at the concert but those were my favs.

 

Scott

[Dan]

"You let us know what your wife liked, now how about what your favorite was?"

Ron

Thanks Ron and Terri for the welcome.  I can tell you right away what my favorite part of the show was.  When Dennis explained the origin of "Castle Walls" and the song itself.  Wow!!  What an amazing song to hear in person.  It has such an haunting melody and he nailed it that night. 

This will date me, but Grand Illusion was the first Styx album I owned.  Of course I knew Styx but wasn't what I would call a big fan before that.  A buddy of mine in high school let me borrow this cassette tape and his fancy NEW Walkman (they just came into being about then).  What is strange is back then I used to skip over Castle Walls because I didn't get it.  Now that I am shall we say, more mature, it's my favorite track on the album.  I immediately went out and bought Paradise Theater too and Kilroy wasn't far behind.  Another highlight from the concert for me was hearing "Desert Moon" live.  I have a copy of the video I recorded off MTV back in the 80's and always like it.  After hearing it live it lit my fire again and I went out and downloaded the song to my computer.  Unfortunately I bought it from Walmart.com and they limit to one computer and the one I downloaded it to doesn't have a cd burner on it.  Rrrrrrrrrr!!!!!  Last time I buy from them.  Anyway, there were many high points at the concert but those were my favs.

 

Scott

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'd be interested in hearing about the explanation of the origin of Castle Walls and the meaning behind the song. Anyone care to share? Dennis please come to Georgia!!!