April 23, 2012, Clearwater, FL - STYX, Tommy Shaw, James "JY" Young, Lawrence Gowan, Todd Sucherman and Ricky Phillips (along with the occasional surprise appearance by original bassist Chuck Panozzo) return to Ruth Eckerd Hall Sunday, June 3 at 7:30 pm. Tickets go on sale this Saturday, April 28 at noon.
STYX continues to perform all over the U.S. in celebration of the 40th anniversary of their self-titled debut release and in support of their recently released REGENERATION, VOLUME I & II, released last fall via Eagle Rock Entertainment. In addition to the reinterpretation of 13 STYX classics and the new song, Difference In The World, the double-disc collection also includes new versions of High Enough and Coming Of Age, originally recorded by Damn Yankees, which featured Tommy Shaw, along with Ted Nugent, Night Ranger?s Jack Blades, and drummer Michael Cartellone. Eagle Rock Entertainment also released Styx: The Grand Illusion/Pieces Of Eight Live on DVD, Blu-Ray, and DVD/2CD in January. This show was recorded November 9, 2010 at the historic Orpheum Theater in Memphis on the tour that saw them perform both these albums in their entirety for the first time. The 20-song, two-hour and 11-minute presentation features stunning high-definition visuals accenting the complex musical arrangements recorded in DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital 5.1, and LPCM Stereo. Styx: The Grand Illusion/Pieces Of Eight Live also includes the bonus feature Putting On The Show, an inside look at the people and equipment needed to stage such a massive spectacle.
STYX has performed more live concerts since ?99 than all of the previous years of its career combined. Two Super-Bowl appearances, Pollstar Box Office chart-topping tours with Def Leppard, Journey, Boston, REO Speedwagon, Bad Company (to name only a few)and no end in sight, two more studio albums and STYX continues to conquer the planet, one venue at a time.
Spawned from a suburban Chicago basement in the early „70s, STYX would eventually transform into the virtual arena rock prototype by the late '70s and early '80s, due to a fondness for big rockers and soaring power ballads.
Early on, STYX's early album releases and non-stop touring helped the group build a substantial following. The band broke through to the mainstream when the track Lady started to get major airplay in late 1974 and quickly shot to number six on the singles chart, as Styx II was certified gold. The follow-up Equinox was supported by a tour and Tommy Shaw joined the band then. This proved to be the missing piece of the puzzle for Styx, as most of their releases earned at least platinum certification and spawned hit singles and classic rock radio standards as Come Sail Away, Renegade, Blue Collar Man and Fooling Yourself.
The band decided that their first release of the '80s would be a concept album, 1981's Paradise Theater, which was loosely based on the rise and fall of a once-beautiful theater (which was supposedly used as a metaphor for the state of the U.S. at the time -- the Iranian hostage situation, the Cold War, Reagan, etc.). Paradise Theater became Styx's biggest hit of their career (selling more than three million copies in a three-year period), as they became one of the U.S. top rock acts due to such big hit singles as Too Much Time on My Hands. It also marked the first time in history that a band released four consecutive triple-platinum albums. A career-encompassing live album, Caught in the Act, was issued in 1984 and the majority of its members pursued solo projects throughout the remainder of the decade. A re-recording of their early hit, Lady (titled Lady '95), for a Greatest Hits compilation was released, which led to a full-on reunion tour in 1996. The reunion tour became a surprise sold-out success, resulting in the release of a live album/video, 1997's Return to Paradise, while a whole new generation of rock fans were introduced to the grandiose sounds of Styx via a humorous car ad which used the track Mr. Roboto, as well as songs used in such TV shows as South Park and Freaks & Geeks.
Reserved tickets priced at $79.50, $59.50, $46.50 and $35.00 will be available at the Ruth Eckerd Hall Ticket Office located at 1111 McMullen Booth Road in Clearwater or by calling 727.791.7400. The Ruth Eckerd Hall Ticket Office is open Monday through Saturday, from noon to 6 pm and one hour prior to showtime. Patrons may also purchase tickets at www.rutheckerdhall.com 24/7.
Designed by the prestigious Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Ruth Eckerd Hall is consistently ranked in the top 5 venues in the world with seats of 2,500 or less by industry trade publications and is known for its 2,180-seat, acoustically perfect auditorium. Artists from America and around the world, ranging from classical, rock, opera, Broadway, jazz, pop and more are included in the stellar lineup of more than 200 performances a year.
Ruth Eckerd Hall is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
