By Jay Rocc
Photos by Daniel Gray
San Bernadino, CA (The Hollywood Times) 1/29/26 – STYX, the mighty classic rock band from the 70’s & 80’s is STILL ALIVE & WELL & thrilling audiences hungry for their classic songs everywhere they go! Attending the spectacular Yaamava Theatre for the first time, it is an amazing Casino with a state-of-the-art concert theatre with top lights, sound & video screens, and highly recommend it! The 7-piece STYX band blasted on the stage to a new song ‘Build & Destroy’, from their excellent latest album CIRCLING FROM ABOVE, and immediately went into a fan favorite, title track of ‘The Grand Illusion’ album, as part of their 15-song set.
Led by co-founders James ‘JY’ Young on guitar/backing vocals & Chuck Panozzo guesting on bass for 5 songs, longtime guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, lead vocalist/keyboardist Lawrence Gowan, drummer Todd Sucherman, guitarist (& producer) Will Evankovich & newest member bassist Terry Gowan. On right side of stage is the 1-2 ‘punch’ of Tommy Shaw & ‘JY’ often dueling on guitars, & the ‘faces’ of the classic STYX 70s/80s line-up, as Tommy goes into his PARADISE THEATRE song ‘Too Much Time On My Hands’. Visuals changed every song on the video screens, given a visual treat that accompanied every song played. Then comes ‘Lady’, the 1973 debut hit penned by Dennis DeYoung, & Gowan introduces co-founder Chuck Panozzo to the stage.
Following was ‘Lorelei’ their second ever hit, off the EQUINOX album, back in 1975 before Tommy Shaw joined the band. Then PIECES OF EIGHT leadoff song ‘Great White Hope’, followed by Tommy’s debut with the band & stage banter about ‘auditioning for the group’ with ‘Crystal Ball’. ‘Light Up’ leadoff track from EQUINOX was next, funny a song about ‘lighting up’ in venues today that no longer allow smoking (those we’re the days!) Following uo was the ‘Rockin’ The Paradise’ track before the last 4 songs of the regular set.
In a grand finish, alternating between Shaw & Gowan lead vocals were Tommy’s ‘Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)’, Gowan’s ‘The Best Of Times’, Shaw (with Panozzo rejoining for last 4 songs) on ‘Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)’, before leaving the stage. After a brief absence STYX returns to the strains of ‘Mr Roboto’, before ending with the epic rocker ‘Renegade’ & a 7-member bow to the boisterous Yaamava audience! Well done boys! Go see STYX any chance you get, & if you are anywhere near SoCal go see amazing bands in an intimate setting at the Yaamava Theatre!
