Styx, April 16, 2005

(Posted at Styxland, a message board for fans of Styx.)

It definitely feels differently to me without Glen. Somehow, as much as I'm a long time Tommy Shaw fan, I always paid more attention to Glen at Styx shows.

Plus, with both Glen and Tommy in the band (Tommy and Dennis, or Dennis and Glen would work too), it felt like I was going to see a band, not a person. Now, it's like, I'm going to see Tommy Shaw... it's about him, not the band.

But, it was still good.

Besides, this time, I actually paid attention to Tommy Shaw.

I got to see him play slide guitar. That on "Shooz" in the Medley. First time I've caught him playing slide. And saw him doing some finger tapping. I don't know what song that was, but it was his gold guitar that's just like the one Jeff Watson plays.

Also, since last time I saw Styx I've gotten more interested in Tommy's guitar playing. That would be from listening to Styx and Tommy Shaw solo albums (and even Damn Yankees in one instance) and thinking Tommy Shaw, on guitar, sounds like Steve Phillips. Yeah, it's a bit backwards to think the guy I've been listening to for 23 years sounds like the guy I've been listening to for 2 years, but, oh well. :)

I was glad they did "Crystal Ball". My favorite Tommy song. :) But, before doing that, Tommy, alone on the stage, did the first verse of "Best of Times" (or maybe A.D. 1958, them being almost the same). I'm guessing that was in response to a comment from someone in the audience up front. Then he asks us what it is he was about to play. Someone obliged him with an answer and he started "Crystal Ball". :)

"I Am The Walrus" sounds good live. :) That's the one that got me on my feet. The folks back in the risers, where I was, just weren't standing. Period. I was fine with that so far. Sometimes it's nice to sit and watch for a while. But... I just can't sit for a Beatles tune. (Well, maybe a slow one, like "Yesterday". That would be a sit at the half booth next to the stage and watch Bob up close song... but, wrong band.)

I might have, from that point, just stood somewhere in the back, since I didn't, after all, purchase a ticket for being up front. But, there's really no place to stand but at your spot (didn't fell like standing in my spot in the risers with everone else sitting) or in the aisles. And the best place to stand in the aisle without feeling I'm in the way was up front. I really didn't mind. :) And, as I indicated, I enjoyed watching Tommy's guitar playing.

The good thing was that aisle was dead on straight with Tommy's most of the time microphone. The bad thing is that isn't where he sings "Crystal Ball" from. (I still wonder why he switches spots when playing accoustic guitar.)

It was annoying when someone right in front of me, and thus right between me and Tommy when he was singing, was up sitting on someone else's shoulders. Like, standing fine, but that, no.

The other song from "Big Bang Theory" they did was "I Don't Need No Doctor". Which, thanks to Gowan's shirt, I knew was a Humble Pie song. (And, from reading posts here, I see it's also a Ray Charles song.) I enjoyed that.