Styx Still Rockin’ In Paradise

Summer and Styx are beginning to be synonymous.

The veteran rockers are back on the road with a newly launched tour that pairs them with ’80s radio monsters Def Leppard, with whom they toured in 2007, and opener Tesla (Styx lands in the middle performance slot) and visits Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood on Sunday.

Guitarist-singer James “J.Y.” Young said the band’s hourlong set will include the classics from Styx’s record-setting string of four consecutive triple-platinum albums between 1977 and 1981. That means you’re certain to hear “Renegade,” “Come Sail Away” and “Too Much Time on My Hands.”

Young, who resides in Chicago, and singer-guitarist Tommy Shaw, now based in Nashville, Tenn., lead the lineup, which includes drummer Todd Sucherman (since 1995), singer Lawrence Gowan (since 1999), bassist-guitarist Ricky Phillips (since 2003) and often, founding bassist Chuck Panozzo when his health allows.

Talking on consecutive mornings last week from the Bahamas, where Styx was performing a few shows before kicking off the tour with Def Leppard, Shaw and Young, both self-proclaimed fans of sunrises at this point in their careers, chatted about the band’s extensive career.

Their memories of playing Atlanta:

Shaw: “It was at the Fox where we had our first gold album presented to us, for ‘The Grand Illusion.’”

Young: “I think the first time we played Atlanta was at the Electric Ballroom. We were opening for Joe Cocker in some out of the way places, but we had a night off in between so on our night off we played the Ballroom. We also did a Toys for Tots benefit show in 1976 (at the Omni) with Boston. It was the time when Boston had broken out and (yet) we were headlining. Our goal was always to knock off the headliners (laughs)!”

Read more at MyAJC.com!

Photo by Jason Powell