Return to Paradise Notebook: Strange Animal Sighting Highlights Day 2

By Doug Fox

MIRAMAR BEACH. FL. – Day II at Rockin’ in Paradise was technically a non-performance day for host band Styx but there was still a flurry of on-stage activity for the band and its crew.

The afternoon kicked off with an hour-long Q&A, moderated by syndicated radio/TV personality Eddie Trunk. (See more on that in a separate “Stygian Chronicle” entry.) In addition to the full-band interview session, fans were treated to a drum expo by Todd Sucherman as well as a solo performance by Styx keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan – which also included a full complement of Stygians.

Speaking at the Q&A, Gowan noted that it’s been 40 years since his solo band last embarked on a U.S. tour. He joked that his current American tour would begin at 5:30 and end at 6:15.

Gowan toured the U.S. in 1985, opening for Tears For Fears, who were spiking in popularity on their jaunt supporting “Songs From the Big Chair.” Gowan was riding high at the time with the release of his “Strange Animal” album and was hoping the tour with Tears For Fears would break him into the American market.

“But they hogged the spotlight,” Gowan joked about the headliners. “Rude!”

Gowan’s 45-minute set Friday was the perfect sampler for fans unfamiliar with his solo work – even while being well-acquainted with his over-the-top stage persona from his 26 years in Styx. It might be hard, but imagine 45 minutes of the manic energy he puts into “Rockin’ the Paradise” each night with Styx. Take it up a few notches from there, throw in a kilt and some occasional guitar playing and now you can begin to envision the Gowan solo experience.

“Keep the defibrillator handy,” Gowan quipped after running around the stage during “Keep Up the Fight.”

Fellow Styx brothers Terry Gowan (by blood) and Todd Sucherman (by mirth) drove the rhythm engine for the Gowan performance. But additional kudos must be given to Styx crew techs Jeff Heintz (synth keys) and John Ptak (guitar), who both stepped out of their normal side-stage shadows to perform admirably while rounding out Gowan’s live band. It was extremely enjoyable watching them get a chance to join the on-stage proceedings for once, and absolutely killing it.

Highlights included “Awake the Giant,” “A Criminal Mind,” “All the Lovers in the World,” “Moonlight Desires” and a raucous rendition of “Strange Animal,” which featured a scintillating guitar duet by Gowan and Ptak.

Here’s hoping Gowan gets the gang back together next year in an even longer time slot.

Wait … next year?

ROCKIN’ IN PARADISE: PART DEUX: The big announcement coming out of opening night at Rockin in Paradise: Styx + Friends is that everyone’s invited to come back next year and do it all over again.

Styx guitarist Tommy Shaw took a moment to make the grand reveal after strapping on an acoustic guitar to perform “Foolin’ Yourself (Angry Young Man)” late in Thursday night’s set. 

“We decided we’re going to do this the same time next year!” Shaw told the enthusiastic audience. 

The second edition of Rockin’ in Paradise is set for Oct. 8-10 next year. Topeka Music Vacation officials told me that one additional band is already locked in but that the rest of the “Friends” lineup will be determined in the weeks ahead. Attendees of this year’s festival should all be receiving a survey shortly seeking feedback on this year’s experience and band suggestions for next year. 

Topeka Music Vacations debuted in 2021. Since then, several events have become annual festivals. Could Styx fans converging on Miramar Beach the second week in October become a yearly ritual? We’re sold!

BANG A GONG: During the Q&A, Eddie Trunk asked Todd Sucherman about his approach to playing in Styx, mainly, how he goes about honoring the legacy of original drummer John Panozzo while also adding his own DNA into the mix – specifically for the songs he didn’t originally record.

“Well, the amazing thing about the drums is you could line up a thousand drummers and have them all play ‘boom, whack, boom, boom, whack’ and each one is going to be different. Each one is going to have their own heartbeat, the milliseconds of where they put the beat, how they hit the drum. It's not just like hitting a C chord on a piano,” he said, pointedly turning to Lawrence Gowan at his immediate left and offering a semi-sarcastic, “No disrespect.”

Noting that every drummer brings their own set of fingerprints, he recognizes his duty is to honor the legacy of what came before.

“You know, these guys sold 40 to 50 million records before I ever darkened their door,” he said. “So I have to respect that. And that comes before my ego. Yet I'm a different person. So different things will come up in different ways where I'm trying to cook a roast the way your grandmother did. You're trying to do something like that. You have to deliver that piece of music honestly and earnestly. And that's sort of how I look at my job when I'm performing.”

For his drum showcase, Sucherman played live to a backing track of Styx songs, including a few hits and some deep cuts that have either been rarely played or not played at all in concert. These included fan favorites “The Red Storm” and “One With Everything,” which both feature some of Sucherman’s most standout and well-known work.

PANOZZO POIGNANCE: Some of the most poignant moments of Friday’s Q&A were delivered by original bassist Chuck Panozzo. A full-time resident of Florida, Panozzo still makes occasional live appearances with the band, as time and health allow. He’s been on hand for the entire Rockin’ in Paradise festival and has been soaking up equal parts sun and fan adoration.

Panozzo admitted to getting a little misty-eyed backstage waiting for his time to perform on opening night, reminiscing about starting the band with his twin brother and Dennis DeYoung all those years ago.

“It just brought back that I’ve been doing this for a long time,” he said. “So when I go out here, I owe my work to these great entertainers and you guys who love me. I love you too! It’s amazing to come out here and see this incredible crowd. … The fans make us, and I thank you for that.”

A little bit later in the Q&A, Panozzo delivered the coup de gras. 

“How grateful am I for this job?” he queried.

Gesturing to the crowd, he said, “There’s this many people who want this job” and then nodding to his bandmates on stage, “and there’s this many people that got this job.”

OTHER PERFORMANCES: John Waite and 38 Special delivered energetic opening sets on Thursday night. Waite performed eight songs over 45 minutes to get things started. Among those were expected hits “When I See You Smile” and “Missing You.” He closed with a combo of “Whole Lotta Love” and “Let Me Love You Baby.”

38 Special made the most of their hour on stage, firing off 15 songs in rapid succession. Among the highlights were “Rockin’ Into the Night,” “Back Where You Belong,” “Second Chance,” “Somebody Like You,” “Caught Up in You” and “Hold on Loosely.” 

Lead singer/guitarist Don Barnes also paid homage to the band’s staying power, noting a new album, “Milestone,” and the lead single, “All I haven’t Said.”

“This year marks the 50th year of us being a band,” he told the crowd. “We started out in preschool. That’s our story and we’re sticking to it. How about we try for another 50?”

Weather played a factor in performances on Friday night by Collective Soul and Loverboy. Wind gusts were such that video boards and speakers were lowered from their normal high perches as a precautionary measure. Both bands, however, embraced the weather challenges and delivered energetic sets.

Collective Soul rocked through 10 songs in an hour while Loverboy got through nine in 65 minutes. Always dedicated to new material, Collective Soul featured two songs from the band’s latest release, the opening “Mother’s Love” and “Keep It on Track.” Other highlights included  crowd participation anthem “Shine,” “Heavy,” “Right as Rain,” “December” and “Where the River Flows.”

Loverboy opened with “Notorious,” and hit highlights “Working For the Weekend,” “The Kid is Hot Tonite,” “Turn Me Loose” and “Lovin’ Every Minute of It.”