Can't say that I'm a Styx fan but...I really dug seeing them play live with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra of Cleveland on VH1 Classic tonight.Yeah, yeah, we've seen the rock band with the orchestra before--nothing new, but...this one was different. The orchestra was YOUNG people in t-shirts and jeans. Nothing stuffy--they were INTO it! And the band was digging that they were into it. There was interaction between the orchestra & the band that felt, fun, real--like rock-n-flippin-roll! There was really something different about this "rock band with an orchestra" from all the others I've seen before. I couldn't help but really dig it.
Styx's latest drummer is Todd Suchermann & he's ridiculously good--really caught my eye and ear. So much so that I got online during the broadcast to see who this guy was. Tommy Shaw & founder James Young were the consummate rock front men: leading it, digging it, interacting and seemingly loving every minute of it. I think the fact that everyone on stage (band & orchestra) was authentically loving it, made it compelling-- I just had to stay with it.
Here's a clip of it that gives you the feel of it. Notice the director of the orchestra & some of the facial expressions of people in the orchestra.
The keyboard player was a little hard to take. Don't know why they can't just play their parts without hamming & schticking it up. It's a keyboard--how sexy is it going to be?! ;-)
So there it is. Me in my living roomed surprised by how much I enjoyed Styx w/the Contemporary Youth Orchestra. Check it out--it may surprise you too.
Peace & rock on.
