More than 40 years after forming, American rock band Styx still has its share of diehard fans, with the “repeat offenders” travelling from one city to the next to catch multiple shows, according to guitarist Ricky Phillips.
The band will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3 at L’Auberge Casino Resort. Fans can expect to hear familiar hit songs like “Lady,” “Come Sail Away,” “Too Much Time on My Hands,” “Babe” and others.
The lineup consists of James Young (vocals, guitar), Tommy Shaw (vocals, guitar), Lawrence Gowan, (keyboards, vocals), Chuck Panozzo (bass), Phillips and Todd Sucherman (drums).
The band began in 1972 and scored a string of hits throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. The lineup has changed over the years, with Young and Panozzo being the sole founding members. Shaw joined the band in 1975, and Sucherman has been with the group since 1995.
Phillips, who joined the band in 2003, said Styx fans “show up in force” for their live sets. Part of the reason, he said, is the band not changing the arrangements of their songs.
“We catalog in the original keys,” Phillips said. “I have been to shows and been disappointed when the band changes the melodies or the signer doesn’t hit the high notes. We don’t do that.”
Phillips said there are no pre-recorded tapes, and everything the crowd hears is done live. He credits each band member putting in the extra time to prepare before each show.
“It’s a way of showing off what you spent thousands and thousands of hours working on and perfecting,” Phillips said. “There’s plenty of room in the show for us to stretch out and show our personalities as a musician, but we don’t do it at the sake of the song.”
Phillips said he first met the members of Styx in the 1970s while he was playing with the band The Babys. He remained friends with Shaw over the years, but the thought of playing with Styx “didn’t cross my mind,” he said.
“It was a pleasant surprise to be asked,” Phillips said.
Styx’s commitment to touring hasn’t diminished over time. The band spends more than 200 days a year on the road, Phillips said.
“Not everybody can do it,” he said of the lifestyle. “We made an agreement over 10 years ago that we would stay on road as much as we can.”
Phillips said Styx fans are unlike any he has seen before. He said the audience celebrates the catalog of songs largely because of the positive message in the lyrics.
“It’s uplifting,” he said. “Life’s tough. When I go see a rock band, I don’t want to hear tales of woe.”
As far as studio albums go, Styx’s last full-length was “Big Bang Theory,” a covers record released in 2005. While band members continue to write songs, he said the focus remains on touring.
“There have been discussions,” Phillips said of making a new record. “But when we pull the bus over long enough to do that, it may have to be in increments.”
Until then, Phillips said Styx is showing no signs of stopping its live show, and the fans don’t seem to mind.
“It’s a show that doesn’t disappoint,” he said.
Tickets for the show are available through Ticketmaster.
Online: www.styxworld.com.
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