Concert Review: Styx at the Mountain Winery

Remember Styx? They're still out there touring and putting on a really good show. A few nights ago I spent the better part of an evening at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA standing 15 feet away from Tommy Shaw. Woot!

I still remember the Styx videos from the early days of MTV where Dennis DeYoung was dressed in the black striped vest with a red carnation and Tommy Shaw wore a green jumpsuit. Man that was a loooooooooong time ago!

When hubby mentioned attending the concert I have to admit my first thought was "Styx with no Dennis DeYoung didn't seem like it would really be Styx." But the show was high energy and outstanding... You could see the guys really love to perform and they sounded great.

The Mountain Winery is a cozy outdoor venue.

It was recently remodeled upgrading from its classic wooden benches on dirt to this very modern and comfortable amphitheater.

When we arrived at the winery I tried some Ciao Bella gelato, chocolate hazelnut to be exact. This teeny tiny 3.5 ounce container cost $4. Per ounce it was probably the most expensive ice cream type treat I've ever purchased. I would say it was good but I would probably hold out for a more affordable pint at a grocery store in the future. As far as pricing goes, apparently concert venue food falls right in there with airport and movie theater food.

And then the show began...

The Gary Hoey Band out of Boston was the opening act. They were good and entertaining. Gary plays some mean guitar. He also said his name and that they were from Boston before each of the first three songs they played which I found redundant but hey, look, I remembered his name and where he's from just now! LOL

His style encompasses rock, blues and surf music. If you like any of those genres you should check him out.

And then Styx took the stage...

(Click any image to view an enlargement)

Tommy Shaw (lead vocals and guitar)

James "JY" Young (lead vocals and guitar)

Lawrence Gowan (lead vocals and keyboards)

Ricky Phillips (bass and vocals)

Todd Sucherman (drums)

I have to say it was kind of surreal seeing Tommy Shaw, in person, so close up. He looks great! I read online he is now 57 but he doesn't look it at all. Not even close. He looks very fit and pretty bendy/flexible. Playing guitar his legs go a surprisingly different number of ways, he can do really high kicks and looks like he probably weighs about 90 lbs soaking wet. LOL

The reason we went to the concert was because hubby is a huge fan of Lawrence Gowan, a Canadian music artist who joined the band in 1999 and has since been their keyboardist and one of the three lead singers of the band.

Chuck Panozzo on the left, (a founding member of the group) made a guest appearance and played a few songs that night.

For their encore they ROCKED the Mountain winery playing Renegade. You know how the beginning of the song is Tommy singing A cappella?

Oh momma I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law

Lawman has put an end to my running and I'm so far from my home

Oh momma I can hear you a'crying you're so scared and all alone

Hangman is comin' down from the gallows and I don't have very long

Well right between the last two lines I saw a gorgeous, bright, shooting star fall from the sky directly above the amphitheater, like right above the band disappearing behind the building the stage resides on. It was so cool! Definitely a memorable moment.

The final note of Renegade and then it was over...

The song and the show.

To make the evening even more memorable, I was lucky enough to get a Tommy Shaw guitar pick when he threw some out to the crowd! Sweet :)

I also thought it was very cool that this is the second concert I've been to this year where you've been allowed to bring in and use a camera. Remember back in the day when bags were searched and cameras were confiscated or you had to go put them back in your car? I guess with the advant of cell phone cameras the venues and performers have given up that battle.

Even though their website says no cameras are allowed at the Mountain Winery performances we were told that cameras with detachable lenses, professional cameras and video cameras were not allowed but my point and shoot, that I forgot was even in my purse, was fine. Here are a few more pics from the show:

James "JY" Young and Ricky Phillips

James "JY" Young

Styx Rocking Out!

James Young, Lawrence Gowan and Tommy Shaw

Tommy Shaw and Ricky Phillips

Tommy Shaw

Tommy Shaw

My two favorite songs they performed were Come Sail Away with Lawrence Gowan on lead vocals and Renegade, of course, with Tommy singing lead vocals. Classic. Check out their website for more tour dates to see if they'll be performing where you live.

A few great songs were noticeably absent from the play list. Apparently if you want to hear Babe or Mr. Roboto you have to go to a Dennis DeYoung concert as he performs them in his shows :)