Dennis DeYoung
The Orpheum Theater
Wichita, Kansas

February 17, 2018

Set List:
Set One: The Grand Illusion Album
The Grand Illusion | Fooling Yourself | Superstars | Come Sail Away | Miss America | Man in the Wilderness | Castle Walls | The Grand Finale

Set Two: Styx Greatest Hits
Lorelei | Blue Collar Man (Long Nights) | Lady | Mr. Roboto | Too Much Time on My Hands | Babe | Suite Madame Blue | Renegade |The Best of Times | The End / Come Sail Away Reprise

The band:
Dennis DeYoung – lead and backing vocals, keyboards
Suzanne DeYoung – backing vocals
John Blasucci – keyboards
Jimmy Leahey – guitar, backing vocals
August Zadra –guitar, backing vocals
Craig Carter – bass, backing vocals
Michael Morales

Dennis DeYoung is out on the road promoting the 40^th anniversary of the classic Styx album The Grand Illusion in a big way...He begins his show by playing the album in its entirety!

Hearing the classic album with the classic vocals and keyboards in tow makes this a magical experience.

From the opening title track, to the hard rocking “Miss America”, to the massive FM hit “Come Sail Away”, this was one of the best rock albums released in the 1970s. It is hard rock…pomp rock…prog rock …pop rock…all rolled into one. Each song had its own persona. The album’s many personalities, like the band, are wrapped around the sounds of loud guitars, recognizable vocalists and lots of keyboards.

The Grand Illusion has stood the test of time and became a grand reality for all of the members of Styx who were on the album. On this night, of course, the only member of Styx onstage was the founding one…Dennis DeYoung. The feud is famous. The slights are public knowledge—mostly. The emotions are still there, decades down the road. Most important of all though…is the music. This band, led by Dennis DeYoung, created something special for the audience on this night.  

Before playing a note of music, DeYoung let everyone know that in order to keep with the pureness of the original recording he would not be doing any commentary between songs. Instead, he let the music do the talking.

This writer was glad that he did. Sitting there, in the fifth row, watching…listening…taking it all in…I was transformed back to the day I first discovered the album. DeYoung held the audience tightly in his hand from the opening bombast of “The Grand Illusion” to final notes of the evening. 

I watched in awe and was star-struck as the band played their parts perfectly—I’m not talking about their musical prowess. I mean they stayed true to the original intent of the album. They were performing as if it was 1978 and they were on tour. DeYoung was in fine voice. Even on the last day of his 70^th year he sounded like…Dennis DeYoung! So much so it was impressive. It is something many of his contemporaries cannot do. Dennis has clearly taken care of his voice to ensure a fine performance. On this night, he ruled the stage.

Of course, the hits were most well received, but this was a hardcore audience. That means tunes like Tommy Shaw’s “Man in the Wilderness” and DeYoung’s progressive masterpiece “Castle Walls” were just as beloved as “Fooling Yourself” and “Superstars.”

The Tommy vocals were handed masterfully by guitarist August Zadra. This guy has it all. Killer chops…rock star look…cool hair and he can solo like a heavy metal superstar. He brings energy to the performance. His six-string sidekick is named Jimmy Leahey. Jimmy plays a mean solo as well. He takes on James JY Young’s “Miss America” with such precision that you even expect him to be taller!

At the end of the day, DeYoung accomplished what he set out to do. He blew the audiences mind with a killer rendition of his most famous album. Upon the conclusion of the final note of the record, DeYoung announced that the band were taking a small break and would soon return. The audience gave Dennis and the band a well-deserved standing ovation.

Upon returning from break, the band pumped out the classic tune “Lorelei” from 1975’s Equinox. DeYoung addressed the crowd and told everyone it was killing him, during the first set, not talking to the audience. He made up for it in the second set. The stories were well appreciated, interesting and funny.  

I’ve always thought Dennis should get a piano and invite Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon to share the stage with him with an acoustic guitar. They could do acoustic versions of each band’s hits. Just imagine the storytelling between the two! It would be a show unlike any other.

Okay…I digress.

Suffice it say that Dennis is funny, naturally…in a vaudevillian sort of manner. His fans expect and appreciate it. He never lets the shtick overshadow the music, but it does provide entertainment. During the entire evening Dennis mixed goofy dance moves in with the music. It was far from the smoothness of a Michael Jackson performance, but he gave it his all and brought a comic relief to the evening.  

After DeYoung finished talking, Zadra took the spotlight for the smash hit “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)” and the crowd responded loudly. This guy tore it up. Next, DeYoung played his first ever hit single, “Lady” with his lady of 48 years of marriage, Suzanne, behind him singing backing vocals.

Following this song the band performed “Mr. Roboto.”

In full discloser, Dennis and I know each other well enough that he knows I am not a fan of this song. I will admit, however, a lot of other people are. On this night they were in the audience. There were plenty of people on their feet singing along to this one—not me—but others.

And…maybe I’m getting older, but quietly and without too much fanfare I was kinda into it when he went “KILLROY!” There… I said it.  Let’s move on before I change my mind about this confession. As Dennis once told me, and this song proves…there are only two kinds of music—music you like and music you don’t.   

“Too Much Time on My Hands” was next. This tune must contain a secret chord that makes women dance. August had the secret sauce and the ladies were boogieing to this one, doing the two clap thing on the chorus and simply loving every minute of the song. This was followed by the massive hit and heartfelt ballad “Babe” from 1979’s Cornerstone. DeYoung told the story behind the creating, and recording of the song. I am not going to repeat it here, but if you have to know, then go out and see him live. It is a heartfelt and fun story.

When Jimmy came out with an acoustic twelve-string and started playing the instrumental intro to “Suite Madame Blue” titled “Prelude 12” the old rockers in the crowd cheered loudly. This is a true iconic rocker. It has attitude. It swoons through many musical moods. It has a huge chorus and those damn guitars at the end…holy moly this is a classic anthem of a song.

DeYoung kicked ass, vocally, on this one. The band was on fire. The solos were crisp and the power coming off of the stage was high energy. This may, or may not, be the ‘best’ Styx song…but it is hard to argue against it. In fact, if they ever make an album called of Giant Rock Anthems of the 1970s this tune will be prominently featured. 

The energy was high when DeYoung told the crowd to pretend they had left the stage for a bit and then came back to thunderous applause to play one more song. With that Zadra, once again, attempted to steal the show. This time it was the song “Renegade.” This one not only rocked, but the feeling of nostalgia was evident. The misty-eyed faraway look in the many audience members’ eyes was noticeable. This one really takes you back in time.

After this powerful version concluded, DeYoung talked to the crowd. He led everyone to believe he was saying goodnight. Just when you thought it was over he stated, “We didn’t just have a great time tonight…we had the best of times.” With that, the piano started up and the band played the massive hit tune from 1981’s Paradise Theatre. The crowd were on their feet enjoying every note.  DeYoung was smiling and having fun too.

The band ended the night by taking a moment to nod to the Beatles with a few lines of “The End” before reprising “Come Sail Away.” The famous tune from The Grand Illusion was a fitting end to an absolutely joyous evening of classic rock.

After the show, we went backstage where the band sang Dennis “Happy Birthday.” The following day he turned 71 years old. After the song, DeYoung spent about an hour with me talking about his career. I’d love to tell you everything he said…but I’ve been sworn to secrecy…with the reminder he’s from Chicago…and Italian…if you know what I mean! So I better shut it quick. Oh…the cake…for being gluten free…was damn good.

In conclusion, Dennis DeYoung is not a rock star. But he is. He has great stage presence. He can be powerful, yet goofy, serious, yet funny and loud, yet soft. He is probably a better band leader than a band member, although this band looked to be enjoining everything about their performance.  I only make that observation because he is a natural leader.

Dennis DeYoung is a man who has accomplished everything he ever set out to accomplish. Doing so got him kicked out of his own band. No one…not even Styx I would imagine, would have ever thought he’d come back the way that he has. I, for one, am glad he did.

If this show comes near you…then go!

It’s a grand night of some of the best songs from the 1970s and ‘80s. 

Check out tour dates here: http://www.dennisdeyoung.com/tour/