I have been a fan of Styx for years, especially the early days, of the band. They kind of lost me at Mr. Roboto, but we won't go there. That said, I always look forward to when they have a new Blu-ray release. The band always puts on a killer show, which keeps me coming back for more. Their latest release, Live at the Orleans Arena, was actually released on CD last year. The performance was taped back in 2014, but had only been available on CD, until now.
The performance on this Blu-ray is stellar. Tommy Shaw brings it just as hard as he did back in the day. Vocally the guy has not lost a thing. He also still shreds on the guitar. He is one of those guys that you forget how good of a player they are, until you see them shred. I was really impressed on how well the band sounded as a whole. They ripped through their classic tunes like it was nothing. A highlight from the show was when the band was joined on stage by Don Felder (Eagles) for a ripping version of Blue Collar Man.
The show was shot very well, and gives you a sense of being in the front row. The audio is strong as well. I actually enjoyed watching this Blu-ray more than the last time I saw them live. This isn't your average concert video, because the band intersperses some documentary type footage, between some of the live segments. The footage focuses on life on the road with Styx. I liked it, but found it a little distracting. The good thing is, is that if you feel the same way I do, then you can access the full concert, sans interviews, within the bonus sections. This one's a keeper.
Bottom Line: Styx proving that they can still rock. A solid performance, from on of the U.S.'s most solid rock bands.
-Ragman is glad that this show had Lawrence Gowan, on the keys, and not the tool that we saw live.