Loverboy - STYX - REO Speedwagon

Loverboy - STYX - REO Speedwagon

September 3, 2022

Duluth, MN

AMSOIL ARENA

The lights go down, the music starts. The heavy bass immerses me entirely in it’s vibration. My body reverberates hypnotically with every beat. My eyes close, my body relaxes with the rattling of my soul, head to toe. Ah! I didn’t even know I’d been missing this, but it feels like home.

Our daughter just turned sixteen. This is her first concert. We came to hear STYX, but the others groups were worth the trip, also. She chose this to be it - her initiation. We, as her “old” parents, were more than pleased to go along with that plan!

My husband started listening to STYX in the 1970s as a child. I wasn’t truly introduced to their music until the early 2000s by my boyfried-now-husband. I immediately became a fan. I love the structure of the music, the layers and the lyrics. I had always liked music, but didn’t realize until then, how limited my exposure to, and understanding of, music had been while growing up and throughout my twenties. I feel like a “late bloomer” to music, but STYX music has been a big part of the vast learning curve of figuring out what I truly like to hear.

Our daughter has been exposed to STYX since she was in the womb. She was born a fan, and enjoyed the concert experience.

My first concert attended in 1988, I believe, was REO Speedwagon, so it’s kind of a full circle moment to see them here and share this experience with our daughter.

The setlist for REO Speedwagon:

1 Don't Let Him Go

2 Take It on the Run

3 Keep Pushin'

4 Live Every Moment

5 That Ain't Love

6 Tough Guys

7 Can't Fight This Feeling

8 Like You Do

9 Time for Me to Fly

10 Back on the Road Again

11 Ridin' the Storm Out

12 Keep On Loving You

13 Roll With the Changes

I recognized only a couple of the songs by Loverboy like “Working for the Weekend,” although I really appreciated their music. Unfortunately, we did not get any sharable pictures of the Loverboy band.

Here’s the setlist for Loverboy

1 Notorious

2 "Lucky Ones"

3 "Queen of the Broken Hearts"

4 "Take Me to the Top"

5 "It's Your Life"

6 "This Could Be the Night"

7 "The Kid Is Hot Tonite"

8 "When It's Over"

9 "Hot Girls in Love"

10 "Turn Me Loose"

11 "Working for the Weekend"

12 "Lovin' Every Minute of It"

13 Jump:

I want to recognize the quality of sound, music and physical ability presented by each band member on the stage. The entire show proved entertaining. Each group provided it’s own light show and special effects. The only part I really disliked is when STYX did make us listen to “Mr. Roboto,” and didn’t play their classic “Crystal Ball,” although they did play many of the old stand-bys such as “Come Sail Away,” “Blue Collar Man,” “Too Much Time on My Hands” and “The Grand Illusion” and others, as well as some intriguing new music. It was honestly inspiring, reminding me to keep building on my passion and creating art. It will be appreciated.

The setlist for STYX:

1 The Fight of Our Lives

2 Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)

3 The Grand Illusion

4 Lady

5 Crash of the Crown

6 Light Up

7 Sound the Alarm

8 Rockin' the Paradise

9 Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)

10 Too Much Time on My Hands

11 Khedive

12 Lost at Sea

13 Come Sail Away

14 Mr. Roboto

15 Renegade

Amsoil Arena offered an excellent viewing experience. We were up high on the second floor, the level was steep, but we could see the bands clearly. The stadium was filled to capacity.

Overall, it was a wonderful experience to share with my family, and I anticipate the next concert.

I don’t know who decided “rock is dead.” Clearly it is not!