Artist: Styx
Title: “One With Everything”
Label: Eagle Vision
Release Date: 11/21/2006
Genre: Progressive Hard Rock
Rating: 4/5

The band Styx has come a long way since their debut in 1972 and since that time they have delivered some of the best Arena Rock in music history. In 2006, we find a Styx that is composed of almost entirely different members from their not so humble beginnings but at the same time they not too far from their original musical premise. The release of “One With Everything” is a great concert DVD for it is here that we find the band in rock solid form and joined by the Contemporary Youth Orchestra. Based out of Cleveland, OH, the CYO is a 115-piece Orchestra plus a 60 voice chorus and what makes them most impressive is the fact that they range in ages from 13-19. The Orchestra is conducted by Liza Grossman, who was the key factor in building this unique performance and actually is the one who contacted band Management about doing this adventure with the Styx guys. If you ask me, I felt that this idea would offer a refreshing change from the all too common “Rock Band meets Symphony Orchestra” videos as by this time almost everyone has done one. It was high time this blending of Rock and Symphony got a much needed kick in the tail to make it interesting once again. Together, Styx and the Orchestra deliver many of the bands most staple numbers as well as some new music that was written for this special sold-out concert. Lead singer, keyboardist Lawrence Gowan does an amazing job of filling the shoes once worn by Dennis DeYoung in the group while guitarist Tommy Shaw’s voice is exceptional on every track he does. I never heard JY sing, and yet on this piece he did one of my very favorite Styx numbers, “Lorelei”. Shaw, JY Young and Chuck Panozzo form the remaining three longest members though Chuck does not always tour with the band anymore. Ricky Phillips handles the bass for the most part and Todd Sucherman the drums. Sucherman is an incredible player who does justice to the drumming introduced by John Panozzo, the bands original drummer who passed away in 1996. He is both technical and powerful and shows the level of technique he brings to the table for the band best in the medley number. This is an epic piece on the DVD and it features pieces of some 16 Styx classics from across their catalog. Despite this DVD being very fun to watch I did have some other favorites and those were “I Am The Walrus” and “Fooling Yourself” along with “Renegade”.
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