Styx Returns To Area With Don Felder and Kevin Cronin
by Alex Lloyd Gross
It was a delightful evening of classic rock live August 8 2025 at Freedom Mortage Pavillion in Cemden NJ. The show started at 7:00 PM with Don Felder from the Eagles on a solo tour, doing mostly Eagles hits. Life In the Fast Lane, Hotel California and he branched off a bit with the Heavy Metal Soundtrack title. Felder knew what people wanted to hear and he delivered the goods and then some.
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo Delaware Valley News.com Don Felder live
Up next was Kevin Cronin, from REO Speedwagon. He is on a solo tour with a new band, since some of the members of REO Speedwagon do not want to tour anymore. He brought out High Infidelity and played that album through. Tough guys, Keep On Loving You, were played but when they went into Follow My Heart that was the highlight of their set. That song is a hidden gem on the multi platinum selling record. The searing guitars, the driving bass is just incredible and then played live… That song should have been bigger than it was . Riding The Storm Out was the next highlight. They should have a wind machine blowing a strong breeze at the start of that song for an effect. It is an unsettling and leaves you wanting , waiting what’s next. It’s always been a fan favorite.
Styx was headlining the event and went on next. These guys should be given more time to play. They did the entire Grand Illusion album plus some hits, like Lady and Renegade which was the last song they played.
Stage lighting is much more powerful, brighter and elaborate than it was in the late 1970’s. Styx took full advantage of that to enhance their show. A giant screen behind drummer Todd Sucherman augmented the show. There was a lot of dry ice smoke but no fire or explosions.
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo- The Kevin Cronin band live on stage.
Styx laid heavily in the Paradise Theater record, playing most of songs on that as well. Doing this means others songs must get dropped. Songs that are phenomenal, Light Up, Lorelei and if you wanted to go deep, Man In The Wilderness could be added . If anything should be taken out, it’s Mr. Roboto.
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo Delaware Valley News.com Styx Drummer Todd Sucherman
Members of Styx were all over the stage, even Lawrence Gowan, who plays keyboards. He did not stand behind his instrument, his instrument rotated around him, allowing him to play from all angles.
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo-Delaware Valley News.com Lawrence Gowan Styx
Styx did not come here to rest on their laurels. They came with new music, an album called Circling From Above, If anyone was on the fence about going to this show wondering how good could Styx be, the answer was very.