THE GRAND ILLUSION / PIECES OF EIGHT LIVE

Another live release from a band that looks like they are going to play music forever. Now they have a steady line up, the same as the previous DVD release, with the contemporary youth orchestra of Cleveland. This time, there is no orchestra. The band played their 2 most popular albums of the late 70's : "The Grand Illusion" and "Piece of Eight", in their entirety.

Shot in high definition with 11 cameras at the Orpheum Theater in Memphis, this DVD offers a nice picture quality and a DTS-HD sound that give you what your looking for when you want surround sound. The stage settings is interesting with a giant back screen and a nice light show as well. On this screen, the band decided to show someone using a turntable to play the music of those 2 albums, like it was LP with side one and two.

As far as the performance goes, there is not much wrong with this band that got a lot of experience over the years, knowing how to make this show a success. The music of Styx while not always interesting in their later days, was better in their earlier days. To take the decision to play the 2 most popular albums, was not a big risk, but i can't say i was pleased with the quality of the songs on both albums, especially with "Piece of Eight", who contains some more ordinary songs.

The highlights songs were the well known "Come Sail Away" , "Castle Walls" for the great instrumental part, and "Lords of the Ring" for his symphonic approach. If you like pop music with a symphonic touches, nice vocal harmonies and a nice guitar and keyboard interplay, you will enjoy most of the material here, but for someone who want hear some pure progressive rock music, this is not for you. Myself i am in the middle of both categories, i was a little bit disappointed by some of the songs on "Piece of Eight" and would have prefer hear some others songs from the band on others albums, like "Suite Madame Blue", but it was not possible here, with the concept of the show.

This is a nice addition for any Styx fans, or those who have enjoyed a lot these two albums. I would have prefer hear and see "Equinox" on this show. But for a technological aspect, this show is a real success. If i had to rate this for the quality of sound and picture, it would be 5 stars, but i think the music is more important than the package, so i give 3.4 stars.

Last week while making one of my usual musical safaris, found a new STYX Blu Ray that featured a concert with two of my favorite albums by this unfairly maligned USA band. If it was only for having the complete The Grand Illusion on stage with decent quality, not only for nostalgic reasons (but mainly because I considered it a masterpiece), would had bought it without any doubt, but if they also present the full version of Pieces of Eight, well, It's a must have.

Some people will avoid The Grand Illusion / Pieces of Eight Live because they miss Dennis de Young, especially in Come Sail Away (We all do), but let's be honest, Lawrence Gowan is in STYX by own merits and has gained his place in the band.

The rest of the formation mixed with relatively new and older members is amazingly good, most notably Todd Sucherman who in this moment is one of the best drummers of the circuit, plus the always comforting opportunity to see a healthy Chuck Panozzo playing some tracks.

The tracks are well known and beloved by the fans of the most representative band from Chicago, as usual I listened first my favorite musical song, the eternal Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man) with a Tommy Shaw who refuses to grow old and a more calmed but equally skilled JY. But this time it was a pleasure to see a complete version of Pieces of Eight and Sing for a Day for the first time in an official video, instead of bad quality versions from Youtube.

It would be absurd to make a song by song review, because I did it already when talking about the studio albums, so I will focus in one of the most important factors you ask for in a Blu Ray, the video and sound quality, which I must found impeccable.

So, if you add the excellent quality and great songs of this Video, STYX fans have no other chance than to buy it...Now, if you don't like the band or consider them just another AOR group that shouldn't be in Progarchives, it's your loss. In my case I can't rate The Grand Illusion / Pieces of Eight Live with less than four solid stars.