By Caleb Hennington
Styx perform at the arkansas state fair on the wendys main stage at 8 p.m. Tuesday. (Submitted photo)
Styx to bring decades of rock to Arkansas State Fair
Named after the River Styx, a river in Greek mythology that served as the link between the world of the living and the world of the dead, Chicago rock band Styx sound anything but deathly.
Formed in the early 1970s, Styx are famous for their catchy pop-rock tunes, mixed with hard-rock sensibilities and a penchant for powerful piano ballads. Twin brothers Chuck and John Panozzo on guitar and drums, respectively formed the band in the 1960s and went by the name The Tradewinds. After finding a few more members and making a much-needed name change to Styx, the band members released their first album in 1972. The self-titled release made minimal waves on the music scene, and their second album, Styx II, managed to produce one hit single: Lady.
Their true success came late in the game, after more than six critically unsuccessful albums. The Grand Illusion, Styxs seventh album, gave them the hit prog-rock piano ballad single Come Sail Away. From there, the band continued to top the charts until the mid-80s, producing hits such as Renegade, Too Much Time on My Hands and Mr. Roboto.
Their last album of original material was released in 2003 and titled Cyclorama.
Styx perform at the Arkansas State Fair on the Wendys Main Stage at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The show is free with paid gate admission to the fair.
This Weeks Music
WEDNESDAY
Dana Falconberrys music has a wistful and bright character about it, one that takes the listener to a happy meadow, sun-drenched beach or magical forest. A graduate of Conways Hendrix College, Falconberry has had the opportunity of playing festivals such as SXSW in Austin, Texas, and the Noise Pop Festival in San Francisco. Catch her and her band at South on Main at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.
THURSDAY
Cedric Burnside, the grandson of Mississippi blues legend R.L. Burnside, is on his way to becoming a living blues legend himself. Hes won the Blues Music Awards Blues Drummer of the Year three times and plays with another Mississippi native, Trenton Ayers, in The Cedric Burnside Project. Hear the group at White Water Tavern at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.
Heavy-guitar-driven psych rockers Ecstatic Vision take inspiration from the classic-rock acts of the 70s that were more concerned with rocking peoples faces off than getting their music on the radio. A little bit Hawkwind and a little bit Sun Ra, their new album, Sonic Praise, has earned critical acclaim so far from major music publications across the U.S. Catch them at Vinos, along with Construction of Light and Becoming Elephants, at 9 p.m. Tickets are $5.
FRIDAY
An alt-country and rockabilly band sounds like something youd come up with during your morning shower, then call up your buddy Dave to see if hes interested in starting a band together. Yeah, Dave, I really think this could work out! For Nashville, Tennessee, band The Eskimo Brothers, it really has worked out, leading to them making waves in the traditional Tennessee country-music scene. Their debut album, Youre Welcome, was released earlier this year and features 12 songs of rowdy rockabilly goodness. Their live show is said to be a wild and high-energy time, so catch them at Stickyz at 9 p.m. Tickets for the 18-and-up show are $6.
SATURDAY
Known for his hit single Two Tickets To Paradise (and that one Geico commercial that got stuck in my head for more than a year), Eddie Money had a string of hit songs in the 70s and 80s that skyrocketed him to the top of the Billboard charts. His other hit singles include Take Me Home Tonight, Baby Hold On and Shakin. Despite drug problems in the mid-1980s, Money overcame an addiction that almost cost him his career and now tours regularly, even appearing on various TV shows. Money performs at 8 p.m. at the Arkansas State Fair on the Wendys Main Stage. The show is free with paid gate admission to the fair.
SUNDAY
Canadian rockers Theory of a Deadman like to keep it diverse with their sound. Although they most closely resemble other modern-rock acts such as Nickelback and Shinedown, the band also has tinges of country and post-grunge that tend to shine through on certain tracks in their catalog. Theyve consistently charted in the Top 10 on the Billboard Canadian Albums charts since their 2002 self-titled debut album and have seen varied success in the U.S. Their latest release is Angel, a five-track EP featuring acoustic recordings of previously released songs. The band performs with Shamans Harvest and Aranda at Juanitas at 8 p.m. Tickets are $27.
