Styx

Despite ruling classic-rock radio and winning over countless impressionable teens, Styx continues to fight an uphill battle for approval from snobby music critics, many of whom still find such ballads as “Babe” and such concept albums as Kilroy Was Here and Grand Illusion difficult to stomach. However, thousands of fans continue to groove along with its songs, as the thirtysomething Volkswagen driver did to “Mr. Roboto” in a recent commercial. Unfortunately, Dennis DeYoung, the sensitive vocalist behind such easygoing hits as “Lady” and “Don’t Let It End,” won’t be making the trip to Sandstone — he’s been temporarily replaced by award-winning Canadian singer Lawrence Gowan. Luckily, guitarists Tommy Shaw, who fronts the band during such rockers as “Renegade,” and James “JY” Young, whose intimidating bellow powers “Heavy Metal Poisoning,” are still on board, as are off-and-on bassist Glen Burtnick and drummer Todd Sucherman. Styx, with DeYoung sharing songwriting duties with Shaw and Young, released Brave New World last year, a mixed-bag comeback that featured some vintage-quality efforts and some egregious missteps. Still, to a majority of Styx fans, the chance to see at least a portion of the original group blast out its tunes with undiminished arena-rock bombast represents the best of times. Equally earnest radio favorites REO Speedwagon and former cop turned rubber-faced star Eddie Money round out the bill.