Styx’s Brotherhood of Rock Tour brought a half-century of all-time classics to Starlight Wednesday night

July 4, 2025

Joe Ellett,

Photo by Maddy Shugart

Styx and Kevin Cronin w/ Don Felder
Starlight Theatre
Wednesday, July 2

Starlight Theatre hosted some of rock ‘n’ roll’s most treasured names Wednesday night, July 2. Styx and Kevin Cronin’s The Brotherhood of Rock Tour made its way through town with Don Felder, formerly of the Eagles, opening the show. While the crowd was made up mostly of older fans who loved these rockers in their early days, there was a wide range of ages throughout, with even some small children getting a chance to see the rock ‘n’ roll legends firsthand.

Accompanied by Derek Frank on bass, drummer Seth Rausch, and Ben Mauro on guitar, Felder brought out a few of the Eagles’ most classic tunes to kick off the night. Well-known hits “Already Gone”, “One of These Nights”, and “Victim of Love” are what got Starlight rockin’ early before jumping into cover Steve Young’s “Seven Bridges Road”.

Felder dove into a quick anecdote about his childhood growing up in Florida on red dirt roads, before diving into the cover, saying, “If you don’t know what you don’t have, you’ll be happy with what you got.”

Photo by Maddy Shugart

When they opened “Seven Bridges Road”, for me, the harmonization of the band members instantly reminded me of the vintage video of the original Eagles members harmonizing the chorus. For others in attendance, it was probably reminiscent of when they were able to bear witness to the original group perform it live back in the day.

Felder and his companions on stage belted out the cover, and at 77 years old, he still seemed to be able to hit every note in stride. Not only was his vocal prowess fully intact, but he also provided some solid stage work for a senior.

Donned in a tight button-up and skinny jeans, he put on a solid ten-song show, ending the performance with none other than “Hotel California”. Wielding the same guitar he used for the 1977 music video for the song, Felder and Mauro tore up the all-time solo and walked off stage to give Kevin Cronin the spotlight.

Cronin, accompanied by guitarist Dave Amato, drummer Bryan Hitt, Derek Hilland on keys, and Matt Bissonette, the group opened their set by playing REO Speedwagon’s 1980 release Hi Infidelity in full. Classics on the record like “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It On the Run” highlight the ‘80s chart-topping album, which rang true throughout the night as the crowd seemed most pleased with the two tunes before the band jumped into playing other REO Speedwagon hits.

Cronin kept the crowd involved throughout the performance, jumping between lead guitar and keys, providing plenty of energy for a 73-year-old entertainer. Following the full performance of Hi Infidelity, Cronin took a second to remind the crowd of his Midwest roots, having grown up in Chicago.

Photo by Maddy Shugart

He mentioned that the idea for “Keep Pushin’” came about when he was walking in downtown Chicago at a time when he was feeling lost and disconnected from the band, before playing the track.

“Time for Me to Fly”, “Ridin’ the Storm Out”, and “Can’t Fight This Feeling” followed suit, as the crowd fully embraced the remaining hits before the band closed with “Roll With the Changes”. Offering his thanks and love for Kansas City, Cronin and the band rolled away in the night as the crowd anticipated the main act, Styx.

The one original member of Styx, guitarist James Young, was accompanied by longtime member Tommy Shaw on guitar and more recently-introduced bandmates Lawrence Gowan on keys, his son Terry Gowan on bass, Todd Sucherman on drums, Will Evankovich on guitar. Other original member, bassist Chuck Panozzo, plays part-time in the band as Terry Gowan steps in from time to time.

The act started off with 1977’s The Grand Illusion where Gowan’s keys lit up the entire venue and set the scene for the final act of the night. The opening of the album is similar to reading a new book full of stories that are told through the sights and sounds of the characters on stage—the sounds unparalleled and the sights unforgettable.

“Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)”, “Come Sail Away”, and “Man In the Wilderness” were some of the key highlights from the album’s full representation. “Come Sail Away” grabbed the entire Starlight crowd by the throat and never let go.

Listening to the entirety of the eight-song album in person is nothing to take for granted. Similar to how one can cherish a Pink Floyd album as all of the tracks fold together to create one continuously flowing story, The Grand Illusion has a similar effect. The album has a deep narrative of what it means to live under societal pressures and the harmful effects that creating a facade brings upon an individual attempting to live up to others’ expectations.

Throughout the hour-and-a-half performance, 68-year-old Lawrence Gowan put on one helluva show. With his keyboard that rotates 360 degrees, there was never a moment when Gowan wasn’t moving and grooving. Combining the complexity that comes with playing keys to a Styx setlist and then adding the theatrical performance provided, Gowan deserves all the flowers.

Photo by Maddy Shugart

But that is not to take anything away from the other band members—All six members of the group provided a stellar night of showmanship. Regardless of the numbers that stamp their birth certificates, these men broke the barriers of age this Wednesday night.

Following The Grand Illusion, the band played a few of their famous hits from back in the day including, “Rockin’ The Paradise”, “Lady”, and “Too Much Time On My Hands”. While the crowd may have been slightly worn out as the night carried on, especially with how steamy the Kansas City heat was to start the show, the energy from the band remained at a high, which carried over to the crowd as the night concluded.

Styx ended their set with two of their most well-known tunes—“Mr. Roboto” and “Renegade”. Their progressive rock elements and skills were on full display during the final two tracks, with nearly the entire audience on their feet, proving that these songs from the ‘70s and ‘80s still carry incredible influence among music listeners today.

While these three mammoths in the rock game could easily venture off on their own tours and serve as the main act, Don Felder, Kevin Cronin, and Styx come together to provide attendees with an unforgettable experience that pays homage to a genre of music that has shaped modern sounds. Anyone who can truly appreciate the evolution of rock and some of its early foundation, young or old, cannot deny that this tour is an absolute privilege to the ears and eyes.

All photos by Maddy Shugart:

Don Felder Setlist:
Already Gone
One of These Nights
Victim of Love
Seven Bridges Road (Steve Young Cover)
I Like the Things You Do
Heavy Metal (Takin’ a Ride)
Take It Easy
Heartache Tonight
Life in the Fast Lane
Hotel California

Kevin Cronin Setlist:
Hi Infidelity:
Don’t Let Him Go
Keep On Loving You
Follow My Heart
In Your Letter
Take It on the Run
Tough Guys
Out of Season
Shakin’ It Loose
Someone Tonight
I Wish You Were There
–
Keep Pushin’
Time for Me to Fly
Ridin’ the Storm Out
Can’t Fight This Feeling
Roll With the Changes

Styx Setlist:
The Grand Illusion:
The Grand Illusion
Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
Superstars
Come Sail Away
Miss America
Man In the Wilderness
Castle Walls
The Grand Finale
–
Rockin’ The Paradise
Too Much Time on My Hands
Lady
Build and Destroy
The Best of Times
Blue Collar Man (Long Nights
–
Mr. Roboto
Renegade