Styx to Perform at Virginia Credit Union LIVE! at Richmond Raceway on Friday, June 21

Richmond Raceway (Richmond) and AEG Presents announce Styx, the band that has forged an indelible legacy on record and onstage, will rock Virginia Credit Union LIVE! at Richmond Raceway on Friday, June 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets will go on sale to the public online at vaculive.com or in-person at The National Box Office at 708 East Broad Street in Richmond, Va. on Friday, Feb. 15 at 10 a.m. Virginia Credit Union and RICHMOND NATION members will receive an exclusive pre-sale for the Styx concert on Thursday, Feb. 14 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Styx is comprised of James “JY” Young on lead vocals and guitars, Tommy Shaw on lead vocals and guitars, Chuck Panozzo on bass and vocals, Todd Sucherman on drums and percussion, Lawrence Gowan on lead vocals and keyboards, and Ricky Phillips on bass, guitar, and vocals.

Styx draws from over four decades of barn burning chart hits, joyous singalongs, and hard-driving deep cuts. Like a symphony that builds to a satisfying crescendo, a Styx set covers a wide range of stylistic cornerstones. From the progressively sweeping splendor that is “The Grand Illusion” to the hunker-down fortitude of all that is the “Blue Collar Man,” from the majestic spiritual love for a special “Lady” to the poignant rumination on the fleeting nature of fame in “Miss America,” from an individual yearning for true connection as a “Man in the Wilderness” to a soul-deep quest to achieve what’s at the heart of one’s personal vision in “Crystal Ball,” from the regal reach-for-the-stars bravado of “Come Sail Away” to the grainy all-in gallop of that rugged “Renegade” who had it made, the band draws on an unlimited cache of ways to immerse one’s mind and body in their signature sound.

“We have a pretty sophisticated audience, and we really respect that,” said Tommy Shaw. “We didn’t used to have people who would come see every show, but now they’re coming back again and again for more. And we owe it to our fans to continually rehearse, prepare, and improve.”

Styx hit its stride with Tommy’s first LP with the band, 1976’s Crystal Ball, and then they become the first group to score four triple-platinum albums in a row: The Grand Illusion (1977), Pieces of Eight (1978), Cornerstone (1979), and Paradise Theater (1981). Over the ensuing decade, Styx weathered the shifting winds of the public’s musical taste, reconvening for a highly successful 1996 Return to Paradise tour that was expertly documented on both CD and DVD in 1997.

With a little help from their many friends in Cleveland’s Contemporary Youth Orchestra, One With Everything (2006) became a hybrid orchestral rock blend for the ages. And on The Grand Illusion / Pieces of Eight Live (2011), the band performed at its peak when tackling every track from a pair of their finest triple-platinum albums back to back. Not only that, but the band re-recorded two discs’ worth of its classic material with much finesse and musculature, aptly known as Regeneration Volume I & II (2011 & 2012).

After the success of Return to Paradise, JY and Tommy wanted to keep their renewed momentum intact, and that meant continuing to tour. The core of that momentum had already been rooted when the band tapped Chicago session ace Todd Sucherman to take over for founding drummer John Panozzo in 1996, who was too ill to join the team on the road for Return to Paradise (and whom later tragically died that summer). But to keep moving ahead, they had to part ways with founding member Dennis DeYoung — the man behind some of the band’s most indelible hits, including “Lady,” “The Grand Illusion,” and “Come Sail Away” — because the collective chemistry had changed.

The next necessary component came to light when, in 1999, the band recruited Canadian keyboard and vocal wizard Lawrence Gowan, who had opened for Styx in Quebec City in 1997 and had drawn a rabidly enthusiastic response to his purely solo one-man, one-piano set. After Glen Burtnik left the group in 2003, there was only one name that made sense to join the Styx party: bassist/vocalist Ricky Phillips, a skilled multi-instrumentalist who’s handled a number of musical tasks for the likes of the Babys, Ronnie Montrose, and Coverdale Page. After more than a decade together on the road, this incarnation of Styx is looking forward to performing as many shows as it can as long as it can.

“Music is this amazing force that comes from a higher place,” said James “JY” Young. “I’m humbled for this band to have the great success that it has, and I recognize what we have could go away in an instant. We just want to keep on doing this. We want to let life take its course and let this music continue to be the soundtrack to it. And this band will continue to evolve as long as we live and play this music.”

The Commonwealth Mall at Virginia Credit Union LIVE! will feature concessions, displays, and merchandise on the day of the event, with gates opening at 6:30 p.m. Parking for the event is located in Lot D, at the corner of Laburnum and Carolina Avenues, and can be accessed through Gate 4 on Laburnum Avenue. Parking is $10 cash only for the public and free for Virginia Credit Union members with lots opening at 5:30 p.m.

Virginia Credit Union LIVE! continues to bring top musical acts and superior concert experiences to music fans in the Richmond region. The venue has hosted top national recording artists such as Aerosmith, Sting, Jimmy Buffett, Dave Matthews Band, Elvis Costello, Robert Plant, and Florida Georgia Line.

In addition to its 6,000 covered seats, the venue hosts six permanent private dressing rooms with restrooms and showers attached to the stage as well as two loading docks. There is a separate hospitality building providing a full menu of food and beverage amenities. The backstage area is completely secured with ample room for parking large vehicles and tour buses.

To purchase tickets and learn more about Virginia Credit Union LIVE!, visit vaculive.com or connect on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. To learn more about STYX, visit styxworld.com.

Richmond Raceway PR