▣The Orion Amphitheater | Huntsville, AL ▣Saturday, August 17th 2024
▣Photographer/Journalist: Dani B.

Styx and Foreigner brought the heat in Huntsville this past Saturday. With special guest opener John Waite, there was no shortage of energy from this tour stop.

Starting off the night, John Waite set the pace by warming up the crowd’s vocals with hits “When I See You Smile” and “Missing You”. Infecting the audience with the song’s memorable chorus and warming the hearts of all who joined him in song. Waite delivered a set that perfectly encapsulated the start of the evening. His sound, recognized by a mix of melodic hooks and heavy riffs, created an atmosphere welcoming for everyone in the house.

Building off that momentum, Foreigner came out to take the stage with a driving hard force of “Double Vision” while they took the stage. This kicked off a torrent of classics like “Head Games”, “Cold As Ice”, and “Dirty White Boy”. They showed no signs of slowing, even with a drum solo break. The solo, delivered by Jason Bonham, son of rock legend John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, provided a powerful beat to keep everyone on their toes. Before everyone knew it, lead singer Kelly Hansen maneuvered through to the front of the house to conduct the crowd for an unmatched production of “Juke Box Hero” that captured every voice in attendance. But Foreigner had one last trick up their sleeve. They concluded their set with a love filled encore of “I Want to Know What Love Is” while sharing the stage with the Grissom High School Chamber Choir creating an unforgettable once in a lifetime experience for the kids on stage.

This was the perfect set-up for Styx to take the stage! Coming out swinging and hitting the crowd with their hit song, “The Grand Illusion”, keyboardist and singer Lawrence Gowan commanded the attention of the audience to set the vibe for their set. Rolling right into “Too Much Time on My Hands”, “Crash of the Crown” (one of their newest songs), and “Miss America”, guitarist Tommy Shaw continued to bring the action from stage to audience by encouraging crowd participation in the form of call and response. Shaking the entire place as the crowd sung along to every word and keeping pace with the band by matching their energy. Creating an exciting atmosphere for everyone who participated. They did not disappoint and delivered one of the best performances I’ve seen in a good while. The group’s versatility was demonstrated with songs like “Lady” and “Come Sail Away” revealing the more intimate vulnerable side of these Classic Rock icons, then bringing the mood right back to the start with the smash hit “Mr. Roboto”. This performance once again proved why their status has been solidified as Classic Rock Legends.

Saturday night’s performance was a display of sheer musical talent and brilliance brought forth by all three acts on the lineup. They delivered sets that were extremely powerful, emotional, and technically impressive. This mix created an immersive experience for everyone at Orion Amphitheater. With both young and older members of the audience, it goes to show how timeliness music is. Whether you grew up listening to these gentlemen in the 1970’s or discovered them later in life, the show served as a means to bring friends and family closer together through a mutually shared event. Some experiencing for the first time, like myself, while others experiencing a blast from the past of their youth. Leaving us to conclude that this is not farewell, just “see you later”.

Check out our contributor photographer, Dani B. photos now!

JOHN WAITE

FOREIGNER

STYX

Check out the band websites for more info –

John Waite

Foreigner

Styx