“When you start writing an album, there's generally something that piques your imagination, and all of a sudden, you’re a storyteller starting with the seed of a story,” says Shaw of Styx. “A good song is like a straight road — it’ll get you to the next place.”
Tommy Shaw, lead vocalist and guitarist for Styx, would know considering the band's 18th album Circling From Above comes out on July 18th. Despite going through not one, but two disbandments since its formation in 1972, the band is alive and well and going strong on the "Brotherhood of Rock" tour. The line up features the Kevin Cronin Band and special guest guitarist Don Felder (ex- Eagles). Circling From Above features work by all seven members and their new single "Build and Destroy" features a slightly cleaner ,modern sound, with updated themes like tech and AI.
“That little melody, I kept singing ‘Build and Destroy,’” explains singer/keyboardist Lawrence Gowan, who takes the lead vocal. “Even though we don’t sing over that part, I kept thinking that would be a good title. It’s thematic. The melody feels like a little ‘Star Trek’ or ‘Twilight Zone’ thing — just a small tag that reinforces the title.” The band completed the track in just a day and a half and was chosen to introduce listeners, many that have listened for half a century, to the themes of the new album. The video, partially generated by AI, has a very cinematic, etherial feel and dystopian themes.
Will Evankovich, who became an official band memember in 2022, produced the new album as well as the bands 2 previous ones : The Mission (2017) and Crash of The Crown (2021). Evankovich, Shaw and Lawrence Gowan , a trio of master storytellers , write the majority of the band's material together in a truly collaborative process. It also helps that all the members have been feeling a sense of harmony propelling them forward. "“There’s just a lot of positive flow right now,” says Shaw. “There’s a lot of people playing great, and there’s a lot of love, respect and excitement about each other’s talents. Bands can go lifetimes and never have this kind of rapport and chemistry.” "The Brotherhood of Rock Tour" arose following the band's string of sold out Las Vegas residancy shows with REO Speedwagon. The tour started on May 28th in Greensboro, SC. Tour Dates Below
Wed 5/28 Greenville, SC Bon Secours Wellness Arena
Sat 5/31 Tampa, FL MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
Mon 6/2 Jacksonville, FL Daily's Place
Wed 6/4 Austin, TX Germania Insurance Amphitheater
Fri 6/6 The Woodlands, TX The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
Sat 6/7 Ridgedale, MO Thunder Ridge Nature Arena
* Mon 6/9 Denver, CO Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre
Wed 6/11 Salt Lake City, UT Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
Fri 6/13 Concord, CA Toyota Pavilion at Concord
Sat 6/14 Bend, OR Hayden Homes Amphitheater
Sun 6/15 Ridgefield, WA Cascades Amphitheater
Sat 6/28 Albuquerque, NM Isleta Amphitheater
* Mon 6/30 Colorado Springs, CO Ford Amphitheatre
Wed 7/2 Kansas City, MO Starlight Theatre
Sat 7/5 Birmingham, AL Coca-Cola Amphitheater
Sun 7/6 Alpharetta, GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
Tue 7/8 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion
Wed 7/9 Raleigh, NC Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
Fri 7/11 Virginia Beach, VA Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
Sat 7/12 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live
Mon 7/14 Syracuse, NY Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview
Tue 7/15 Bridgeport, CT Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
Fri 7/18 Gilford, NH BankNH Pavilion
Sat 7/19 Mansfield, MA Xfinity Center
Sun 7/20 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Fri 8/1 Dallas, TX Dos Equis Pavilion
Sat 8/2 Brandon, MS Brandon Amphitheater
Mon 8/4 Franklin, TN FirstBank Amphitheater
Wed 8/6 Richmond, VA Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront
Fri 8/8 Camden, NJ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
Sun 8/10 Burgettstown, PA The Pavilion at Star Lake
Tue 8/12 Saratoga Springs, NY Broadview Stage at SPAC
Wed 8/13 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage
Fri 8/15 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Music Center
Sat 8/16 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Music Theatre
Tue 8/19 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
Wed 8/20 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
Fri 8/22 St. Louis, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Sat 8/23 Tinley Park, IL Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
Sun 8/24 Milwaukee, WI American Family Insurance Amphitheater
