Man, what an honor it is to kick off such a legendary tour here in Greenville, South Carolina, and for me as a journalist to cover it. See, I was a kid who was raised on rock and roll. Bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker Band, Styx, and REO Speedwagon were the soundtrack to my youth, thanks to my Dad. Now, here I am, at almost 40 years old, getting to cover these legends Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The Brother Hood of Rock Tour is a 28-date tour, spanning across the US with not only Styx, but also Kevin Cronin, formerly of REO Speedwagon, and Don Felder, formerly of The Eagles.
Don Felder
Kicking things off for the night was none other than guitar legend Don Felder. Starting the show just before 7:00, the lights went dim, and the crowd cheered as the band made its way to the stage. Finally, Don makes his way to the center stage, waving at fans. Kicking things off with Already Gone. Don played a 10-song set of fan favorites, showcasing his limitless guitar skills and live debuting “I Like the Things You Do.” Check out a fan-filmed video below of the song. Bookending his set with Already Gone, which got the crowd dancing and singing along like it was 1974 again, and Hotel California, which showcases Felder’s guitar skills with the legendary guitar solo, which I might add many fans believe if that solo was not in Hotel California the song would not have been as popular as it is. Let us know what you think in the comments on that. Don kicked things off with a bang, setting the bar for the rest of the show.
Don Felder Set-list
- Already Gone
- One of These Nights
- Victim of Love
- Seven Bridges Road
- I Like the Things You Do
- Heavy Metal
- Take It Easy
- Heartache Tonight
- Life In the Fast Lane
- Hotel California
Don Felder LIVE in Greenville SC
Kevin Cronin
Following Don Felder was none other than REO Speedwagon frontman, Kevin Cronin. This was one of my favorite sets of the night. Kevin’s energy was unmatched, and even though the majority of the crowd were older, both Kevin and the crowd fed off each other’s energy. To make the night even more special, Kevin performed the 1980 REO Speedwagon Album “Hi Infidelity” in its entirety. Hi Infidelity is the band’s most successful album, being certified Diamond, selling over 10 million copies in the US alone. This is a major accomplishment because fewer than 100 artists have ever reached this. The album also sat at number 1 on the Billboard 200 for 15 weeks. Kevin played a massive 15-song set and gave fans a nice surprise during the performance of “Rolling with the Changes,” inviting Greenville South native Edwin McCain to perform with him. Check out the fan-filmed video below.
Kevin Cronin Live in Greenville SC
STYX
Finally, the moment came that everyone was waiting for. Styx took to the stage. The lights dimmed, and that familiar intro hit for The Grand Illusion, the crowd erupted with cheers. The Grand Illusion is probably one of the best songs ever written for a live set. Between the musical builds of the intro and the lyrics, it’s perfect. It sets the stage for what’s about to happen. This caused the energy of the crowd the go even higher, and it stayed there for the band’s 16-song set. Styx set is broken into 3 sections, the first is “The Grand Illusion.” The band played the 1977 release from front to back. Check out a fan-filmed video of the band’s hit “Come Sail Away” below. Section 2 was full of hits from “Paradise Theatre”, “Pieces of Eight”, and “Styx II”, and a live debut of their new single “Build and Destroy.” The final section was their encore, where they wrapped up their set with fan favorites, “Mr Roboto” and “Renegade”. My favorite parts of the show, outside of hearing some of my favorite classic rock songs, are 1 Styx frontman Lawrence Gowan. He is a very energetic and charismatic frontman, wearing a bright jacket and hair to match. Second, seeing the legend Tommy Shaw play guitar. As a guitar player, knowing his impact on artists that I love was amazing to see it live and in person.
STYX Live in Greenville, SC
In conclusion, the Brotherhood of Rock was not only a trip down memory lane for many but also a chance for a younger generation to experience true legends at their craft. From a journalist’s standpoint, it was refreshing to see bands like these that you could tell were there to put on a show for their fans, and not just an easy “Cash grab” for a paycheck. Tonight is night 4 of the Brotherhood of Rock tour in Jacksonville, Florida, and there are still plenty of dates left on this tour across the US. Check out a full list of the remaining dates below and be sure to catch a date on the “Brotherhood of Rock” Tour.
- June 2: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, FL
- June 4: Germania Insurance Amphitheater, Austin, TX
- June 6: The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands, TX
- June 11: Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre, West Valley City, UT
- June 13: Toyota Pavilion, Concord, CA
- June 14: Hayden Homes Amphitheater, Bend, OR
- June 15: Cascades Amphitheater, Ridgefield, WA
- July 2: Starlight Theatre, Kansas City, MO
- July 3: Vibrant Arena at The MARK, Moline, IL
- July 6: Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, Alpharetta, GA
- July 8: PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, NC
- July 9: Coastal Credit Union Music Park, Walnut Creek, NC
- July 11: Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, Virginia Beach, VA
- July 12: Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, VA
- July 14: Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater, Syracuse, NY
- July 15: Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater, Bridgeport, CT
- July 18: BankNH Pavilion, Gilford, NH
- July 19: Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
- July 20: PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ
- August 8: Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Philadelphia, PA
- August 10: The Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
- August 12: Broadview Stage at SPAC, Saratoga Springs, NY
- August 13: Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON, Canada
- August 15: Ruoff Music Center, Indianapolis, IN
- August 16: Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI
- August 19: Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH
- August 20: Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
- August 24: American Family Insurance Amphitheater, Milwaukee, WI
