News

Bradley Patton

REO Speedwagon frontman Kevin Cronin performs with the rest of the band at the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain on Friday. It was a triple bill as other bands 38 Special and Styx also performed.

click image to enlarge

REO Speedwagon frontman Kevin Cronin performs with the rest of the band at the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain on Friday. It was a triple bill as other bands .38 Special and Styx also performed.

Pete G. Wilcox / The Times Leader

click image to enlarge

Donnie Van Zant of the band .38 Special performs with the rest of the band at the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain on Friday. It was a triple bill as other bands REO Speedwagon and Styx also performed.

Pete G. Wilcox / The Times Leader

Additional Photos Below

Select images available for purchase in the
Times Leader Photo Store

WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m. Friday at Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain

THE SHORT WORD: Three classic-rock mainstays lit up Montage Mountain as the “Can’t Stop Rockin’” tour brought back the sounds of the 1970s and 1980s Friday night. Southern rockers 38 Special kicked things off with 11 songs in 40 minutes, finishing up with “Caught Up In You” and “Hold On Loosely.” REO Speedwagon followed with a 75-minute set, effortlessly alternating between ballads (“Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Keep On Loving You”) and rockers (“Back On The Road Again” and encore “Ridin’ The Storm Out”). Styx closed the show with raucous versions of “Too Much Time On My Hands,” “The Grand Illusion” and “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights).”

THE HIGHLIGHTS: Other 38 Special standouts included “Teacher, Teacher” from the 1984 film “Teachers” and “Second Chance” with keyboard player Bobby Capps on lead vocals. REO also did great versions of “Time For Me To Fly,” “Roll With The Changes” and “Son of a Poor Man.” Early Styx highlights included opener “Miss America” and “Lorelei.”

THE SURPRISES: Styx doing a great version of The Beatles’ “Magical Mystery Tour” early in its set.

FUN FACTS: Styx and REO Speedwagon first toured together in 2000 and have recently released a multi-song game pack for Rock Band including “Can’t Stop Rockin’” -- the new joint single by the two bands.

THE CROWD: A sizable, boisterous crowd rocked from start to finish. Jackie, a Wilkes-Barre resident in her late 30s, said all of the bands brought back great memories of her teen years. Joe, 42, from Eynon said, “I was here mostly for Styx, but 38 Special and REO both put on great shows. REO rocks more than I thought they did.”

UP NEXT: The “Can’t Stop Rockin’ Tour” visits Saratoga Springs, N.Y., tonight. Next show at Montage is Rascal Flatts with Darius Rucker on Sunday, July 12.