It wasn’t quite the Paradise Theater, but for a run of three mid-January shows, Yaamava´ Theater provided the soundtrack of the audience’s lives. Classic rockers Styx owned the stage, and their unique blend of guitars, keyboards, and vocal harmonies brought everyone to their feet for a journey through their deep well of hits.

But while Styx is as classic rock as they come, the band still produces new music. In a very smart move, they opened the show with “Build and Destroy” from the 2025 album Circling from Above. Immediately after, the big, bombastic, familiar opening to “The Grand Illusion” from the album of the same name reminded everyone that this lineup can deliver the songs just the way they are remembered.

The stage’s background changed with each song, and when the Paradise Theater marquee came up, it was time for Tommy Shaw on the far right to take over with “Too Much Time on My Hands.” While he sings about being a “jet fuel genius,” Shaw is really an ageless wonder—singing, playing guitar, moving about the stage, and kicking his leg up, head high. Maybe he really can solve the world’s problems without even trying.

On the left side of the stage, keyboardist Lawrence Gowan matches Shaw’s energy and, in many ways, exceeds it. Styx is a very theatrical band, and Gowan is up for the task. He doesn’t just sing the classics; he performs them. His rotating keyboard allows him to play behind his back while facing the audience, and he has no problem climbing on top of his instrument to bring a song to life. But close your eyes, and it’s classic Styx harmonies. Styx is one of those bands known for classic lineups, so it’s easy to forget that Gowan has been in the band since 1999. An even longer-serving member is award-winning drummer Todd Sucherman, who joined in 1995.

With the departure of long-time bassist Ricky Phillips, the number of Gowans in the group has doubled. Younger brother Terry Gowan has ably stepped in on bass. But he wasn’t the only bass player on stage. Founding member Chuck Panozzo came out for a batch of songs and received a warm welcome from the crowd. But there was only one founding member who played the entire evening. Fittingly, James “JY” Young took center stage, adding vocals and searing guitar work. A third guitarist and vocalist is Will Evankovich, who has been performing with Styx since 2021 and producing them since 2015.

While it seems like Shaw has been in the band forever, it’s almost hard to believe that there are any Styx hits that predate him. “Lady” is one of them. But Shaw’s long tenure in the band was acknowledged as he was strumming his acoustic guitar for the beginning of “Crystal Ball.” After that was an explosion of songs that got even the shyest of the shy singing and dancing. “The Message,” “Lords of the Rings,” “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights),” “The Best of Times,” “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man),” and an epic “Come Sail Away” finished off the main set.

The encores were “Mr. Roboto” and, finally, a raucous “Renegade.” It was a great way to finish the evening: lead vocals by Shaw, a solo by JY, and a trip back in time by the timeless band known as Styx.