At the River's Edge: Live in St. Louis

The early 21st century saw two of the biggest arena rock draws of the early '80s, Journey and Styx, touring the concert circuit once more. But the only catch was that both of the groups' lead singers (and as many fans would agree, their most identifiable members), Steve Perry and Dennis DeYoung, were not present. But that didn't keep either band down, as replacements -- Steve Augeri and Lawrence Gowan, respectively -- filled the vacated slots. Both had no problem nailing the vocal lines of their predecessors, and Styx must have been eager to prove this, by issuing a staggering three live albums between 2001 and 2003 (and an additional one if you include 2000's half Styx/half REO Speedwagon set, Arch Allies: Live at Riverport). The James "JY" Young/Tommy Shaw-led latter-day Styx stick mostly to the classics of yesteryear throughout, and sound as vibrant as ever on such hard rockers as "Renegade," "Too Much Time on My Hands," and "Blue Collar Man," as well as on a pair of DeYoung originals, "Grand Illusion" and the group's first-ever hit, "Lady." Some longtime fans will refuse to accept anything Styx-oriented without DeYoung present, but for fans who are content getting the chance to be able to hear Styx classics performed live in the early 21st century, At the River's Edge: Live in St. Louis will be a welcome entry.