Concert Review
REO Speedwagon
Thursday July 18, 2024
Warner Theatre
Erie, PA
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto
You can clearly see the difference between a casual fan and a diehard at an REO Speedwagon concert. The casual fans will stand for every hit song and sing along. The second the band dove into one of its many hidden gems they sit down leaving the true diehards remain as standing. The band set up shop in the Warner Theatre Thursday night fresh from an off night of their Summer Road Trip tour with Train. This marks one of very few headline shows the band will perform this summer. So the fans were treated to a few extra songs.
From the opening notes of “Don’t Let Him Go” vocalist Kevin Cronin led the band through a ninety-minute set focused on the many eras of the band. While the band has had numerous changes over the years from 1989 through January 2023 the band did not have one change. That made it the longest time the band had gone. This was due to founder Neal Doughty announcing his retirement from touring after 55 years on the road. Conspicuous by his absence was bassist Bruce Hall who is currently recuperating following back surgery. Filling in on bass was the talented Matt Bissonette who has played with David Lee Roth and Elton John among others. Guitarist Dave Amato and drummer Bryan Hitt joined the band for the recording of The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken and have been here ever since.
The one thing you can count on with Cronin leading the way is a changeup in the set list a long the way. Tonight was no exception as the band pulled out “That Ain’t Love” for the first time this year. The best was yet to come as the political “Golden Country” found its way into the set. Written by guitarist Gary Richrath back in 1972 it goes to show you how some things never change. The song was performed vibrantly by the band and clearly gave the band a purpose to pull out all the stops. Clearly the song of the night.
For those casual fans the band closed out the night with “the song that changed it all” as stated by Cronin as he played the piano into to “Keep On Loving You”. “Roll With The Changes” something the band had always lived up to closed out the evening.
Cronin is now 72, but as he stated “I feel like I am 22.” For the fans that is a good thing as hopefully the band still has enough gas in the tank for a few more years. Judging by the performance they are still knocking it out of the park making it a win-win for the band and the fans. Be sure to catch these guys on tour with Erie native Pat Monahan and Train all summer long.
Set List
Don’t Let Him Go
Take It on the Run
Keep Pushin’
Live Every Moment
Tough Guys
I Wish You Were There
That Ain’t Love
Music Man
Can’t Fight This Feeling
Son of a Poor Man
Golden Country
Time for Me to Fly
Ridin’ the Storm Out
Keep On Loving You
Roll With the Changes
