Styx—Caught in the Act: Live & More

Originally released on VHS in 1984, and now presented on DVD in Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, Styx—Caught in the Act—Live & More is a visual companion to the band's 1984 concert LP Caught in the Act. Filmed April 9-10, 1983 at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans (during Styx's Kilroy Was Here tour), the 14-song concert is mainly noteworthy for capturing the band on the verge of breaking up. At the time, singer/keyboardist Dennis DeYoung was pushing for more elaborate staging and showmanship, while singer/guitarists James "J.Y." Young and Tommy Shaw favored a return to their blues-rock roots. So, while the concert itself is polished and professional (Styx always put on an excellent show, ever faithful to their studio recordings), it's obvious in retrospect that DeYoung's flashy influence was closer to Las Vegas and Barry Manilow than to the popular rock that made Styx famous in the mid-to-late '70s. Not surprisingly, this results in a schizophrenic performance that begins with a campy short film about battling the forces of censorship (a little ironic, given the band's clean-cut music) before launching into "Mr. Roboto," the cheesy DeYoung-penned hit that signaled the beginning of the end. Things improve significantly when Shaw and Young demonstrate their still-impressive skills, and major hits like "Come Sail Away" and “Blue Collar Man” are still quite enjoyable, but too many gems are missing here (including “Lady,” “Crystal Ball,” “Fooling Yourself,” “The Grand Illusion,” and “Babe”). DVD extras include 12 music videos that illustrate the band's gradual changes in style and sound from its peak in 1977 to its inevitable dissolution in 1984. Optional. Aud: P. (J. Shannon)