Lawrence Gowan on Pine Knob, Styx’s Detroit Connection, and Life on the Road
For Lawrence Gowan, longtime singer and keyboardist for Styx, there’s something special about playing Pine Knob. It’s not just another stop on the tour—it’s a venue with history, heart, and…
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JULY 12: Lawrence Gowan and James Young of Styx perform at Ascend Amphitheater on July 12, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
For Lawrence Gowan, longtime singer and keyboardist for Styx, there’s something special about playing Pine Knob. It’s not just another stop on the tour—it’s a venue with history, heart, and a certain magic that keeps artists coming back.
“It’s funny, you know, it’s one of the first venues that I was managed by the same… prior to joining Styx for 14 years, I was managed by the same people that managed Rush. And I remember when I started playing amphitheaters in Toronto, there was a couple of them there that Ray, our manager, said to me, the one you’re gonna love is called Pine Knob. It’s in Detroit. It’s really… it’s the amphitheater that all the other, these new ones that are popping… it was 1985. These new ones are kind of modeling themselves after.”
That early advice stuck with him, and once Gowan joined Styx 26 years ago, Pine Knob was near the top of his “must-play” list.
“So I always wanted to play there. So 26 years ago when I joined Styx, I think in the first year was the first time we got to play there. And I absolutely… it is the female venue of the summer amphitheater. That is the quintessential one. I believe it’s the original, according to Ray it was. And it’s just got a vibe to it that’s infectious. That’s the best way I can put it. I’ve told everybody this.”
The Brotherhood of Rock: Work Ethic on Stage
Saturday night’s lineup—Styx, REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin, and Eagles legend Don Felder—is being billed as The Brotherhood of Rock. Gowan says that “brotherhood” isn’t just a name. It reflects the shared work ethic of bands who’ve been giving 110% for decades.
“All those words, all those adjectives, you just applied are 100% applicable to this situation. We’re kind of a band of… first of all, it’s a band of extroverts, so let’s start with that, okay? And what we also feel there is a responsibility now in playing this music as faithfully as we possibly can because, you know, it’s proven to last… over decades and decades.”
For Gowan, that means never phoning it in.
“None of us wants to be the guy that lets down the other guys that are on that stage, or definitely even more importantly, the audience that have gone out of their way to come and see us… we want to exceed those expectations if possible. And that’s why the band… we just try to make the show better every single year. And every night, actually, that we’re out there. Because you never know how long the gods of rock are going to allow this to continue. Right? One day at a time.”
Revisiting The Grand Illusion on Vinyl
A&MReleased on July 7, 1977.
This tour sees Styx performing The Grand Illusion in its entirety. For Gowan, preparing meant going back to the source—literally.
“Yes. In fact, I’ve done it a couple of times since the tour even began… you need to just double-check that you’re definitely hitting all the right bits… and still to add that extra element of live energy to it, which is different from a recording.”
One challenge for him is the emotional pacing.
“How to transition from Castle Walls, which is a very emotionally contained type of song… and going from that directly into the Grand Finale. There’s a transition there that you have to really make on the fly to pull yourself out of the dream of Castle Walls and then get the energy right up as high as it comes to the way… right as we get into Grand Finale.”
And yes—sometimes even he gets swept up in the moment.
“Honestly, yes you can. And that’s why I rely on Todd so much… I’ve found myself a couple of times getting lost in the kind of the overwhelming presentation of it… the screen content, the light show, and all of the atmosphere that’s created on stage… it’s really addictive, quite honestly.”
Sharing the Stage with Don Felder
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 16: Don Felder performs onstage at the GIBSON NAMM JAM Opening Party 2020 at City National Grove of Anaheim on January 16, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Gibson)
While Kevin Cronin’s REO Speedwagon is a familiar touring partner for Styx, Gowan lights up when talking about Don Felder.
“We did a residency in Vegas about four years ago where he was like our special guest, and we got to play about four or five Eagles songs when he would come out and join us on stage. And you… begin to realize these are songs that… you’re going to get sunk so deep into… this music is in your bones whether you want it to be or not.”
Felder’s musicianship, Gowan says, demands attention.
“It’s just been there on planet earth… I would say somewhere like maybe a hundred stations, maybe two hundred stations in the world right now are playing one of those songs that Don plays every single night. And how well he still plays is really… that will catch your attention every time.”
J.Y. Young: Miss America’s Secret Weapon
Longtime Styx guitarist James “J.Y.” Young gets his own spotlight in Gowan’s mind.
“J.Y. is exactly as you described him… offstage, a mild, very understanding, very emotionally connected… but this other creature comes out on stage… The grin, right? That little grin of his, that is a devilish grin. He throws himself into it so vehemently… and it’s compelling every single night.”
Gowan has two “J.Y. moments” he looks forward to every show.
“When he kicks to Miss America. And secondly, when he steps forward and leans into that solo in the middle of Renegade… that’s every single night. That’s a high point for me.”
The Original Band Van
Every band has its road stories. For Gowan, it starts with a GM van that became legendary in his circle.
“It was a GM van in the ’70s. I got the car loan that my dad co-signed on… we drove that from 1978 right through until the end of my first band… and still had it… by the end of that tour, [our tour manager] referred to that van as ‘the rust door’… because it was mostly rust, and there were still some auto parts on it that actually got us across the country.”
And its final fate?
“I came home one day… and I said to my dad, ‘Where’s the rust door? Where’s the van?’ He goes, ‘Oh yeah, a couple of boys up around the corner… I just gave it to them.’ He gave it away. And, well, that’s the type of generosity he had with my vehicle.”
Pine Knob: More Than a Gig
For Gowan, Pine Knob remains “the quintessential summer amphitheater.” For fans, Saturday night will be a chance to see three rock heavyweights on one stage, trading hits and feeding off the energy of a Detroit crowd that knows every word.
“We can always do that and definitely at Pine Knob… that’s top of the bill.”
