SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — As said best by REO Speedwagon’s bassist, Matt Bissonette, the weather forecast for the thousands of fans at SPAC for the Summer Road Trip 2024 Tour was a “100% chance of rock!”
Setting the tone for the night was American rock band Yacht Rock Revue, who took the audience on a journey back in time to the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.
Characterized by a groovy, soft rock sound, this high-energy band had everyone up on their feet and dancing. The band played a wide range of beloved yacht rock classics, from “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” to “You Make My Dreams,” as well as one of their original songs called “Tropical Illusion.”
Keeping up with that ‘70s/‘80s rock sound, American rock band REO Speedwagon took the stage next, giving fans an unforgettable performance of live Rock n’ Roll. The band started their 14-song set off with “Don’t Let Him Go” and “Take It on the Run,” two songs from their highly acclaimed 1980 album, High Infidelity.
What was evident even just in those first few minutes of their set was the band’s ability to both be highly in sync while also playing around and still having fun. With songs like “Keep Pushin’” and “Roll With the Changes,” they effortlessly showed off their infectious energy, keeping fans up on their feet and wanting more.
Even as rock music has grown and evolved throughout the years, REO Speedwagon still has managed to remain a timeless band.
“Back in the late ‘80s, it was a tough time for bands like REO. Kurt Cobain and his hoard of grunge masters came in from Seattle and blew off the lid,” lead singer Kevin Cronin said. “I love that music, and I love those bands, but radio stations from around the country were kind of done with classic rock at the time, and so a lot of bands packed it in: not us.”
Finishing the night was none other than the highly-anticipated American pop-rock band, Train, who gave fans an incredible, nostalgic performance. The band’s 16-song set consisted of a wide variety of their different hits, from upbeat tunes like “50 Ways To Say Goodbye” to more laid-back tunes like “Hey, Soul Sister.”
While the band’s talent and amazing stage presence were certainly undeniable, one thing that truly stood out about their set was the way that they connected with their fans. During “If It’s Love,” lead singer Patrick Monahan eagerly took many of his fans’ phones to take selfies with them, giving them a memorable keepsake of the night.
However, it didn’t stop there: before playing “Save Me, San Francisco,” the band projected a live video of all of their fans in the audience onto the big screen, addressing every section of the venue individually.
“I want you to see how beautiful you look tonight,” Monahan said to his fans, before jumping into the song and releasing dozens of beach balls into the crowd. Monahan even gave some lucky fans brand-new, exclusive “Meet Virginia” t-shirts during their performance of “Meet Virginia.”
Overall, Monahan made it clear that this was a show for the fans, and that he couldn’t have done it without them. “SPAC is always my favorite venue, and I’m not just saying that. We love it so much that we came here early yesterday, just so I could hang out at this place. It’s just my favorite place to be,” Monahan said. “I don’t know why, but you guys are always the best, and I want to say thank you.”
REO Speedwagon keyboardist Neal Doughty was among the film fans who helped Bohemian Rhapsody to its No. 1 $50 million box office gross during its first weekend in the U.S. And he and his wife got a bit of a surprise when REO was name-checked in the film.
It occurs during the scene when Queen is considering an invitation to perform at Live Aid during 1985. “They’re talking to Queen about playing Live Aid, and our name gets mentioned!” Doughty, REO’s sole remaining founding member, tells Billboard. “They’re going, ‘Paul McCartney’s gonna be there and Elton John and the Who and REO Speedwagon.’ I had no idea we were mentioned in the movie. I’m going, ‘Boy, they sure put us in some good company with that — Paul McCartney, Elton John, REO Speedwagon…’ We’ve been in some bad movies, but never one that was No. 1 like this.”
