Return To Paradise (1997)
Disc One
1.On My Way
2.Paradise
3.Rockin' The Paradise
4.Blue Collar Man
5.Lady
6.Too Much Time On My Hands
7.Snowblind
8.Suite Madame Blue
9.Crystal Ball
Disc Two
1.The Grand Illusion
2.Fooling Yourself
3.Show Me The Way
4.Boat On The River
5.Lorelei
6.Babe
7.Miss America
8.Come Sail Away
9.Renegade
10.The Best Of Times
11.Dear John
Just as Greatest Hits managed to wipe the slate clean of the spotty Classics compilation, Return to Paradise serves as a much-needed corrective to 1984’s largely now obsolete release, Caught in the Act. The time between the two efforts? Thirteen years. The difference in quality? Night and day.
In 1996, the classic Styx lineup (well, mostly) reconvened for a summer tour, and the results were, by any measure, staggering. In an era when classic rock dinosaurs were being resurrected left and right, Styx stood among the most vital. The tour exceeded expectations across the board—audiences, band members, critics—and though no new studio album accompanied the reunion, this live release more than made up for it. What we’re given here is a near-complete show, performed in their native Chicago before a crowd of over 15,000, and yes, it sounds like the homecoming it was.
It’s not technically the entire performance (the band performed brief snippets of Lights and Light Up in an acoustic set not featured here, and Little Suzie, their lone new cut from the prior year’s Greatest Hits Part 2, is also absent), but for all intents and purposes, this is the show. In fact, the only real blemish is a slightly jarring production choice—the decision to fade out the crowd noise after each song, which diminishes some of the seamless concert atmosphere.
As live documents go, this one is tight, well-paced, and surprisingly fresh. The band sounds reinvigorated—arguably better than they did in their early-'80s heyday—and the performance is elevated by a sense of clarity and relief, absent the backstage tensions that marred the original Caught in the Act release. Most notably absent are the two hits from Kilroy Was Here—Mr. Roboto and Don't Let It End—both casualties, perhaps, of emotional baggage from that particular chapter of the band’s history.
Still, the concert alone might not have warranted a double-disc release. Fortunately, three brand new studio tracks are tacked on as a bonus—and they’re worth the listen.
The set opens with On My Way, a Tommy Shaw rocker that feels like a welcome continuation of classic Styx energy. It’s not quite Little Suzie, but it's a solid track that reaffirms Shaw’s melodic instincts. Dennis DeYoung, for his part, contributes Paradise, a pretty if predictable ballad also featured in the musical he was then developing. It’s soft, polished, and unmistakably DeYoung—ideal for weddings, less so for arenas. But it's the final new track that lands the hardest.
Dear John, written and sung by Shaw, is a heartfelt tribute to original drummer John Panozzo, who tragically passed away during the tour due to complications from alcoholism. Though Panozzo was absent from the stage, the band had held out hope that he might recover and rejoin them. His sudden death was a gut-punch to what had otherwise been a dreamlike reunion. Shaw’s tribute is sparse, elegant, and deeply moving. Rarely does a rock band capture such an intimate moment of grief without lapsing into mawkishness. Dear John is that rare exception—an epilogue not just to a tour, but to a chapter in the band’s life.
In all, Return to Paradise is less of a nostalgia trip and more of a reaffirmation. Yes, it celebrates the past, but it does so with dignity, energy, and more than a little heart. Far from a victory lap, this was Styx proving they still belonged—on stage, in studio, and in memory.
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