Last night we performed in Detroit at the spectacular Fox Theater. It was a great reminder that the Motor City knows how to rock. Lots of new fans and an amazing bunch of school-age kids there right up front. I normally try to get out to the edge of the audience to let a fan who shows serious interest get their hands on my guitar by helping me strum the last chords of a song. Last night in Detroit, there was a group of kids there who must have cut their teeth on bands like us, and at one point a father brought his young son, probably 8 years old, right up to me and I handed him my pick.

We were at the end of "Edge of the Century" and Glen was cutting loose on his mic so I held out the Telecaster to let this young man give it a whack. To my surprise and everyone around us, he held the pick between his thumb and forefinger, and began to strum the guitar perfectly! Glen was in rare form and was really belting it out across the stage so the kid got an extra long opportunity to bang away on my guitar. When the final chord of the song rang out and the stage went dark, I looked into the blackness and yelled "Gimme five!" A beat and a half later I felt a little hand with the pick still held between the thumb and forefinger. I yelled out, over the noise of the crowd, "No, KEEP the pick! Gimme five!" and then I felt the little slap on my palm. It was pretty darn cute. My regards to him and his dad--well done, dudes!

The concert built from an attentive watchful sitting crowd, until "Edge" but after that there was little use for the beautifully upholstered chairs. The Detroit audience preferred being on their feet singing along, raising their hands in the air and being a part of the love fest. As a special surprise, Chuck Panozzo flew in to join us on stage for a smoking version of "Fooling Yourself." Still the best dressed and coolest STYX man of all times, Chuck was in his typical fine form! We love it when Chuck stops by and hope to see him on our stage any time he feels the need to get a fix of STYX love.

After the show we were given a guided tour of the unbelievable building. It defies my vocabulary to attempt to explaining just how beautiful this ornate monument to entertainment is. It is something that you should not pass up an opportunity to see when you make it to Detroit. It has been so beautifully restored and maintained that anyone who plays this room must feel as charmed as we did last night. Rock is well served by the people who keep this theater alive.

Cheers Detroit!