The Brotherhood of Rock Tour rolled into Toronto on Wednesday for a night of raw rock ‘n’ roll. As fans clad in band shirts made their way into the amphitheatre, not even the spot of rain was going to stop the Toronto music crowd from having a great time that night. Everyone was ready for some kickass love music from Styx.
Styx – The Brotherhood Of Rock Tour
Budweiser Stage, Toronto – 10 August 2025
Words And Photography: Taylor Cameron
Styx hit the stage promptly at 9:30 and turned the amphitheatre into their own world of The Grand Illusion. Playing the classic 1977 album in its entirety, they delivered a unique experience for Toronto’s music fans.
From its anthemic opening title track, to the charismatic Come Sail Away and deeper cuts like Miss America and Castle Walls, Styx played every note and melody with raw energy, fantastic musicianship and a captivating stage presence. 
Tommy Shaw’s soaring vocals sound just as good as they did on the original LP, his unique voice backed up by the band’s perfect harmonies.
Bringing songs such as Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man), Superstars and Man In The Wilderness to life, Shaw and his band of brothers never fail to have a crowd clapping and singing along. 
Lawrence Gowan handles vocal duties on tracks originally sung by Dennis DeYoung. Gowan stays true to the song’s original delivery while being unique in his own vocal style. His charisma shines throughout the entire amphitheatre.
From his spinning keyboard, contagious smile and energetic dance moves, Gowan brings a youthful energy to every Styx show. This being a hometown show for Gowan, his stage presence seemed even more amped up, feeling the love from his fellow Torontonians.
The Grande Finale closes out the album, but the night is not over yet.
From the entertaining Too Much Time On My Hands and piano-driven power ballad Lady, to the crowd-pleasing Blue Collar Man (Long Nights), Styx delivered a selection of greatest hits from their fantastic catalogue.
We also had Build And Destroy, a track from their latest studio release, Circling From Above, showcasing that they are still at the top of their game, not just on the live stage, but in the studio as well. 
The encore, which consisted of Mr. Roboto and Renegade, had everyone on their feet and singing along. From the moment Shaw sang the opening line, “Oh Mama, I’m in fear for my life from the long arm of the law”, the amphitheatre was filled with cheers.
Renegade was the perfect way to end the night. 
The Brotherhood of Rock Tour is an incredible night of live music that will have you singing along to every song, and you do not want to miss it.
