The Exchange Club of Naperville’s Ribfest has a new home in Romeoville this July
REO Speedwagon and Styx, two classic rock bands, are the inaugural acts for the Club’s new outdoor venue in Romeoville, Illinois. Long favorites of Ribfest fans, with multiple appearances over the years, the two bands will perform on the same night, Thursday, July 2 on the Navistar Main Stage.
ABOUT REO SPEEDWAGON
Formed in 1967, signed in 1971, and fronted by iconic vocalist Kevin Cronin since 1972, REO Speedwagon’s unrelenting drive, as well as non-stop touring and recording jump-started the burgeoning rock movement in the Midwest. Platinum albums and radio staples soon followed, setting the stage for the release of the band’s explosive Hi Infidelity in 1980, which contained the massive hit singles “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It On the Run.” That landmark album spent 15 weeks in the No. 1 slot and has since earned the RIAA’s coveted 10X Diamond Award for surpassing sales of 10 million units in the United States. Today, REO Speedwagon has sold more than 40 million albums around the globe, and Cronin and bandmates Bruce Hall (bass), Neal Doughty (keyboards), Dave Amato (guitar), and Bryan Hitt (drums) are still electrifying audiences worldwide in concert with hits and fan-favorites such as “In Your Letter,” “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Time For Me To Fly,” “Roll With The Changes,” the aforementioned “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It On the Run,” and many, many more.
ABOUT STYX
The six men comprising Styx have committed to rocking the Paradise together with audiences far and wide by entering their second decade of averaging over 100 shows a year, and each one of them is committed to making the next show better than the last. “Every night, we go on that magic carpet ride together,” observes original bassist Chuck Panozzo, who joins the band on tour as often as he can. “The thing I always like the most is the immediate response we get when playing live,” adds guitarist and vocalist James “JY” Young, an integral force of nature in the band since its 1972 inception. I like to say we’re the best-kept secret — but perhaps we’re not anymore.” Notes guitarist, vocalist, and emotional centerpiece Tommy Shaw, “Our live show is like a religious experience where people come to commune and testify. We have a pretty sophisticated audience, and we really respect that. We didn’t used to have people who would come see every show, but now they’re coming back again and again for more. And we owe it to our fans to continually rehearse, prepare, and improve.”
Tickets go on sale to the public December 19. For more information, visit ribfest.net.
