Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing in the 1994 NBA Finals
Photo by Manny Millan
A review of Arcade Fire's show at Madison Square Garden by the Consequence of Sound website turned up this jewel of a tidbit as lead singer Win Butler waxed on about the Houston Rockets' NBA championship run in the '90s.
The most surprising moment of the night came when Win Butler addressed the crowd of New Yorkers by pointing out his favorite part of Madison Square Garden, and then clarifying that it’s where Hakeem Olajuwon blocked a last-second shot from John Starks, a reference to the Houston Rockets’ narrow victory over the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the 1994 NBA Finals. This is not your father’s sycophantic arena rock banter. Although this piece of basketball smack talk inspired an eruption of jeers, it was immediately forgiven thanks to the overwhelming one-two punch of “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)” into “Rebellion (Lies)”.
Butler, who lived in The Woodlands at the time, was 14 — the perfect age to be a Rockets fan as the team won its first ever NBA championship. But his memory is a little faulty because Game 6 was in Houston, not New York.
As my colleague Chris Baldwin points out, when you're watching from The Woodlands, everything seems far away.
Legendary rockers Styx and Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon, will team up to co-headline the “Brotherhood of Rock” tour in 2025, which will include a stop at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands on Friday, June 6.
The large, 40-city tour will take place over three months, starting in Greenville, South Carolina on May 28, and wrapping up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 24.
In addition to Houston, the tour will go to Austin on June 4 and Dallas on August 1. It will include special guest Don Felder, former lead guitarist for the Eagles, at all dates.
Fans can expect some of the greatest rock anthems of all time, including “Renegade,” “Keep On Loving You,” “Come Sail Away,” “Can't Fight This Feeling,” and “Hotel California.”
Styx and Cronin (as part of REO Speedwagon) first toured together in 2000 and in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, coming together to form the Rock to the Rescue 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. This will mark their sixth time joining forces on the road.
2022 was the 50th anniversary of Styx's self-titled debut album, but they have yet to slow down. The band released their 17th album, Crash of the Crown, in 2021. Of course, not everyone is a fan, as this classic clip from The Simpsons illustrates.
REO Speedwagon's recording days appear to be done, with their last album coming out in 2009, but the main group of five has been together since 1989. On this tour, Cronin will be joined by REO's lead guitarist Dave Amato and drummer Bryan Hitt.
General tickets for the tour will go on sale starting on Friday, December 13 at 10 am at LiveNation.com.
Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets in the U.S. beginning on December 9 at 10 am through the Citi Entertainment program.
Styx and Kevin Cronin will be offering VIP packages via their own exclusive pre-sales beginning on Tuesday, December 10 at 10 am, as well as at LiveNation.com.
Win Butler
Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing in the 1994 NBA FinalsPhoto by Manny Millan
