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REO Speedwagon perform with the Marching Illini at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois,. | Credit: Marching Illini
The ice has thawed. At the weekend, the four surviving members of REO Speedwagon‘s classic 1977-1988 lineup finally reunited.
The four musicians – frontman Kevin Cronin, keyboardist Neal Doughty, bassist Bruce Hall and drummer Alan Gratzer – appeared together at halftime during the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s home college football game against the University of Southern California Trojans. It was the quartet’s first show together since Gratzer retired in 1988.
“Hi, everybody. I’m Kevin,” Cronin told the crowd. “On behalf of Alan, Neil, Bruce, and the entire REO Speedwagon family, I want to thank the people of Illinois, the city of Champaign-Urbana, and this great university for providing a springboard for our music that launched us on a mind-blowing musical experience. Thanks, you guys.”
The band then joined the University’s 400-piece Marching Illini band for a slickly choreographed medley of three early REO Speedwagon favourites: Ridin’ the Storm Out – written by the fifth member of the classic lineup, late guitarist Gary Richrath – Roll With the Changes and 157 Riverside Avenue.
Cronin, Doughty, Hall, and Gratzer also served as Grand Marshals at the University’s homecoming parade on Friday.
Cronin, who announced last year that he’d no longer be touring under the REO Speedwagon banner due to “irreconcilable differences” with longtime bassist Hall, has admitted that going out under his own name has not been as successful as he’d hoped.
Perhaps the weekend’s activities will mark the first public step towards a full reconciliation, especially as the band’s presence spurred the home team to a narrow 34-32 victory over the Trojans, with quarterback Luke Altmyer completing 20 of 26 passes for a total of 328 yards and two touchdowns.
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