REO Speedwagon Stops in South Florida Before it was Time for Them to Fly to Puerto Rico

2023-02-13

Pompano Beach, Fl – Chamber of Commerce weather, a relatively new and fantastic venue and the smell of grilled food serve as the perfect backdrop for REO Speedwagon to bring their special breed of music to the Pompano Beach Amphitheater on February 8, 2023. On this day, REO Speedwagon, along with Levon providing support on this leg of their tour, play to a completely sold out crowd. The fact that it is a Wednesday night, and scheduled to start just as the drive time traffic is wrapping up, is no deterrent to throngs of fans that show up in numbers to see REO Speedwagon.

The opening act, Levon, out of Nashville, Tennessee, is very well received by the completely sold out crowd. Their style, unaligned with their young look, is that of a 70’s singer/songwriter/folk genre. They play a CSN song as a tribute to David Crosby and his recent passing. They also play a Fleetwood Mac cover along with their original material. It is an energetic set with some good storytelling and plain ol’ good time music. The band consists of Michael David Hall (Guitar and Vocals), Jake Singleton (Bass and Percussion and vocals) and Ryan Holladay (Guitar, Mandolin and Vocals). They do return later in the REO Speedwagon set to perform “Building the Bridge” alongside the band.

Levon has finished their set and fans eagerly await REO Speedwagon. The venue, having added 2 additional rows at the front of the fixed seating, is busting at the seams with what can be described as a great cross section of what America is today with folks from all cultures, colors and ages. The lights dim, the crowd roars and Kevin and the band break into “Don’t Let Him Go” as they begin what turns out to be a fantastic trip down memory lane for so many of the attendees.

As REO goes from song to song, one gets a feeling of just how much of an impact and contribution they have had over there 40+ year Rock n Roll career. It’s as if almost every song is a hit. They play some of their most popular songs early in their set including “Keep on Loving You”, “Keep Pushin”, “Tough Guys” and others. Kevin provides gratitude for Gary Richrath, REO’s former guitarist who passed away in 2014. He also mentions Neal Doughty, who recently announced his retirement from touring with the band, as he introduces current keyboard player, Derek Hilland. The current line up of REO Speedwagon included Kevin Cronin (Vocals, Guitar), Bruce Hall (Bass Guitar), Derek Hilland (Keyboards), Dave Amato (Lead Guitar), Bryan Hitt (Drums, Percussion).

REO Speedwagon’s set pushes on through the night and finishes strong with a two song encore of “Keep on Loving You” and just a badass performance of “Roll With The Changes”. Having completed the southeast leg of their tour, the next stop for REO Speedwagon is Puerto Rico.