REO Speedwagon’s Neal Doughty reflects on tour with Styx & Loverboy, Live Nation’s $25 ticket promotion

REO Speedwagon’s Neal Doughty reflects on tour with Styx & Loverboy, Live Nation’s  ticket promotion
Courtesy of Live Nation

On Wednesday, Live Nation launched its 2022 Concert Week promotion, which offers $25 tickets to shows by more than 200 artists taking place across North American throughout the summer.

In total, over 3,700 concerts will be discounted as part of the promotion, which runs through Tuesday, May 10. Among the many participating tours is REO Speedwagon, Styx and Loverboy‘s Live & UnZoomed package trek, which kicks off May 31 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Founding REO Speedwagon keyboardist Neal Doughty says he and his band mates are excited to be returning to full-scale touring following two years where the number of shows they played was reduced because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re thrilled that live music is back, of course, because that’s our entire life,” he tells ABC Audio. “But we just want to really let people know that, hey, come out of your house, it’s safe now. Live music is back and Live Nation is gonna kick-start the whole thing.”

Doughty notes that REO and Styx have toured many times together many times over the years, and the two bands really complement each other.

“[I]t just really works well,” Neal maintains. “Like our manager says, ‘One plus one equals three when it’s Styx and REO.’ And then, of course, you put somebody like Loverboy on the show, and who would not go to a show like that? I don’t know.”

Doughty also points out that his band and Styx both deliver a balanced show that offers up “the right mix between the love songs and the hard-rock songs.”

The Live & UnZoomed tour is mapped out through a September 18 concert in Bangor, Maine.

For full details about the Concert Week promotion, including a list of participating artists and venues, visit LiveNation.com/ConcertWeek.

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