Live: REO Speedwagon in Indianapolis

REO Speedwagon recently made their return to Indianapolis, playing a different venue this time. The last few years, they\’ve been playing their annual summer tour stops at Noblesville\’s Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center, but this time, they hit Indy\’s Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park for a night of nostalgia and pure rock and roll. Sister Hazel opened the show- an interest pick for a support act on this tour, but they quickly won the crowd over and it didn\’t take long for fans to get involved in the show. Before long, though REO took over and didn\’t just play the hits everyone expected. They pulled out some deep cuts and classic songs that many people hadn\’t heard in some time- \”In Your Letter,\” \”Son of a Poor Man\” and \”Golden Country\” all fit right in with classics \”Don\’t Let Him Go,\” \”Take It on the Run,\” \”Time For Me to Fly,\” \”Keep On Loving You\” and many more. \”Indianapolis!,\” exclaimed singer Kevin Cronin, \”It\’s so good to be back in Indianapolis. We\’re living proof that rock and roll will always keep you young. Of course,\” he continued, \”sometimes you have to play a love song.\” Which the band followed with \”Can\’t Stop This Feeling,\” met to a roar of excitement, cheering and slow dancing from the near-sold out crowd. Cronin then introduced the rest of the band and talked about how guitarist Dave Amato joined REO in 1989. \”By my calculations,\” Cronin continued, \”that means he\’s still the new guy!,\” which the crowd erupted in laughter about. \”If the new guy has been in the band 30 years, we must be doing something right!,\” said Cronin, who went on to discuss how Amato filled in original guitarist Gary Richrath\’s shoes and how they still miss Richrath to this day. Exclusive photos from the show: