Boston/Styx
Back in high school during the 90s, we used to ride around in a sweet old red Fiero listening to classic-rock mix discs. Boston was a stapleparticularly on the CD mix of songs all over seven minutes in length; that meant Foreplay (Long Time), of course. I loved every minute (or all seven minutes). Oh, the shame. Once I discovered indie rock, I shoved my Boston crush under the bed like a middle-school diary. But lately Ive learned that, notwithstanding the 17 million copies of their debut album Boston sold by Epic Records (boo, corporate, etc.), Tom Scholz was as indie as they came back in 1976. He wrote his own songs, including FM megahit More Than a Feeling, and, being an MIT grad student, recorded most of the tracks himself in a home studio. So lay off, you haters and hiptards! My love for Boston is not ironic, not like your too-tight vintage T-shirts. Today, the bands (undeserved) bad rep should serve as a cautionary tale to young groups being courted by major labels. Not only did Epic mess with Bostons lineup to include a passel of traitorous, Mike Huckabeesupporting vipers, but the label changed its original name from Mothers Milk, a perfectly awesome 70s hair-band name. Sadly, singer Brad Delp committed suicide last spring, but Boston lives on, with vocal duties now filled by Michael Sweet. Styx opens. Yes, Styx. Dont even get me started. Marymoor Park, 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Pkwy. N.E., 281-8111, www.concertsatmarymoor.com. $49.50$79.50. 6:30 p.m. SARA BRICKNER
Thu., July 10, 6:30 p.m., 2008
