REO Speedwagon have played their final show as REO Speedwagon, although the band will continue under the name of their founding frontman, Kevin Cronin. Their final show, at the 1800-capacity Venetian Theatre in Las Vegas, NV, ended with Cronin thanking fans and paying tribute to those involved in the band's 57-year history.
"My chance meeting with Gary Richrath back in 1972 took me from the clubs of the folk scene of Chicago to the greatest venues of the world," said Cronin. "Red Rocks in Colorado. The Los Angeles Forum. The Budokan Arena in Tokyo. Madison Square Garden. The Chicago Stadium. The Houston Astrodome. The New Orleans Superdome on back-to-back nights. Here, in the Venetian Theater, doing this amazing show with you guys.
"It has been amazing. It has also allowed me an astounding recording career with a with a 10-million-record-selling High Infidelity and a truckload of other songs that you all have taken into your hearts and made them your own.
"And I love that so much. It makes me feel so good so, I thank you for that. Without you and the entire REO fan family there's no way any of my rock'n'roll dreams would have come true, and so that, my friends will never change."
Cronin goes on to thank the band's management – past and present – as well as crew, families and fans, before paying tribute to the other members of the band.
"I want to pay tribute to the co-founders and only real original members of REO Speedwagon, Alan Gratzer and Neil Doughty," he said. "Plus, the other original members of the band, Gregg Philbin and Terry Latrell, and of course my close partner in crime, in art, in everything, the late great Gary Richrath. Plus with the additions of Mike Murphy, Bruce Hall and 35-year veterans Dave Amato and Brian Hit.
"We couldn't have done it without any of those guys, so I feel sadness that this is the final REO Speedwagon concert and at the same time I feel grateful to have been part of this incredible ride we've all been brothers on, this amazing musical journey called REO Speedwagon, and I wish you all nothing but the best, and when I say 'you' I mean everyone who's been part of this band part of our crew and part of the REO Speedwagon fan family.
"The REO Speedwagon name is being retired tonight, but the music, the spirit, the songs of REO Speedwagon will live on with this band and with me under the name Kevin Cronin. We hope you join us on that adventure."
REO Speedwagon's final shows have played out a background of public animosity, with "irreconcilable differences" between frontman Kevin Cronin and Bruce Hall forcing the bassist to sit out this year's shows.
Hall, who joined REO Speedwagon in 1977 in time to play on the band's breakthrough album You Can Tune A Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish, had hoped to return to the stage after recuperating from back surgery, but was replaced on the final tour by session drummer Matt Bissonette.
The band formerly known as REO Speedwagon will hit the road with Styx and former Eagles guitarist Don Felder on the Brotherhood Of Rock tour next year. Full dates below.
Styx, Kevin Cronin and Don Felder: Brotherhood Of Rock tour 2025
May 28: Greenville Bon Secours Wellness Arena, SC
May 31: Tampa MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, FL
Jun 02: Jacksonville Daily's Place, FL
Jun 04: Austin Germania Insurance Amphitheater, TX
Jun 06: The Woodlands Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, TX
Jun 07: Ridgedale Thunder Ridge Nature Arena, MO
Jun 09: Denver Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre, CO
Jun 11: Salt Lake City Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre, UT
Jun 13: Concord Toyota Pavilion at Concord, CA
Jun 14: Bend Hayden Homes Amphitheater, OR
Jun 15: Ridgefield Inn Style Resort Amphitheater, WA
Jun 28: Albuquerque Isleta Amphitheatre, NM
Jun 30: Colorado Springs Ford Amphitheatre, CO
Jul 02: Kansas City Starlight Theatre, MO
Jul 05: Birmingham Coca-Cola Amphitheatre, AL
Jul 06: Alpharetta Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, GA
Jul 08: Charlotte PNC Music Pavilion, NC
Jul 09: Raleigh Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, NC
Jul 11: Virginia Beach Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, VA
Jul 12: Bristow Jiffy Lube Live, VA
Jul 14: Syracuse Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater, NY
Jul 15: Bridgeport Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater, CT
Jul 18: Gilford BankNH Pavilion, NH
Jul 19: Mansfield Xfinity Center, MA
Jul 20: Holmdel Bank Arts Center, NJ
Aug 01: Dallas Dos Equis Pavilion, TX
Aug 02: Brandon Brandon Amphitheater, MS
Aug 04: Franklin FirstBank Amphitheater, TX
Aug 06: Richmond Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront, VA
Aug 08: Camden Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, NJ
Aug 10: Burgettstown The Pavilion at Star Lake, PA
Aug 12: Saratoga Springs Broadview Stage at SPAC, NY
Aug 13: Toronto Budweiser Stage, ON
Aug 15: Noblesville Ruoff Music Center, IN
Aug 16: Clarkston Pine Knob Music Theatre, MI
Aug 19: Cincinnati Riverbend Music Center, OH
Aug 20: Cuyahoga Falls Blossom Music Center, OH
Aug 22: Maryland Heights Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, MO
Aug 23: Tinley Park Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, IL
Aug 24: Milwaukee American Family Insurance Amphitheater, WI
