Sometimes breakups in rock and roll can be as permanent as Van Halen lead singers. But back in late 2024 REO Speedwagon was calling it quits because Kevin Cronin and Bruce Hall couldn’t get on the same page. One day it was “irreconcilable differences”, the next it would be “back surgery”. We thought the Wagon had finally rolled into the garage for good.
The wheels have fallen off REO Speedwagon https://t.co/lAq1hSG6Zc pic.twitter.com/vHFDU4QQ55
— The A.V. Club (@TheAVClub) September 18, 2024
Well, surprise! The boys just proved they can’t stop loving each other. Over the weekend in Peoria, Kevin Cronin stepped back on stage with alumni Bruce Hall, Neal Doughty, and Alan Gratzer for a tribute show honoring the late, great Gary Richrath.
Now, if you’re keeping score at home, that’s two reunions in less than a year since they “retired.” First, they hit the field at the University of Illinois back in September, and now this tribute at a private gig. It’s starting to feel like that one couple we all know who breaks up every Friday night just to get back together by the end of the weekend.
Look, as a fan, you love to see it. There’s a certain magic when Cronin and Hall are sharing a mic, and clearly, the pull of those classic songs are stronger than any legal paperwork about touring profit share.
Whether this leads to a full-blown tour or just more “one-off” surprises, it’s clear the Speedwagon still has plenty of gas in the tank.
