One glimpse into Rachel Allen's room on campus is all it takes to determine what her favorite band is.
Her obsession with the arena rock band Styx is evident by the posters of concert photos she's taken over the years that fill the wall above her bed.
Her desk, lined with a digital Styx photo frame and an idle Styx laptop screensaver, shelves Tommy Shaw guitar picks and a Todd Suckerman drumstick she's collected from her fifth row seat at a recent concert.
She was also quick to point out the three pit row tickets for tonight's Styx show - one each for herself, her mother and aunt - neatly arranged and housed on their own shelf.
"Whoa! I can't wait," she said of the moment when she first learned several weeks ago that Styx was coming to perform at John R. Emens Auditorium. "It's like an all-time dream to me."
For the senior graphic arts management student and her mother Cheryl, Styx is more than a band - it's an experience.
Rachel admits she may not be the most vocal of Styx fans, but raising her hands up in the air and screaming at concerts is a way for her to let loose.
"Normally I'm a pretty quiet and shy person, but when it comes to Styx concerts I turn into a wild child," she said.
Rachel's love for the band began her senior year of high school when she wanted to familiarize herself with Styx for her school's marching band's Styx-themed field show.
At first Rachel had no idea what Styx was, so Cheryl bought her a greatest hits CD and found out the band would be in concert at the Elkhart County Fair for free.
Cheryl, a fan of the band when it was created in the '70s, described the shows as fan-friendly and interactive. She used to like Styx, but over the years grew out of them.
When she found out Rachel was playing their songs for marching band, she rekindled her interest, Cheryl said.
"She's just obsessed with this band, and she's got me that way too," Cheryl said.
Once inside the venue gates at her first Styx show, Rachel got an idea of what her mother was talking about.
"The moment they started playing it was like, 'Wow, these guys are awesome,'" Rachel said.
After that first concert, Rachel couldn't wait to get back to high school to start learning the instrumental versions to Styx classics. "Come Sail Away," "Renegade" and "Blue Collar Man" soon became some of her favorite songs.
"I like their music and the way they entertain the crowd. It's just amazing what they do," Rachel said.
So far Rachel has met four of the members several times. The first time she caught them walking out of their tour bus she was awestruck.
"I never got to meet anyone from a rock band before," she said. "(Keyboardist) Lawrence Gowan shook my hand and I took a photo with him, and he signed my ticket."
Since attending her first Styx show in 2005, Rachel and her mother have seen the band live in concert a total of 16 times. It is something the pair have bonded over throughout the years, Cheryl said.
For Rachel, going to Styx concerts with her mother is something they can share together and is a way to spend quality time, Rachel said.
"The second concert we went to I was really excited and screaming my head off. It was like this whole side of me that my mom had never seen before," she said.
Cheryl said she and Rachel are the two most avid Styx fans in the Allen family.
Cheryl's sister can't stand their obsession, she said, but their late mother would always let her and Rachel know about upcoming shows.
"It's the best mother and daughter thing. It keeps Rachel and I connected," Cheryl said. "It may be an expensive habit, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. To spend time with Rachel and to see her so happy, that makes me happy."
Rachel is also a member of the online Styx family and the Styx Lounge, which meets periodically to go out to eat before concerts.
Cheryl recalls waiting in below zero weather with Rachel to see Styx when a Styx lounge member flew in from Alabama to attend a concert. Despite the cold and sometimes rainy weather, Cheryl never tires of going to concerts with her daughter.
"It's been the best thing for her because she's so shy and quiet," Cheryl said. "She meets more and more people every time we go who are doing the same thing we do."
To prepare for Styx concerts, Rachel will usually wear some kind of Styx T-shirt and jeans to support the band and tries to listen to just Styx music all day, she said. Her personal iTunes is comprised of 16 albums and 165 songs.
She said it's hard to pick just one favorite song from one album, but said the band's "Grand Illusion" album tops her list of most played.
As for tonight's concert, Rachel said she is looking forward to pit row seats and being up close and personal.
"I know they don't have a lot of time to answer questions because they have to hurry up and get to the next town for the next concert," she said. "But I'll definitely try to get another photo with the band."
During her off-hours between classes and marching practice, she plans to stake out a spot near the band's trailer to catch an impromptu autograph.
She has never gotten to go backstage before, but as an avid fan, she said it is one of her ultimate goals.
"I almost don't know what my reaction would be," she said. "It would probably involve screaming."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
