Jerry Harrison. Photo by Michael Weintrob

Talking Heads keys player and guitarist Jerry Harrison is on tour with guitarist Adrian Belew. Their Portland stop is Thursday at the State Theatre.

Both musicians earned legend status decades ago.

Belew spent several years as a member of King Crimson and has recorded, performed and toured with an all-star roster of acts that includes David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Nine Inch Nails, Tori Amos, Paul Simon and Cyndi Lauper. His solo discography is 20 albums strong.

Belew was also an integral part of Talking Heads’ 1980 album “Remain in Light” and played synthesizers and guitars on four of its tracks, including “Crosseyed and Painless.”

Harrison, who got his start as a member of The Modern Lovers, is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee with the Talking Heads and winner of a Lifetime Achievement Grammy.

Along with eight Talking Heads albums, Harrison has released three solo albums and was the producer of several huge albums, including Live’s “Throwing Copper” and  No Doubt’s “Return of Saturn.”

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Harrison, a Wisconsin native living in the San Francisco area, said during an interview that, for these shows, his keyboards are a Nord Stage 3 and a Prophet 5. “Because I’m singing, it’s important to not have one of those gigantic racks of keyboards, so I have a custom stand to make it as svelte as possible.” Harrison will also play guitar on about half of the songs.

With the accompaniment of the band Cool Cool Cool, Harrison and Belew will be performing Talking Heads classics like “Once In A Lifetime,” “Take Me to the River” and “Psycho Killer.”

Harrison said that three members of Cool Cool Cool will be taking lead vocals on some of the songs. “The concept is that no one is attempting to be David Byrne.”

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Talking Heads’ critically acclaimed concert film “Stop Making Sense,” and the original four members (Byrne, Harrison, Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz) have made a handful of public appearances to talk about it, including on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon in June.

The Talking Heads’ last concert was in 1984, and they disbanded in 1991. The new wave band’s discography includes eight studio albums, three live ones and multiple compilations.

Harrison is open to playing a reunion show.

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“I certainly think all of the time we’ve spent together promoting ‘Stop Making Sense’ has made the idea of it far more possible,” he said. “Basically, I think it’s up to David. I don’t think he would want to do it just for the money, but if he could find another reason.” Ultimately, though, Harrison is skeptical. “Put it this way, I’m not holding my breath.”

But for now, fans can hear Talking Heads songs played by an original member and significant contributor at Harrison and Belew’s show, which Harrison said is a high-energy experience. “We try to keep people dancing, it’s an upbeat show.”

Harrison said his favorite part of the show is playing the “Remain in Light” track “The Great Curve” because the only time that song was part of Talking Heads live repertoire was on that album’s tour. “All of the other songs I played on multiple Talking Heads tours, so this is something really special.” Harrison also said that Belew’s guitar solo of the song is remarkable.

Jerry Harrison & Adrian Belew: Remain In Light with Cool Cool Cool
8 p.m. Thursday. State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland, $37 in advance, $41 day of show. statetheatreportland.com

Styx. Left to right Todd Sucherman, Lawrence Gowan, Chuck Panozzo, James “JY” Young, Tommy Shaw, Terry Gowan and Will Evankovich. Photo by Jason Powell

Classic rock fans have cause to celebrate: The Renegades & Juke Box Heroes tour featuring Styx and Foreigner, with opener John Waite, comes to Bangor on Saturday.

The co-headliners’ hit songs tattooed Billboard charts of the ’70s and ’80s, and British singer John Waite’s single “Missing You,” released 40 years ago, reached the No. 1 spot on the Rock Tracks and Hot 100 charts.

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On any given day on classic rock stations, listeners might hear Foreigner’s “Jukebox Hero,” “Urgent,” and “Cold as Ice.” The same goes for Styx with “Renegade,” “Come Sail Away” and “Too Much Time On My Hands.”

You’ll hear all of them and more in Bangor.

Vocalist and keys player Lawrence Gowan has been a member of Styx since original singer Dennis DeYoung left the band in 1999. The Scotland-born Canadian said that the shows are drawing a variety of fans.

“From the stage, I see that half the audience is comprised of people who have been there right from the beginning, and the other half weren’t even born when the biggest records of the classic rock era were forged.” Seeing the younger fans pleases Gowan. “They have embraced this music to a degree that’s really as if it’s entirely concurrent with their own lives.”

While the Styx set does contain the title track of the band’s 2021 album “Crash Of The Crown,” fans will predominantly hear the hits. Gowan said that Styx knows they’re playing to Foreigner devotees who may have never seen them before (and vice-versa). “So you want to make this a buffet of the biggest songs that the band has in their catalog, and that of course harkens back to the late ’70s and early ’80s for Styx.”

Gowan said the song that usually hits hardest, from his perspective, is the show-ending “Renegade,” which was written and is sung by Styx guitarist Tommy Shaw.

“I really get to watch the effect that the performance has had on the audience, and it’s a celebratory moment. It’s thousands of people with their arms in the air and giant smiles on their faces,” said Gowan, who identifies with the fans. “I know what that feels like to be in the audience and be completely enthralled and in a state of rapture over some piece of music that means so much to me.”

Styx & Foreigner with John Waite
6:45 p.m. Saturday. Maine Savings Amphitheater, Bangor. $44.10 to $399.95. waterfrontconcerts.com

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