REO Speedwagon bassist Bruce Hall recently spoke about the possibility of a band reunion during an interview featured on Harmless Dave. He addressed whether the group might come together again after their joint performance in September.
Hall explained that the members reunited for a University of Illinois halftime show that month, performing with the marching band—a moment that prompted conversations among the remaining members about putting together a true farewell tour for longtime fans.
“So, anyway, University of Illinois, then that went over really well, that show. And they invited us to come back in September to play at the halftime show,” Hall said. “We got to play with the marching band which was so much fun. It was cool. I mean, we’ve never done anything like that before in our whole career.”
The strong response to the performance encouraged further discussion about a more organized reunion. Hall noted that the band had not been together as a full lineup in many years, making the moment meaningful for everyone involved.
“And Kevin made it for that. So, he came back and we kind of got along,” Hall continued. “It was nice to be back together. And that kind of got everybody thinking, well, Alan especially and myself and well, Neil was kind of retired. Alan hadn’t been in the band for 30 years, but we were thinking, wouldn’t it be nice to go out and say goodbye to the fans the proper way, the right way, and give them closure and give us some closure, too.”
Still, Hall admitted that the future of a reunion remains unclear, largely because it has been difficult to gain Kevin Cronin’s full commitment.
“I can’t seem to get Kevin’s answer to it,” Hall said. “I don’t know what to say about it. I mean, I’m not sure if it’ll work or if it’s going to happen or not, but I think the fans deserve it. I would love to see them, you know, just it does with the work we put together and the years we were out there and just to have it fall apart at the end, it feels like we just drove it off a cliff. I would like to be able to go off and at least say thank you to everybody.”
The September 2025 gathering at the University of Illinois holds major significance for the iconic rock group. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, the halftime show on September 27, 2025, was the first time all four members of the classic lineup—Kevin Cronin, Bruce Hall, Neal Doughty, and Alan Gratzer—had performed together since December 31, 1988.
This nearly 40-year span made the reunion with the Marching Illini especially emotional. Its timing also carried added weight given events over the past few years. Consequence reported that in September 2024, REO Speedwagon confirmed they would stop touring due to “irreconcilable differences” between Cronin and Hall, along with Hall’s back surgery and Doughty’s retirement from touring. Their December 21, 2024, show in Las Vegas had been announced as their final performance under the REO Speedwagon name, which made the 2025 reunion appearance even more surprising.
Despite the successful event, tensions among members have continued. AXS noted that earlier in 2025, a retrospective concert in Champaign featured Hall, Doughty, Gratzer, and other past members, but Cronin did not participate because he was already committed to his “Brotherhood of Rock” tour with Styx and Don Felder. These scheduling conflicts and past disagreements illustrate the challenges of arranging a complete reunion.
Looking ahead, the future of a full REO Speedwagon reunion remains unresolved. Although the University of Illinois performance showed that the classic lineup can still share the stage, no official plans for a reunion tour or additional shows have been confirmed. Hall’s latest comments indicate his desire to offer fans the closure they deserve, but Cronin’s uncertainty continues to be the main hurdle.
