[Heeplist] [NHC] Kansas

[Thaddeus Komorowski]

I saw them last month in Lockport, NY and in April in Allegany. A
great live band. So glad the 40th went off well. Kudos on a nice
write-up.

On 8/18/13, Dave Crookham <crookham at peoplepc.com> wrote:
> A few people were interested in the Kansas 40th anniversary show, so I'll
> give my take on it. First - just WOW! One of the most magical live music
> experiences I've ever had. Most Kansas concerts I've been to previously
> lasted about 90 minutes. This one ran an incredible 3 1/2 hours. 15 minutes
>
> of that was an intermission where Phil Ehart emceed and gave away signed
> memorabilia to some lucky seat holders. They also showed best wishes from
> some other groups and celebrities(Styx, BOC, Heart, John Corbett, Steve
> Morse, Tony LaRussa and Gary Sinise among them). They also showed a trailer
>
> from a Kansas documentary coming out next year, and brought Robby
> Steinhardt's daughter onstage since he was unable to attend and play with
> the group since suffereing a heart attack and having quadruple bypass
> surgery last weekend. Ehart says he is doing well.
>
>
>
> I've seen Kansas several times, and this was by far the best. Walsh's voice
>
> is still shot, but it wasn't as painful sounding as some past shows I've
> seen. The first set was with the Pittsburgh River Symphony. I was expecting
>
> a small group of players, but there had to be around 80 symphony members.
> They and Kansas were both incredibly tight. It's amazing how complex their
> sound is with just keyboards, bass, drums, violin and just 1 guitar for the
>
> most part. Rich Williams is highly underated on guitar, and Phil Ehart is
> still a total beast on drums. I included the set list below so you can get
> an idea what was going on. The only song I really wished they had played and
>
> didn't was "Child Of Innocence".
>
>
>
> This is the first time I think I've actually seen the band, having
> previously seen them before and after he was in the band the first time, but
>
> not during. He is every bit as good on violin and probably better than
> Steinhardt. Where Robbie is really missed is that he was always the front
> man during the shows. Other than Ehart's intermission duties the band spoke
>
> very little, other than a thank you for applause after many numbers. Steve
> Walsh is notoriously shy and spends his time at the back of the stage near
> the drums playing keys and singing. Billy Greer did do some speaking between
>
> songs, but mostly just to introduce Dave Hope and Kerry Livgren when they
> came out to play.
>
>
>
> Dave Hope is now an anglican minister, and actually came out and played with
>
> his collar on. He seems to be a big personality, and interracted a lot with
>
> the front of the audience while he was on stage.
>
>
>
> Kerry Livgren is an amazing man. He suffered a massive stroke in 2009 that
> probably should have killed him, and was told at the time he would probably
>
> never totally recover his speech or be able to play music again much less
> walk. The last I had read, I thought he still wasn't able to play guitar and
>
> just expected him to play keys. Instead, he came out with his guitar, and
> even flawlessly knocked out the solo on "Carry On Wayward Son". Miracles Out
>
> of Nowhere indeed!
>
> The whole night just totally exceeded expectations. I sure hope they
> recorded it.
>
>
>
>
>
> SET ONE
>
> Instrumental
>
> Belexes
>
> Point of Know Return
>
> Song for America
>
> On the Other Side
>
> Nobody's Home
>
> Hold On (with Kerry Livgren)
>
> Dust in the Wind
>
> Rainmaker
>
> Cheyenne Anthem (Greer vocal)
>
> The Wall (with Hope on bass and Livgren on keys)
>
>
>
> SET TWO
>
> Paradox
>
> Can I Tell You
>
> Journey from Mariabronn
>
> Icarus II
>
> Icarus -- Borne on Wings of Steel
>
> Down the Road
>
> Magnum Opus
>
> Miracles Out of Nowhere (with Hope)
>
>
>
> ENCORE
>
> Lonely Wind
>
> He Knew
>
> Fight Fire with Fire
>
> Carry On Wayward Son (with Livgren)
>
>
>
>
>
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