Kansas, Meijer Gardens Amphitheatre, Grand Rapids Michigan, August 8, 2024

With a sell-out crowd in front of them, a nostalgic vibe in the air and their last album of new music (late career highlight The Absence of Presence) released back in 2020, you could argue that all Kansas really had to do last night was show up, then conjure their heyday by playing their hits. And they did that, with drive and enthusiasm to spare. But thankfully, they also did much more, delving deep into their catalog to unearth the sturdy foundation of their mid-Seventies success.

In this age of long-running rock bands morphing into ongoing franchises, you could also try to litigate the “but is this really Kansas?” question. After all, only one original member (fluid, piratical-looking guitarist Rich Williams) was onstage last night, and (gasp) three of the current members hail from New Jersey!

But let’s acknowledge that time marches on. Founding drummer Phil Ehart continues to recover from a major heart attack, but his protegé Eric Holmquist filled the drum throne with confidence; he has Ehart’s taut grooves, twisty rhythms and spectacular licks down cold, with plenty of power undergirding the finesse. Longtime bassist/singer Billy Greer was back after an extended leave, looking and sounding great as he anchored the low end, tackling the late Robbie Steinhardt’s vocal parts and revving up the crowd with genial banter. After eight years as Kansas’ lead vocalist, Ronnie Platt consistently rose to the occasion, following the trail Steve Walsh’s legendary performances blazed with both the midrange power and the high-end acrobatics required. And those guys from New Jersey? Keyboardist/musical director Tom Brislin locked in with Holmquist to propel the music with pulverizing organ and fluent piano and synths, while Joe Deninzon on violin (plus a little guitar) and Zak Rizvi on guitar went to town — ranting and raving, bearing down with crunchy power chords, firing up hard rock riffs (often played face-to-face or back-to-back, just like old times).

All night, Kansas’ playing was spectacular; their intricate instrumental weave ebbed and flowed through the music’s symphonic paces, whether earlier tunes like “Icarus”, “Song for America” and “Can I Tell You” or deep tracks from the chart-topping years “Paradox” and “Miracles Out of Nowhere”. Performed as a tribute to Steinhardt, the early southern rock of “Down the Road” smoked and sizzled, with Deninzon getting his Charlie Daniels on with a scorching fiddle break. And of course the hits were present, correct and eagerly welcomed; “Dust in the Wind” (to my knowledge, one of only two US Top Ten singles based on Ecclesiastes – and definitely the most depressing) “Hold On” (one of songwriter Kerry Livgren’s earliest born-again altar calls) and inevitable encore “Carry On Wayward Son” (complete with five-part harmony, maniacal Brislin organ and piercingly precise Williams guitar) brought on lit-up cell phones and bellowed singalongs galore.

Fifty years ago, if you’d told me I’d be sitting on a hill watching a young couple in front of me swaying to a song about Albert Einstein — “Portrait (He Knew)”, in case you were wondering — I’m not sure I would have believed you. But even though last night’s weather was about as perfect as you can imagine, the current edition of Kansas whipped up an unstoppable musical storm that pulled their eager audience into that kind of a vortex. Classical gas, prog rock, heavy metal, folky balladry, lyrics about seeking and occasionally finding – it was all there, and it all worked to near-perfection. If you caught Kansas back then, they’ll still take you there effortlessly; if you’ve discovered them since then, they won’t disappoint.

— Rick Krueger

Setlist:

• Point of Know Return
• What’s on My Mind
• Fight Fire with Fire
• Icarus – Borne on Wings of Steel
• Paradox
• Throwing Mountains
• Dust in the Wind
• Song for America
• Can I Tell You
• Hold On
• Down the Road
• Portrait (He Knew)
• The Wall
• Miracles Out of Nowhere
• Carry On Wayward Son