Kansas

KANSAS

The Stiefel Theatre

Salina, KS

© Lydia Lowe 10/05/2012

Kansas. . . When you say the word Kansas it makes you think of a flat piece of land in the middle of the United States.  Until a garage band from Topeka Kansas emerged onto the national stage with the name- Kansas.  Suddenly, Kansas was cool.  The band is still around and they still sound incredible.

One of the things that I love about bands from the ‘70’s is that they are all about style.  There are speakers and amps crowding the stage, there’s usually a unique backdrop behind the band, there’s always a light show, usually there’s the unexpected instrument, and just great music.  This show had it all.  The backdrop featured the cover the first album, self-titled Kansas, which is also a picture of a famous painting that is in the Topeka capital building of John Brown.  The light show was like none  that I’ve seen at more recent shows, the music was fantastic, and I’ve always heard that you’ve got to have a fiddle in the band.  The unique and unexpected instrument in this band is a fiddle.

Kansas played all their hits.  There was Fight Fire with Fire, Point of No Return, Hold On, Dust in the Wind (which started out as a way to practice scales and ended up being a #1 hit) and the show closed with Carry on Wayward Son that had the entire audience on their feet.   The crowd knew every song and sang along.  What a great night, a fantastic band and wonderful music.