flyweil2
04-18-2002, 10:19 AM
visit www.classicrockrevisited.com
Thought you all might enjoy this review.
IN CONCERT: JULY 01, 2000
YES & KANSAS
The sun beat down upon the thousands of rock fans, who had traveled to Bonner Springs, Kansas to see the Prog Rock tour of the Summer. Kansas and Yes had teamed up and were in the midst of storming across the nation. For Kansas fans, the concert was special for three reasons. First, Kansas was formed in the town of Topeka, less than an hour away from the venue. It was certainly the prodigal sons returning home. Second, was the fact that the band was touring in support of a new CD called Somewhere To Elsewhere (Magna Carta). The disc was released on July 11. This was the first chance for the fans to be able to hear the new songs. The third reason was the fact that
all of the songs on the disc were written by Kerry Livgren. Livgren
had left Kansas following the bands Audio Visions album nearly 20 years before. Kerry was responsible for the creations of the bands most famous songs, such as "Dust In The Wind" and "Carry On Wayward Son." It was rumored that Livgren would join his former band mates on stage. The atmosphere was filled with excitement.
I found Kansas' founding member, Rich Williams at the salad bar
backstage. People were shuffling in and it began to look like a high school reunion of Topeka West (where the majority of the band had attended high school). Rich introduced himself as an "esteemed traveler of the globe as well as other places!" We will be publishing an article based on a conversation we had with Williams in a future piece at Classic Rock Revisited, so be sure to stay tuned and keep checking back! After getting our fill of the meet and greet, we went out to our seats. Kansas was introduced and the place erupted as Robby led the band through "Mysteries And Mayhem". Without so much as
a pause, it became Steve Walsh's turn to take the mic, as the band ripped through a powerful rendition of "Paradox".
I was surprised to see Steinhardt take the roll of front man. Since
rejoining the band, Robby has seamed to pick up where he left off. He welcomed the crowd and said that, "If any of you don't have anything to do, and want to follow us around the country, that would be okay with us!" From the right side of the stage, I could see Kerry Livgren and his wife, Vicci. watching the show. I bristled with excitement with the thought of the possibility that the master may make a triumphant return to the show that he left so long ago. Kansas announced the new album, and introduced the epic "Icarus II". The song is a continuation of sorts of the classic "Icarus: Borne On Wings Of Steel" from the bands third album Masque. Steinhardt tied the two songs together with the classic violin passage. The crowd reaction was strong for both the new song, and the old classic! Icarus II has haunting lyrics about a W.W.II fighter pilot who guides his war damaged plane to a crash landing. He could have easily abandoned ship, but instead he sacrificed his own life in order to avoid the plane from crashing into American ground troops. This song showcases the return of Livgren's songwriting force to the band.
Other highlights of the Kansas set included the Top 40 "Hold On" done in a hybrid version of the original and the version that appeared on the symphonic Kansas album, Always, Never The Same. "Portrait (He Knew)" got the crowd rocking, as did the classic "Point Of Know Return." The highlight of the show was the encore, when Steinhardt announced, "As you know, we are close to home. We were formed in the towns of Topeka and Lawrence...just down the road. We decided to invite a close friend of ours to join us. Please welcome Kerry Livgren!" Livgren came on stage to a loud ovation. Immediately, his presence was felt as he and Williams played the intro to the bands biggest commercial hit "Dust In The Wind". It did not, however, end
there! The band entered into the Livgren penned, "Carry On Wayward Son". The home state crowd went wild. Kerry had to signal to the sound man for more volume as he ripped through the opening solo like a man possessed. Livgren's stage presence is awesome. He jumped back into the fire without missing a lick (well, he may have thought he missed a lick but trust me...it was awesome!" Williams and Livgren traded guitar leads as the song built to a might crescendo! Then, as quick as it started, it was over. The band left the stage to a mighty round of applause.
Next up was Yes. The band took the stage at twilight. Steve Howe, Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Alan White and Igor Khorsoshev sent the crowd into a Prog Rock trance right from the start. Most were in there seats taking in the sounds of the classic "Close To The Edge". The Yes faithful were doing Grateful Dead dances and singing every syllable along with Anderson. The sheer talent of these four musicians is awesome and breathtaking. Howe, while he has sheered his hair, and was dressed like a shoe salesman, left the audience star struck with his virtuosity. He does not simply play guitar. He has
mastered the instrument in a way that few human beings have ever done! The neck of his instrument is seemingly forced to obey the commands given to it by his fingers! Chris Squire is a bass players bass player. After some early technical difficulties, he settled in to a groove that was at times awe inspiring and at other times overwhelming. Igor Khorsoshev did an acceptable job on keyboards, while Allen White provided the percussion. Perhaps one of the real treats was listening to Jon Anderson sing. His vocals are just as strong as they were 30 years ago. His soothing, unique stage persona, as well as his original vocal patterns, set the mood for the day! Anderson sings his lyrics with the same intensity and passion that he had decades ago.
We were treated to a couple of gems from Fragile during the main set. "Heart Of The Sunrise" is a personal favorite of mine and the song seemed to go on forever! By this, I mean audio ecstasy was achieved. The music became timeless and the energy flowed from the stage to the people below. Anderson explained that, "When large crowds gather, Mother Earth is listening." He shared in the energy that was being created between the muses on stage and the subjects in the courtyard. "Starship Trooper" got the dazed and confused crowd
on their feet! This is simply a classic song. A couple of rare treats
were in store for the evening. The first was the 20 minute plus Gates Of Delirium. The band handled the complex musical passages with the simplicity of an average band playing "Louie Louie". One of the most amazing things about the show was the wall of sound being created by the five musicians on stage. It sounded like an orchestra. When Anderson announced the song Ritual, diehard Yes fans went into a frenzy. They were not disappointed. Howe was incredible on the solo, as was Squire when it was his turn to show that bass players do not
have to relinquish themselves to a background role! The real treat was the percussion section of the song. Squire and Igor pounded rhythms while Anderson beat on a strange type of foreign instrument. It was taller than he was and was rounded at the top. He beat on it, while White continued the onslaught on his drum kit. It was hypnotic and balanced a fine line between syncopation and insanity. The band had built an energy that radiated off the stage like a wizard casting a spell. "All Good People and "Roundabout were the expected end to a
wonderful evening of music.
Upon leaving the show, I felt that I had experienced everything that was great about Progressive Rock. Kansas had more "feel good" energy as well as a more pop oriented flavor. Yes, on the other hand, had put on a show that left the listener with an overwhelming feeling of awe. The entire band has not lost a step. The group is incredibly professional and has more talent that the entire current Top 200 Billboard chart combined!
Thought you all might enjoy this review.
IN CONCERT: JULY 01, 2000
YES & KANSAS
The sun beat down upon the thousands of rock fans, who had traveled to Bonner Springs, Kansas to see the Prog Rock tour of the Summer. Kansas and Yes had teamed up and were in the midst of storming across the nation. For Kansas fans, the concert was special for three reasons. First, Kansas was formed in the town of Topeka, less than an hour away from the venue. It was certainly the prodigal sons returning home. Second, was the fact that the band was touring in support of a new CD called Somewhere To Elsewhere (Magna Carta). The disc was released on July 11. This was the first chance for the fans to be able to hear the new songs. The third reason was the fact that
all of the songs on the disc were written by Kerry Livgren. Livgren
had left Kansas following the bands Audio Visions album nearly 20 years before. Kerry was responsible for the creations of the bands most famous songs, such as "Dust In The Wind" and "Carry On Wayward Son." It was rumored that Livgren would join his former band mates on stage. The atmosphere was filled with excitement.
I found Kansas' founding member, Rich Williams at the salad bar
backstage. People were shuffling in and it began to look like a high school reunion of Topeka West (where the majority of the band had attended high school). Rich introduced himself as an "esteemed traveler of the globe as well as other places!" We will be publishing an article based on a conversation we had with Williams in a future piece at Classic Rock Revisited, so be sure to stay tuned and keep checking back! After getting our fill of the meet and greet, we went out to our seats. Kansas was introduced and the place erupted as Robby led the band through "Mysteries And Mayhem". Without so much as
a pause, it became Steve Walsh's turn to take the mic, as the band ripped through a powerful rendition of "Paradox".
I was surprised to see Steinhardt take the roll of front man. Since
rejoining the band, Robby has seamed to pick up where he left off. He welcomed the crowd and said that, "If any of you don't have anything to do, and want to follow us around the country, that would be okay with us!" From the right side of the stage, I could see Kerry Livgren and his wife, Vicci. watching the show. I bristled with excitement with the thought of the possibility that the master may make a triumphant return to the show that he left so long ago. Kansas announced the new album, and introduced the epic "Icarus II". The song is a continuation of sorts of the classic "Icarus: Borne On Wings Of Steel" from the bands third album Masque. Steinhardt tied the two songs together with the classic violin passage. The crowd reaction was strong for both the new song, and the old classic! Icarus II has haunting lyrics about a W.W.II fighter pilot who guides his war damaged plane to a crash landing. He could have easily abandoned ship, but instead he sacrificed his own life in order to avoid the plane from crashing into American ground troops. This song showcases the return of Livgren's songwriting force to the band.
Other highlights of the Kansas set included the Top 40 "Hold On" done in a hybrid version of the original and the version that appeared on the symphonic Kansas album, Always, Never The Same. "Portrait (He Knew)" got the crowd rocking, as did the classic "Point Of Know Return." The highlight of the show was the encore, when Steinhardt announced, "As you know, we are close to home. We were formed in the towns of Topeka and Lawrence...just down the road. We decided to invite a close friend of ours to join us. Please welcome Kerry Livgren!" Livgren came on stage to a loud ovation. Immediately, his presence was felt as he and Williams played the intro to the bands biggest commercial hit "Dust In The Wind". It did not, however, end
there! The band entered into the Livgren penned, "Carry On Wayward Son". The home state crowd went wild. Kerry had to signal to the sound man for more volume as he ripped through the opening solo like a man possessed. Livgren's stage presence is awesome. He jumped back into the fire without missing a lick (well, he may have thought he missed a lick but trust me...it was awesome!" Williams and Livgren traded guitar leads as the song built to a might crescendo! Then, as quick as it started, it was over. The band left the stage to a mighty round of applause.
Next up was Yes. The band took the stage at twilight. Steve Howe, Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Alan White and Igor Khorsoshev sent the crowd into a Prog Rock trance right from the start. Most were in there seats taking in the sounds of the classic "Close To The Edge". The Yes faithful were doing Grateful Dead dances and singing every syllable along with Anderson. The sheer talent of these four musicians is awesome and breathtaking. Howe, while he has sheered his hair, and was dressed like a shoe salesman, left the audience star struck with his virtuosity. He does not simply play guitar. He has
mastered the instrument in a way that few human beings have ever done! The neck of his instrument is seemingly forced to obey the commands given to it by his fingers! Chris Squire is a bass players bass player. After some early technical difficulties, he settled in to a groove that was at times awe inspiring and at other times overwhelming. Igor Khorsoshev did an acceptable job on keyboards, while Allen White provided the percussion. Perhaps one of the real treats was listening to Jon Anderson sing. His vocals are just as strong as they were 30 years ago. His soothing, unique stage persona, as well as his original vocal patterns, set the mood for the day! Anderson sings his lyrics with the same intensity and passion that he had decades ago.
We were treated to a couple of gems from Fragile during the main set. "Heart Of The Sunrise" is a personal favorite of mine and the song seemed to go on forever! By this, I mean audio ecstasy was achieved. The music became timeless and the energy flowed from the stage to the people below. Anderson explained that, "When large crowds gather, Mother Earth is listening." He shared in the energy that was being created between the muses on stage and the subjects in the courtyard. "Starship Trooper" got the dazed and confused crowd
on their feet! This is simply a classic song. A couple of rare treats
were in store for the evening. The first was the 20 minute plus Gates Of Delirium. The band handled the complex musical passages with the simplicity of an average band playing "Louie Louie". One of the most amazing things about the show was the wall of sound being created by the five musicians on stage. It sounded like an orchestra. When Anderson announced the song Ritual, diehard Yes fans went into a frenzy. They were not disappointed. Howe was incredible on the solo, as was Squire when it was his turn to show that bass players do not
have to relinquish themselves to a background role! The real treat was the percussion section of the song. Squire and Igor pounded rhythms while Anderson beat on a strange type of foreign instrument. It was taller than he was and was rounded at the top. He beat on it, while White continued the onslaught on his drum kit. It was hypnotic and balanced a fine line between syncopation and insanity. The band had built an energy that radiated off the stage like a wizard casting a spell. "All Good People and "Roundabout were the expected end to a
wonderful evening of music.
Upon leaving the show, I felt that I had experienced everything that was great about Progressive Rock. Kansas had more "feel good" energy as well as a more pop oriented flavor. Yes, on the other hand, had put on a show that left the listener with an overwhelming feeling of awe. The entire band has not lost a step. The group is incredibly professional and has more talent that the entire current Top 200 Billboard chart combined!