Kevin's Watch

In all the 14 pages here, there is no thread for Kansas. That's just not right. So, to get things started, I thought you guys might appreciate this fan clip for their (IMO) best song: Icarus.

(The Sunshine thread in the Flicks forum got me thinking about it.)

Any other Kansas fans on the Watch? They've got a lot of great songs which were never on the radio. Check out their DVD for a great performance from the 2002 tour (I think), Device, Voice, Drum.

Growing up I played this record so much I destroyed it.

Leftoverture is great. I love Magnum Opus.

Masque is almost as good. Possibly its equal.

They still play well, and have great vocal harmonies. Until I saw them perform live, I didn't realize how well they pull those off. I thought most of the studio harmonies were overdubs from the lead singer.

I saw then in '03 opening for Styx, and it was the 2nd or 3rd show for them, so they were a bit rough on the first song or two, but after that, they were great. I even got the violinist to sign my ticket stu, because he was wondering around before the show right in front of where I was sitting.

Leftoverture was one of the first albums I owned that wasn't a children's album. Or a soundtrack, for that matter. I haven't listened to it for years, and now it sounding really good again. I always thought Point of No Return was pretty good too, but strangely Vinyl Confessions was one of my favorites (second to Leftoverture). Now I read on wikipedia that it was when they got all Christ-y. I never noticed it. And Kansas was the second concert I ever went to see, with a friend of mine at the Kansas State Fair. And they were promoting Vinyl Confessions, which probably explains why I liked that one so much.

saw the Leftoverture tour. not too shabby.

As a very young child (<4), I thought the song was "Dustin the Wind." It's a nickname I hear to this day whenever I visit the extended family. Apparently, I liked the song so much that my mom snuck me into a concert. Austin in '81 or '82.

omg thats sooooo cute!! dustin the wind!!! i love that!!! kids!

Syl, I sang "Dustin the Wind" for my karaoke selection at Cag's house last summer.

"Leftoverture" was one of my all-time fave albums. Now I have "Best of Kansas" on CD. I should look for "Leftoverture" on CD, hmm...

dAN -- Styx *and* Kansas on the same bill? That must have been an awesome concert!

Pretty sure I saw the same show as dAN, only in West Palm Beach instead of Tampa. I thought I saw REO Speedwagon on the same bill, but any write-ups I am finding on the web about the show says it was John Waite...

hmm...

Anyway, I remember not being impressed with any of them, but as dAN says, it was towards the very beginning of the tour...

Menolly wrote:Pretty sure I saw the same show as dAN, only in West Palm Beach instead of Tampa. I thought I saw REO Speedwagon on the same bill, but any write-ups I am finding on the web about the show says it was John Waite...

John Waite opened in Tampa; I'd have shown up late if the opener was REO Speedwagon....

I must have seen the same tour. Seems like 2002 or 2003. Kansas opened for Styx, and it seemed like someone opened before those two. The DVD I mentioned was from the same time period, but they didn't play nearly as many songs at the concert I saw. Also, the lead vocals were much better in person. On the DVD, there are some parts that sound like a chicken bone stuck in his throat . . . but it could just be some funky effect on his voice. The bassist could really sing--perhaps better than any of them. He did lots of backing vocals, but then they let him sing the "Indian children" part during Cheyenne Anthem (one of my favorites) that just sends chills down my spine. I've always thought that part sounded a little too cheesy, but with the bassist doing that one standalone vocal part (the only one they allowed him), he put a lot of feeling into that part which was sorely needed, considering the subject matter.

There is one part of the DVD which has an Animusic video, in sync with the live music. That freaked me out the first time I saw it. I'd never seen Animusic before, and when I realized that this crazy computer-generated monstrosity was actually depicting each individual note of each instrument, down to the laser beams for the violin, I had to buy the Animusic DVD, too.
www.animusic.com/

Great classic clip. Check out the comments about the drummer's enthusiasm.
link

Kansas is an absolutely epic band for which I have tons of respect. My favorite albums by them are Masque, Leftoverture, Point Of Know Return, Vinyl Confessions, and In The Spirit Of Things.

I finally saw them live in June 2013. It was vocalist/keyboardist Steve Walsh, guitarist Rich Williams, drummer Phil Ehart, bassist/vocalist Billy Greer, and violinist/guitarist David Ragsdale. They sounded really impressive!

For me, the highlights of the show were when they did "Mysteries and Mayhem", "The Pinnacle", "Miracles Out of Nowhere" and "Portrait (He Knew)".

Normally, seeing a concert in the Arizona summer means going down to one of the sweltering desert metropolises for an indoor show. But, as luck would have it, Kansas played an outdoor concert among pine trees and gentle mountain breezes near Show Low, Arizona. I thought such an atmosphere enhanced their music!

Kansas has so many solid original compositions, that it's not easy for me to choose which one to feature.
So, I'll sidestep that decision by posting a link to their cover of J.J. Cale's "Bringin' It Back". A lot about what makes this band great is right here on this early recording.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6FZBnX8e_w

MIRACLES OUT OF NOWHERE
(Written by Kerry Livgren)

On a crystal morning I can see the dewdrops falling
Down from a gleaming heaven, I can hear the voices call
When you comin' home now, son, the world is not for you
Tell me what's your point of view

Hey there Mister Madman, what'cha know that I don't know
Tell me some crazy stories, let me know who runs this show
Glassy-eyed and laughing, he turns and walks away
Tell me what made you that way

Here I am just waiting for a sign
Asking questions, learning all the time
It's always here, it's always there
It's just love, and miracles out of nowhere

Tell me now dear mother, what's it like to be so old
Children grown and leavin', seems the world is growin' cold
And though your body's ailin' you
Your mind is just like new
Tell me where you're goin' to

Here I am just waiting for a sign
Asking questions, learning all the time
It's always here, it's always there
It's just love, and miralces out of nowhere

It's so simple right before your eyes
If you'll look through this disguise
It's always here, it's always there
It's just love and miracles out of nowhere

I sang this song a hundred, maybe a thousand years ago
No one ever listens, I just play and then I go
Off into the sunset like the western heroes do
Tell me what you're gonna do

Here I am, I'm sure to see a sign
All my life I knew that it was mine
It's always here, it's always there
It's just love and miracles out of nowhere


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jseTa7HUIDU

I just heard that Kansas is touring in 2017 doing all of the songs off of Leftoverture. If they were coming here to Red Rocks, I'd consider, but it seems to be in the theater with the crappiest sound, so I'm out.

I love that song, except for the line, "When you coming home now son, the world is not for you." We sprang from the matter of this planet. We evolved right here. It's our home, it's most certainly 'for us' if anything is.

But aside from that, it's one of Kansas's best songs, just gorgeous. I like the live version on the concert video, Device, Voice, Drum (DVD ... get it? Now they need a Blu-ray version: Bass, Lights, umm..., Rigs, Amps, Yamaha. LOL). There's a CGI animated video for the instrumental part, with each note of each instrument depicted graphically. Geeky coolness. [I just realized I made this point already in 2009 up-thread. Oh well, that's the song. Now you know.]