Kansas Rocks Sarasota: Prog Rock Legends Celebrate 50 Years at Van Wezel Performing Arts Center         

Kansas, one of America’s premier prog rock bands rocked in the SRQ to a large crowd of serious diehard fans.  Kansas, around since 1974, has been celebrating its 50th anniversary. The band has managed to combine prog rock and rock radio singles over the years. Kansas is another band that should have been in the Rock & Roll of Fame a long time ago.

They kicked the show off with their 1977 hit, “Point of Know Return” and had the audience out of their seats.  The original band had six members. The current lineup is now seven musicians, Ronnie Platt on lead vocals & keyboards, Joe Deninzon is amazing on violin and also plays guitar. Eric Holmquist on drums, Dan McGowan on bass, Scott Bernard on acoustic & electric guitar, Zev Rizvi, guitar and Tom Brislin on keyboards.

They brought on a 1983 MTV tune with “Fight Fire with Fire” from the album “Drastic Measures.”    The 1977 iconic song “Dust in the Wind” sounded stellar with Deninzon’s beautiful violin. An amazing fact is that “Dust” has been streamed 974 million times! There was a deep cut for the diehards with “Child of Innocence” and they closed the set with “Miracles Out OF Nowhere” and the fans were on their feet with another standing ovation. The encore was their signature classic song “Carry on Wayward Son.”  This band is keeping American progressive rock alive and doing it very well! Kansas is touring through March. Check out their website www.kansasband.com

Vicky Sullivan Photos