Classic American rock band Kansas played at the Virginia Theatre on Friday for their 50th-anniversary tour titled “Another Fork in the Road.”
Throughout their two-hour show, Kansas played a total of 20 songs from their discography, ranging from their 1974 self-titled album to their most recent studio album from 2020, “The Absence of Presence.”
The setlist included fan favorites and all of the classics, allowing the band to shine on stage as they jammed along with one another.
Additionally, the tone of the setlist was equally balanced between highly energetic rock melodies and the band’s more acoustic and melodic songs.
John Pratt, a Kansas fan in attendance, shared his opinion on the set.
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
“Fantastic. There’s something about a classic 70s band at the Virginia Theatre,” Pratt said. “This is the third one I’ve seen in the last two years and it’s just wonderful.”
Kansas currently consists of six members, including Billy Greer on bass and vocals, Tom Brislin on keyboard, Ronnie Platt on vocals and keyboard, Joe Deninzon on the violin and guitar, Richard Williams on guitar and Phil Ehart on percussion.
After Ehart survived a major heart attack, the band announced that he would be taking a break from performing and drum tech Eric Holmquist would be taking his spot on the tour.
Ehart, a founding member of Kansas who is still heavily involved with the band on their tour, has been acting as the band’s manager for the past 40 years. Despite Ehart and Kansas’ long and taxing history, the band was still successful in lighting up the stage Friday.
“These guys still know how to rock,” Teresa Blazaitis, an attendee of the concert, said.
Kansas’s setlist included “A Glimpse of Home” and “The Pinnacle,” two songs that have rarely been played in the past 40 years, the band announced on stage.
Kansas ended their show around 9:30 p.m. without playing one of their most popular songs, “Carry on Wayward Son.” The band swiftly dismissed concerns of skipping the tune by coming back out for an encore to play it.
Throughout the show, the band received multiple standing ovations for their songs, including “Song for America,” “Dust in the Wind” and “Carry on Wayward Son,” which had the majority of the audience on their feet and singing along.
Time may be moving forward, but Kansas isn’t about to let that change them or their music. At the end of the show, Platt made sure to thank the audience for coming out and assured them that they’d keep on going with their performances, no matter what.
“You can just look at the crowd, everyone from young to old is still here,” David Fendley, another audience member, said. “It brings a whole mixed group of people together and as they said, they’re still going.”
