Kansas - There's Know Place Like Home
StarCity Recording Company
www.kansasband.com

Rating: A+

To celebrate their 35th anniversary, Kansas returned to their hometown of Topeka and recorded a DVD/CD (each sold separately) titled There's Know Place Like Home.  The band recruited the local Washburn University Symphony Orchestra, which was conducted by long time Kansas friend Larry Baird.  The event took place at White Concert Hall on the Washburn University Campus. Experiencing the band returning to their native homeland and performing the concert of their lives is nothing short of breathtaking.  While the CD sounds amazing, it is the DVD that that is the true ringer here. 

Kansas music is highly complex and to see original members Richard Williams, Phil Ehart and Steve Walsh handle the 19 song set with such ease is awe inspiring.  Joining the long time stalwarts are bass player Billy Greer, himself a veteran of nearly a quarter century in the band, and returning "newcomer" David Ragsdale on violin and guitar.  Rags played with Kansas in
the 1990's and his return to the band ups the ante for professionalism and musicianship in Kansas.  The biggest testament to Rags presence is seen when the stoic Walsh is caught smiling and enjoying himself on stage!  

The Kansas crowd was treated to original member, and chief songwriter, Kerry Livgren's presence on several tracks on the new recording.  Livgren is currently recovering from a stroke suffered only weeks before the DVD/CD were released. While one hopes this will not be the last time he sits in with Kansas, one cannot be sure of the future at the time of this writing.
Another Kansas alum, guitarist Steve Morse, also sits in with the band. Morse plays guitar on a couple of tracks and, along with Ragsdale, plays violin during "Dust in the Wind."  The bonus rehearsal track of Morse, Livgren and Williams jamming on the classic "Down the Road" is amazing. This once in a lifetime event was luckily caught on tape.   

The track listing on the DVD/CD is amazing, opening with "Howling at the Moon" before sliding into "Belexes" from the self-titled debut.  "Belexes" is a testament to the musicianship of Kansas.  The band is too often taken for granted due to the pop nature of their biggest hits. The 'real' Kansas has much more depth than their Top 20 hits would have you believe. 

"Song for America" is flawlessly executed with Walsh and Greer both performing well vocally while Williams and Ehart give awesome performances throughout the ten minute plus epic. "On the Other Side" from the album Monolith is a true hidden gem from the back catalog.  From the new opening segment to the classic guitar melodies, this track is a true highlight of the live event.  Following this number are three other deep catalog songs. The first one, "Musicatto," features Steve Morse putting on a guitar clinic while the next tune, a hybrid mix of "Ghosts" and "Rainmaker" allows Walsh to strut both his vocal prowess and his songwriting abilities.  The refrain of "Rainmaker" raises the  hair on one's arms and drives  home the desperation the people in the story felt as their farmland literally dried up around them.  The emptiness of "Ghosts" reaches into the audiences'' collective psyche and allows all to revisit their own personal memories of their long forgotten past.  "Nobody's Home" from Point of Know Return is another solemn song that is brought to life with three loud drumbeats and an emotional ending.  The hit songs "Hold On," from Audio Visions, and "Cheyenne Anthem" from
Lefoverture each give the orchestra a chance to shine before the one/two punch of "Icarus II" and "Icarus: Borne on Wings of Steel" get the concert hall rocking with loud guitars, pounding drums, pulsating bass, and wild violin lines. 

"Miracles Out of Nowhere" remains a Kansas staple and a fan favorite. "Incommudro" features Kerry Livgren on organ as the song slides effortlessly into "The Wall."  "Fight Fire with Fire" is given new life with an interesting instrumental section.  The disc ends with "Dust in the Wind,"
featuring Livgren and Morse both on stage, and "Carry On Wayward Son." 

In the history of DVD's only a few bands have been able to capture the true magic and essence of their live performance on any one given night.  The Eagles did it with Live From Melbourne.  The Allman Brothers did it with Live at the Beacon Theater.  And now Kansas has done it with There's Know Place Like Home.  The sound of the recording, the visual aspects of the stage, the lights, the orchestra, the theater and the band, dressed in black amongst the blue overtones of the stage, make this an overall experience that should not only garner the band attention, it should win them awards. Not only is it one of the best performances of Kansas' career, it is one of the best examples of a concert DVD released to date.  Plus, ya gotta love the way they snuck in the improper letter "K" in the title, just as they did on  the classic Point of Know Return. 

By Jeb Wright