Rarely does anyone stay at the same job for 46+ years and counting. But Phil & Rich have. which is amazing longevity with rock ‘n roll bands. Plus the replacement players they expertly selected are outstanding and seasoned - Greer came in 1985, Ragsdale in 1991 and to replicate their complicated music live they added a second guitar, Zac Rizvi, and keyboards, Tom Brislin (Yes) and a cover-band veteran from Chicago singing Kansas songs to 5K people, Ronnie Platt who also plays organ was an ideal replacement for one of the greatest singing frontmen in rock ‘n roll Steve Walsh who retired in 2014. There are no hot dogs or show offs in this band just serious musicians having fun at the only job they ever had.
I had the pleasure of seeing and meeting Ronnie Platt when his Yes Cover band called DRAMA played in Chicago during the last NAMM Show there in 1987. I attended NAMM with several other hard core YES / Kansas fans that I worked with. We got out to our car at the end of one of the days and someone had stuck a DRAMA flyer in our car windshield. They were playing at a local club that night. We went and it was amazing. Ronnie and the band stayed around after the show and visited with us. Ronnie wasn't thrilled that night because there was a fog machine right behind him over his head that they kept turning on and fogging him out. He was a "Trooper" of course and did a great show anyway. I was very pleased to hear Kansas had chosen Ronnie to sing lead. I think he's doing a terrific job of "Carrying On" the tradition. My thanks to Ronnie for Drama and for his contribution to Kansas. Hope to meet him again someday.
Tom Brislin is such a great addition. As a YES fan I've seen and heard some of his shadow band work with them and enjoyed it, but it wasn't until I heard him cover South Side of the Sky with the Band Geeks here on YT, that I really came to love him. He adds so much energy to this show . His keys cut through the bar room mix so there's no mistaking that he is really cutting the chops and not lounging it up. He looks like he's really having fun, which means he's not only got the licks down but he's groovin on how it FEELs to be making the music. I love that. Not just a breathing juke box or mechanical chop lifter but someone who feels the magic while he's making it too. My sincere respect and admiration for this whole crew with a special thanks to Tom.
This is a great performance, such great music and Ronnie does a great job singing all of this impossibly vocally hard music. Steve Walsh sang like his life depended on it and is an incredible musician on top of it. Hard to fill those shoes. Steve’s commitment onstage was just about the highest I’ve seen or heard. When you perform like that it is hard on the voice and all I have to say is a huge thanks to that guy for pouring his soul out to make a powerful impact in the audience and on me. This Kansas band is awesome! Keep going!
@@williamgibbs3199 Were you at the Tulsa concert. ? They never fail to put me in a trance. I have to be very aware and careful when I'm driving and listening to them.
I would say that he is a definite positively effecting addition. I never heard the last keyboardist and wondered why he didn't have long gray hair like I'd seen in the pictures. After a little research this week, I found who Tom was and was from. Exciting so much for the band, Phil and Richard.
David Manion was very good too. He was with them after Steve Walsh retired, and Tom Brislin has now replaced him. The real key to the new fuller sound is having two keyboard players and two guitars, plus the violin. Having just Ragsdale on violin and the second guitar and only having one keyboard player kept them from duplicating all the original parts, since Livgren played guitar and keyboard in addition to Walsh's keyboards and Williams' guitar.
@@Parableman David Manion was ok on piano and I'm glad he brought a real Hammond B3 back to the stage. However, as a synthesist he sucked. He didn't play all the synth parts on the old songs and the sounds he created didn't sound like the original nor were they improved sounds. Manion just can't play synthesizer (and I did see him with Kansas live on a couple of occasions). I admire the fact that Kansas was willing to promote a roadie to keypboad player, but they deserve better and now they have better. Tom Brislin is fantastic on all keyboards including synthesizer. (Tom has sub'd for Rick Wakeman in Yes so he is definitely top notch.) This is the best the keys have sounded since Kansas had Steve and Kerry in the band. (and you're right it is best 2 have two keyboardists on some songs especially if one of them isn't David Manion).
Class, pure class. The addition of Zac Rizvi and Tom Brislin have given Kansas a much 'deeper' sound. Ronnie Platt is handling the vocals brilliantly, along with Billy. Dave Rags is always playing his utmost and Phil and Rich just do it as awesomely as they always have for nearly 50 years. Hoping to see their rescheduled date in London this November. Stay safe. Graham, UK.
Any real Kansas fan knows this ain't no cover band, this is the probably the best Kansas has sounded since the golden age. The standouts Ragsdale's buttery smooth violin and Tom on the keyboards. Ronnie is a great stand in and probably the best vocalist since Walsh. Trying to fill the shoes of one of the greatest singers to ever live ain't easy but he kills Point of no Return in a way Walsh never did.
0:32 - 0:33 for the 1st time since Kerry was in the band that counterpoint in the keyboard line has been done...just like the album...also between 0:37- 0:38 🎧👂🎧
Still can't believe the incredibly great band is STILL NOT in the dumb Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!! And they are American where prog has had no icons like the Brits, go figure the RRHOF premise that bands must be influential..like these guys were on Glass Hammer or Spock's Beard for example.
Phil is an amazing drummer, but when I saw them on the Leftoverture anniversary tour he had a new (small) drum kit and I didn't like the way it sounded (could be the kit he is playing here). It sounded punchy and modern, but it was also very sharp and piercing and it hurt my ears. It didn't blend well with the Kansas sound as Phil's older drum kits normally do. My suggestion is to bring the old kit back. I would like to hear some feedback from some drummers.
I am not a drummer, but my brother was. I played the flute in the band and had friends that were drummers, and my 2nd girl child chose the drums when she started in the band. I think I understand what your referring to, because I could tell there was a difference. It's possible that he doesn't like it as much and would want to bring back the old kit. With all that though, and the need for electrical input to every system these days, considering the lighting effects, etc that the change was necessary. If you can't adapt you die, Einstein. What else was I thinking... oh... by bringing back the old kit, you mean including the Gong? They are so awesome no matter what
Phil is insanely loud so the band has to raise it to 11, my ear (I have one) was ringing for 3 days. But there's a reason he's listed in the top 100 drum players of all time.
@@TechGently Phil makes my list of Top 5 favorite drummers and I've seen Kansas at least 25 times in concert. However, there was something about the sound of his new drum kit that I just didn't like.
