Review: Kansas and the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra

 9 comment(s)  
 E-mail Story
 Print Story
  Share

 digg it!
 Facebook
 del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit

Text Size: 

Tools Sponsor

BY JEFF KORBELIK / Lincoln Journal Star

Kansas bass player Billy Greer called the band’s concert Thursday night at Pershing Center an “experiment in progress.”

Why?

For the first time in 10 years the legendary rock ‘n’ rollers shared a stage with a symphony orchestra.

Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of guest conductor Larry Baird, teamed with Kansas on a 90-minute, 12-song set that went over well despite some technical glitches.

If anything, it was sight to behold.

The orchestra was in its black formal wear, while most members of the audience were in jeans, with a lot of them sipping beer from plastic cups.

In an interview prior to the concert, lead guitarist Richard Williams said Kansas’ music lends itself well to symphonic arrangements .

Indeed it does.

The small, but vocal crowd got a sense of what was in store for them from the outset as the orchestra accompanied the five-piece band on a loud, theatrical opening before launching into “Point of Know Return.”

Throughout the night, Kansas violinist David Ragsdale led the orchestra into “movements” of several songs.

Songs such as “The Wall” and “Cheyenne Autumn” spotlighted the orchestra’s string sections.

Particularly effective was the band’s hit “Dust in the Wind,” with Ragsdale playing the signature phrases and the orchestra echoing them back.

Greer said afterward that it raised goosebumps on his arm. I’m sure the same could be said for the audience members.

Going in, I wasn’t sure what role the orchestra would play in the concert. I actually expected it to be featured more than it was. It served more as an accompanist than anything else.

But that was fine. The people came to see Greer, Williams, Ragsdale, Steve Walsh (keyboards, vocals) and Phil Ehart (drums).

The quintet didn’t disappoint, playing the hits their fans came to hear, including the aforementioned “Point of Know Return,” “Dust in the Wind” and closer “Carry on Wayward Son.”

It was band’s first in a series of concerts with symphony orchestras, which explained some of the technical glitches. Walsh’s vocals were a bit muddy and became lost in the instrumentation.

There was some reverb halfway through “Carry,” which slowed the momentum the band had built from the song’s intro.

But for the most part, the concert was quite enjoyable.

Toward the end, Greer thanked the audience for being the band’s “guinea pigs.” But really, it should have been the crowd offering up the thank yous.

Lincoln was on the receiving end of a rare treat. The band was breaking from its comfort zone and changing it up for the first time in 10 years.

For that, the band deserves credit.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.