Martinez Tribune The website of the Martinez Tribune.
BY HELEN LAME’
The band Kansas, one of the most popular progressive rock groups of all time with over 30 million albums sold, is coming to the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco next week on Thursday, September 14th as part of their Another Fork in the Road 50th Anniversary Tour.
Having produced eight gold and three multi-platinum albums, Kansas rapidly progressed from having a cult following as a garage band from Topeka to national prominence in the mid-70’s following the October 1976 release of “Leftoverture,” followed by the equally prolific “Point of Know Return” a year later. The two albums sold over ten million copies in the U.S. alone.
The popularity of the two releases quickly propelled the band to headlining status, selling out arenas and stadiums across North America. Kansas signature sound often blended elements of rock with complex symphonic arrangements, also incorporating synthesizers with violins and keyboards to produce a progressive art rock sound that veered into both classical and jazz.
Recent setlists from the current tour have consistently been career spanning performances that have included material from eleven different albums in what is promised to be a two hour plus concert.
Additional FM radio staples such as the quadruple-Platinum single “Carry On Wayward Son,” the triple-Platinum single “Dust in the Wind,” “Play The Game Tonight,” “Hold On” and “Miracles Out of Nowhere” have been consistently included over the course of the tour, as have samplings from The Absence of Presence, the bands stellar 16th studio album released in 2020 and just their second album of new material in over two decades.
The band is currently comprised of original guitarist Richard Williams, original drummer Phil Ehart, bassist/vocalist Billy Greer, vocalist/keyboardist Ronnie Platt, keyboardist/vocalist Tom Brislin, and violinist/guitarist Joe Deninzon.
Other West Coast shows include the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles on September 16th and the Balboa Theatre in San Diego on September 17th. Tickets for the San Francisco show are available at: https://www.broadwaysf.com/events/kansas/golden-gate-theatre/tickets/6298136C-6AFE-4096-832A-E9A312719DEA
